Arizona Coyotes Ticket Prices at New ASU Arena

 

The Arizona Coyotes find themselves playing in ASU's multi purpose arena for at least the next three years after the City of Glendale did not renew their year-to-year lease at Gila River Arena.

The thing is, the new ASU arena, while possessing up-to-date features can only seat about 4,800-5,000 hockey fans. I don't know about you but even if the arena is in an area around Phoenix where most hockey fans reside, the prices seem exorbitant.

Center ice season tickets going for $7,175 each is a bit high. Especially when the average NHL hockey fan may pay less for a much more entertaining product on the ice.


The Coyotes this season, while in the midst of a major rebuild will more than likely exceed their worst point total in franchise history. That record was set during the drastically awful 2014-15 season when the Desert Dogs only had 58 points. They sit at 50 now with just five games remaining.

It goes without saying that the team had to raise ticket prices since they will have considerably less tickets to sell. Now some die-hard Yotes fans will still foot the bill. But the average schmuck who may want to take in a game or even purchase season tickets may need to arrange a loan to pay for it.

Granted, the East valley residents do have a higher income level, but with the price of everything (have you seen gas prices lately?) rising at a feverish pace, going to a hockey game may be out of the question.

Some have joked that at least now the Coyotes will be able to have a sellout for every game... well perhaps.

Or how about attracting free agents or even young prospects to play in Arizona? With the capacity of Tucson Convention Center where the AHL affiliate for the Coyotes play, the Roadrunners can fit 8,962 fans for a game. Yet, the NHL team will only have about 5,000 seats? Seems crazy.

What many may not know is that recently it was revealed that the ASU basketball team who plays at the Desert Financial Arena needs lots of renovations. It was built in 1974. Since ASU is allowing the Coyotes to use their new arena for NHL hockey, ASU has proposed that once the proposed new arena for the Coyotes which will be in Tempe, is built... they'd love to play their basketball games there. That will save them a ton of renovation costs and as the saying goes... you scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours.

The intriguing caveat here is that ASU has plenty of influence towards the city of Tempe since their university is located there. It almost seems to make the management/ownership of the Coyotes genius to think up a solution where both ASU and the Coyotes benefit here.

Then again, the city council of Tempe may vote the entire Coyotes arena project down. Then what?

More drama for an NHL franchise who has excelled in it for a very long time.