The Jazz yesterday announced that they are moving their D-League affiliate, the Idaho Stampede, "to Salt Lake City," according to Dave Southorn of the IDAHO STATESMAN. Stampede Founder Bill Ilett said, "I’d been suspecting the way things have been going, it would happen eventually." Jazz President Randy Rigby added, "We didn’t take this lightly. We had numerous meetings with people throughout the Valley trying to find a way to keep the team there." Rigby said that it "wasn't until about six weeks ago he had to consider the reality of a move," adding that extending the team's lease with CenturyLink Arena in a "manner beneficial to the franchise was difficult." Southorn notes the ECHL Idaho Steelheads "are and will be the primary tenant" of the arena, drawing "larger crowds with many weekend home games." The newly named Salt Lake City Stars "will play at Salt Lake Community College's Bruin Arena," which seats up to 5,000 (IDAHO STATESMAN, 4/5).
In Utah, Jody Genessy notes the organization "will shorten up the name and informally call the team the SLC Stars." In addition, five "champion-level sponsors of the Jazz agreed to become founding sponsors of the Stars, giving them a solid financial headstart." Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment President Steve Starks said, "Simply put, this change today made basketball and business sense" (DESERET NEWS, 4/5). In Salt Lake City, Falk & Jones note the Jazz see this move as "another opportunity for making new connections with their fan base, offering up a chance to see the organization's young, developing players at a less pricey ticket cost" (SALT LAKE TRIBUNE, 4/5).
