NHL in Utah
Utah Hockey Takes 34,000 Season Ticket Deposits
Yes, that is way more tickets than available seats at the Delta Center.
The Utah Hockey Club, which will wear black and light blue colors but has yet to pick a nickname or mascot, has raked in nearly double the number of season ticket holder deposits as there are seats in the Delta Center. The NHL’s previously least-watched team, when they were the Arizona Coyotes, now has tens of thousands of potential season ticket holders.
CEO Chris Barney told local reporters the team had accepted over 34,000 season-ticket deposits.
For comparison, the former Arizona Coyotes were playing in the Mullet Arena for the last two seasons. Mullet Arena held less than 5,000 fans. Yes, it’s a big culture shock.
Editor’s Note: Utah Hockey Now has not yet hired a local beat writer and was not present when Barney spoke to local reporters.
By the end of April, more than 29,000 fans had made their $100 deposit. According to reports, there’s more good news: About 92% of the deposits have come from fans who are not Utah Jazz season ticket holders.
The arena holds 20,000 fans but isn’t quite ready for full capacity, at least for hockey. The team reports that only 10,000 seats will have an obstructed view next season, and an additional 6,000 with a limited view will be available for marquee matchups.
Owner Ryan Smith recently revealed there are four finalists for the club’s nickname, citing the Utah Yeti and Mammoth as the leaders. The team will have over $40 million in salary cap space for next season.
