Who Owns the Utah Hockey Club? Ryan and Ashley Smith Paid $1.2 Billion
Bringing the National Hockey League (NHL) to Utah was once a dream whispered around water‑coolers in Salt Lake City. Today, that vision is reality—and the first thing fans type into Google is "who owns the Utah Hockey Club." Here is the short answer, followed by the people, dollars and decisions behind the state's newest major‑league team, you're in the right place.
Quick Answer
Smith Entertainment Group (SEG)—helmed by tech entrepreneur Ryan Smith and his wife Ashley Smith—owns the club. On April 18, 2024 the NHL Board of Governors approved the establishment of a new Utah franchise for SEG and the transfer to it of the entire hockey operation of the Arizona Coyotes: the reserve list, the roster, the draft picks and the hockey operations department. Alex Meruelo kept the Coyotes name, brand and logo, and the Arizona franchise was made inactive with a right to reactivate within five years if he builds an NHL-standard arena. nhl.com
The price was $1.2 billion. Meruelo, who had bought the Coyotes for $300 million in 2019, received $1 billion of it, with the remaining $200 million distributed among the other NHL clubs. The team played its first season under the placeholder name Utah Hockey Club while fans voted on a permanent identity. forbes.com
Why Understanding Who Owns the Utah Hockey Club Matters
- Strategic Direction: Ownership shapes everything from coaching hires to free‑agency spending.
- Community Impact: SEG's local track record (Utah Jazz, Real Salt Lake, 2034 Winter Games bid) hints at major economic growth for downtown SLC.
- Fan Experience: With deep pockets and a history of tech‑driven innovation, the Smiths are redefining what it means to attend an NHL game.
The Primary Owner: Ryan Smith
From Qualtrics to NHL Mogul
Ryan Smith co‑founded Qualtrics in 2002 with his brother Jared and his father Scott. SAP acquired the company for $8 billion in January 2019; it was spun back out as a public company in 2021 and taken private again by Silver Lake in 2023. Forbes puts Smith's net worth at $3.3 billion. forbes.com
Sports Portfolio Under Smith Entertainment Group
- Utah Jazz (NBA): Smith led a group that bought the franchise for $1.66 billion, becoming owner in December 2020.
- Utah Mammoth (NHL): acquired for $1.2 billion in April 2024, initially playing as Utah Hockey Club.
- Real Salt Lake (MLS): MLS approved the sale of the club, Rio Tinto Stadium, the Zions Bank Training Center and the RSL Academy to David Blitzer and SEG on January 5, 2022. Blitzer is the club's Governor and SEG the Alternate Governor.
SEG's strategy is simple: build a vertically integrated sports‑and‑entertainment corridor that keeps Utahns downtown year‑round.
Minority Investors & Front‑Office Leadership
Ryan and Ashley Smith hold the controlling interest. Beyond that, SEG has not published a cap table for the hockey club, and the NHL requires no public filing, so no verified list of minority holders exists. What is on the record is that David Blitzer is Smith's partner in Real Salt Lake, where MLS named him Governor in January 2022. Percentages and investor lists you may see quoted for the Utah franchise elsewhere are unsourced; treat them as unconfirmed.
Key Executives
- Mike Maughan – SEG President, Community & Public Affairs
- Bill Armstrong – General Manager (retained from Arizona)
- Andre Tourigny – Head Coach
How the Deal Went Down: From Arizona to Utah
- April 18 2024: The NHL Board of Governors approves a unique transfer. SEG gets a new Utah franchise and the Coyotes' entire hockey operation for $1.2 billion, but not the Coyotes name, brand or logo, which Alex Meruelo keeps.
- 2024: A statewide contest invites fans to choose a permanent name; Mammoth, Outlaws, Yeti and Utah Hockey Club make the shortlist.
- October 2024: Utah skates in its first regular‑season game as the NHL's 32nd active club.
- May 7 2025: The permanent identity, Utah Mammoth, is unveiled.
The Vision: What Ownership Means for Fans
1. Arena Upgrades, Paid For Publicly
The Delta Center retrofit is not an SEG-funded project, whatever you may read elsewhere. On October 1, 2024 the Salt Lake City Council approved a Sports, Entertainment, Culture and Convention District around the arena together with a 0.5% citywide sales tax increase to pay for it, under the state's Capital City Revitalization Zone Act. The tax is forecast to raise about $1.2 billion over 30 years, of which a maximum of $900 million is earmarked for the Delta Center renovation and the surrounding district. SEG is the designated project participant. slc.gov
2. Downtown Revitalization
In exchange for the tax revenue, SEG committed to a set of public benefits: workforce development, and a public benefits account funded by Delta Center ticket fees that the city can spend on affordable and family-sized housing, the revitalisation of historic Japantown, public art and free public gathering space. slc.gov
Performance So Far
In their inaugural 2024‑25 campaign, the Utah Hockey Club finished 38‑31‑13 (89 pts)—a respectable sixth in the Central Division—and won the NHL Draft Lottery's second draw to snag the No. 4 overall pick in 2025. Early returns suggest solid execution of the Smiths' "competitive now" mandate.
Branding Update: From Utah Hockey Club to Utah Mammoth
The placeholder name is gone. On May 7, 2025, after four rounds of community voting spread over 13 months and more than 850,000 votes, SEG unveiled "Utah Mammoth" as the franchise's permanent identity, keeping the Rock Black, Salt White and Mountain Blue palette from the inaugural year. Search queries about who owns the Utah Hockey Club still find their way here, but the team itself is now the Utah Mammoth. nhl.com
Community & Philanthropy
SEG's binding community commitments are the ones written into the Salt Lake City district agreement: workforce development, and a public benefits account funded by a per-ticket fee at the Delta Center that the city directs towards affordable housing, Japantown revitalisation, public art and free public gathering space. The club also runs the usual programme of community nights and ticket donations, but the specifics change season to season, so check the team's own site rather than any figure quoted here. slc.gov
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Who owns the Utah Hockey Club?
A: Smith Entertainment Group, controlled by Ryan and Ashley Smith.
Q: How much did the owners pay for the team?
A: Approximately $1.2 billion for the Coyotes' hockey assets.
Q: Are there other owners besides the Smiths?
A: Almost certainly, but SEG has never published the list. The NHL requires no public filing, so any named minority holder or percentage you see for this club is unverified. Ryan and Ashley Smith hold the controlling interest.
Q: Will the Utah Hockey Club change its name?
A: Already done. SEG unveiled the permanent name — Utah Mammoth — on May 7, 2025, and the team has played as the Mammoth from the 2025‑26 season onward.
Q: What arena does the team play in?
A: The Delta Center in downtown Salt Lake City.
Q: Is the Utah Hockey Club an expansion team?
A: Neither, strictly. The NHL established a new Utah franchise and transferred the Coyotes' hockey assets - roster, reserve list, draft picks and hockey operations staff - into it, while the Arizona franchise was made inactive and Alex Meruelo kept the Coyotes name, brand and logo.
Conclusion
If you stumbled upon this article asking "who owns the Utah Hockey Club," now you know: visionary entrepreneurs Ryan and Ashley Smith sit atop Smith Entertainment Group, steering Utah's newest major‑league franchise toward a high‑tech, community‑minded future. Their deep pockets, proven sports pedigree, and ambitious development plans signal that hockey in the Beehive State is here to stay—and to thrive.
Whether you're a lifelong NHL follower or a newcomer drawn by the thrill of slap‑shots under the Wasatch Range, staying informed about ownership is the first step in joining the growing hive of Utah Hockey Club fans. Bookmark this page for future updates as SEG continues to write the next chapter in Utah's sporting legacy.