The problem with Glendale was they had a 15 year lease, and then Glendale broke it. Meruelo did talk to them before moving to the Mullett but they insisted in a 20 year lease agreement. 20 more years in Glendale wouldn’t be viable for the franchise any more than Mullett was.

@@wild_lee_coyotenot only that, but the NHL wouldn’t allow him to buy the team if he had intentions to keep the team in Glendale

Right. Not making any money way out in Glendale. I hope Meuelo gets it done in Scottsdale. Tempe voters are dumb.

Say what you will about The Count, but he really is an HR genius. Both him and Adam Silver have to have the ability to work productively with over 30 billionaires with wildly different personalities and business styles. Regardless of how you feel about either of them, their work speaks for itself

If Bettman wasn't Meruelo's wingman for this news conference, this would have gone even worse.

This is just about getting the taxpayers to pay for this guy's stadium. Quit your lying

Indeed. Mr. Bettman did some great damage control here and handled himself and Meruelo's tough questions masterfully. I'm extremely glad he's the Commissioner.

It is a known fact that the Smith's were actively pursuing an NHL franchise. They preferred an expansion team, but Meruelo's mismanagement of the Coyotes brought the opportunity to them. Want a contrast in management? Watch the press conference with the Smith's in SLC.

@@michaelkapel9033 I did, they're phenomenally impressive.

True about that,because he's not the guy,he took the money and ran

Oh shut up. It's your own faults for voting down the arena in Tempe. If you passed it, you'd still have a team.

It's the owners fault for not using union labor. There wouldn't have been an opposition campaign if they did.​@@FAITHandLOGIC

😂😂😂

Wait just a minute If this was a total done business deal lock stock and barrel then you would yell how come you didn’t tell us what was going on Anything the would of said could of gone a different way and then look out “Huge Liars”!!! I do understand why they couldn’t say too much until a-z was completed So please get behind the hockey arena being built and the players will have a class place to come to work in !!!

🙄🙄🙄

Vegas and Seattle starting from scratch and doing better than many long existing teams

That's not the problem,Alex is,anyone who doesn't speak up isn't great for our sport,I don't know how in the hell he makes money if he can't speak up

And he gets flustered easily. And he makes it about him. And he doesn’t project confidence.

As a Sabres fan, I say “good on ya” … I wanted the Coyotes to succeed SO BADLY! But simply no arena to play in. Sad, but true. Reboot and come back better!!

Alex is not the guy to run a hockey team

Actually, you sound arrogant - and even spiteful. Here you are advocating to sabotage the guy's efforts to restart the team in a few years and make a ridiculous comment that some other billionaire is ready to swoop in and invest in his place. Both Meruelo and Bettman seem anxious and tired in this presser, but Bettman has worked consistently over a 20+ years to grow the sport in this market, and Meruelo has invested $millions of his own money to try and turn the Coyotes franchise around and stabilise it in the last 5 years. Neither of them is the villain many describe. It's also obvious that spending public money is out of the question in today's economy - not only in Phoenix, but elsewhere as well. Utah will acquire a largely rebuilt young roster to root for when Arizona fans had to sit patiently through several non-playoff years - so that adds insult to injury for them. This reminds me of when Denver got a young Quebec team that went on to win a Stanley Cup. In the long run, however, the Coyotes will be back and I wish Meruelo good luck with the land auction.

Agreed…and Alex comes in with a bad reputation from elsewhere from what Ive heard.

Wakey wakey. If there's no arena in 5 years, there won't be a team there period.

@markmccrory3004 the Phoenix market is large enough that they'll get a team eventually. If Murelo keeps bungling the bag, they'd love to find a better owner. Even if they abandon the coyotes name completely and start anew

I actually think he’s got a chance to make this happen. For no other reason than his ego won’t allow him to fail

They're one of the worst for attendance. Tucson is a dump anyway.

@@GreenSteedaGT the valley is an even bigger shh!t hole. Tucson loves the roadrunners. The valley started caring about the yotes when they knew they were moving. But we can all agree. Sad the yotes are gone.

I think everyone from the media are trying to activate a schedule where they can ridicule Alex and Gary !!!! If you guys would tell it black and white no gray then you wouldn’t be ridiculed so PLEASE STOP this is not a republican democrat bs garbage I win you lose Sorry That Helps Nobody But You and that is Totally Wrong and deceptive

🙄🙄🙄

Yeah I can't see it coming back with him.

Agreed hes a POS that could careless. He already made money off the deal now he will slink away with it.

I am glad they are gone.

@@FallGuy-68 hopefully the dbacks and suns will follow in that case :)

@@ericbowers1620 nah, they are good organizations, they will be around.

Said no one ever.

glendale was far and horrible location

Don Garber and Adam Silver exists

that's true 👍

Alex

This is true Arizona,Atlanta,Houston ,KC

He had no choice here, Meruelo was SO bad

He was 100% on damage control here lol For the sake of the franchise, they needed Bettman up there.

Transparency

As likeable as a wet sock.

No. They DO NOT have the ownership. That’s the problem. And I loved (to hate) the Nordiques!

​@@JonDoe-ln6nlthe Quebeccor might still be interested in getting a team in Quebec City

why did he not go to the last game

They have an NHL team. So they have that going for them, which is nice

It is beautiful there hockey will thrive I'm going to see my Wings play there next year 💯 very exciting

@@DR.DisInfect I'm stoked for the NHL there and find it be a custom-made fit. And yes, Utah is fucking beautiful including the Wasatch Front. So much outdoor activity to enjoy in addition to urban amenities.

It’s not their fault

​@@DR.DisInfectget good seats the arena sucks