Ryan Smith, the NHL's newest team owner, appeared on the Pat McAfee Show where he outlined the process for choosing Utah's name, and what he's doing to protect it.
It has already been established that the NHL's newest NHL team located in Salt Lake City. However, owner Ryan Smith is taking the same route he took in the NBA, and having the official name be Utah. What we don't know yet is what the team's nickname will be. Smith appeared on the Pat McAfee Show today to discuss it.
Smith told McAfee the final name will be chosen by fans among eight finalists. He insisted tampering with the vote will not be possible.
"We're going to do a bracket. We've engaged Qualtrics — I know how to handle the AI bots, we're good — and Doubleday & Cartwright. I think we're going to take this down from, like eight, all the way down, and the fans are going to vote for this. It should be good."
Trademark filings have been made for several names for a hockey team in Utah over the last week, including Utah Fury, Blizzards, Venom, Yetis, Outlaws and others. However, the filings are anonymous until actually approved.
"An application was filed with the US Patent and Trademark Office on Thursday for a trademark on the team name 'Utah Yetis'
It came from the same group that filed applications for the Utah Blizzard, Utah Fury, Utah Hockey Club, Utah HC and Utah Venom."
Smith did not say when the vote will will take place or when a new name has been chosen. He's stressed in the past that the team may start 2024-25 as simply the Utah Hockey Club, or Utah HC. Meanwhile, more details are coming on the name selection process this week.
"A spokesperson told The Salt Lake Tribune that more details about the team naming process will be revealed at a fan event Wednesday at the Delta Center."
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