Coyotes forced to sign a “good behavior” clause in agreement with ASU

I literally can't believe I'm about to type this but... here goes...

The Arizona Coyotes are set to move into the 5,000 capacity Arizona State Univesity's ((ASU) Multi-Purpose Arena next season, but it comes with a slew of caveats. 

As reported by The Athletic earlier this week, the Coyotes will not be able to alter on-ice branding in the arena and the team's schedule will essentially take a back seat to ASU Sun Devils games. The Coyotes will also have to pay for and construct their own locker rooms and training areas.

In addition to all this, The Athletic's Kate Strang reports on a number of other clauses in the Coyotes' agreement with ASU including a clause in which the team's owner Alex Meruelo will be required to "avoid notoriety" or ASU could pull out of the deal leaving the Coyotes homeless once again. 

From Strang:

According to the document, if the Coyotes or Meruelo become the subject of adverse publicity, contempt, scandal or ridicule for violating “widely held principles of public morality, failing to conduct its business affairs with a high degree of integrity and honesty and/or failing to act as a good corporate citizen,” Arizona State can get out of its deal with the Coyotes.

This includes media coverage of Meruelo and the Coyotes business practices, according to the document, and ASU can cancel the Coyotes tenancy if coverage is proven true and has damaged or could damage ASU’s reputation.

Katie Strang

It's unclear what "public morality" entails in this case, but it's worth noting that the Coyotes are a team who are investing heavily into sports gambling and who have a history of dysfunction both on and off the ice. Remember the whole Mitchell Miller scandal from the 2020 NHL Draft? Could that be construed as a violation? 

Further to all this, Muerelo is required to pay each year's lease in full before the start of the season. This, obviously, is an insurance to the school that the Coyotes don't fall behind on lease payments like they did with Gila River Arena.

Additional clauses in the agreement, again according to Strang:

• Any alcohol or beer advertisements must be approved by Arizona State.
• Arizona State maintains the right to object to any advertisement that is “not in good taste or is otherwise not in compliance” with ASU’s rules.
• Arizona State will receive the revenue from naming rights for the arena.
• The Coyotes will not be permitted to sell any temporary advertising that is a competitor or in the same category as whomever ASU sells naming rights to.
• In-ice advertising will be a revenue source for Arizona State, and the Coyotes aren’t allowed to modify the look of the ice surface – including the Arizona State logo at center ice — on broadcasts to protect ASU’s permanent advertisers in the building. It is noted that this doesn’t and shouldn’t impact opposing broadcasts filming at ASU.

 Call me crazy, but this entire plan seems set up for failure. It's almost as if the team shouldn't be there in the first place... go figure, eh?