The ECHL’s Utah Grizzlies announced they will begin the process of selling the team, which would most likely lead to a relocation of the franchise. We speculated this move a year ago when NHL hockey was announced to be coming to the Salt Lake City area with the now Utah Mammoth.
The Grizzlies play in a different arena, the smaller Maverick Center in West Valley City that was used as an Olympic venue in 2002, and had previously put out a statement welcoming the Utah Hockey Club to the NHL.
In a post put up by the team, the decision to sell seems to be mainly motivated by the death of owner Dave Ellmore as well as the declining health of his wife Donna Tuttle, who is also the franchise’s co-owner. According to KSL Sports, 40 percent of the team is owned by West Valley City. The post did end with the disclaimer that no sale was completed and both a sale and potential relocation would still need to be approved by the ECHL.
Cole Bagley of KSL Sports reports that an ownership group trying to move the team to Trenton, New Jersey is the leading candidate. Trenton previously had an ECHL franchise with the Trenton Titans who played from 1996 to 2013. The team was initially a success on the ice and at the box office, filling the stadium and winning the 2005 Kelly Cup as league champions.
A failed rebrand from 2007-2011 saw the team renamed the “Trenton Devils” under New Jersey Devils ownership. Trenton is predominately full of Philadelphia sports fan so the move alienated those who considered themselves Flyers fans. A revert with a new ownership group back to the Titans didn’t save the franchise and New Jersey hasn’t had a minor league hockey team in the ECHL or AHL since. A group in Atlantic City expressed interest in bringing an FPHL team to the area, but a franchise has not been granted.
The Titans' old arena is still available and without a permanent tenant aside from the occasional touring show (for example “Disney on Ice”) so that’s one obstacle that doesn’t need to be dealt with. Potentially helping the Titans case is the fact ECHL league headquarters are located nearby in Shrewsbury, New Jersey.
The move is somewhat surprising as the Grizzlies had strong ticket sales. They ranked 12th in the ECHL last season and were reported to have a 20% increase in season ticket sales following the move of an NHL franchise to the area.
The Grizzlies have promised to play next season in Utah and have announced their last season will be one with a celebratory mood. It will be the franchise’s 30th season, and giveaways and promotions will reflect the franchise’s history. Over 200 former players for the team have gone onto the reach the NHL. The club is currently affiliated with the Colorado Avalanche, and there’s no word yet on how any potential relocation would affect their NHL affiliation.