Utah fans couldn't stop chugging beer during team's first NHL game
It seems like NHL fans in Utah know how to party, after all.
When it was announced earlier this year that the Arizona Coyotes were moving to Salt Lake City, many fans around the league were curious about the alcohol consumption levels at the new hockey club’s games.
As per the 2020 census, 60.68% of Utahns are members of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, also known as the Mormon Church. With Mormons historically abstaining from alcohol due to religious reasons, there was a curiosity about whether the team would a) sell alcohol at all and b) if the local audience would drink it.
It took all of one game for those questions to be answered.
On the way to a 5-2 victory for the new team over the Chicago Blackhawks, several fans were shown chugging beers on the Delta Center jumbotron, with a few of them even pulling out the classic “shoey” — drinking a beer straight from a shoe.
Hockey Culture is in full swing#NHLinUtah #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/7sfHYZcTkJ
— Alma Bean (@AlmaBean23) October 9, 2024
A “Bud Light Celly cam” appeared to indirectly encourage the behaviour, showing that the team clearly isn’t afraid of ties with alcohol brands either.
It’s a bad night to be a beer in Utah #UtahHC pic.twitter.com/7hKoJrdPfr
— Brice Larson (@LarsonSports) October 9, 2024
Debunking the myth that Salt Lake is a dry city right here and right now. The Celly cam is the chug cam. pic.twitter.com/q4vwtQhRB5
— Kate Pettersen (@KatePettersen_) October 9, 2024
The night got started with an outdoor concert from country star Shaboozey, who isn’t exactly shy about his drinking habits either.
In his No. 1 song Tipsy (A Bar Song), the chorus begins with the track “Someone pour me up a double shot of whiskey/ They know me and Jack Daniels got a history.”
Prior to the season, the team’s ownership group revealed that they had a rather cheap menu for much of their concession items: $3 for hot dogs, nachos, ice cream, or popcorn, and $2 bottles of water.
The beers didn’t appear to be quite as cheap, however. As per the Salt Lake Tribune‘s Andy Larsen, Michelob Ultra beers were going for US$15 per drink, $2 up from the arena’s prices in the preseason.
Michelob Ultra beer price for Jazz preseason game: $13
Michelob Ultra beer price for Utah Hockey Club inaugural game: $15— Andy Larsen (@andyblarsen) October 9, 2024
In any case, we’ll see if the beer-chugging party reputation sticks throughout the team’s first season or if everyone was just really excited about the NHL finally coming to Utah.
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