The Arizona Coyotes have reached a multi-year agreement that will allow the team to play their home games at Arizona State, according to an announcement from the team. The Coyotes will begin utilizing the university's new multi-purpose stadium beginning at the start of the 2022-23 season.
The franchise will play their home games at Arizona State for at least the next three seasons. The two sides reached an agreement for the Coyotes to play at the multi-purpose stadium through the 2024-25 NHL season with an option for the 2025-26 campaign.
"We are thrilled that we have arranged to play our home games in Arizona State University's new multi-purpose arena starting next season," Coyotes President & CEO Xavier A. Gutierrez said. "This will be an incredible, intimate and exciting fan experience in a state-of-the-art new arena in a fantastic location in the heart of Tempe."
On Thursday, the Arizona Board of Regents approved the agreement. Arizona State's new arena is slated to be completed in the fall of 2022 and will hold 5,000 spectators.
The Coyotes had been searching for a new arena to call home after the city of Glendale announced last August that it wasn't renewing its operating agreement with the team beyond the 2021-22 season. The NHL franchise has played its home games at Gila River Arena since the 2003-04 season.
"The National Hockey League thanks Arizona State University for its support of the Coyotes during this transition period and for what will be just its latest major commitment to growing our game in the Valley," NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman added. "Having made the full-time transition to Division I just seven years ago, ASU hockey already has an NCAA Tournament appearance to its credit and now is moving into a new, state-of-the-art facility."
The Coyotes have also submitted a bid for two plots of lands in Tempe and are hopeful that they can acquire that space to build a new arena.
