List of professional sports teams in Utah explained

Professional sports teams based in Utah encompass multiple teams including the NBA's Utah Jazz and Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake, and a yet to be named NHL team.

Current teams

Major professional teams (current)
ClubYear introducedSportLeagueTier
Utah Jazz1979BasketballNational Basketball AssociationTop
Utah Hockey Club (Interim Name)2024Ice hockeyNational Hockey LeagueTop
Real Salt Lake2004SoccerMajor League SoccerTop
Utah Archers2023Field LacrossePremier Lacrosse LeagueTop
Utah Royals FC2017SoccerNational Women's Soccer LeagueTop
Utah Warriors2017RugbyMajor League RugbyTop
Minor professional teams (current)
ClubYear introducedSportLeagueTier
Salt Lake Shred2022UltimateAUDLTop
Salt Lake Bees2006BaseballPacific Coast LeagueClass AAA
Utah Grizzlies2005Ice hockeyECHLMid-level
Salt Lake City Stars2016BasketballNBA G League
Real Monarchs2015SoccerMLS Next ProDivision III
Ogden Raptors1994BaseballPioneer LeagueMLB Partner League

Historical teams

American Football

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Utah Pioneers1992American FootballProfessional Spring Football League
Utah Blitz2010American footballWomen's Football Alliance
Utah Argonauts2012American football
Salt Lake Stallions2018American footballAlliance of American Football

Baseball

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Lagoon1901BaseballInter-Mountain League
Ogden1901BaseballInter-Mountain League
Orem Owlz2005BaseballPioneer League
Park City1901BaseballInter-Mountain League
Salt Lake City1901BaseballInter-Mountain League
Salt Lake City Elders1903BaseballPacific National League
Salt Lake City Mormons1909BaseballInter-Mountain League
Salt Lake City Skyscrapers1911BaseballUnion Association
Ogden Canners1912BaseballUnion Association
Murray Infants1914BaseballUnion Association
Salt Lake Bees (Three previous franchises)1915, 1946, 1958BaseballUtah–Idaho League / Pacific Coast League / Pioneer League
Logan Collegians1926BaseballUtah–Idaho League
Ogden Gunners1926BaseballUtah–Idaho League
Ogden Reds1939BaseballPioneer League
Ogden Dodgers1966BaseballPioneer League
Salt Lake City Giants1967BaseballPioneer League
Salt Lake City Angels1971BaseballPacific Coast League
Ogden Spikers1974BaseballPioneer League
Salt Lake City Gulls1975BaseballPacific Coast League
Ogden A's1979BaseballPacific Coast League
Salt Lake City Trappers1985BaseballPioneer League
Salt Lake Buzz1994BaseballPacific Coast League
St. George Pioneerzz (FKA Zion Pioneerzz)1999BaseballWestern Baseball League
Provo Angels2001BaseballPioneer League
Salt Lake Stingers2002BaseballPacific Coast League
St. George RoadRunners2007BaseballGolden Baseball League

Men’s Basketball

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Utah Stars1970BasketballAmerican Basketball Association
Utah Rockies1976BasketballAmerican Basketball Association
Salt Lake City Prospectors1978BasketballWestern Basketball Association
Utah Snowbears2004BasketballAmerican Basketball Association (2000-)American Basketball Association (new)
Salt Lake Dream2006BasketballAmerican Basketball Association (new)
Utah Eagles2006BasketballContinental Basketball Association
Utah Flash2007BasketballNBA Development League
Salt Lake City Saints2008BasketballAmerican Basketball Association (new)
Utah Valor (2018-Present) The Basketball Tournament(TBT)

Ice Hockey

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Salt Lake Golden Eagles1969Ice HockeyWHL / CHL / IHL
Utah Grizzlies (1995–2005)1995Ice HockeyIHL / AHL / ECHL

Indoor American Football

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Utah Catzz1997Indoor American footballProfessional Indoor Football League
Utah Rattlers2001Indoor American footballNational Indoor Football League
Utah Warriors2003Indoor American footballNational Indoor Football League
Utah Blaze2006Indoor American FootballAmerican Indoor Football Association / Arena Football League
Utah Saints2008Indoor American footballAmerican Indoor Football Association
Ogden Knights2009Indoor American footballAmerican Indoor Football Association
Salt Lake Screaming Eagles2016Indoor American football Indoor Football League

Men’s Soccer

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Utah Golden Spikers (FKA Utah Pioneers)1976SoccerAmerican Soccer League
Salt Lake Sting1990SoccerAmerican Professional Soccer League
Utah Blitzz1999SoccerUSL Second Division
Utah Salt Ratz2003SoccerNational Premier Soccer League
Ogden Outlaws2006SoccerPremier Development League

Women’s Soccer

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Utah Starzz (FKA Utah Spiders)1999SoccerWomen's Premier Soccer League
Rush Salt Lake City2007SoccerWomen's Premier Soccer League
Real Salt Lake Women2007SoccerUnited Women's Soccer

Volleyball

ClubYear introducedSportLeague
Salt Lake City Stingers1979VolleyballInternational Volleyball Association
Utah Predators1994VolleyballWomen's Western Volleyball League

The use of the letter "Z"

The professional sports team nicknames are often noted for the unusual frequency of the letter Z appearing in team nicknames (such as the Utah Jazz). This phenomenon reached the peak of its popularity during the 1990s; however, several Utah teams continue to make use of the letter Z. At least ten Utah-based professional sports franchises have used team names that include the letter Z, some of which are intentionally spelled incorrectly, using the Z unnecessarily or as a replacement for another letter. Commenting on the proliferation of such team names, New York Times sportswriter Alan Schwarz called Utah "the state where sports fans go to get their Z's."[1] Local television stations KJZZ-TV (which was owned by Larry H. Miller from 1993 until his estate sold the station in 2016) and KPNZ also played off the Jazz's name to end their calls with Z's.

