The Utah Jazz told a group of rabbis at courtside to put away signs saying they are proud to be Jewish.
The four rabbis, who attended the Jazz vs Dallas Mavericks NBA game in Salt Lake City on Jan. 2, held 12 x 18-inch signs that read “I’m a Jew and I’m PROUD”—with the Star of David, a Jewish symbol, in place of the “O” in “PROUD.”
“Kyrie Irving playing ... tonight. ... I thought it’d be appropriate to give him a welcome,” Mr. Zippel posted on X, formerly Twitter.
According to the rabbi, Mr. Irving noticed the blue signs with white lettering during the first quarter and told them, “No need to bring that to a game.” It is unclear if any of the rabbis responded to him.
Mr. Irving went to Mavericks security, and Jazz officials checked the rabbis’ tickets and told them to put away their signs.
The Epoch Times has reached out to the Jazz for comment.
The Jazz released a statement, reported by multiple outlets, that claimed that the Delta Center, the indoor venue that serves as the home court for the Jazz, does not allow signs that are a “distraction or disruption.”
“The Utah Jazz Code of Conduct is in place so that games can be played without distraction and disruption. No matter where someone is in the arena, if a sign becomes distracting or sparks an interaction with a player, we will ask them to remove it,” said the team.
“During an out-of-bounds play in the first quarter of yesterday’s Jazz game against the Dallas Mavericks, there was a group sitting courtside whose signs sparked an interaction with a player that created a distraction and interfered with play of game,” they said. “As the next step in standard security protocol, the fans were asked to take down their signs. The part-time employee who told the fans it was the content of the sign that was the problem was incorrect.
“The issue was the disruptive interaction caused by usage of the signs, not the content of the signs.”
The Jazz’s policy stated that signs “may not block or obstruct the view or disturb any guests around you” and “must be related to the event/show and not contain obscene or offensive language or pictures.”
Mr. Zippel, a self-described lifelong Jazz fan, fired back at the team’s statement.
“Bottom line: there was one person, in a building of 18,000+, that was triggered by a sign that says ‘I’m a Jew and I’m proud.’ Why that bothers him so, to the point that it sparks an interaction, should be the real question anyone is asking,” Mr. Zippel posted.
“Sadly, instead of just quietly chalking this up to a misunderstanding and letting this remain a small blip, the Jazz took the side of said triggered player and doubled down,” the rabbi continued. “That’s just disappointing to me.”
In a separate statement posted on X, Mr. Zippel said that, while he continues to be a Jazz fan, “for the first time in my life, I was really disappointed in the Utah Jazz.”
The Jazz defeated the Mavericks with a final score of 127–90.
This is not the first incident at an athletic event of a team censoring solidarity with the Jews or Israel as the Israel-Hamas war enters its fourth month.
