“We’ll start with Utah on the jersey and we’ll figure out the logo and everything else and what it is that we are,” new owner Ryan Smith told The Associated Press on Thursday. “We’re going to be Utah either way. We have the first part of the name. We don’t have the last.”
Smith Entertainment Group, which bought the franchise formerly known as the Coyotes in a deal unanimously approved Thursday by the league's Board of Governors, has already contracted ad agency Doubleday & Cartwright for rebranding efforts. Former owner Alex Meruelo keeps the Coyotes name and has the chance to reactivate the franchise if he’s able to build an arena.
The short timeline of relocating the club could mean it has a placeholder name for the first season, like the Professional Women's Hockey League did for year one or Washington's NFL team had in 2020 and '21 before becoming the Commanders.
“It’ll be Utah something, obviously,” Smith said. "It’s really important that we’re not saying, ‘Hey, this has to be ready by the fall,’ especially when it’s going to be Utah something. I think both the league feels better and we feel better to just run the process and then we’ll drop it when we drop it.”
While working on that process, Smith's first priority is physically moving players and staff to Utah and getting them set up in the state.
“There’s a good roster and a lot of young talent and we’ve got to onboard those people into Smith Entertainment Group and show them what that means and what that’s like,” Smith said. “I think that’s a good opportunity for us and introduce them to the state of Utah and also bring the community together to receive them.”
Then it'll be “full speed ahead” with the infrastructure, including potential renovations to Delta Center, home of the NBA's Utah Jazz also owned by SEG, which has 12,000 unobstructed view seats for hockey. The plan is to expand that number to roughly 17,500.
“We want to actually use our arena and really spend time creating the best dual-sport arena that exists out there because we want to keep people as close as we possibly can or as vertical as we possibly can to watch both games,” Smith said. “It’s super fun and challenging, but we’re going to do it.”
It's also a challenge to make Utah a hockey market, though 17 sheets of ice already in place and a youth hockey program give ownership a head start. Smith plans to build more rinks to make it easier for people of all ages to play the sport.
Former NHL player Ken Sabourin, who played in the minors for the Salt Lake Golden Eagles of the International Hockey League from 1987-91 and then again in '92-93, raves about the city but thinks success will be determined by how the team plays.
“If they put a winning product out there, it’s going to help, obviously, and maybe (Smith's group is) dedicated to do that,” Sabourin said Thursday. “It’s a good hockey market, it’s a good sports market — there’s no doubt about it. I think they have the fans. It’s whether they’ll come out or not. They’ll watch it for sure. It’ll be not a problem on TV. The first year in the building I’m sure it won’t be an issue no matter how good they are."
Smith, who can skate a little and played mostly roller hockey, isn't worried about that. He points to the sold-out NCAA Tournament men's basketball games at Delta Center as evidence that fans will fill the building to watch NHL hockey.
“The one thing I do know about Utah is people show up,” he said. “It’s just different here. We’ve got 291 straight sellout games at the Delta Center (for the Jazz). I think every concert that’s come to town has sold out. It’s just what we do. We show up, and I have a lot of faith in the people in Utah.”
That faith was rewarded right away, as Smith said the organization had received 11,000 season-ticket deposits in the first four-plus hours after the sale was announced.
The Associated Press is an American multinational nonprofit news agency headquartered in New York City. The AP is owned by its contributing newspapers, radio, and television stations in the United States, all of which contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists.
The Arizona Coyotes are a professional ice hockey team based in the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Coyotes compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play at Mullett Arena in Tempe.
to Salt Lake City will be known as Utah, at least initially, until a long-term name is determined. "We'll start with Utah on the jersey and we'll figure out the logo and everything else and what it is that we are," new owner Ryan Smith told The Associated Press on Thursday.
'Utah Mammoth' and 'Utah Ice' increases the total number of trademark submissions to 9. The full list now includes Utah Blizzard, Utah Venom, Utah Fury, Utah HC, Utah Hockey Club, Utah Yetis, Utah Outlaws, Utah Mammoth, and Utah Ice. All nine of the trademark submissions were filed by the same group.
By: Alixel Cabrera - April 24, 2024 9:33 pm. Hundreds of Utah kids, most of them part of youth hockey teams, ditched school on Wednesday morning and headed to the airport instead. They waited for the arrival of the former Arizona Coyotes, who are poised to become Utah's future National Hockey League team.
The Utah Hockey Club doesn't even exist yet, and none of the other NHL team names follow this blueprint. We all love hockey, but it doesn't have the universal recognition of soccer.
Due to financial troubles, the Jets were sold to American owners who moved the team to Phoenix on July 1, 1996, where they were renamed the Phoenix Coyotes.
The Utah Jazz are an American professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Northwest Division of the Western Conference. Since the 1991–92 season, the team has played its home games at the Delta Center.
The state is known for its skiing, with the mountains near Salt Lake City collecting abundant snowfall, as well as for the Sundance Film Festival, one of the world's premiere independent film festivals, staged each January in Park City.
Even if the Coyotes come to Utah, the Grizzlies will remain an ECHL minor league affiliate team with the Colorado Avalanche. “Right now we're under contract with the Colorado Avalanche.
Professional sports teams based in Utah encompass multiple teams including the NBA's Utah Jazz and Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, and a yet to be named NHL team.
Salt Lake City hosted the 2002 Winter Olympics, featuring NHL players. The original Utah Grizzlies played in the IHL from 1995-2001 and American Hockey League from 2001-05. The current Utah Grizzlies have played in the ECHL since 2005-06.
Head over to our website at utahhighschoolhockey.com and see everything #UHSH related. We have updates for the 2020-21 schedule, COVID information, team links, and much more. As additional games get scheduled you can find them here and all scores. #hockey #highschoolhockey #utahhockey.
NHL team moving from Arizona to Salt Lake City will have a name starting with Utah. The NHL team moving from Arizona to Salt Lake City will be known as Utah, at least initially, until a long-term name is determined.
The Arizona Coyotes saga is officially over. According to an announcement from the NHL, the league's Board of Governors approved the Coyotes' relocation to Salt Lake City, and the team will begin play in its new home beginning in the 2024-25 season.
TEMPE, Ariz. (AP) — The Arizona Coyotes are officially headed to Salt Lake City. The NHL Board of Governors voted unanimously Thursday to approve a $1.2 billion sale from Alex Meruelo to Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith, clearing the way for the franchise's move to Utah next season.
The Grizzlies ended their agreement with the Ducks and affiliated with the Avalanche, their closest geographical NHL club. The market was previously served by: Utah Grizzlies of the IHL and AHL (1995–2005)
The Utah Grizzlies came into existence after moving from Denver to Utah for the 1995-96 IHL season. The Grizzlies won the Turner Cup in their first year in Utah, led by head coach Butch Goring and goaltender Tommy Salo, the Grizzlies defeated the Orlando Solar Bears in a 4 game sweep to win the championship.
The Salt Lake City Stars are an American minor-league professional basketball team. They are a member of the NBA G League, based in West Valley City, Utah, and are affiliated with the Utah Jazz.
Introduction: My name is Kareem Mueller DO, I am a vivacious, super, thoughtful, excited, handsome, beautiful, combative person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
We notice you're using an ad blocker
Without advertising income, we can't keep making this site awesome for you.
