“This has to be the loudest place to play in all of hockey,” Utah HC owner Ryan Smith told fans in October 2024. “People should not want to come here,” added the billionaire owner, urging the fans in Salt Lake City to fiercely support their NHL team ahead of their debut. Fast-forward almost five months, and the fans have kept their word. So Smith had a pleasant surprise.

With Utah still in the running to make the second wild-card spot in their inaugural season, the fans are still passionately supporting the rookie NHL club. So the Utah Jazz owner did the almost unthinkable. The NHL franchise owner lowered the subscription charge of the Utah HC+ streaming service, a shocking move considering their revenue.

Of the 32 teams in the league, Utah HC was among the bottom five in 2024, generating $119 million. That was less than half of the chart-topping Toronto Maple Leafs earning $324 million, as per CNBC’s 2024 report. Yet, with his team possibly looking at a playoff berth, the entrepreneur didn’t care about revenue. So to get more eyes on the team, he lowered the subscription cost to just $1 for the remaining games in the regular season.

It may sound too good to be true, but it is. The only catch is that ‘Push for the Playoffs’ is a limited-time offer that will last through March 31. What more? Fans who buy the plan will continue to enjoy its benefits into the playoffs, provided Utah makes it that far. To put things into perspective, let’s compare this to a similar streaming service of another NHL team.

The New York Rangers, who generate $317 million (2nd highest per CNBC’s 2024 report), also have a similar streaming service. However, fans who wish to subscribe to the MGS+ network to watch their games pay $29.99/month ($279.99 annually). That’s quite the stark contrast to Utah HC’s thoughtful move. Then again, this isn’t Ryan Smith’s first rodeo at doing something for the fans.

How Utah HC has fostered a loyal fan base

Hyping up ice hockey fans ahead of Utah’s inaugural game was far from the only thing founders Ryan and Ashley Smith did. They’ve continued to engage and involve fans throughout their debut NHL season. In December 2024, Ryan Smith dropped a massive surprise for Utah fans by giving away 2000 tickets for their home game against the Vancouver Canucks.

“We had 700+ people reach out for tix to see their first @utahhockeyclub game. I gave some respondents my 8 suite seats, so let’s try something new. My treat… We’re opening up single goal view seats, which we typically don’t open. Use the link to get 2 free tix for tonight. First come, first served. Let’s pack the barn!” the Utah HC owner wrote in his tweet announcing the giveaway.

An NHL team randomly giving away 2000 tickets for a regular season game is unheard of. Yet, that’s not all. The team has looked for fan input to choose a permanent name since the very beginning. Initially, UHC gave fans a list of 20 names, which they narrowed down to just three by January, as per Sports Illustrated.

Smith Entertainment Group’s Mike Maughan told KSL it’s “something that’s never been done in the history of professional sports.” While teams change names, the fans don’t have a say in it. “We have such faith in the fan base here and the people of Utah,” added Maughan. Coming back to the $1 subscription, Utah HC will take on the Tampa Bay Lightning for the first time tomorrow, so it won’t be a surprise if a lot more fans tune in.