New Poll Shows Strong Majority of Arizonans Support Bringing Back NHL Hockey

Written By Sam Yonan

PHOENIX, AZ—A new county-wide survey of 520 Maricopa County residents, conducted by Trailblazer Research, finds that there is substantial public support behind the National Hockey League (NHL) returning to Arizona.

According to the survey, 78.1% of respondents expressed support for bringing the NHL back to Arizona, compared to 8.1% who opposed; with support growing further to 85% after respondents were presented with key facts about a potential return, while 8.3% remained opposed.

Key Findings

  • Strong baseline support: 78.1% of Arizonans support bringing NHL hockey back to the state, with support increasing to 85% after being asked again at the end of survey.

  • Attendance interest remains high: 75.4% of respondents indicated they would be interested in attending games if Arizona had an NHL team again.

  • Private funding preferred: When asked about funding structures for a new arena, 59% of respondents favored private-led financing, either a fully privately financed arena (22.1%) or a mostly private model with limited public infrastructure support (37.3%). Only 11.9% supported a fully publicly financed arena, and just 3.7% opposed any arena funding altogether. 

Thomas Galvin, Maricopa County Supervisor, stated, “I’m proud to be leading the effort to bring NHL hockey back to The Valley. Over the past year I’ve been frequently reminded we have the best sports fans in the world. Today’s news is encouraging but we have a lot more work to do. I believe that one day an NHL hockey team will be skating in our community.” 

About the Survey

The survey was conducted by Trailblazer Research among 520 Maricopa County residents in June 2026. The questionnaire covered topics including baseline support for the NHL's return, message testing, attendance interest and history, funding preferences, and broader attitudes toward economic impact. Results include crosstabs by gender, age, region, ethnicity, party identification, and income. For more information, including full topline results and crosstabs, or to schedule an interview Supervisor Thomas Galvin, please contact Trailblazer Research.

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Sam Yonan