Will Salt Lake City Soon Become A Great Sports Destination?

Utah might not be the epicenter of major sports, but that can change within the next few years.

Utah has many things, but professional sports teams aren't one of them. There is the Utah Jazz for the NBA, but other than that, it's minor-league affiliates like the Utah Grizzlies hockey team and the Salt Lake Bees baseball team.

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Salt Lake City hosted the Winter Olympics in 2004 and could potentially host again in 2034, but there isn't much else going on sports-wise in the Utah area.

Utah is one of the fastest-growing states in America, and Salt Lake City has been one of the cities to gain in population over the past few decades. With people moving to Utah en masse, there is a need for more entertainment in the area.

Well, Salt Lake City might be adding not one but two professional sports teams soon.

First, there is a strong possibility that Salt Lake City could be hosting an NHL team soon. This wouldn't be through expansion, but the Arizona Coyotes could need relocating soon, and Utah looks like the best candidate.

The Arizona Coyotes have been denied a new arena, have zero local fans, and could use a new home. The owner of the Utah Jazz, Ryan Smith, has had discussions with the NHL about bringing the Coyotes to Salt Lake City.

The Coyotes would get a dedicated fan base, stay in the conference, and host the Olympic hockey tournament in 2034.

What could be better than that? How about an MLB team?

Major League Baseball has had significant discussions about expanding the league with two new teams, and one of the potential cities is Salt Lake City.

Salt Lake City might not have the largest metropolitan area, but in 2023, they tried to persuade the Oakland Athletics to bail on Las Vegas and move to Utah instead and have a detailed plan on how they will be a success.

If the MLB decides to expand, they will probably add a team in the East and one in the West. The only other candidate for a potential team is Portland, but Utah has a better plan than them.

It's an exciting time to be a sports fan in Utah, and the surrounding states that don't have professional sports could also help the push for these moves.

Do you want to see an NHL or MLB team in Utah? We do.