“Rent free”: NBA Twitter mocks Utah Jazz as franchise reportedly stops selling ‘Jumpman’ logo T-shirts due to fanbase backlash
After backlash from fans, the Utah Jazz organization recently decided to stop selling t-shirts for this upcoming season, which included Michael Jordan's Jumpman logo. The shirts, which featured the Jazz team name under the Jordan brand Jumpman logo, appear to have been in stock at the Delta Center team shop. Following an uproar from fans, that is no longer the case.
More than 25 years removed from Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' two championship wins over Karl Malone and the Jazz, fans haven't forgotten. Despite Jordan brand being one of the largest sportswear brands in the world, Jazz Nation has made it clear they don't want the logo anywhere near their team store.
According to a report from The Salt Lake Tribune, a spokesperson from the team has confirmed that the organization has removed the shirt from the store. If the initial shirt design didn't inspire enough jokes from fans, the latest decision to pull the shirt has opened the door to a number of new jokes.
Check out some of the funniest reactions below:
Looking back at Michael Jordan and the Chicago Bulls' rivalry with the Utah Jazz
The Utah Jazz' rivalry with the Chicago Bulls saw the team match up in back-to-back NBA Finals. After Michael Jordan and the Bulls defeated the Miami Heat to win the Eastern Conference Championship, they clashed with Karl Malone and the Jazz, who were fresh off a Western Conference Finals showdown with the Houston Rockets.
In 1997, the Bulls went up 2-0 on the Jazz to start the Finals before Karl Malone, and the Jazz then tied it up at home. In Game 5 and 6, Jordan and the Bulls picked up back-to-back wins to close out the series.
The following year, it was a different story, with Utah striking first on the road before the Bulls then rattled off three straight wins to take a 3-1 lead. Despite a spirited comeback from Utah that saw them close the gap with a Game 5 win, the Bulls sealed the deal on the road to win the 1998 Finals.
Since then, there have been notable animosity between the two fanbases, with many Bulls fans taking verbal jabs at Karl Malone for getting a 13-year-old pregnant in college. On the flip side, Jazz fans have continued to harbor resentment against the Bulls for keeping them from winning not one but two championships.