Professional sports teams based in Utah encompass multiple teams including the NBA's Utah Jazz, the NHL’s Utah Mammoth, and Major League Soccer's Real Salt Lake.
Current teams
Major professional teams (current)ClubYear introducedSportLeagueTierUtah Jazz1979BasketballNational Basketball AssociationTopUtah Mammoth2024Ice hockeyNational Hockey LeagueTopReal Salt Lake2004SoccerMajor League SoccerTopUtah Archers2023Field LacrossePremier Lacrosse LeagueTopUtah Royals FC2017SoccerNational Women's Soccer LeagueTopUtah Talons2025SoftballAthletes Unlimited Softball LeagueTopLOVB Salt Lake2025VolleyballLOVB ProTop
Minor professional teams (current)ClubYear introducedSportLeagueTierWasatch WarGulls2019Australian rules footballUSAFLTopSalt Lake Shred2022Ultimate FrisbeeAUDLTopSalt Lake Bees2006BaseballPacific Coast LeagueClass AAASalt Lake City Stars2016BasketballNBA G LeagueDevelopmentalUtah Great 8's2026Arena FootballInternational Arena League of FootballInternationalReal Monarchs2015SoccerMLS Next ProDivision IIIOgden Raptors1994BaseballPioneer LeagueMLB Partner LeagueUtah Falconz2014American footballWomen's National Football ConferenceTopSalt Lake Wildcats2025American footballWomen's Football AllianceDivision 2
Historical teams American Football ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Pioneers1992Professional Spring Football LeagueUtah Blitz2010–2019Women's Football AllianceUtah Argonauts2012–2013Professional Developmental Football League Salt Lake Stallions2018–2019Alliance of American Football
Baseball
ClubYears activeLeagueOgden Lobsters1900–1902Utah-Idaho Intermountain League / Inter-Mountain League / Utah State LeagueLagoon1901–1902Inter-Mountain League / Utah State LeaguePark City1901Inter-Mountain LeagueSalt Lake City1901Inter-Mountain LeagueLogan Collegians1902, 1921, 1926–1927Utah–Idaho LeagueSalt Lake City Elders1903Pacific National LeagueSalt Lake City Mormons1909Inter-Mountain LeagueSalt Lake City Skyscrapers1911–1914Union AssociationOgden Canners1912–1914Union AssociationMurray Infants1914Union AssociationSalt Lake City Bees (Three previous franchises)1915–28, 1939–42, 1946–65, 1969–70Utah–Idaho League / Pacific Coast League / Pioneer LeagueOgden Gunners1926–1928Utah–Idaho LeagueOgden Reds1939–42, 1946–55Pioneer LeagueOgden Dodgers1966–1973Pioneer LeagueSalt Lake City Giants1967–1968Pioneer LeagueSalt Lake City Angels1971–1974Pacific Coast LeagueOgden Spikers1974Pioneer LeagueSalt Lake City Gulls1975–1984Pacific Coast LeagueOgden A's1979–1980Pacific Coast LeagueSalt Lake City Trappers1985–1992Pioneer LeagueSalt Lake Stingers (FKA Salt Lake Buzz)1994–2005Pacific Coast LeagueSt. George Pioneerzz (FKA Zion Pioneerzz)1999–2001Western Baseball LeagueProvo Angels2001–2004Pioneer LeagueOrem Owlz2005–2020Pioneer LeagueSt. George RoadRunners2007–2010Golden Baseball League
Men’s Basketball ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Stars1970–1975American Basketball AssociationUtah Rockies1976American Basketball AssociationSalt Lake City Prospectors1978–1979Western Basketball AssociationUtah Snowbears2004–2005American Basketball Association (2000–present)Salt Lake Dream2006American Basketball Association (2000–present)Utah Eagles2006–2007Continental Basketball AssociationUtah Flash2007–2011NBA Development LeagueSalt Lake City Saints2008American Basketball Association (2000–present)
Women’s Basketball ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Starzz1997–2002Women's National Basketball Association
Ice Hockey ClubYears activeLeagueSalt Lake Golden Eagles1969–1994WHL / CHL / IHLUtah Grizzlies (1995–2005)1995–2005IHL / AHLUtah Grizzlies2005–2026ECHL
Indoor American Football ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Catzz1998Professional Indoor Football LeagueUtah Rattlers2001National Indoor Football LeagueUtah Warriors2003–2004National Indoor Football LeagueUtah Blaze2006–2013American Indoor Football Association / Arena Football LeagueUtah Saints2008American Indoor Football AssociationOgden Knights2009–2010American Indoor Football AssociationSalt Lake Screaming Eagles2016–2017Indoor Football League
Indoor Soccer ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Freezz1999–2001World Indoor Soccer League
In-line Hockey ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Rollerbees1993Roller Hockey International
Rugby ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Warriors2010–2011Rugby Super LeagueUtah Warriors2017–2025Major League Rugby
