Utah's New NHL Rink Shocks Fans with a Major Design Flaw: They Weren't Ready

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Daniel Lucente
September 26, 2024 (11:22)

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The relocated Utah Hockey Club is set to play their first ever season in their new arena; however, it is filled with thousands of seats that have obstructed views.

One of the last things hockey fans like to think about when they go to an NHL game is how much of the ice surface they can see. However, for the followers of the new team in Utah in the NHL, this has now faced them in reality. Just about the time the NHL is leaving the Arizona Coyotes and embracing Utah's newest hockey club, fans are finding the view from certain seats at the Delta Center leaves a lot to be desired.

Frustratingly, this allows one to enjoy what should be an exciting time for the Utah hockey community only moderately, mainly because of arena sightline issues that may affect the overall game experience for fans.

The Delta Center has been forced to accommodate NHL action, its primary usage being that of home to the Utah Jazz of the NBA, and the transition hasn't exactly been seamless. More recently, one fan showed up for a preseason contest and wasn't exactly overwhelmed with delight. But instead, they sat in that section where the puck disappeared below the half-boards, one end of the rink, and just couldn't see one of the nets. This would leave them possibly missing a crucial play or a game-winning goal and frustrated and questioning the value of the ticket. That obstructed view has become a hot topic of conversation among the Utah faithful, who see it as one of many unexpected wrinkles as the NHL is learning to get its legs underneath itself in Utah.

It was pretty well understood that turning a basketball arena into a hockey arena would be a big adjustment. Hockey rinks are bigger than basketball courts, and this brings with it some new logistical problems. When the Delta Center began its initial transition to host hockey, a series of renovations created much-needed rooms for the team, including dressing rooms, coaches' rooms, and areas for training staff. Unfortunately, correcting sightline problems was more arduous than originally estimated. Today, the arena has about 10,000 seats that enjoy a perfect view of the ice with absolutely no obstruction. But an additional 6,000 seats in the rafters have been classified as "partial view," and while these are sold at a cheaper price, many fans feel they are getting screwed by their placement.

The obstructed seating is most problematic in the lower bowl sections behind the goals, where the bleachers had to be moved back to accommodate the bigger ice surface. That said, this correction has presented some challenges in optimizing the sightlines of all fans. Management, including owner Ryan Smith, knew the issue well and have already begun discussing ways to rectify the problem. Unfortunately, renovations to permanently resolve these obstructed views are not set to start until April 2025, with a completion date that will stretch into 2027. While fans seem very optimistic for the future of this team, they are facing many seasons dealing with this visual limitation before the problem can be fully resolved.

These include the suggestion to jack up the arena floor for better visibility of the rink from a lot more seats. That is a creative, if temporary, fix that may start taking some of the frustration away from the fans. That is an option, says Chris Armstrong, president of hockey operations for Utah, but as of yet, there is no indication if that will be the route they choose to take. Until then, obstructed-view fans must suffer some of the growing pains of a new franchise.

Though the problems persist, enthusiasm for the NHL team in Utah is still high, particularly among those who have attended games. Pleased fans who witnessed the obstructed views in person did report that their overall experience of game day was still enjoyable, and many were willing to give the organization time to fix the problems. On social media, though, reactions are much different. Photos and videos showing just how obstructed some seats are have gone viral in a hurry, as many fans have taken to demanding quicker solutions. The contrast between what was happening on-site and the storm that happened on social media afterward reveals a mismanagement of fan expectations, which must be addressed as this team gets through this adjustment phase.

Obstructed views of NHL games in Utah are just a short-term problem for this new franchise. Its management works out remedies, while full-scale renovations are forthcoming, though these might take a few years to complete. In the meantime, temporary solutions such as raising the floor somewhat ease the problem. Nevertheless, through these early challenges, the hockey community in Utah is still excited and supportive, a sign that this issue, given time and patience, will not overshadow what this team can do to establish a successful NHL foothold in the state.