[News] Utah Jazz owners formally ask NHL to begin expansion process to bring a team to Utah

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1750172980028518732

[bluejays]

Never been to Utah, but heard great things. There’s big corporate money and wealthy private citizens to make it work.

[ComixZone]

With how much Weekes has been going on about it over the last year or so, I wonder if we don't see a similar move from an ownership team in Atlanta soon.

Utah getting a hockey team makes sense, especially with an owner like this.

[sureLoss]

Timing also suggests that things are looking good for the Coyotes new arena, as they reportedly had a deadline at the end of this month to secure a deal.

Asking for expansion now likely means Coyotes relocation is now off the table.

[1qqaaz]

If it's a new team, I wonder what they would call it?

Pioneers? Titans? Mountaineers? Stormin Mormons? Rail Riders?

[Erick Estrada]

I've been to Salt Lake city and it's a nice place but the city itself is pretty small by North American standards. Not sure if they could support two professional sports teams.

[Weitz]

The timing of this isn’t coincidental…


The NHL doesn’t need to water down the product even more.

[Ozy_Flame]

It's a cool place. Lots of salt. Bring fresh water.

[memphusk]

Give them Winnipeg.

[Toonage]

Utah Coyotes

Yeah that works.

[Puppet Guy]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

If it's a new team, I wonder what they would call it?

Pioneers? Titans? Mountaineers? Stormin Mormons? Rail Riders?

The Osmonds

[GirlySports]

It's crazy to me that THE #1 sport by a mile the NFL has been at 32 teams for 20+ years and it's the NHL that wants to expand past 32? After only a year or two of introducing Seattle?

[sureLoss]

https://twitter.com/user/status/1750181849635111241

[Funkhouser]

The Utah Soakers
(BYU practice for those interested of the reference)

[Strange Brew]

I don’t believe there is much corporate money in SLC but if they have willing owners and a clear path to an arena, then those are the two biggest hurdles.

I don’t know if by asking about expansion means that relocation is off the table. I see it more as expressing publicly their desire for a new team. All that said, a public letter of interest is really more about optics.

[Yeah_Baby]

Originally Posted by Funkhouser

The Utah Soakers
(BYU practice for those interested of the reference)

The greatest of all loop holes

[Icon]

Kinda surprising considering the population base.

But I suppose if the NHL's been ok with the 'yotes playing in an arena with 5k, maybe they just build a ~10k capacity arena in Salt Lake City?

[The Fisher Account]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's crazy to me that THE #1 sport by a mile the NFL has been at 32 teams for 20+ years and it's the NHL that wants to expand past 32? After only a year or two of introducing Seattle?

How is making more money crazy?

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Originally Posted by GirlySports

It's crazy to me that THE #1 sport by a mile the NFL has been at 32 teams for 20+ years and it's the NHL that wants to expand past 32? After only a year or two of introducing Seattle?

I think the big reason is that the expansion money means more to the NHL owners. For NFL teams, sure the expansion money would be huge but that would be offset by having to split the massive TV revenue pie. NHL TV revenue is decent but expansion money is a lot bigger chunk for them.

[Fuzz]

Originally Posted by 1qqaaz

If it's a new team, I wonder what they would call it?

Pioneers? Titans? Mountaineers? Stormin Mormons? Rail Riders?

The Utah Underwear.