LEHI, Utah — The anticipation surrounding the mystery of Utah's NHL team name is equaled by the merchandise that will eventually arrive. In fact, fans of the unnamed club are already asking local sporting goods stores when they might be able to own a piece of the team.
WATCH: Utah Grizzlies fans stand by team despite arrival of NHL
Right now, the Utah Jazz team store at the Delta Store is filled with... Jazz gear, but maybe the hockey jerseys will arrive and from early fan reaction, they will fly off the shelves like hotcakes.
Pro Image in Lehi will reach a whole new fan base with the NHL team's arrival.
"Super excited and, Utah's needed another pro team here, especially over the last couple of years," said Pro Image manager David Sanders. "Now that we got one, it's gonna be, it's ready to pop."
Sanders said he's already received inquiries from people looking to buy Utah NHL gear because the locals love their teams.
"A lot of Bees, a lot of Utah, a lot of BYU, definitely a lot of Jazz, too. So, a lot of local support here and people just love coming and supporting local teams," he shared.
A sports economist at Southern Utah University says some of the advantages of a team moving to the state includes a new audience and new merchandise sales.
"When you first arrive, people line up to get your merchandise because it's brand new and they want to be the first ones to do that. So initially, for this franchise, they're gonna get a big uptick in merchandise sales," said professor David Berri.
That uptick in sales is unique for NHL teams because, according to Berri, pro hockey franchises make most of their money at the games themselves.
"They average over 17,000 fans a game. So that's where they make their money, and merchandise sales can be a big part of what they're doing," he explained.
As for Sanders and Pro Image, he can't wait until the moment he can get the new merch in his store.
"Oh, as soon as they come out, new name and stuff like that, we'll get everything ordered," he promised.
The Smith Entertainment Group has reportedly contracted an ad agency for rebranding efforts as the shift from the Arizona Coyotes to Utah begins.
