A look back at local, national and world events through the Deseret News archives.

“The city of New Orleans has a long tradition of jazz funerals, but on Saturday there will be a jazz funeral there.”

That was the news report from New Orleans on June 9, 1979, after it was announced that the NBA's Board of Governors had unanimously approved the move of the five-year-old franchise to Salt Lake City the previous evening.

Team owners Sam Battistone and Larry Hatfield told the NBA board that the team lost $2.8 million in its final season in Louisiana and never broke even.

The mood was different in Salt Lake City when the Deseret News heralded the change as a big deal in the Intermountain West.

NBA Commissioner Larry O'Brien, Salt Lake City Mayor Ted Wilson and Chamber of Commerce President Wendell Ashton praised the state and city leaders as well as the Salt Palace, where the team would play.

Fans scrambled for tickets, which Hatfield said would cost between $9 and $6. New general manager Frank Layden said he hoped to name a new coach by June 25, the date of the NBA draft. Among the names discussed were Tom Nissalke and Phil Johnson.

For the record, Nissalke became the coach, Johnson eventually became one of the most popular members of the Jazz coaching staff, and Utah went 25-58 that first season. Top players included Pete Maravich, Ron Boone, and Kent Benson.

The Jazz almost left Utah in the early 1980s, but the Larry H. Miller family took over ownership and made a lasting commitment to the team and the community. Layden eventually took over as coach and Utah celebrated its first successful season in 1983.

Prices have also risen, but the Jazz remains a beloved institution in Utah. Here are archived stories on the history of the Utah Jazz:

“40 years ago jazz came to Utah”

“25 years later, jazz is still going strong”

“Utah Jazz: A catastrophic choice”

“37 anonymous years – and one mistake”

“Utah Jazz: Team name still causes derogatory remarks”

“A look at every jersey the Utah Jazz have worn”

“The end of an era for the Utah Jazz, but thanks to the Miller family, it was a golden era”

And here's a fun comparison from KSL.com between the Jazz and Utah's new hockey team:

“The similarities behind the Jazz and Coyotes’ moves nearly 45 years apart”