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SALT LAKE CITY — Fans of the Utah Hockey Club will attend the team's first game of the regular season at the Delta Center on Tuesday night, and the team owners are preparing to kick the day off with some flair. Ashley and Ryan Smith of the Smith Entertainment Group held a press conference on Monday to get fans excited about Tuesday's game, even though all the tickets have been sold out. "We have sold out season tickets," Ashley Smith said. "I'm kind of blown away with, the response, to be honest," Ryan Smith added. Because of the local excitement, tickets for the UHC games are already becoming expensive. As of Monday afternoon, some of the most expensive Upper Bowl tickets cost more than $100. It's an issue that the two owners are aware of. "We're trying everything we can on that front," Ryan Smith said. The couple recently slashed some concession prices, and for youth programs like Jr. Jazz and businesses like Nomi Health, everyone gets a ticket. Ryan Smith said when the stadium is done, the new addition of thousands of seats will help, but they're just a little limited by the seats with bad views. "We want people to come in; our goal, just so you know, is that the top of the funnel is super wide. So, especially with hockey right now, we want as many people as we can to get in," Ryan Smith said. Because of the sold-out opening game, nearly 11,000 fans will fill the Delta Center plaza with a free fan party with ESPN and the NHL in town. Smith Entertainment Group said the UHC will be in the top 20 in the NHL for sponsorship and ticket revenue despite having less capacity than nearly every NHL arena. It shows that Utah isn't a small market, as some critics predicted. "With a limited view. It's not a small market," Ryan Smith said. Tuesday's fan festivities start at 3 p.m., and there will be a free concert from country star Shaboozy. You can also listen to the game on the KSL Sports Zone 97.5.
