Can the Salt Lake Bees Succeed in the Southwest Valley? Look No Further than Zions Bank Stadium for Proof

Story and Photo by Justin Adams

When the news broke last year that the Salt Lake Bees would be moving to a new stadium here in Daybreak, most people who live here seemed to be excited by the idea. But the reaction on social media from many who live elsewhere along the Wasatch Front was much more… skeptical, to put it mildly.

Some felt that the move was a betrayal of the “Ballpark” neighborhood in Salt Lake City. Some expressed this idea that professional sports, even minor league teams, should be exclusive to the region’s urban core, questioning why a team would want to move to the “suburbs” of Daybreak.

The revelation that the Larry H. Miller group intends to bring an MLB team to Salt Lake City helped explain the decision to move the Bee’s elsewhere, but the question still remains: can Utah’s minor league baseball team succeed in “the ‘burbs?”

Setting aside the fact that Daybreak isn’t exactly your typical suburban community, there’s plenty of evidence that minor league sports teams can find success in this part of the valley. Look no further than Zions Bank Stadium in Herriman.

The stadium opened in 2018 as part of Real Salt Lake’s efforts to establish a pipeline of talent to support its senior team. The stadium is the home of the Real Monarchs, which competes in the third tier of the US soccer system.

The stadium has also played host to the Utah Warriors, which competes in Major League Rugby and the Utah Archers, which competes in the Premiere Lacrosse League.

Then two years ago, they were joined by the Salt Lake Shred of the Ultimate Frisbee Association.

So with at least four minor league teams playing their home games in the southwest valley, there’s clearly potential for success here. To figure out what’s driving that success, I spoke with Joel Dehlin, one of the founders of the Salt Lake Shred.

“We’ve grown so fast in just two years,” Dehlin told me. “It’s been amazing.”

The Shred average over 1,000 attendees and reached 2,500 (about half of Zions Bank Stadium’s capacity) in their biggest matchup of the season last year. Not bad for a second year team playing a sport that doesn’t crack the top 20 list of most popular spectator sports in America, according to a 2024 Gallup poll.

It helps that the team was immediately very competitive. In their first season, they reached the league’s western conference finals. In their second season, they fell just short of winning the league championship. In two years, they’ve compiled a total of 24 wins and just 4 losses.

Another factor in the team developing a strong base of fan support is the accessibility of ultimate frisbee.

“It’s a fast-paced sport,” explained Dehlin. “It’s very exciting but it’s also very easy to understand. We’ve had people come to a game for the first time, and they end up enjoying it so much that they decide to buy season tickets that night.”

Another strength for the Shred, according to Dehlin, is that the fan experience is much more intimate than what you’ll find at say, a Jazz game or an RSL match, where you’re surrounded by 10s of thousands of strangers.

“It’s more of a community feel,” Dehlin said. “It’s not so crowded that you feel uncomfortable or afraid that you’re going to get beer spilled on you. It’s very family-friendly.”

To help create that community feel, the team has theme nights dedicated to appreciation of the military, first responders, and teachers. People from those professions get a discounted or sometimes even free admission, and are also honored during the game.

The players themselves are also part of the community atmosphere. After the conclusion of their matches, the players will hang out on the field where fans can go out to meet them and casually toss a disc around with them.

“That means everything to these players,” Dehlin said. “They have full-time jobs. They do this for fun. The thing that makes it interesting to them isn’t the pay, but it’s the competition and having all these people come out and support them.”

Of course, every sport and every team is unique and is going to have a slightly different formula for success. But the fact that multiple teams across different minor sports leagues have found that success at Zions Bank Stadium certainly bodes well for the Bees’ chances to be successful in Daybreak.

The Salt Lake Shred’s 2024 season kicks off on April 27 against Washington DC. Single game tickets and season tickets can be purchased at saltlakeshred.com.

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