Commemorations of Michael Jordan haven’t been popular in Salt Lake City since the Chicago Bulls legend defeated the Utah Jazz in back-to-back NBA Finals in 1997 and 1998. That’s why some fans reacted poorly to the team selling “Jumpman” merchandise in the team store.
In 1997, head coach Jerry Sloan led the likes of Karl Malone and John Stockton to the NBA Finals, but lost to Jordan and the Bulls in six games. A year later, the Jazz suffered the same fate as if they were living in an episode of Groundhog Day.
The memory of Jordan’s 1998 series-clinching shot and his flu game is seared into the minds of Jazz fans, especially after the release of the “The Last Dance” documentary series a few years ago. That’s why many of them feel repulsed when they see the team’s name underneath their iconic “Jumpman” logo.
Fire anyone who allows this design. pic.twitter.com/do05OVagtd
— Laird (@lairddoman) October 15, 2023
While the jersey was a universal Jordan brand design and every NBA team had one, it was particularly poorly received in Salt Lake City. The reaction from the fan base was so bad that the Jazz have now pulled it, according to The Salt Lake Tribune .
It just goes to show that some wounds are deep enough that not even time can heal, especially when it comes to those heartbreaking losses on the field.