When the Jazz unveiled their current uni set in the summer of 2022, the reaction in most quarters (including this one) was largely negative. Less than six months later, the team was already polling fans about more potential uni designs, suggesting that team officials realized that the then-new set had landed with a thud.
The uniform that the team seems to hold in lowest regard is the yellow “Icon” design — the primary colored uniform. It was worn only five times during the first half of the season and, according to the jersey schedule on the team’s website, won’t be worn at all for the rest of the season. The Jazz Uniform Tracker account on Twitter has the details:
The Uniform Schedule for the second half of the season has been released.
Breakdown:
⚪️ Association: 15x
⚫️ Statement: 12x
💜 City: 7x
🟣 Classic: 3x
🟡 Icon: 0xCheck it out ⤵️ https://t.co/bkoWQ5qby6 pic.twitter.com/QTNLyDCUTb
— Jazz Uniform Tracker (@JazzUniTracker) January 22, 2024
According to this report by the blog Inside the Jazz, the yellow uniforms were originally listed on the team site for “a few more” games this season but were then recently removed. Oddly, though, the yellow uniforms are still shown for five games on the NBA’s LockerVision site, so it’s possible that LockerVision hasn’t yet been updated.
It’s not yet clear whether this move indicates a(nother) team redesign in the making, or perhaps an upcoming redesignation of the black Statement alternate as the primary Icon design, or something else entirely. In any case, it’s never a good sign when a team mothballs its primary colored uniform, especially in a league where white uniforms are in decline.
(My thanks to Phil for bringing this situation to my attention.)
This uniform never said “JAZZ” to me (nor do the white or black versions), but I like the idea of a bright yellow/gold jersey in theory. Jazz need to return to the “Classic” and “Statement” look and stick with it.
Utah has never said “Jazz” to me. That name should be returned to New Orleans. I’ll let the LA Lakers slide, but with a few simple changes, we’d get:
New Orleans Jazz
Utah Grizzlies
Memphis Blues
Toronto Huskies (because “Raptors” is so silly)
Much better. You’re welcome.
This year we are coming up on the Utah Jazz existing for 45 years. That the place and the nickname don’t mesh perfectly is not exactly earth-shattering news at this point. I think it is safe to say we are beyond the point where we just need to accept that the connection between the team name and the community has clearly overcome whatever feelings of dissonance there ever were, just like the LA Lakers, and the New York Rangers, and the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, etc.
“just like the LA Lakers, and the New York Rangers, and the Indianapolis Colts, and the Pittsburgh Pirates, etc.”
I get the Lakers…but Rangers & Pirates? Were there ever “feelings of dissonance” in NY and Pittsburgh over these names?
While admittedly there are multiple sense of the word “ranger,” I would say the most immediately recognizable one in the US, as well as the stated reason for why NYR were named that (in honor of Texan team founder George “Tex” Rickard), is that of one who operates over the open ranges of the West… a cowboy, essentially. Basically the polar opposite of the essence of New York City.
Pirates operate on the open ocean or sea. Pittsburgh is hundreds of miles from the Atlantic.
In my opinion neither of these are any less weird than Utah Jazz. In fact in both cases they are nearly impossible in real life terms whereas SLC has a yearly jazz festival and everything, even though it’s obviously not a place strongly associated with jazz historically. But my point is not that there is anything wrong with any of these names, it’s that the Jazz are not unique, and like the other names it is just part of the pleasant quirkiness inherent in the history of major sports at this point I think.
Right. I get all that.
I thought you were referring to the fact that the Jazz (born in NO, where “Jazz” makes complete sense) moved to Utah, where jazz is probably the polar opposite of the most popular genre of music in Salt Lake City. Just like there probably aren’t a ton of grizzlies in Memphis.
But those are teams who moved — like the Lakers — so it makes sense there would be a dissonance for those teams in new cities.
