The NHL team will be known as Utah, at least initially, until a long-term name is determined.
鈥淲e鈥檒l start with Utah on the jersey and we鈥檒l figure out the logo and everything else and what it is that we are,鈥� new owner Ryan Smith told The Associated Press on Thursday. 鈥淲e鈥檙e going to be Utah either way. We have the first part of the name. We don鈥檛 have the last.鈥�
Smith Entertainment Group, which bought the 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 and has the chance to reactivate the franchise if he鈥檚 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 did for year one or Washington's NFL team had in 2020 and '21 before .
鈥淚t鈥檒l be Utah something, obviously,鈥� Smith said. "It鈥檚 really important that we鈥檙e not saying, 鈥楬ey, this has to be ready by the fall,鈥� especially when it鈥檚 going to be Utah something. I think both the league feels better and we feel better to just run the process and then we鈥檒l drop it when we drop it.鈥�
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.
鈥淭here鈥檚 a good roster and a lot of young talent and we鈥檝e got to onboard those people into Smith Entertainment Group and show them what that means and what that鈥檚 like,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚 think that鈥檚 a good opportunity for us and introduce them to the state of Utah and also bring the community together to receive them.鈥�
Then it'll be 鈥渇ull speed ahead鈥� 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.
鈥淲e 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,鈥� Smith said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 super fun and challenging, but we鈥檙e going to do it.鈥�
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.
鈥淚f they put a winning product out there, it鈥檚 going to help, obviously, and maybe (Smith's group is) dedicated to do that,鈥� Sabourin said Thursday. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a good hockey market, it鈥檚 a good sports market 鈥� there鈥檚 no doubt about it. I think they have the fans. It鈥檚 whether they鈥檒l come out or not. They鈥檒l watch it for sure. It鈥檒l be not a problem on TV. The first year in the building I鈥檓 sure it won鈥檛 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.
鈥淭he one thing I do know about Utah is people show up,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 just different here. We鈥檝e got 291 straight sellout games at the Delta Center (for the Jazz). I think every concert that鈥檚 come to town has sold out. It鈥檚 just what we do. We show up, and I have a lot of faith in the people in Utah.鈥�
That faith was rewarded right away, as the organization had received 11,000 season-ticket deposits in the first four-plus hours after the sale was announced.
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AP NHL:
Stephen Whyno, The Associated Press
