Utah is famous for its perfect snow, incredible outdoors, and for the Great Salt Lake, but it’s also home to many sports teams. So, what are the major sports teams in Utah?
Utah is home to several popular sports teams including the Utah Jazz (NBA), Real Salt Lake (MLS), Utah Grizzlies (ECHL) ,the Salt Lake Bees as well as others. Utah is also home to several NCAA Division 1 sports programs such as the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and the Utah State Aggies.
In this Utah sports guide we will explain in-depth the different sports teams that are located in Utah and answer all the Utah sports questions you have.
Let’s get started.
Professional Sports Teams in Utah
In Utah there are several professional sports teams that are located in the beehive state. The most popular sports franchises in Utah are the Utah Jazz (NBA). Utah is also home to the Real Salt Lake soccer franchise, the Utah Grizzlies (Hockey) and the Salt Lake Bees which is a Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles baseball team.
Here is a list of the major professional sports teams in Utah.
| Team | Sport | League | Location | Venue |
| Utah Jazz | Basketball | NBA | Salt Lake City, UT | Vivint Smart Home Arena |
| Real Salt Lake | Soccer | MLS | Sandy, UT | Rio Tinto Stadium |
| Real Monarchs | Soccer | USL Championship | Herriman, UT | Zions Bank Stadium |
| Salt Lake Bees | Baseball | Pacific Coast League | Salt Lake City, Utah | Smith’s Ballpark |
| Utah Grizzlies | Hockey | ECHL | West Valley, UT | Maverik Center |
| SLC Stars | Basketball | G-League | Taylorsville | Lifetime Activities Center |
Utah Jazz
Utah is home to the Utah Jazz which is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz are the states only major professional sports team and beloved by most Utah residents. Their arena is located in the heart of Salt Lake City. The Jazz’s rich history and passionate fanbase makes them a special and unique team.
Real Salt Lake
Real Salt Lake (RSL) is an American professional soccer franchise that is based in Salt Lake City Utah. This team is a part of the Major League Soccer (MLS) in the Western United States. RSL got their start in 2005 when they became an expansion team of the league. RSL play their games at the Rio Tinto Stadium located in Sandy, UT. They are a very well run organization and have an active and passionate fanbase.
Real Monarchs
The Real Monarchs are another professional soccer club that plays in the MLCS Next Pro, which is a third division league of American Soccer. The Monarchs are essentially a part of the Real Salt Lake soccer team and are owned by the same person. They are just at a lower level than RSL and play out of Zions Bank Stadium instead of Rio Tinto.
Salt Lake Bees
Another professional sports team that is based in Salt Lake City is the Salt Lake Bees. The Bees are a Minor League Baseball team that are in the Pacific Coast League (PCL) and are a Triple-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Angels. Going to a Bees baseball game is a popular activity for many sports fans near the Salt Lake City area.
Salt Lake City Stars
The Salt Lake City Stars are a basketball team that plays in the NBA G League. The Stars are affiliated with the Utah Jazz. They play their games in the Lifetime Activities Center-Bruin Arena on the Salt Lake Community campus. Players that are drafted or signed by the Jazz but are not quite ready for the NBA play on this team.
Utah Sports Team Map
Check out this google map for a more detailed map about Utah professional sport teams and check out this google map for a more detailed map for college Utah sports teams.
College Sports Teams in Utah (NCAA D1)
Utah is home to many major college sports programs including the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars, Utah State Aggies, Weber State Wildcats, Utah Valley Wolverines, SUU Thunderbirds, and the Utah Tech Trailblazers. Each school has a variety of sports teams and athletic programs.
Here is a list of the major college sports programs in Utah.
| School | Conference | Location | Major Sports |
| Brigham Young University (BYU) Cougars | Big 12 | Provo, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
| University of Utah (Utes) | Soccer | Salt Lake City, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
| Weber State Wildcats | Soccer | Weber, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
| Utah Valley Wolverines | WAC | Orem, UT | Basketball, baseball, wrestling, softball |
| Utah State Aggies | MWC | Logan, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
| Southern Utah Thunderbirds | WAC | Cedar City, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
| Utah Tech Trailblazers | WAC | St. George, UT | Football, basketball, volleyball, baseball, soccer |
Utah University (Utes)
One of the most popular college sports programs in Utah is the Utes. Utah University is located in Salt Lake City and has several college sports teams both for men and women. Football is by the Utes most popular sports team.
Here is a list of both the Men’s and Women’s sport teams at the University of Utah.
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Beach volleyball |
| Football | Cross country |
| Golf | Gymnastics |
| Lacrosse | Soccer |
| Swimming and diving | Softball |
| Tennis | Swimming and diving |
| Tennis | |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball |
BYU
Brigham Young University (BYU) is one of the largest colleges in the state of Utah and is home to many college sport teams. At BYU football and basketball there are two most popular teams. Followed by volleyball and soccer.
Here is a list of both the Men’s and Women’s sport teams at BYU.
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Football | Gymnastics |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Swimming and diving | Softball |
| Tennis | Swimming and diving |
| Track and field† | Tennis |
| Volleyball | Track and field† |
| Volleyball |
Weber State Wildcats
The Weber State Wildcats are based in Ogden, Utah and compete in the NCAA Division 1 FCS and are a part of the Big Sky Conference. Their basketball team is always competitive and they have had a good football program as well.
Here is a list of both the Men’s and Women’s sport teams at Weber State.
