The Phoenix Coyotes Will Become The Arizona Coyotes

The Phoenix Coyotes (who play in Glendale, which is not actually Phoenix [but is part of the Phoenix metro area, so it's no more inaccurate to call the team "Phoenix" than it is to call a team in Auburn Hills "Detroit," or a team in Santa Clara "San Francisco" {though it's probably still pretty offensive to the actual residents of the ignored city}]) have announced a name change: Starting next season, they'll be the Arizona Coyotes, rendering this paragraph as moot as it is unreadable.

The change was part of the 11th-hour deal Glendale signed last summer to stop the Coyotes from pulling up stakes for colder climes. Since the city's coughing up good money to keep them in town, it's only fair not to have another town's name on the jerseys.

From the Coyotes' President and CEO Anthony LeBlanc:

"Becoming the Arizona Coyotes makes sense for us since we play our games in Glendale and the city is such a great partner of ours. We also want to be recognized as not just the hockey team for Glendale or Phoenix, but the team for the entire state of Arizona and the Southwest. We hope that the name 'Arizona' will encourage more fans from all over the state, not just the valley, to embrace and support our team."

The team announced that players will sport a new shoulder patch next season, but both home and road jerseys will remain unchanged. Which is almost incomprehensible—this is one of the few legitimate occasions for a team to force fans to purchase new sweaters, and they're passing up the money grab. Damnit, 'Yotes, this is why you're in trouble. Goodwill doesn't pay the arena lease.