The Utah Jazz marketing department made a bad mistake.
Lauri Markkanen has gotten in good shape about a week before the start of the NBA. AOP / USA TODAY SPORTS
At the same time that the Utah Jazz is preparing for the NBA season, which starts next week, its marketing department is trying to appease the club’s own fans.
A real design disaster reached the store. The Jazz’s official fan shop had t-shirts that featured Michael Jordan’s Jumpman logo character jumping over Utah Jazz text.
And it was the image that resembled Jordan that angered fans. The Chicago Bulls superstar led his team to the NBA championship in both 1997 and 1998 at the expense of the Jazz, who fell in the finals.
After the latter championship, Jordan retired from the basketball courts for years, and never returned to the Bulls jersey. Netflix’s great documentary series The Last Dance describes exactly that last season and the Jazz finale that concludes it.
The supporters’ criticism was so strong that the club had to withdraw the shirt in question from sale.
The story continues after the social media update
Jordan, who does business as a multi-entrepreneur, has agreed with the NBA that his logo can be used in connection with any club.
Luckily, it’s on the field. Lauri Markkanen scored his team’s best score (15) again, when the Jazz defeated the Auckland Breakers 114–94 in a practice game.