But the Pirates and Rangers never moved. So there was never a dissonance caused by the name not making sense due to relocation. That was my point.
Carry on :)
When you have the awesome musical note J logo, the now-gone yellow Jazz uniform truly made the team look like a bootleg version of themselves. And you never want to look like the bootleg of yourselves! You want to look like the real thing!
So well stated. Bravo!
SOMEBODY had to be the yellow & black team, since the NBA has no Pittsburgh team. My recommendation? Oklahoma City, where the gold can stand for lightning and the black can represent thunder.
While being literal is not always the best way to teams to dress, I’d have no problem with the Hornets being that black/yellow squad (though they have great colors).
No they didn’t. NBA has never had a black/ yellow team. Why did the Jazz think they should be that team? The uniforms are terribly bland. They had a good identity before.
Excellent idea to jettison the yellow unis! They were extremely bad – just a horrid shade of yellow. It’s hard to believe no NBA team has tried a black and yellow uniform.
I looked at a couple of ABA sites and it doesn’t seem that any of their teams had black and yellow either. It can be a great looking combination.
According to LockerVision the yellow is scheduled on 2/8 at Phoenix, while the Suns will wear their black Statement uniform.
Hmmm. Team site says otherwise.
Upon further review, the Lockervision website has the yellow listed 5 more times throughout the season
link
But the team site does not. Hmmmm — will try to find out more. Meanwhile, I’ve updated the text.
I’m sure the highlighter industry is disappointed with this news.
Good riddance to them. They were just an awful looking uniform for the Jazz. As Phil said above, just return to the “Classic” and “Statement” uniforms and be done with it.
I only want to see the Utah Jazz wear purple with yellow and green trim.
I only want to see any team with only a home and road uniform, but, sadly, here we are.
Comparing the team’s site to Lockervision, it looks like four of the games that were swapped are switching to the white Association unis (all against black or blue unis; Nets City, Suns Statement, Mavs City, Clippers Icon). The lone outlier is the March 29 game against Houston, which is shown on the Jazz site as the City uniform. That’s one to look out for, as Lockervision has the Rockets set to wear their red Icon unis, and red vs. purple could be an issue.
If they used the actual J-note logo on the yellow uniforms then it might look better.
Probably a step in the right direction (famous last words). Their current set looks really generic, and not in a good way.
I normally don’t like jerseys with a color gradient, but I think Utah’s former alt kits (city edition or whatever they’re called) with the tequila sunrise gradients were some of their best looks. The only thing I didn’t like about them was the asymmetrical pant legs on the black version. Other than that they were sharp and distinctive, and really evoked the landscape without getting too cute with the “storytelling.”
If they still played in Nola I’d want the purple-green-yellow scheme, but to me it doesn’t feel right for a Utah team.
I remember laughing out loud at the Jazz’s promotional statement when those ulttra-plain yellow and black uniforms were unveiled a couple of years ago. Essentially, they said:
“GREAT NEWS, JAZZ FANS! THE PURPLE UNIFORMS YOU KNOW AND LOVE FROM OUR SUCCESSFUL TEAMS IN THE ’90$ ARE BACK!!!!
…as seldom-worn alternates. Also, here are our new, very plain home and away uniforms (or whatever it is that Nike tells us we’re supposed to call them these days), but HEY, NEW PURPLE THROWBACKS! WOOT WOOT!”
Good example of a uniform set that was doomed from the start. I also think there is room in the NBA for a black and gold team and it could be the Jazz but with a whole new set (and hints of purple and green).
I don’t know why teams keep tinkering with their uniforms. Go back to the uniforms that Stockton and Malone wore in the 80s and early to mid 90s. Those are their classic, best uniform set. Who the hell thought it was a good idea to make the Jazz a black and yellow team?
Wow, that yellow uniform is terrible. The contrast of having the Jazz name on such a tremendously generic looking jersey – ugh. Dare I say I saw Jazz-ier designs back when I used to play rec league basketball.