Coyotes' press conference with Bettman gets vandalized by protestors

Stop me if you've heard this one before: Things don't look good for the Arizona Coyotes.

The NHL's doormat, the team with the lowest payroll in the league and the team that plays out of a college building half the size of most team's practice rinks is once again having a tough go of things. Gee... call me crazy but I think after nearly 30 years of this that NHL hockey in the Arizona desert may not be a great idea after all...

Earlier this month azcentral.com reported that the city of Phoenix, Arizona is suing the Coyotes over their plans to develop a new arena and entertainment complex is neigboring Tempe, Arizona. As you might expect, this has put a bit of a wrench into the Coyotes' plans.

Details from azcentral.com:

Phoenix is suing to stop Tempe's $2.1 billion deal with the Arizona Coyotes, a move destined to reignite an inter-city conflict over a proposed entertainment district that appeared to have died out four months ago.

(The lawsuit) contends that Tempe's approval of the deal violated a policy that limits how close housing can be to Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, part of a 1994 agreement designed to spare residents from loud plane noise and protect the airport from noise-related litigation.

Phoenix is asking a Maricopa County Superior Court judge to prevent Tempe from moving forward with the project by undoing the initial approval of the deal in December.

"The City of Phoenix ... is suing Tempe for breach of contract, asking the court to rescind Tempe’s recent zoning and land use changes and prohibit future residential uses in an area that the Federal Aviation Administration says is incompatible with residential development," Phoenix wrote in a news release.

- azcentral.com

You know what's actually really, REALLY funny to me though? NHL commissioner Gary Bettman and the Coyotes are expected to hold a press conference later today at... a local Goodwill location. I kid you not. 

What's even better is that protestors vandalized the site of the press conference with large "VOTE NO" lettering for everyone to see on camera.

The vote on the Coyotes' future in Tempe of course goes public next month.

I don't know the first thing about lawsuits, public referendums or about how this will all play out but... seriously... SERIOUSLY can we just pull the plug on this dying franchise already?

Personally I'm actually flabbergasted that the Coyotes are still in the NHL. Again, they play in a literal college facility and they're openly tanking for a top pick. They take the rest of the league's garbage contracts via trades and the league doesn't seem to really care. Hell... does ANYONE care about the Coyotes? Please just move this team already...