SALT LAKE CITY — There was excitement in the air Wednesday at the Delta Center as fans flocked to the arena, all faced with a big decision.
The lines formed quickly outside as supporters geared up to be the first to vote on the new name for the region's hockey club: The Mammoths, The Hockey Club, or The Wasatch.
Among the most enthusiastic fans were Nick Finlayson and Richard Latimer, who have gained popularity for dressing up as Mammoths at games.
“Yes, I’m excited. Let’s go mammoth,” said Latimer, beaming in his costume.
“It started as a joke, right? And we both liked the mammoths,” Finlayson explained. “And so, you know, we decided we like to dress up too.”
The duo reminisced about their excitement since the team’s opening night a few months ago.
“So excited the last two months, it's all I've thought about. Is hockey,” Finlayson added, while Latimer chimed in, “Everyone knows the team's gonna be Utah Yetis. However, there are two nerds in Salt Lake City that wanted to make a big push for mammoths.”
Wednesday they reflected with elation saying “Who knew this day would come? Freaking mammoth?”
“We're inspiring votes today,” Finlayson added.
But they didn’t need to do much convincing.
Fans around them expressed their fondness for the Mammoth name, with one declaring, “I love mammoths from the beginning,” while another chimed in, “I think it's super cool all about that Utah mammoth.”
Another fan shouted, “Mammoth or bust, baby,” and yet another passionately stated, “Let’s go mammoth. Mammoth is definitely the name of the team. Ryan Smith, thank you so much for making mammoth our new Utah hockey team. Stanley Cup coming your way.”
Even a fan dressed as a Yeti acknowledged the momentum for the Mammoths: “So now it’s gonna be mammoth.”
Despite a few holdouts favoring the current name, with one die-hard supporter insisting, “Utah Hockey Club all the way,” many simply remained enthusiastic about their new team.
One fan voiced his indecision: “I’m gonna figure it out when I vote. That’s the idea.”
Ultimately, whether it ends up being Mammoth, Hockey Club, or Wasatch, the excitement is palpable.
“We're even more excited to have the Utah Mammoths here. Let’s go mammoth,” Finlayson and Latimer declared in unison.
