Arizona Coyotes could be revived by billionaire Phoenix Suns owner

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Tom Banks
July 25, 2024 (1:02 PM)

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The Arizona Coyotes may have become defunct in 2024 with the relocation to Utah, but that may not last long according to a recent report.

While the Coyotes last few years in the NHL weren't successful on or off the ice, they had a great following in Arizona, with an outpouring of success and love shown after the departure to Utah. Despite the move, the Coyotes were able to keep all of their records and history, reportedly to allow Alex Meruelo to bring them back, but now it appears as though it's another key billionaire in Phoenix that could look to do that.

Mat Ishiba has expressed interest in bringing an NHL franchise back to Phoenix, Arizona 🇺🇸 as an expansion franchise.

Ishiba wouldn't comment on if he has already had talks with the NHL, but if discussions advance in the next few years alongside plans for a new arena, it wouldn't surprise many to see the Phoenix market re-added to the league within the next ten years.

The league retained the branding rights to the Coyotes when Meruelo conceded his rights to the franchise earlier this month, which could be sold to Ishbia as part of an expansion deal.

The 44-year old is the CEO and chairman of United Wholesale Mortgage, and is the owner of the Phoenix Suns (NBA) 🇺🇸 and Phoenix Mercury (WNBA) 🇺🇸

He is worth $10.1b as of May 2024.

The report doesn't reveal whether or not he's talked to the NHL yet, but with a net worth over $10 billion, he certainly has the money to bring a new arena to Phoenix to upgrade life for the Suns and bring back the Coyotes. It's no secret that Gary Bettman did everything he could to keep the NHL in the desert, and if Ishbia continues his interest, it wouldn't be a shock to see the team return over the next five or 10 years.

Source: Hockey Patrol
New plan for the Arizona Coyotes to return to the NHL officially in motion