Jazz owner details process for deciding name of Utah’s NHL franchise
Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith is an outside-the-box thinker.
So, it should be no surprise that Smith has an unconventional approach to naming his new Utah-based NHL franchise.
During an appearance on “The Pat McAfee Show” on Monday, Smith explained that he plans to leave it up to the fans to determine the nickname of their new professional sports team.
“Actually, we’re doing a bracket,” Smith said. “Why isn’t that a good thing? We’ve engaged Qualtrics, I know how to handle the AI bots…and I think we’re going to take this from eight [names] all the way down and the fans are going to vote for this. It should be good.”
Earlier this month, Smith asked his followers for feedback regarding what the nickname for a potential new NHL team should be if Utah was awarded one by the league. His tweet received more than 660 responses with several name suggestions as well as some creative jersey and logo mockups as well.
Smith also disclosed to McAfee that he has plans to renovate the Delta Center, home of the Jazz, to accommodate an NHL-sized crowd better.
He confirmed his target capacity is approximately 17,300, though he’s already received deposits for season tickets from 27,000 fans. Smith also pointed out that just 400 of the first 6,000 season-ticket requests were Jazz season-ticket holders.
Though the Arizona Coyotes logo, branding and intellectual property will owner Alex Meruelo (who’s aiming to revive the Coyotes franchise in a few years once the arena dispute is settled), what Smith did purchase was an up-and-coming team loaded with young, talented NHL players including Clayton Keller, Matias Maccelli, Logan Cooley, Lawson Crouse, Sean Durzi and Dylan Guenther, who are all 26 or younger.
Smith’s yet-to-be-named Utah team also has the No. 9-ranked farm system in the NHL, per The Athletic, plus a combined 33 picks in the next three drafts, including 10 second-rounders and seven third-rounders.
More must-reads: