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SALT LAKE CITY — After a couple of weeks in the limelight, a controversial banner celebrating Garth Brooks' concerts in Utah will be moved to the back wall of the newly-named Vivint Arena, Jazz PR told KSL.com.
The banner, which reads "Garth Brooks, Most Tickets Sold, Oct. 29-31, 2015" was awarded by Jazz Hall of Famer John Stockton at the second of four sold-out shows that set the record for most tickets sold at an arena event in the building's history.
The presentation was inspired by one made in August in Los Angeles, where Kobe Bryant awarded Taylor Swift a banner for 16 sold-out shows at the Staples Center. That set the record for that building.
But many Utah Jazz fans were unhappy about the banner, which hung adjacent to the banners celebrating Karl Malone's two MVP awards, the Jazz's division titles, the Jazz's trips to the NBA finals, and the five members of the Utah Jazz in the basketball Hall of Fame.
They showed their displeasure on Twitter during Utah's home-opener loss to the Portland Trail Blazers.
This Garth Brooks banner thing has me seriously doubting whether I can be a Jazz fan anymore. — TheJazzyUte (@TheJazzyUte) November 5, 2015
> The [@utahjazz](https://twitter.com/utahjazz) are winless at home since hanging a Garth Brooks banner in their building [\#FACT](https://twitter.com/hashtag/FACT?src=hash) [\#PORatUTA](https://twitter.com/hashtag/PORatUTA?src=hash)🎤🎸🎶🎤 [\#BringDownThatGarthBanner](https://twitter.com/hashtag/BringDownThatGarthBanner?src=hash) > > — Adam Aza (@iLikeAza) [November 5, 2015](https://twitter.com/iLikeAza/status/662126813561270272)
> [@utahjazz](https://twitter.com/utahjazz) as much as I like like Garth Brooks, that banner has no business being up there with Jazz greats. > > — Paul Newell (@LoanswithPaul) [November 5, 2015](https://twitter.com/LoanswithPaul/status/662314054254366720)
> [@utahjazz](https://twitter.com/utahjazz) btw I forgot to mention this on Wednesday. What is that Garth Brooks banner doing next to Karl? Get that weak stuff outta here. > > — -ΔS (@RabbbbitFood) [November 6, 2015](https://twitter.com/RabbbbitFood/status/662677352292315137)
And one fan Photoshopped a new banner to hang next to Garth Brooks':
The Jazz have announced that a new banner will be hung next to the banner celebrating Garth Brooks pic.twitter.com/4AZYHEzVdF — Joe Coles (@23ounces) November 5, 2015
The banner was still hanging as the Jazz played the Memphis Grizzlies on Nov. 7 (although it appears that it wasn't the banner hurting the Jazz's performance, as they came away with a win in that game).
By Nov. 18, the date of the next Jazz home game, it will be relocated and redesigned to fit on the arena's back wall, where it will reside next to the banner celebrating the Jazz Bear's induction into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006. The banner will be redesigned slightly to fit the space.
It's unclear if the decision to move the banner to the back wall was made before or after the fan reaction.
