General Sports Thread

[unclevlad]

Even if the Delta Center isn't a great choice, the current facility is a gross embarrassment.  There've been major issues with the Coyotes for multiple years, too.  

I have a hard time buying the $1B valuation...and if the Coyotes do relocate, why would SLC need an expansion team?  What...you'll move the Coyotes *twice*?  That part makes no sense.

 

EDIT:  elsewhere...turns out, the women's title game outdrew the men's title game.  By a LOT!!!  UConn-Purdue wasn't a draw, second lowest ratings ever.  (Beat last year but by a negligible amount.)  Under 15M.  SC-Iowa...almost 19M.  So about +25%...that's huge.

 

Attributions?  Network...women's game was on ABC/ESPN, men's was TNT.  Caitlin Clark...likely the #1 factor.  The Athletic commented, tho, that the women's game is currently better than the men's game...more balanced, more team play, more cohesion.  Less one and done, less transfer portal.  This also impacts the overall star power...the men's game doesn't have it.

[Pariah]

No the Coyotes move only once, to Utah. Then when/if expansion happens, Arizona gets priority for an expansion team. Assuming they have somewhere for such a team to play.

 

It's worth noting that the Utah State Legislature approved a bill this spring for a tax increase/extension/whatever to fund new NHL and/or MLB venues in Salt Lake County. 

[unclevlad]

4 minutes ago, Pariah said:

No the Coyotes move only once, to Utah. Then when/if expansion happens, Arizona gets priority for an expansion team. Assuming they have somewhere for such a team to play.

 

It's worth noting that the Utah State Legislature approved a bill this spring for a tax increase/extension/whatever to fund new NHL and/or MLB venues in Salt Lake County. 

 

Ah...so let's let history repeat itself, huh?  Phoenix area's already shown inadequate interest...to pro sports generally.  D'backs were 20th of 30,  Cardinals were 30th of 32, for last season.  The Suns drew...their raw average attendance didn't place well, but they show as having sold 100% of the seats...so it's lower capacity than many.  Obviously, the Coyotes are a massive outlier for the NHL, simply because of that microscopic capacity, but they had 3rd worst attendance in 18-19...pre-Covid, and in the full-size facility.  

 

I also seriously question whether the Phoenix area's really big enough to support a team in all 4 of the major sports.

[Pariah]

At the collegiate level, Denver University has beaten Boston University 2-1 in overtime in the Frozen Four. The Pioneers have earned a spot in the national championship game. The other semi-final, Michigan versus Boston College, begins in about half an hour.

 

 

Edited April 12, 2024 by Pariah

[Pariah]

Boston College has just beaten Michigan in the other Frozen Four semi-final, blowing out the Wolverines 4-0. They were the overall #1 seed, and it showed. 

 

One thing I can say for certain about the championship game: the team in red and gold is going to win.

[death tribble]

I Am Maximus wins the Grand National, Britain's premier steeplechase horse race 

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/horse-racing/68806070

Edited April 14, 2024 by death tribble

[Pariah]

The Frozen Four is in the books, and DU came out in top for the second time in three years.

 

Denver vs. Boston College final score, results: Matt Davis leads Pioneers to 10th national championship

 

DU's victory breaks a 15-game winning streak for BC. It's also the first time all year the Eagles have been shut out. 

 

Congratulations Pioneers!

 

 

[Pariah]

Not with a bang, but a whimper.

 

Dan Bickley: Arizona Coyotes relocation not our fault, it’s on the owner and local politics

[death tribble]

Tom Pidcock wins the Amstel Gold race

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cycling/68813073

[unclevlad]

7 hours ago, Pariah said:

Not with a bang, but a whimper.

 

Dan Bickley: Arizona Coyotes relocation not our fault, it’s on the owner and local politics

 

Article in The Athletic points this out:

 

Quote

It is sometimes difficult to keep track of who owned the Coyotes and for how long (Richard Burke, Steve Ellman, Moyes, a consortium of Canadian investors fronted by George Gosbee, Andrew Barroway and most recently Alex Meruelo) and all those who kicked the tires on the franchise, without ever investing any actual dollars into the operation.

 

And later

 

Quote

The Coyotes have been a corporate clown show for so long mostly because Bettman couldn’t let go of his obsession with the market. 

<snip>

In the end, it’s hard not to dissect every part of the Coyotes’ never-ending sad story without seeing Bettman’s fingerprints everywhere you look.

 

 

[death tribble]

Scottie Scheffler wins the Masters golf tournament

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/golf/68814595

 

Men's discus world record broken for the first time in 38 years

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/athletics/68815060

Edited April 15, 2024 by death tribble

[Pariah]

They still have to get the approval of the owners, but this is a significant step.

 

Report: NHL Executive Committee Approves Arizona Coyotes’ Move To Utah

 

 

[unclevlad]

I'd be amazed if the owners don't approve unanimously.  The Coyotes have been a cash sink, from the league's perspective, particularly in the last 2 years, playing in that ridiculous (for the NHL) arena.

[Starlord]

Sadly, a taste of what female athletes have to deal with....

 

Caitlin Clark addresses creepy question from reporter at WNBA Fever introduction - SBNation.com
https://www.sbnation.com/wnba/2024/4/17/24133472/caitlin-clark-wnba-creepy-question-reporter-indiana-fever-introduction

[Cygnia]

[Cancer]

I'll avoid laying out teams who are in the "Comfortably numb dumb" bin.

[unclevlad]

1 hour ago, Cancer said:

I'll avoid laying out teams who are in the "Comfortably numb dumb" bin.

 

Because you didn't want to spend a half hour gathering up that many team logos.

[Pariah]

The NHL’s Board of Governors voted unanimously on Thursday to approve the sale and relocation of the franchise to Salt Lake City for the start of the 2024-2025 season.

 

 

[tkdguy]

Something different

 

 

[unclevlad]

That is one CRAZY sport!!!  

[Pariah]

We just watched the press conference welcoming the NHL to Utah. The Commissioner spoke, as did the new owners, the governor, the mayor of Salt Lake County, the mayor of Salt Lake City, and some others.

 

It's pretty exciting. This is real.

[death tribble]

Max Verstappen wins the Chinese Grand Prix

https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/formula1/68868366

 

Tadej Pogacar wins Liege Bastogne Liege

Edited April 21, 2024 by death tribble

[Cygnia]

Race car in Sri Lanka veers off track; 7 dead, 20 injured

[unclevlad]

I think it's fair to say that Howie Schwab was the first celebrity sports stats/info type guy.  He was big on ESPN...even to the point of them trying a sports trivia show called Stump the Schwab.  He was part of the first of the big purges at ESPN back in 2013, but continued to be valuable behind the scenes in other ways (including being Fox's NCAA bracketologist for a couple years, which I hadn't known.)

He died, apparently of a heart attack, Monday.  Age 63.

[slikmar]

11 hours ago, unclevlad said:

I think it's fair to say that Howie Schwab was the first celebrity sports stats/info type guy.  He was big on ESPN...even to the point of them trying a sports trivia show called Stump the Schwab.  He was part of the first of the big purges at ESPN back in 2013, but continued to be valuable behind the scenes in other ways (including being Fox's NCAA bracketologist for a couple years, which I hadn't known.)

He died, apparently of a heart attack, Monday.  Age 63.

MLBNow did a segment on him that was really good, as Brian Kenney was a big fan of his.