The NHL’s inaugural season in the state of Utah is off to a good start.
The Utah Hockey Club defeated the Chicago Blackhawks 5-2 in the franchise’s season opener at home in front of an electrified crowd of more than 16,000 fans at the Delta Center, the home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
The Utah Hockey Club celebrates a win over the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center. (Rob Gray-Imagn Images)
The game set several records, but perhaps most interesting was the total beverage sales.
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According to The Salt Lake Tribune, the Delta Center sold a record-breaking $120,000 in beer alone, marking the most sold at any NBA or NHL event at the arena.
“It’s amazing,” NHL commissioner Gary Bettman said Tuesday. “First of all, there are already so many great fans here and the reception that the NHL has gotten here in Salt Lake City has been fantastic, so thank you fans!”
The club’s reception during Tuesday’s inaugural game can be measured by the numbers.
Utah Hockey Club fans celebrate following a goal against the Chicago Blackhawks on Oct. 8, 2024, at Delta Center in Salt Lake City. (Jamie Sabau/Getty Images)
UTAH HOCKEY CLUB WINS 1ST NHL GAME IN FRANCHISE HISTORY
In addition to beverage sales, The Salt Lake Tribune reported that merchandise sales doubled the previous record set during any single-night sporting event at the Delta Center.
Utah has already sold approximately 8,500 full-season-ticket equivalents, and 34,000 people initially put down a deposit for tickets. The club is already tracking toward being among the top 20 NHL clubs for sponsorship and ticket revenue this season.
And planned renovations will look to expand capacity at the arena to accommodate around 17,000 hockey fans.
Fans celebrate a first period goal by Clayton Keller of Utah Hockey Club against the Chicago Blackhawks at Delta Center on Oct. 8, 2024 in Salt Lake City. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
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In April, the NHL Board of Governors approved a new franchise for Utah that would relocate the existing hockey assets and team operations of the Arizona Coyotes to Salt Lake City.
But hockey in Arizona will still have a chance. As part of the agreement, Coyotes owner Alex Meruelo will hold the rights to the franchise if he can build “a new, state-of-the-art facility appropriate for an NHL team” within a five-year period.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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