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports |
| Basketball | Basketball |
| Cross country | Cross country |
| Football | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Tennis | Softball |
| Track and field† | Tennis |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball |
Utah Valley Wolverines
Utah Valley University is based in Orem in Utah County. They are one of the fastest growing universities in the state and have several quality sports programs. Their major sports programs are their basketball, baseball and soccer teams.
Here is a list of both the Men’s and Women’s sport teams at UVU
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross country | Golf |
| Golf | Soccer |
| Soccer | Softball |
| Track and field† | Track and field† |
| Wrestling | Volleyball |
Utah Tech Trailblazers
The Utah Tech Trailblazer, formerly known as the Dixie State Trailblazers are college program that has several athletic teams that represent the school. The Trailblazers are located in Saint George Utah.
Here is a list of both the Men’s and Women’s sport teams at UVU.
| Men’s sports | Women’s sports |
| Baseball | Basketball |
| Basketball | Cross country |
| Cross Country | Golf |
| Football | Soccer |
| Golf | Softball |
| Soccer | Swimming and diving |
| Tennis | |
| Track and field† | |
| Volleyball |
Southern Utah Thunderbirds
SUU or Southern Utah Thunderbirds are based in Cedar City, Utah and is home to a few small sports programs. The Thunderbirds compete in the Big Sky Conference with their football team. SUU currently has fifteen athletic sports programs.
Here is a list of some of the most popular sports they compete in.
- Football
- Gymnastics
- Basketball
- Cross Country
- Golf
- Soccer
- Softball
- Track and Field
- Volleyball
Most Popular Sport in Utah
The most popular sports in Utah are basketball and football, followed by soccer. The Utah Jazz are the most popular team in the state with the majority of the residents rooting for them.
As for the most popular football team in Utah that might depend on who you ask. Utah is largely divided between three local teams, the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars and the Utah State Aggies.
In a recent poll performed by Deseret News they did a survey of who was the most popular football team in the state. They found that 42% of Utah voted for the Utah Utes while 31% voted for BYU and 8% voted Utah State as being their favorite team.
Here is a list of the most popular sports teams in Utah:
- Utah Jazz
- Utah Utes
- BYU Cougars
- Real Salt Lake
Basketball Teams in Utah
Basketball is one of the most popular sports in Utah and is home to a lot of great college programs and the Utah Jazz which is the only major professional sports team in the state.
Here is a list of basketball teams in Utah
- Utah Jazz (NBA)
- Utah Utes (NCAA D1)
- BYU Cougars (NCAA D1)
- Weber Wildcats (NCAA D1)
- UVU Wolverines (NCAA D1)
- SUU Thunderbirds (NCAA D1)
Football Teams in Utah
There isn’t an NFL team base in Utah but that doesn’t mean Utah residents don’t love the game. With no NFL team college football teams are super popular among fans. There are three major college football programs in Utah, the Utah Utes, BYU Cougars, and the Utah State Aggies.
Here is a list of all the football teams in Utah.
- Utah Utes (NCAA D1)
- BYU Cougars (NCAA D1)
- Weber Wildcats (NCAA D1)
- Utah Tech Trailblazers (NCAA D1)
- SUU Thunderbirds (NCAA D1)
Baseball Teams in Utah
The Salt Lake Bees are Utah’s highest level of baseball within the state. They aren’t a major league team but they are a Triple-A team that is affiliated with the Los Angeles Angels, an MLB team based in California. Many players that end up playing for the Angels come through the Bees organization.
Here is a list of baseball teams located in Utah.
- Salt Lake City Bees
- Utah Utes (NCAA D1)
- BYU Cougars (NCAA D1)
- Weber Wildcats (NCAA D1)
- Utah Tech Trailblazers (NCAA D1)
- SUU Thunderbirds (NCAA D1)
Hockey Teams in Utah
The only professional ice-hockey team based in Utah is the Utah Grizzlies. The Grizzlies are a professional ice hockey team that plays in the ECHL. Their home games are played at the Maverick Center in West.
Is there a Football team in Utah?
Utah doesn’t have a professional football team located in its state. However there are two popular college football teams that most of the state roots for, the Utah Utes and the BYU cougars. Both teams are well respected and have plenty of fans that support them.
Does Utah have an NHL Team?
Many mistake Utah for having an NHL team however this isn’t the case. There isn’t an NHL based in Utah. However, Utah is home to the Utah Grizzlies which is a professional ice-hockey that plays in the ECHL. The team is located in West Valley City, Utah and plays at the Maverick Center.
Does Utah Have an NBA Team?
Utah is home to the Utah Jazz which is a professional basketball team based in Salt Lake City. The Jazz franchise was originally located in New Orleans but moved to Utah in 1974. The Jazz are by far the state’s most popular sports team. They are well known in the NBA for being a high caliber franchise with a loyal and passionate fanbase.
Is there an MLB team in Utah?
There isn’t a Major League Baseball team that is located in the state of Utah. However, Utah is home to the Salt Lake Bees which is an Triple-A affiliate to the Los Angeles Angels, a MLB team that is located in California. There are also several college programs that have baseball teams as well.
Does Utah Have an NFL Team?
There isn’t an NFL football team that is based in Utah. There are several reasons why Utah doesn’t have a football team. The two many reasons are that Salt Lake City is a relatively small city compared to other NFL markets. Secondarily is that around 50% of people that live in Utah are members of The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter Day Saints and wouldn’t attend games on Sunday because of their church attendance.
So, what team do Utah residents that are NFL fans root for? Most NFL fans that live in Utah root for the Denver Broncos, Las Vegas Raiders, or Arizona Cardinals. These are the closest NFL franchises to the state.