BOISE -- The Idaho Stampede, the NBA D-League team based out of Boise, announced on Monday that they are moving to Salt Lake City beginning with the 2016-17 season.
The NBA development team is owned and operated by the Utah Jazz and will now be called the Salt Lake City Stars.
The team will play home games at Salt Lake Community College's 5,000-seat Lifetime Activities Center-Bruin Arena.
Bart Sharp will serve as general manager after working with the Larry H. Miller Group of Companies, which owns the Jazz, as a marketing executive since 2010. Jazz assistant general manager Justin Zanik oversaw all basketball operations decisions for the Stampede and will do the same for the Stars.
The team says moving the Stampede allows Jazz management, coaches and support staff to have more access to the D-League players and improve player development. The relocation will also make it easier to move players between the two rosters during the season.
The Stampede has been in Idaho since 1997, and has played at the CenturyLink Arena in downtown Boise since 2005. They originally played games at the Ford Idaho Center in Nampa. The Stampede has been heavily involved in the community here in the Treasure Valley. Local die-hard fans say they're sad to see them go.
The team used to be privately owned by a group of people here in Idaho and they were bought out last year by the Utah Jazz. Former part-owner Brian King says it has been a good run, and without the support of season ticket holders, fans and sponsors, the Stampede never would have been as successful as they were for all those years.
"It's been a great 18 years. We've done a lot together with the Treasure Valley, but the Jazz have good reason to move on: players are closer to their home franchise, travel expenses will be less, and they were probably able to achieve favorable terms with their local arena," King told KTVB.
Because it's such high level basketball, King says they D-League franchise has placed over 80 players, seven coaches and a number of staff members and officials in the NBA. They've had several Boise State University players and coaches come in and out of the program as well, which adds to the local aspect of the team.
"It's also difficult to run... a lot of time and energy has gone into it. But we've always had a very supportive fan base and the games are fun and entertaining, and for that reason we're sorry to see it go," King added.
We asked CenturyLink about the announcement and they said they're disappointed, but they understand the Utah Jazz had to make a business decision.
We also asked King if the Treasure Valley should hold out hope for getting another semi-pro basketball team. He says unfortunately the chances are slim to none.
Thank you for everything, Boise! We will miss you. https://t.co/yexWIopafS
— IdahoStampede (@IdahoStampede) April 4, 2016