The J-Notes
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Should the Utah Jazz change their name?

By Jonah Kubicek

Jeff Hornacek (L), John Stockton (C) and Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz watch the final seconds of game three of their Western Conference semi-final against the Portland Trail Blazers 22 May 1999 at the Rose Garden in Portland OR. The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 97-87 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images)
Jeff Hornacek (L), John Stockton (C) and Karl Malone (R) of the Utah Jazz watch the final seconds of game three of their Western Conference semi-final against the Portland Trail Blazers 22 May 1999 at the Rose Garden in Portland OR. The Trail Blazers beat the Jazz 97-87 to take a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven series. (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) AFP PHOTO/Robert SULLIVAN (Photo by ROBERT SULLIVAN / AFP) (Photo credit should read ROBERT SULLIVAN/AFP via Getty Images) /
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Since 1979, the Utah Jazz have played in Salt Lake City with a poorly chosen mascot. Originally a tribute to the jazz culture of New Orleans, when they relocated they kept the name, despite Utah’s lack of contribution to the music industry.

While the Jazz have called Utah home for more than 40 years, it’s never too late for a rebrand. Yes, there is history under the Jazz name, but Utah has zero banners. They do have the fourth-best win percentage of any NBA team, so it’s a marvel they have never won a championship. Perhaps a rebrand is what they need to get over the hump finally.

It’s simple: Jazz is not fitting for a Utah franchise

Utah has a rich history, stunning scenery, and rich wildlife, so finding a fitting name wouldn’t be too hard. Frankly, there is only one thing standing in the way: Utah fans do not want a name change. In a survey I ran, 55% of fans said they did not want to see the Jazz be called anything else, and I can understand where they are coming from. It’s not like the Jazz have suffered like the Clippers, and it’s not like they’re a newer team like the Pelicans. There is some history there, and changing the name would be a big shift for fans to take in.

In my mind, Utah should only consider a name change if a perfect one presents itself. In my same survey, I asked fans to give a new name to the team. There were the usual suspects from any internet survey, but there were also some great ones and ones that made me chuckle at my desk.

I won’t include the ugly, but with the good, bad, and hilarious, there are plenty of options if the organization is curious about renaming the team.

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