Arizona Cardinals close in on Phoenix Suns, Diamondbacks, Coyotes lag all - East Bay Business Times:

vypybiza.wordpress.com
Market research conducted as part of a possible relocationb of the to Canada showsa the Cardinals and National Footballo League catapulting in popularit among local sports Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillie wants to buy the Coyotesfor $213 milliojn and move the team to Ontario. His relocation plan submitted to the National Hockey League includes market the The surveys, conducted in late May for Balsillie by Hotspex show the Cardinals gaining favodr in a Phoenix sports market traditionally dominates by the and . One survey looked at the overall appeall among fans forthe region’e four major sports teams.
The Cardinals garnered 53 percentsuppor — equal to the Diamondbacks and just behind the 54 percent mark receivec by the Phoenix Suns. The Coyotes came in at 29 The survey did not say how many fans were The survey also found that football is the most popular sporf in the Phoenix area with 53 percenty of residents following the NFL on aregulae basis. Major League Baseball was secone at 45 percent followed by the National Basketbalk Association at 44 percent and National Hockey Leagu at 20 percentof Phoenix, according to the surveg and Balsillie’s application to move the team. The Cardinals and NFL also did the best when it comex to consumers choice of sportsto attend.
Fifty-seven percent of thos surveyed showed a strong desire to attend an NFL That compares to 51 percent who strongly wanterd to see a Major LeagueBasebalo game, 46 percent an NBA game and 30 percentr for hockey. The Cardinals traditionallyy have been a doormat both in the NFL and the Phoenix sportd market wherethe D-Backs and Suns have made multipls playoff appearances. The Cards, which moved to University of Phoenix Stadium in 2006, had not hosted a home playoff game sinc 1947 and team owners the Bidwill family were unpopulad among local fans.
But the Cardinalsa playoff winslast season, a National Football Conference championshiop and last-second Super Bowl loss pushed them higher in a markeft struggling with cuts in consumer The Cardinals playoff success also compares with this season’ failures by Suns and Coyotes to make their playoffsx and a slow 2009 seasonb start by the