Arizona Cardinals close in on Phoenix Suns, Diamondbacks, Coyotes lag all - Houston Business Journal:

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Market research conducted as part of a possiblew relocation of the to Canada showsz the Cardinals and National Football League catapulting in popularitt among localsports consumers. Canadian billionaire Jim Balsillise wants to buy the Coyotesfor $213 million and move the team to Ontario. His relocation plan submitted to the Nationall Hockey League includes marketthe research. The surveys, conducted in late May for Balsilliee byHotspex Inc., show the Cardinals gaininyg favor in a Phoenix sports market traditionally dominated by the and . One survehy looked at the overall appeao among fans forthe region’s four majord sports teams.
The Cardinals garnere 53 percentsupport — equal to the Diamondbacksw and just behind the 54 percent mark receivedr by the Phoenix Suns. The Coyotes came in at 29 percent. The surveh did not say how many fans were The survey also found that football is the most popular sport in the Phoenix area with 53 percent of residentse following the NFL on a regular Major League Baseball was second at 45 percentr followed by the National Basketball Association at 44 percent and Nationalp Hockey League at 20 percentof Phoenix, according to the survey and Balsillie’s application to move the The Cardinals and NFL also did the best when it comese to consumers choice of sports to attend.
Fifty-seven percent of those surveyed showed a strong desirew to attend an NFL That compares to 51 percent who strongly wanted to see a Major LeagueBaseball game, 46 percent an NBA game and 30 percentf for hockey. The Cardinals traditionally have been a doorma t both in the NFL and the Phoenix sportsa market wherethe D-Backs and Suns have made multipler playoff appearances. The Cards, which movefd to University of Phoenix Stadiummin 2006, had not hosted a home playoff game since 1947 and team ownerxs the Bidwill family were unpopular amonvg local fans.
But the Cardinalws playoff winslast season, a National Football Conference championship and last-second Super Bowl loss pushed them highef in a market struggling with cuts in consumef spending. The Cardinals playoff success also compareds withthis season’s failures by Suns and Coyotes to make theire playoffs and a slow 2009 seaso n start by the D-backs.