Oct. 1 marked a landmark in Utah sports history. The Utah Mammoth beat the Chicago Blackhawks 6-0 in their third season opener. This not only marks another season of Mammoth hockey, but also a shift in Utah sports culture.
Only a Small Market
Since 1979, Utah has only housed one major professional sports team: the Utah Jazz. While teams like the Salt Lake Bees and Utah Grizzlies shared the same space, they were only minor league teams.
Then came 2005; Major League Soccer felt Salt Lake was a perfect destination for soccer and expanded to the state. Real Salt Lake made its home in Utah and even won a championship in 2009. Yet sports media and fans in Utah treated the market as a basketball and college football haven, with soccer taking a back seat. Having another team in the area felt like a dream.
Fortune Favors the Bold
While many thought Utah couldn’t handle another team, Ryan Smith had ambition. After acquiring the Jazz in 2020, rumors spread that Smith wanted an NHL team.
Those rumors came to fruition in 2024, when NHL commissioner Gary Bettman called up Smith and asked him to buy the struggling Arizona Coyotes. It finally happened; another professional team came to Utah! This changed not only Utah and its sports culture, but also outside perceptions.
An Explosion of Sports
With the arrival of the NHL, Utah’s sports landscape exploded. The same year, NWSL brought the Utah Royals back to the state. The Royals weren’t the only women’s team to call the land of mountains home. AUSL also established the two-time champion Talons in Utah.
The Mammoths’ recent success in the market also caught the eyes of the UFL and MLB. Just recently, the UFL announced its expansion to Utah in 2028, and MLB named the state its prized expansion destination.
It’s completely changed the dynamic of Utah’s media and fandoms. While college football and Jazz basketball still dominate the market, hockey built a fanbase quickly. It has further cemented itself as a sports-talk staple.
Changing Utah Culture
Besides changing Utah’s sportscape, the Mammoth changed its culture as well. If you drive on freeway I-15, you’ll see a multitude of Mammoth stickers and license plates. Mammoth murals dot bars around the Beehive State, with hundreds of fans going to celebrate their team. Beyond creating a new culture, hockey united professional and college fandoms as well.
During his time as Real Salt Lake’s part-owner, Smith started a slogan in the sports community: “One Utah”. Instead of competing for eyes, Utah’s teams began working together. Merch crossed over, and so did the fans. Jazz fans also became Mammoth fans and vice versa. Just like in a market like New York, Utah sports fans now root for multiple teams in one city.
Outside Opinions Changing
Opinions outside the state continue to change. Before the Mammoths’ arrival, the Jazz struggled to coax players to the area. Due to inaccurate preconceived notions, many thought the state was a boring place to live. Many of those preconceived notions faded once Coyotes players arrived in the land of National Parks. Now, players like Nick Schmaltz and Clayton Keller call Utah their home.
This didn’t go unnoticed by players in outside organizations. Vincent Trocheck and MacKenzie Weegar both removed Utah from their no-trade clauses after seeing what the state and organization had to offer. This excitement spread not just through the NHL, but to the NBA as well. Players like Jusuf Nurkic and Kevin Love boasted how much they love the Jazz organization.
Exciting Future
Since the Mammoths’ arrival, Utah continues to see major growth in its sports. A new generation of Utahns will grow up with more professional teams than any of their relatives could dream of. A culture born from foundational pieces in the Jazz and RSL, catalyzed by the flame of the Mammoth. Keep enjoying sports, Utah fans; it’s only going to get better from here.
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