Reader comments
Utah Grizzlies: Risk built an empire for Elmore

Yeah. my daughter and I used to spend time together at the Grizz games. We'd go to ten or twenty games a year and had tons of fun.

Then the ushers started treating fans rudely, the quality of consessions went to pot, and Elmore decided travel (of all things) cost too much to stay with the AHL. He can book trips to Moscow and BeiJing, but won't fly his hockey team to Philly?
Overnight the team went from playing with and against future and even a few current NHL players to using a bunch of scrubs that flunked out of Canada's Junior B league or just graduated from Brighton high school. It's about a half step up from the rec league play at the speedskating oval. And the team still doesn't deliver.

All without dropping ticket prices a single penny. Enjoy what you have Mr. Elmore, you'll never get another penny from me.

To the guy above: Great job on disrespecting a great team in the current Utah Grizzlies. Am I upset that they moved from AHL to ECHL? Sure. Do they deserve some disgruntled fanboy, such as yourself, discounting what they do? No. These guys work hard at what they do. They're still trying to reach that next level. It's too bad that the people they play for her in SL have an opinion like yours. Saying they are a step up from a rec league team? I'd like to see them play the top rec league team in Utah. Even with Brickly at the helm of the rec team, they would still lose by 10 goals, if not more. Go back to dwelling on the fact that you couldn't make it. I assume you played for Skyline, what with your disdain for Brighton. If you can't afford a $9 ticket to a Grizzlies game (which in fact, IS cheaper than they were for AHL games), then you have bigger problems than worrying about this.

Respect is earned, not given. I hold no disdain for Brighton, I mentioned them only because they won the ECHL... err High school state championship this year.
Name for me, if you will, any Grizz player since the demotion to county rec...I mean ECHL that has logged time with an NHL club. Is there one? They work hard, but so do washing machines. They've won, what one playoff series in 10 years? Utah used to win championships, fella. In AAA.

The major problem I have is that this is a town that once held dreams of NHL glory. We have a world class barn that once was filled with 8 to 10 thousand fans a night. Hockey that was a turned ankle away from the big time.
And David Elmore has literally "Cheap-Skated" them into what we are left with today. A travel agent that can't afford to travel? How ironic.

Rest assured, I can afford a 9 dollar ticket, but that is $8.75 more than I am willing to pay for such a watered down version of what Utah used to be. And judging from attendance, there�s about 7,000 more �disgruntled fanboys� just like me.

I happened on this story- don't even live in Utah. You're really ignorant when it comes to AA hockey. So what it isn't the AHL. Who cares how many players move up to the NHL? AA hockey is unique - it's feisty, relatively affordable and the players are easily accessible. No big time attitudes like the guys in the AHL. There are plenty of highly skilled players in AA that developed late, etc, and got passed over by NHL teams. Rec league? You sound like you play, so go one-on-one or see if you can make the cut as a local invite to training camp.

Why does every post end up in a fight in Utah. I grew up watching the Golden Eagles in the glory days in the late 70's and early 80's when they actually outdrew the Jazz in their first seasons in the Salt Palace.

It is a shame that hockey will never achieve the excitement and talent level it had then and even in the IHL years. I remeber watching Joe Mullen as a rookie when he had 58 goals and 59 assists. Theo Fleury had an amazing short stint in salt lake.

I think that the first post makes a good point. I was a long time season ticket holder from day one of the grizzlies. After a couple of years with Dallas I quit going when I saw the effort lacking.

Elmore really didn't have much of a choice but to go to the ECHL. That being said as a seson ticket holder for many years I think they took the season ticket holders for granted and didn't do much to keep a base that is obvious by the numbers.

Just hope that someday the AHL will be divided and a new AAA league will pop up out west.

I don't think there's any doubt that the ECHL Grizzlies work hard and do it for a few hundred bucks a week. When the E Center opened, the Grizzlies had come off of two AAA level championships. But since then, the calibre of the on-ice product and the front office has gone downhill every year. There have been a number of stories written that the Grizzlies don't pay their bills. I don't know for sure about that, but I wouldn't be surprised. No matter what they announce, I bet there aren't more than 2500 fans at most games. The Golden Eagles days were the best and the one year the Grizzlies won the championship in SLC was good...but now it's just mediocre entertainment.

I think part of the reason for the Grizzlies downfall is media coverage. For example, yesterday there was a "Grizzlies" subheading in the Sports section of this website. It's suddenly gone today. While the Grizzlies are not in the AHL, I challenge anyone to dispute the excitement of some of these games. For example, the playoff game against Fresno where they trailed 5-1 and came back to win 7-5. the playoff games against Vegas where they came back to tie it in the closing minute. Sure they lost, but Vegas was a stacked team. Plus, I'd rather watch a high quality (this year's Grizzlies) ECHL team, than an AHL team that can only win like 20 games (like they did for those 2 or 3 seasons in the AHL).

Be glad you have a team in any league. When we lost our team for 2 years compliments of Katrina, we drifted for our hockey fix. We landed in Utah to see the Grizzlies play because several of our players were there. We were very well received by the team and office staff. Good friendships were formed with several fans. We enjoyed it so much we made 3 trips that year. Thank you Grizzlies for all your support and the lifelong memories during a difficult time.

I traveled with Howls with Wolves back in 2005 for 3 trips, spending over 4 weeks in Salt Lake City total. We were so well received by the fans and the front office that we continued to make trips back. The Grizzlies supported our team (we sold Katrina shirts at a game) during such a rough time. We traveled to Las Vegas in support of the Grizzlies and still wear our Utah jerseys to games in Mississippi now that we have a team.

We hold very special memories of the ECHL Grizzlies and cannot thank them enough for such wonderful times during our rebuilding process in Mississippi. We made the awards banquet and couldn't believe what a top notch organization did for their fans.

By the way, Michael Mole made it to the NHL with the New York Islanders after spending the 2007-2008 season in a Grizzlies uniform. So much for 'rec league'.

What vision the administration of West Valley City had in 1996 by bringing the Grizzie Hockey team here. If Dave and Donna hadn't deciced to relocate the team here, we wouldn't have the E-Center or be an Olympic Venue City. Hockey is a great family activity and as I bring my grandchildren and children to the games with me we see wonderful athletes. I am especially pleased with the effort the Grizzlies make in coming into the community and also encluding young people with sharing the ice after some of the games with the fans and players. Bringing the boy scouts to the venue and providing them with instruction and entertainment is great.
Thanks Dave, Donna, and Kevin for bringing lasting memories and great hockey to us. This is one season ticket holder who will remain.

as somebody who is involved with the Grizzlies organization, I can tell you, Lila, that your post here is much appreciated; thank you very much ! Howls with Wolves and Jetjet: thanks too for your kind words about an organization I'm proud to be a part of.

Those of you who want to thank someone for the Grizzlies really should thank the Colorado Avalanche. If they hadn't relocated from Quebec to Denver, the Grizzlies would probably still be in Colorado.