Men’s Soccer ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Golden Spikers (FKA Utah Pioneers)1976American Soccer LeagueSalt Lake Sting1990–1991American Professional Soccer LeagueUtah Blitzz2000–2004USL Second DivisionUtah Salt Ratz2003–2004National Premier Soccer LeagueOgden Outlaws2006–2012USL Premier Development League
Women’s Soccer ClubYears activeLeagueUtah Starzz (FKA Utah Spiders)1999–2013Women's Premier Soccer LeagueReal Salt Lake Women2008–2018United Women's Soccer
Ultimate ClubYears activeLeagueSalt Lake Lions2014American Ultimate Disc League
Volleyball ClubYears activeLeagueSalt Lake City Stingers1979International Volleyball AssociationUtah Predators1994Women'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."Schwarz, Alan. "Go, Banana Slugs! Beat The Burn!", New York Times, 19 July 1998. 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).Lange, Scott. "Mascot lawsuits drain Buzz Fund", Georgia Tech Technique, accessed 12 May 2008.Dicou, Natalie. "Salt Lake Buzz…er, Stingers…er, I forget" , Utah Daily Chronicle, 24 May 2006, retrieved 18 May 2008. 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. For example, see: Jorgensen, Loren. "Utah's WNBA Team Dubbed the 'Starzz'", Deseret News, 29 January 1997, pg D1 (accessible at Deseret News archives ). The peculiar "Starzz" nickname was an homage to the Jazz (as well as to the old Utah Stars ABA team).Hollis, Randy. "Starzz starting to shine bright as Jazz fade into history", Ogden Standard-Examiner, 2 June 2002 (republished by realgm.com). 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").For example, see: Hamilton, Linda. "Grizz Excited To See Wirll Skate", Deseret News (hosted by Utah Grizzlies), accessed 12 May 2008. The Jazz are the only remaining -zz team in Utah today, as all the other teams have relocated, folded, or been renamed.
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!"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. 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.
Selected Utah Professional sports teams -ZZ teams Team name Sport (League) Nickname still in use Years used Utah Jazz Basketball (NBA)Yes 1979–present Salt Lake Buzz Baseball (PCL)No – Renamed 1994–2000 Utah Grizzlies Hockey (IHL/AHL/ECHL)No – Relocated 1995–present (two franchises) Utah Starzz Basketball (WNBA)No – Relocated 1997–2002 Utah Catzz Indoor football (PIFL)No – Folded 1997–1998 Utah Freezz Indoor soccer (WISL)No – Folded 1999–2001 Utah Blitzz Soccer (USL-2)No – Folded 1999–2004 St. George Pioneerzz Baseball (WBL)No – Folded 1999–2001 Other Z teams Orem Owlz Baseball (Pioneer League)Yes, but relocated from Utah 2005–2020 Utah Blaze Arena football (AFL I and AFL II)Yes 2006–present Notable non-Z teams introduced since 1990 Ogden Raptors Baseball (Pioneer League)Yes 1994–present Utah Rattlers Indoor football (NIFL)No – Folded 2001 Salt Lake Stingers/Bees Baseball (PCL)Yes 2001–present Utah Warriors Indoor football (NIFL)No – Folded 2003–2004 Real Salt Lake Soccer (MLS)Yes 2004–present Utah Snowbears Basketball (new ABA)No – Folded 2004–2005 Utah Eagles Basketball (CBA)No – Folded 2006–2007 St. George RoadRunners Baseball (GBL)No – Relocated 2006–2010 Utah Flash Basketball (NBA G League)Yes 2007–present Utah Saints Indoor football (AIFA)No – Folded 2008–2008 Utah Royals FC Soccer (NWSL)Yes 2017–2020, 2024- Utah Hockey Club/Mammoth Hockey (NHL)Yes 2024-
Notes: The Ogden Raptors previously played as Salt Lake City Trappers from 1985 to 1992. The Orem Owlz previously played as Provo Angels from 2001–2004, taking its name from the parent Anaheim Angels franchise. The Owlz' last season playing in Orem was 2019; the team had planned to play in 2020, but the 2020 season of all leagues in Minor League Baseball (MiLB) was not played due to COVID-19. After the contraction of MiLB in 2021, the Owlz were purchased by a Colorado-based group; the team was on hiatus for the 2021 season before resuming in 2022 as the Windsor-based Northern Colorado Owlz. The Salt Lake Buzz, Stingers, and Bees are various names for the same Pacific Coast League team. After the 2020 NWSL season, Utah Royals FC folded amid a controversy surrounding the principal owner of its parent club, Real Salt Lake, that led to that team's sale. The Royals' player-related assets were assumed by a new ownership group in Kansas City. Following the closure of Real Salt Lake's sale in 2022, the new owners exercised an option to revive the Royals, which resumed play in 2024 as a continuation of the original franchise. The Utah Mammoth played as Utah Hockey Club in the 2024–25 NHL season, the team's first in Salt Lake City.
See also List of developmental and minor sports leagues Professional sports leagues in the United States Sports in the United States
References