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Line 60: Following concerns about an indefinite timeframe on a new arena and the effects of continued play at the 4,600-seat [[Mullett Arena]] in [[Tempe, Arizona|Tempe]], the NHL facilitated the sale of the Coyotes franchise to Utah-based billionaire [[Ryan Smith (businessman)|Ryan Smith]] on April 18, 2024, after the NHL Board of Governors voted to establish [[Utah Hockey Club|a team in Utah]] using the Coyotes' hockey assets;<ref>{{cite press release |title='Utah's ready for a team,' new owner says |first=Nicholas J. |last=Cotsonika |date=2024-04-18 |publisher=[[National Hockey League]] |url=https://www.nhl.com/news/utah-is-ready-for-an-nhl-hockey-team-jazz-owner-ryan-smith-says |access-date=2024-04-18}}</ref> however, rather than formally relocate, the Coyotes franchise was instead marked "inactive", with Utah considered a hybrid (due to transfer of assets) expansion team. Coyotes owner [[Alex Meruelo]] retained his rights to the Roadrunners, confirming that they would continue as the AHL affiliate for the Utah Hockey Club,<ref>{{cite news |title=With Arizona Coyotes leaving, relocation talk clouds Roadrunners' future in Tucson |first=Josh |last=Jones |date=2024-04-23 |work=[[Cronkite News]] |url=https://cronkitenews.azpbs.org/2024/04/23/arizona-coyotes-leaving-relocation-roadrunners-tucson-hockey-nhl |access-date=2024-05-04 |quote=The Roadrunners remain under the ownership of Meruelo and will be an affiliate of the new team in Utah.}}</ref> and initially announced his intention to move the Roadrunners from Tucson to Mullett Arena (either part-time or full-time) before rescinding those comments the next day, stating that he "spoke too soon".<ref>{{Cite web |date=2024-04-18 |title=Tucson Roadrunners moving to Tempe as Coyotes move to Utah |url=https://www.abc15.com/sports/tucson-roadrunners-moving-to-tempe-as-coyotes-move-to-utah |access-date=2024-04-19 |website=ABC15 Arizona in Phoenix (KNXV) |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Ortiz |first1=Jenna |title=Think the Tucson Roadrunners will move to Mullett Arena next season? Not so fast |url=https://www.azcentral.com/story/sports/nhl/coyotes/2024/04/18/will-the-tucson-roadrunners-move-to-mullett-arena-next-season/73375345007/ |website=azcentral.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last1=Reynoldson |first1=Matt |title=Meruelo walks back Roadrunners relocation: "We haven't made a decision yet" |url=https://www.kvoa.com/news/meruelo-walks-back-roadrunners-relocation-we-havent-made-a-decision-yet/article_7f57450e-fe82-11ee-8d1e-f72797817d08.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 20, 2024}}</ref> The lease agreement with Mullett Arena is specifically for an NHL team, and any adjustments to the lease agreement with the [[Arizona State University|ASU]]-owned arena would need to be approved by the [[Arizona Board of Regents]]. Furthermore, Tucson city officials received no communication from Meruelo on the intended move, nor did the Roadrunners franchise.<ref>{{cite web |last1=Sood |first1=Sarika |last2=Reynoldson |first2=Matt |title=Roadrunners owner Alex Meruelo intends to move team to Tempe |url=https://www.kvoa.com/townnews/sport/roadrunners-owner-alex-meruelo-intends-to-move-team-to-tempe/article_13aa8dfe-fdd6-11ee-bf0d-a39a499e7a3e.html |website=kvoa.com |access-date=April 19, 2024}}</ref> On May 28, 2024, the Roadrunners ==Rivalries== | |||