SALT LAKE CITY — The Hockey season is underway in Utah for the second season, and the atmosphere outside the Delta Center is electric for the state’s NHL team, newly named the Mammoth.
For two fans, the excitement goes deeper than just the opening night puck drop as for them, it’s about a victory for their prehistoric favorite name.
"We were just so excited to have hockey here and so excited to be a part of it," says fan Richard Latimer.
Utah Hockey Club fans react to remaining names up to vote
"We’re like, 'We're going to, we're going to grasp onto this,' and that's going to be our life," Nick Fenlason added.
While the super fans you might not recognize them out of costume, but you definitely will once they're in costume.
"We dress up for a lot of things," Fenlason laughed as he recounted the conversation with Latimer "He said, 'I'm going to get a mammoth costume to wear to the game.' And then I was like, 'You order it, if it works out, I'll get one. And so, he got it and it was brilliant."
When the pair first dressed up, they knew they were taking a chance.
"I was thinking, everyone's going to look at these two goofballs and just think, 'Why are they dressed as a mammoth? We're the Utah Yeti,'" Latimer admits, as back then the fan favorite was the Yeti.
I interviewed the two on opening night of the Utah Hockey Club back in 2024, when Latimer told me: "Everyone knows the team's going to be Utah Yetis. However, there are two nerds in Salt Lake City that wanted to make a big push for Mammoth.”
He says the fan reaction was so amazing from that point on, they stuck with the theme.
Now, the two fans have become icons, and while the pairis quick to dismiss the title of “icon,” we asked others in the crowd about the impact of the pair on the name.
One fan told us "Yeah, because we saw them all the time on the board.” Another said "Oh, for sure, I think so. They’re pretty cool, I’d wear one."
Back in January of this year when the fan vote started for the name the pair were out in force again campaigning for their favorite.
"People would run up to us and they'd be like, 'I thought Yeti was the right choice, and then I saw you guys and we want to change to Mammoth.’" Latimer said.
Even before that the pair had some signs made with a Utah Mammoth potential logo, and something pretty awesome for a message.
"We came up with 'Tusks Up!'" Fenlason said, adding: “We came up with 'Tusks Up' in October,” showing us their signs which did in fact have “#TUSKSUP” on them.
Those same signs were in footage we had at least back to the naming process.
So as the first season of Mammoth hockey hits the ice, fans will have two self-proclaimed "nerdy mammoths" to cheer right alongside.
"The fans in Utah are so passionate that it'll be here forever," Fenlason concluded.
