Utah Fans to Crown Their NHL Team: Vote for the Name and Logo
Utah is making history with its new NHL team, and fans are taking center stage in shaping its identity. In a groundbreaking move, the Utah Hockey Club is giving its supporters the ultimate say in choosing the team’s permanent name and logo.
After months of community engagement and thousands of fan suggestions, three finalists have emerged: Utah Hockey Club, Utah Mammoth, and Utah Wasatch. Fans will have the chance to cast their vote at specialized iPad stations set up throughout the Delta Center during a four-game stretch, starting with the Wednesday match against the Pittsburgh Penguins.
"This is a really exciting chance to do something that has never been done in the history of professional sports," said Mike Maughan, executive with Smith Entertainment Group. "We’re involving fans to this level and going with them through this entire process as we seek to name a team together."
The voting process is unique, with fans only able to view the name and logo contenders in-person at the arena. This strategy, according to Maughan, protects the visual identity of the logos until the official unveiling.
"Because of the logos, we’re doing this only in-arena and not showing those publicly," Maughan explained.
The winning name and logo, paired with its powerful visual identity, will be revealed in a grand ceremony after this season concludes, before the start of the next.
This community-driven approach leverages the expertise of Qualtrics, an experience management company co-founded by Ryan Smith. The same methodology was successfully used to select the popular "Mountain Basketball" uniforms for the Utah Jazz NBA team.
While Hockey Club served as the team’s moniker for its inaugural season, following the acquisition of assets from the Arizona Coyotes, the community has played a pivotal role in shaping the team’s identity.
Fans will have opportunities to vote at future games against the Columbus Blue Jackets, St. Louis Blues, and Philadelphia Flyers.
Whether it’s the formidable Hockey Club, the majestic Wasatch, or the powerful Mammoth, Utah fans are poised to choose a name that will resonate with the team’s fierce spirit for years to come.