Key Takeaways
HealthEquity will fund full-tuition scholarships covering player and league fees for up to 50 participants in Utah Jazz Bantam Basketball
Nearly 300 teams with more than 2,200 players in grades 3-8 began competing in the new league on November 1, 2025
The partnership makes HealthEquity an official partner of both the Utah Jazz (NBA) and Utah Mammoth (NHL)
Research cited by HealthEquity shows youth team sports participants are eight times more likely to remain physically active as adults
Utah Jazz Bantam Basketball launched in June 2025 to provide competitive basketball for boys and girls seeking advanced development
Corporate Partnership Addresses Youth Sports Cost Barriers
Smith Entertainment Group announced a multi-year partnership with HealthEquity, the nation’s largest Health Savings Account administrator, to support the newly launched Utah Jazz Bantam Basketball league. The agreement makes HealthEquity an official partner of both the Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth while positioning the company as associate sponsor of the youth basketball program.
The partnership includes funding for up to 50 full-tuition scholarships that cover player and league fees. HealthEquity, headquartered in Utah, administers HSAs for more than 17 million accounts nationwide.
“Youth sports have become increasingly expensive, yet research shows that participation in team sports provides lasting benefits,” said Michael Fiore, HealthEquity Chief Commercial Officer. “Through this partnership, we’re removing cost barriers so more Utah kids can get on the court and grow.”
Competitive Youth Basketball League Launches Across Utah
Utah Jazz Bantam Basketball began its inaugural season on November 1, 2025, with nearly 300 teams and more than 2,200 combined players competing at multiple venues across the state. The program targets boys and girls in grades 3-8 seeking a more advanced and structured basketball experience beyond recreational leagues.
Competition takes place at six locations: Western Sports Park in Farmington, Copper Hills High School, Brighton High School, Mountain View High School, Pleasant Grove High School, and the Norton Training Center in Provo. The league was designed to provide young athletes access to higher-level competition and player development within Utah.
Chris Barney, president of revenue and commercial strategy at Smith Entertainment Group, noted that partnering with HealthEquity allows the organization to expand the program’s reach faster than originally planned.
Professional Team Branding and Health Benefits Alignment
As part of the agreement, HealthEquity branding will appear during Utah Jazz and Utah Mammoth games at Delta Center beginning with the 2025-26 season. The partnership connects HealthEquity’s core business focus on health savings with youth sports participation and long-term health outcomes.
The company cited research indicating that team sports participants tend to live longer, healthier lives. This alignment reflects a trend in youth sports partnerships where corporate sponsors connect product missions with documented benefits of athletic participation.
Strategic Context for Utah’s Growing Sports Market
Smith Entertainment Group operates both the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the NHL’s Utah Mammoth, which was established in 2024 as the league’s newest franchise. The organization also runs the Junior Jazz program, which features more than 70,000 players and 13,000 volunteers annually across six states, making it the largest and longest-running youth basketball league in the NBA.
The addition of Jazz Bantam Basketball creates a competitive tier between recreational Junior Jazz leagues and elite travel or AAU programs. This structure allows the organization to serve multiple skill levels while maintaining control over player development pathways.
The scholarship component addresses documented barriers to youth sports participation, particularly as league fees and equipment costs have increased. By removing financial obstacles for 50 participants, the partnership provides access to competitive basketball that might otherwise be unavailable to families.
What This Means for Youth Sports Partnerships
The HealthEquity agreement represents a model where corporate partners fund direct participation rather than only securing naming rights or facility branding. The scholarship structure targets immediate barriers while building brand alignment with health outcomes and community investment.
For youth sports organizations, the partnership demonstrates how professional team infrastructure can support competitive youth leagues through facility access, operational expertise, and corporate partnerships. With six competition sites and nearly 300 teams in its first season, Jazz Bantam Basketball scaled quickly by leveraging Smith Entertainment Group’s existing relationships and resources.
The multi-year commitment provides stability for program planning and family participation, addressing concerns about sustainability that often face new youth sports initiatives.
via: Utah Business
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