Phoenix Coyotes Tickets

The Phoenix Coyotes sold their first tickets to fans of the original WHA when they played in the 1972-73 season. Playing in the WHA as the Winnipeg Jets, they merged into the NHL community of teams and continued to be a force to reckon with, as well as a stomping ground for hockey excellence. Fans immediately found the team to be well worth the price of a ticket.

The organization had little success but when the WHA invited them in, the Jets (as they were originally known on early franchise tickets) made the transition. The Jets and the WHA set the hockey community ablaze with the signing of the amazing Bobby Hull from the NHL. 60 more players had jumped leagues when the multi-million dollar contract that was offered to Hull was exposed. It was a major moment in the history of professional hockey as well as the ticket to broad changes to come.

At the end of the decade, the Jets began their NHL career to little success and average ticket revenue, but they rebounded the following season and finished with a 33-33-14 record. This placed them in a promising second place finish in the Norris Division.

1981 was a memorable year for the team when Hawerchuk ensured top rookie honors with 45 goals and 103 points. Hawerchuk took home the Calder Trophy, while teammate Watt took the Jack Adams Trophy. Several other future NHL stars also did various tours with the Jets. Temmu Selanne, Teppo Numminen, Alexei Zhamnov, Keith Tkachuk and Nikolai Khabibulin all showed proved their worth while on the Jets. Selanne was a ticket selling force, as he received all 50 first place votes for the Calder Trophy in his first year with the team.

Rising salaries and facility costs bottomed out the finances of the team and the sale of tickets fell below par. The Manitoba Entertainment Complex attempted to negotiate a deal together but the was not finalized, and the owners had to look at alternatives. After the end of the 1994-95 season the public attempted to be the ticket to saving the Jets. The government agreed to pitch in to build a new arena, but to the chagrin of everyone involved, it was far too late. In the following season, the Jets averaged only 11,316 ticket holding fans per game. Despite the problems and grief within the organization, the Jets made it to the playoffs but were eliminated in the first round.

On April 28, 1996, NHL hockey saw it's last day in Winnipeg. The Jets were purchased by Richard Burke and Steven Gluckstern and relocated to Phoenix for in time for the 1996-97 season.

In recent years, organizational problems along with difficulties for the now Phoenix Coyotes have brought forth discussion of whether or not the team will once be purchasing their own tickets for a move back to Winnipeg. Regardless of the outcome, the Phoenix Coyotes remain as determined as ever to make every ticket sold money well spent.

Needless to say, the NHL was furious due to a potential decline in the sale of NHL tickets and filed a lawsuit against the competition that did not succeed. On October 12, 1972, the Jets made their official debut to the ticket buying public at Madison Square Garden. They played against the New York Raiders who they beat with a 6-4 final score. The Jets blew passed their immediate competition to play for the league championship. However, the Avco Cup booked its ticket for New England in the final. The Jets won the Avco Cup in 1975 and then saw repeated victories in both 1978 and 1979.