Early Utah -zz teams

The popularity of the Z in Utah sports was likely inspired in part by the unusual nickname of the Utah Jazz NBA team, which in 1979 relocated from New Orleans —which is noted for jazz music— to Salt Lake City, which is not. Up until the early 1990s, Utah's other professional teams used somewhat conventional nicknames (such as the Stars, Golden Eagles, and Trappers).

With the arrival of the Salt Lake Buzz in 1994, the similarity of the nicknames "Buzz" and "Jazz" was unmistakable (although the name "Buzz" was really a play on the name of owner Joe Buzas, as well as a nod to Utah's "Beehive State" moniker).[2] [3] The following year, the Utah Grizzlies minor league hockey team also entered the market.

Utah becomes a -zz market

The announcement of the Utah Starzz WNBA franchise in 1996 cemented the state's propensity for using the letter Z in its team names.[4] The peculiar "Starzz" nickname was an homage to the Jazz (as well as to the old Utah Stars ABA team).[5] The precedent firmly set, several -zz teams entered the Utah market in subsequent years, to include the Utah Catzz, Utah Freezz, and Utah Blitzz.

From 1994 to 1999, at least seven professional sports teams in the state adopted nicknames containing a double Z (see table below). All of these team names ended in -zz, except the Utah Grizzlies (which are also commonly called "the Grizz").[6] With the exception of the Jazz and Grizzlies, none of the -zz teams remain in Utah today, each having relocated, folded, or renamed the franchise.

The Ogden Raptors (1994–present) were the only notable Utah pro franchise to forgo use of the letter Z when entering the Utah market during the 1990s. The Raptors offered this as a selling point, using the slogan "All the fun without the ZZs!"[7] Since 2000, new and renamed franchises have tended to steer away from the Z naming fad, opting instead for names such as Salt Lake Bees, Utah Flash, Real Salt Lake, and Utah Royals FC. However, the creation of the Orem Owlz in 2005 and the Utah Blaze in 2006 provide some indication that Utah's Z nicknaming trend continues.

Selected Utah Professional sports teams
-ZZ teams
Team NameSport (League)Nickname still in useYears used
Utah JazzBasketball (NBA)Yes1979–present
Salt Lake BuzzBaseball (PCL)No – Renamed1994–2001
Utah GrizzliesHockey (IHL/AHL/ECHL)Yes1995–present (two franchises)
Utah StarzzBasketball (WNBA)No – Relocated1997–2002
Utah CatzzIndoor football (PIFL)No – Folded1997–1998
Utah FreezzIndoor soccer (WISL)No – Folded1999–2001
Utah BlitzzSoccer (USL-2)No – Folded1999–2004
St. George PioneerzzBaseball (WBL)No – Folded1999–2001
Other Z teams
Orem OwlzBaseball (Pioneer League)Yes, but relocated from Utah2005–2020
Utah BlazeArena football (AFL I and AFL II)Yes2006–present
Notable non-Z teams introduced since 1990
Ogden RaptorsBaseball (Pioneer League)Yes1994–present
Utah RattlersIndoor football (NIFL)No – Folded2001
Salt Lake Stingers/BeesBaseball (PCL)Yes2002–present
Utah WarriorsIndoor football (NIFL)No – Folded2003–2004
Real Salt LakeSoccer (MLS)Yes2004–present
Utah SnowbearsBasketball (new ABA)No – Folded2004–2005
Utah EaglesBasketball (CBA)No – Folded2006–2007
St. George RoadRunnersBaseball (GBL)No – Relocated2006–2010
Utah FlashBasketball (NBA G League)Yes2007–present
Utah SaintsIndoor football (AIFA)No – Folded2008–2008
Utah Royals FCSoccer (NWSL)Yes2017–2020, 2024-

Notes:

See also

Notes and References

  1. Schwarz, Alan. "Go, Banana Slugs! Beat The Burn!", New York Times, 19 July 1998.
  2. Lange, Scott. "Mascot lawsuits drain Buzz Fund", Georgia Tech Technique, accessed 12 May 2008.
  3. Dicou, Natalie. "Salt Lake Buzz…er, Stingers…er, I forget", Utah Daily Chronicle, 24 May 2006, retrieved 18 May 2008.
  4. For example, see: Jorgensen, Loren. "Utah's WNBA Team Dubbed the 'Starzz'", Deseret News, 29 January 1997, pg D1 (accessible at Deseret News archives).
  5. Hollis, Randy. "Starzz starting to shine bright as Jazz fade into history", Ogden Standard-Examiner, 2 June 2002 (republished by realgm.com).
  6. For example, see: Hamilton, Linda. "Grizz Excited To See Wirll Skate", Deseret News (hosted by Utah Grizzlies), accessed 12 May 2008.
  7. Wadsworth, Reuben. "I'm gonna miss the ZZZs and the Buzz," The Utah Statesman, 2 February 2001, retrieved 19 May 2008. See also archived Ogden Raptors website.

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