The Utah Hockey Membership has lastly hit the house stretch of this identify and brand marathon they began operating virtually one 12 months in the past.
By way of a launch posted by the workforce, the NHL workforce introduced that they had narrowed their preliminary checklist of finalists down from twenty to only three names: the Utah Mammoth, the Utah Hockey Membership, and the Utah Wasatch.
Followers of this sequence might be aware that solely two of these three finalists had been from the unique checklist of twenty, and one of many two is solely holding their present not-a-name identify. It’s okay, children, all the pieces’s going nice!
One notable omission from the three finalists is Utah Yeti, which had seemed to be the front-runner and fan favorite all through the method. However, as DetroitHockey.Net, the Internet’s top hockey trademark watchdog, first noted a few weeks ago, the workforce was having all kinds of points getting that one previous the overseers on the USPTO, which the workforce confirmed of their announcement.
“As followers will see, one identify shouldn’t be on the checklist: Yeti, which was additionally one of many prime six names included in the newest survey spherical,” learn the release. “An SEG govt shared that it explored each avenue to make Yeti work however that YETI Coolers, LLC was in the end unwilling to comply with a co-existence settlement. SEG has confirmed it’s not pursuing Yeti as a possible identify for the workforce.”
That’s proper, pals. An NHL workforce can’t be named after a beverage container, however a beverage container could be named after the NHL’s prime prize—an enormous ole shrug.
Wanting on the three finalists…
Utah Mammoth: A prehistoric, woolly, elephant-like creature (not in contrast to Mr. Snuffleupagus) that went extinct 1000’s of years in the past. One potential hitch on this plan could be the National Lacrosse League’s Colorado Mammoth, that’s been utilizing that identify for over twenty years; this can be a workforce owned by Stan Kroenke, who you might also know because the proprietor of the NHL’s Colorado Avalanche. Eeep. Judging by the early exit polls on social media, this identify seems to be the favorite of the three.
Utah Hockey Membership: Think about spending over a 12 months selecting a reputation, soliciting suggestions from followers, going by means of an inventory of 20 finalists, then six finalists, and now three finalists, solely to finish up not selecting a reputation. It’s exactly the kind of factor I might see this workforce doing. Or, as one member of our message boards famous, maybe selecting no identify mixed with a Yeti-like brand might entice the followers to “unofficially” seek advice from the workforce because the Yeti, stepping round that nasty trademark dispute.
Utah Wasatch: This could be a nod to the native Wasatch Mountain Vary that looms over Salt Lake Metropolis, providing a number of the finest snowboarding on the planet and a pure backdrop for nearly each postcard shot of the area. It’s received native connection, but it surely’s a little bit of a clunky identify for a sports activities workforce. Naming a workforce after native mountains has been carried out earlier than within the NHL. Keep in mind the Colorado Rockies? We even have the Tacoma Rainiers and Knoxville Smokies in Minor League Baseball.
Followers may have a possibility to share their suggestions on the three finalist names, in addition to two logos (as a result of when certainly one of your names isn’t any identify, nearly any outdated brand will do) in individual on the Delta Heart on the following Utah Hockey Membership video games: January twenty ninth towards Pittsburgh, the thirty first versus Columbus, February 2nd vs. St. Louis, and the final likelihood on February 4th vs. Philadelphia.
“The dedication SEG has to contain the followers and neighborhood within the naming course of is exclusive within the historical past {of professional} sports activities,” learn the discharge from the workforce. “SEG stated they’re on observe to announce the everlasting workforce identify earlier than the beginning of the 2025-26 NHL season.”
LINK: Utah Hockey Club logos and uniform history
As for the logos, followers received their first take a look at them final night time — no photos have surfaced but (I’m assuming there’s a strict “no images” coverage), however X user @JStudman0143 claims to have seen them and shared the next descriptions:
On the potential Utah Mammoth brand: “Aspect profile wanting proper. Very spherical form. Distinct, sharp strains within the again to indicate fur. Tusks curls very far below the pinnacle. Trunk somewhat shorter. Black brand, white define, then blue define. Seems decently fierce with smaller eyes.”
And the attainable Wasatch brand: “Identical color sample as Mammoth. Identical form and aspect profile. Again and prime of it are mountains that bleed into the face of the Sasquatch. It has a a lot fiercer look exhibiting enamel. Seems prefer it’s looking one thing.”
Yup, they sound like logos, alright.
That Wasatch brand description sounds prefer it was created with the identify Yeti in thoughts; the truth that they’re holding it round regardless of the problems with the trademark makes me imagine it’s a brand they actually like. Frankly, I’m stunned we’re this near the brand new season, and the workforce nonetheless hasn’t settled on a reputation or brand but.
What’s my intestine telling me? Regardless of the team saying it was “up” excessive on their checklist again in Might, with a attainable trademark situation over in Colorado, the identify “Mammoth” isn’t going to occur. I feel they needed to be referred to as the Yeti however couldn’t make it work. I feel they’re floating Utah Wasatch as a trademark-friendly various to the Yeti and gauging whether or not the followers will settle for the bizarre identify by way of this vote. In the event that they don’t, then it’s the Utah Hockey Membership forevermore.
Nonetheless, we’ll hold an eye fixed out, and I’m positive DetroitHockey.Net will proceed monitoring the emblems to see if something stands out.
