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

[Sylvanfan]

Utah Ukelele's since many folks of Samoan heritage tend to end up in Utah.

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Icon

Which is exactly why I thought it was surprising they'd be interested in going to such a low populated city.

Winnipeg has 4x the population of Salt Lake City.

You're looking at the city proper population, which means nothing in the U.S.

The Salt Lake City metropolitan area had a population of over 1.2 million as of the 2020 census. That includes only two counties, and leaves out Provo, Orem, Ogden, and a number of smaller towns and suburbs that are part of the SLC market.

The Salt Lake City–Provo–Ogden Combined Statistical Area contains all of the above (plus some large rural areas), and had a population of 2.7 million according to the same 2020 census.

It's a substantially larger metro area than Calgary, but much more spread out.

[theslymonkey]

This is so stupid.
32 teams is perfect for 4 divisions.
Half the teams making playoffs.
Buildings are not filled now as it is...

[Locke]

- Brigham Young HC

[Icon]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

You're looking at the city proper population, which means nothing in the U.S.

The Salt Lake City metropolitan area had a population of over 1.2 million as of the 2020 census. That includes only two counties, and leaves out Provo, Orem, Ogden, and a number of smaller towns and suburbs that are part of the SLC market.

The Salt Lake City–Provo–Ogden Combined Statistical Area contains all of the above (plus some large rural areas), and had a population of 2.7 million according to the same 2020 census.

It's a substantially larger metro area than Calgary, but much more spread out.

Fair enough, probably not an issue then.

Carry on.

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Jay Random

You're looking at the city proper population, which means nothing in the U.S.

The Salt Lake City metropolitan area had a population of over 1.2 million as of the 2020 census. That includes only two counties, and leaves out Provo, Orem, Ogden, and a number of smaller towns and suburbs that are part of the SLC market.

The Salt Lake City–Provo–Ogden Combined Statistical Area contains all of the above (plus some large rural areas), and had a population of 2.7 million according to the same 2020 census.

It's a substantially larger metro area than Calgary, but much more spread out.

Still that's pretty a small population to support NHL and NBA side by side. I think Minneapolis/St Paul is the smallest city to have both and it's close to 4 million metro.

[Locke]

The Divine Plates

[Gemnoble]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Still that's pretty a small population to support NHL and NBA side by side.

Wisconsin somehow supports NBA, MLB And NFL.

[Joborule]

I wonder if the NHL will try to make this a two team expansion to maintain some conference balance. Salt Lake and Atlanta? And if Houston is showing interest, but Arizona/Phoenix can be secured, would Houston be a relocation option if a team (Winnipeg?) has to take that route in the future?

[Erick Estrada]

Originally Posted by Gemnoble

Wisconsin somehow supports NBA, MLB And NFL.

Those sports really don't overlap like the NHL and NBA.

[Locke]

The Magic Hats

[Jay Random]

Originally Posted by Erick Estrada

Still that's pretty a small population to support NHL and NBA side by side. I think Minneapolis/St Paul is the smallest city to have both and it's close to 4 million metro.

Agreed.

If Salt Lake had an MLB team instead, it would make it much easier to introduce the NHL. Different facilities, opposite seasons.

[Sidney Crosby's Hat]

Since it is the Jazz's owner spearheading it, that's the only way it can possibly work. I assume he's done the research into (a) whether there's a demand for hockey and; (b) whether the addition of a hockey team would cannibalize his basketball team

[N-E-B]

The league better be careful. There is such thing as being too big. I don’t think expansion is necessary right now.

[Locke]

Originally Posted by Sidney Crosby's Hat

Since it is the Jazz's owner spearheading it, that's the only way it can possibly work. I assume he's done the research into (a) whether there's a demand for hockey and; (b) whether the addition of a hockey team would cannibalize his basketball team

I can envision the jerseys now...they'd be in the form of those magic undershirts!

Beer at the hockey game? We only serve Water. No coffee, tea or pop!

[Hi-Psi]

Now introducing, the "Utah Latter-Day Saints"! 😆

[butterfly]

Originally Posted by Locke

I can envision the jerseys now...they'd be in the form of those magic undershirts!

Beer at the hockey game? We only serve Water. No coffee, tea or pop!

They serve beer there.

[Reggie Dunlop]

Mormons make up between 34%–41% of Salt Lake City's population.

The Heretics.

[Matty81]

Odd to me that the league would issue a statement on a pre-expansion review, don't remember that ever happening.

Deep pockets make things like this happen and the other owners probably are listening if these guys are willing to offer them millions of dollars, still I would not have guessed SLC as a prime expansion market. Sure they have 600,000 more people than Calgary but not much of a hockey heritage and already have a professional sports team playing in the same season/time of year.

[FlamesAddiction]

You would think that the NHL would want expansion to come in pair, maybe not in the exact same year, but close together like with Vegas and Seattle.

If Utah gets a team, I wonder if there is a market in the east that gets a shot as well to keep the symmetry. My guess would be Atlanta gets a 3rd go at it.