• Loading stock data...
Friday, August 8, 2025
Tuned In returns to NYC on September 16. Hear from the biggest names in sports media. Click here to get your spot

Utah Fans Rush for Season Tickets (for a New NHL Team With No Name)

  • More than 20,000 season-ticket deposits have been made for the newly relocated NHL team.
  • Uncertainty continues to surround what the franchise will be called.
Rob Gray-USA TODAY Sports

It certainly didn’t take long for Utah hockey fans to register their excitement about the Coyotes moving to the Beehive State. 

Less than 24 hours after the formal announcement on Thursday of the team’s relocation to Salt Lake City, new team owner Ryan Smith said more than 20,000 season ticket deposits, costing $100 each, have been made to see the team at the Delta Center (above). Smith also owns the NBA’s Jazz and two local pro soccer teams, and priority access for the season-ticket deposits was given to current Jazz plan holders.

The Delta Center, which was originally designed for basketball, currently offers 12,000 seats that have unobstructed views for hockey, but part of the broader renovation plans for the 32-year-old building is to boost that number to 17,000.

The arrival of the NHL franchise in Utah, meanwhile, provides further momentum behind a broader facility vision that is still being formulated. That plan could include both redevelopment around the Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City, and over a longer term, potentially a second arena that would be a focal point of the city’s ongoing bid for the 2034 Olympics. 

Uncertain Name

The nickname for the Utah franchise is one of the leading unanswered questions in the move, though Smith could speak further about any emerging plans there at a press conference with NHL commissioner Gary Bettman scheduled for Friday evening. Here’s what we do know:

  • The full team name will start with Utah as opposed to Salt Lake City, mirroring the naming for the Jazz. 
  • Smith has hired ad agency Doubleday & Cartwright, which has aided the rebranding of several other pro teams, to help develop the team’s name and logo. 
  • Earlier this week trademark applications were filed with federal authorities for the Utah Blizzard, Utah Venom, Utah Fury, Utah HC, and Utah Hockey Club. The applications were anonymous, and it’s not certain that Smith or the NHL is involved. But the timing of those filings closely preceded the formal announcement of the franchise move. On Thursday, a subsequent application from the same group was also filed for the Utah Yetis. 
  • It’s possible that the team will at first have a generic moniker, such as Utah HC, serving as a placeholder while the broader rebranding continues. If so, that more graduated process will resemble the transition undertaken by the NFL’s Commanders, previously known as the Washington Football Team.

An Unexpected Local Rebuke

Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo acknowledged publicly he is on board with what’s happening with the franchise, saying that he agreed that it was “simply unfair” to maintain the status quo at Arizona State’s Mullett Arena, a 5,000-seat venue far smaller and less equipped than what is standard in the NHL. But it was surprising to some that criticism of the move came from MLB’s Diamondbacks, a team seeking to solve their own growing facility problem.

The team released a statement saying in part that, “we firmly believe that we deserve and can support teams from each of the major sports and are troubled that a solution could not not be found for all parties involved. We are sad for all sports fans and all who care so deeply who care about our community.”

The Diamondbacks, however, not only said in February “we may run out of time in Phoenix,” and they also were part of a unanimous vote in November certifying the planned relocation of the A’s from Oakland to Las Vegas.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

More Dildo Throwing During WNBA Games Leads to Second Arrest

The 18-year-old threw a dildo that hit another fan and his young niece.

Smelling Salts Not Banned in the NFL, but Teams Can’t Hand Them..

Teams are banned from supplying smelling salts to their players.

March Madness Fields Will Stay Put at 68—at Least Until 2027

NCAA tournament expansion is still on the table for 2027.

Featured Today

Inked Under Anesthesia: Athletes Getting $50,000 Tattoos

High-end studios, elite artist teams, and hours under anesthesia.
Coco Gauff at New York Liberty
August 2, 2025

How the New York Liberty Became the Hottest Ticket in Town

Once banished to the burbs, the Libs are now Brooklyn’s marquee attraction.
Las Vegas sign
July 29, 2025

College Sports Embracing Vegas After Years of Cold Shoulder

The Big Ten became the latest newcomer to Sin City.
2000, Jupiter, FL, USA; FILE PHOTO; Montreal Expos pitcher Hideki Irabu in action on the mound against the New York Mets at Roger Dean Stadium during Spring Training
July 28, 2025

Dead Sports Franchises Are Alive and Well on Twitter

The Expos, Sonics, and Whalers have active social media accounts.

Former Heat Security Guard Indicted in $2M Memorabilia Scheme

He is accused of stealing more than 400 game-worn jerseys and other memorabilia, prosecutors say.
August 2, 2025

Bengals Extend Stadium Lease After $350M in Public Funds for Renovation

The Bengals will stay in the 25-year-old stadium through at least 2036.
August 5, 2025

Spurs Are Spending Big Now, but Can They Afford Their Future?

San Antonio traded for Fox in February ahead of the trade deadline.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
August 1, 2025

Commanders Seal Stadium Deal As D.C. Approves $1.1B in Funding

The NFL team’s return to its prior home receives key political support.
July 31, 2025

Ferrari Extends F1 Boss Weeks After Red Bull Fire Horner

Fred Vasseur joined Ferrari in 2023.
July 30, 2025

Mayor Calls Commanders RFK Stadium Deal ‘a BFD’ for D.C.’s Future

The NFL team makes a series of additional commitments.
July 30, 2025

Trey Hendrickson Ends $450K Holdout Without New Bengals Deal

The defensive end is seeking a raise on his $16 million 2025 salary.