Sources: Arizona Coyotes ownership change is imminent
Dec 20, 2018, 3:55 PM | Updated: 11:04 pm
(Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)
(Matt Layman/Arizona Sports)
The Arizona Coyotes will soon have a change in ownership, sources have told 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station’s Dan Bickley.
Multiple sources said the change in ownership is “pending and imminent” while another said the ownership change would occur but not until 2019.
The sale would come less than two years after Andrew Barroway bought out the rest of a group of owners in June of 2017. At that time, the Coyotes were owned by IceArizona, a group that included Barroway, George Gosbee, Gary Drummond, Anthony LeBlanc, David Duckett and others.
Before buying out the team completely, Barroway had been the majority owner since 2014.
In November of this year, a report from The Fourth Period stated that an ownership change was coming for the Coyotes, and that Barroway would sell some or all of his ownership of the Coyotes to one or multiple parties.
In March, 98.7 FM Arizona’s Sports Station had already reported that Barroway was exploring potential partnerships for his ownership of the franchise and was in discussions with other investors.
In response to that report, team president and CEO Ahron Cohen said at the time, “As it is every day, our team’s focus is on the ice and on doing everything possible to grow the game of hockey in Arizona. While we aren’t going to discuss every unsubstantiated story on the Internet, here’s what I can say: we have been — and will continue to be — open to investment opportunities that will help us achieve our long-term goals in Arizona.”
General manager John Chayka also commented on the report at that time when he joined Doug & Wolf for his weekly interview.
“I think everyone — it’s pretty well documented on our arena efforts, and our efforts to grow the organization and grow the sport of hockey in Arizona. And I think since Andy [Barroway] took over, he’s kind of been up front that he’s open to any investment opportunities that will allow us to achieve those goals and grow the team. I think that’s where some of the reports are coming from.
