Beggars Can't Be NHL Teams

The calamity for the NHL that is the Arizona Coyotes continues to be roundly mocked for its arena deal with Arizona State University, but the layers of absurdity that the deal is showing as new details are revealed have to be a new low for any and all NHL teams past or present. The center ice logo will see both team represented there, and I mocked up a fun idea above for what center ice may look like once the ice is installed at the still-being-constructed rink on the ASU grounds. It's the rest of the deals whose details make the Arizona Coyotes look like the amateurs in this arrangement, and I'm going to give Arizona State full kudos right now for being the adults in the room when it comes to this shared rink agreement.

Full credit needs to be given to The Athletic's Sean Shapiro and Katie Strang as both have been amazing in their reporting on the dealings between the Coyotes and ASU. While they did have the detail incorrect on the Coyotes being prevented from putting their logo on the ice as clarified by José M. Romero of the Arizona Republic, that's not even the part that people should be keeping an eye on because the agreement legitimately paints the Coyotes into a corner when it comes to being a good roommate.

Among Shapiro's and Strang's findings, the deal includes:

• If, at any point during the agreement for the Coyotes to play at ASU, there are finding that the Coyotes or owner Alex Merulo fail to uphold "widely held principles of public morality, failing to conduct its business affairs with a high degree of integrity and honesty and/or failing to act as a good corporate citizen," ASU can walk away from the deal with no loss to them. This includes being the "subject of adverse publicity, contempt, scandal or ridicule for violating" any or all of the above clause as per Bryan Murphy of The Sporting News.
• Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo is prohibited from making any oral or written statement that disparages ASU or OVG facilities and portrays them falsely and negatively.
• In what will likely bother the NHL and its major partner, Anheuser-Busch, with Bud Light being the "Official Beer" of the NHL in the US, all alcohol and beer advertisements must be approved by Arizona State before they can be installed.
• The Coyotes are prohibited from including any of their other normal in-ice branding as was seen at Gila River Arena, their former home. On-ice advertising rights are owned by ASU.
• The Coyotes are prohibited from digitally cover any the ASU logo on their broadcasts.
• The Coyotes must include references to the arena in all television or radio advertising for each Coyotes home game and the Coyotes cannot make or allow the creation of any video or broadcast in which the arena name on the ice is changed or obscured.
• ASU can object to any advertisement that is "not in good taste or is otherwise not in compliance" with any of ASU's rules.
• Only Arizona State will receive the revenue from naming rights for the arena.
• The Coyotes will not be permitted to sell any temporary advertising that is a competitor or in the same category as any advertiser that has a deal with Arizona State.

Putting all of those restrictions together ensures that Arizona State University and its partners will benefit greatly from this deal with the Coyotes. Again, the Coyotes came into the negotiation as beggars, so no one expected them to come out with the upper hand. However, I don't think anyone saw ASU exerting this kind of power over an NHL team when it comes to advertising, and it makes you wonder why the NHL is willing to go through with this, especially if Bud Light, the NHL's partner, cannot advertise their products during an NHL game.

Having been through a team relocating, I can honestly say that it rips your heart out, but this deal that the Coyotes have made makes you wonder how successful they could be in a place like Houston. If Arizona State plays their home games on Friday and Saturday, forcing the Coyotes on the road to into other times, it's already not optimal for the Coyotes. Adding the restrictions above regarding "good behaviour" and advertising now has me asking if Alex Merulo has ever been in a contract negotiation in his life.

I'm shocked that Gary Bettman is allowing this charade to continue in the desert. I'm surprised that the NHL Board of Governors hasn't stepped in and forced Merulo's hand in finding a better place to play whether in Arizona or not. Unfathomably, the Coyotes feel they can attract free agents to their team when they can't even make a deal for sponsors without ASU's approval. Somehow, this entire circus of an NHL franchise continues to operate.

I get that the beggars can't be choosers when it comes to needing a place to play next season and beyond for the Coyotes, but the Coyotes got schooled by a school whose administration is taking full advantage of the Coyotes' desperation. It would be wise for the NHL to simply drop out of the Arizona sports scene and move elsewhere, but it seems that they're going to see this one to the end whether the Coyotes implode or eventually land in Tempe at an arena of their own.

At this point after being embarrassed by an NCAA school, begging Tempe city council might be the only tactic that the Coyotes have left at their disposal.

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!