Zions Bank Beehive Classic to showcase college basketball in annual doubleheader

BYU, Utah, Utah State, Weber State to play at Vivint Smart Home Arena

SALT LAKE CITY – Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment announced today the formation of a new men’s college basketball showcase at Vivint Smart Home Arena, featuring in-state teams Brigham Young University, University of Utah, Utah State University and Weber State University.

In the inaugural event, BYU will face Weber State on Dec. 9, 2017. The following year, the Cougars will play Utah, and in 2019 BYU will take on Utah State.

Athletic directors Tom Holmoe (BYU), Chris Hill (Utah), John Hartwell (Utah State) and Jerry Bovee (Weber State) along with LHMSE president Steve Starks are each participating in the formal announcement at 1 p.m. Thursday at Vivint Smart Home Arena.

The Zions Bank Beehive Classic will feature four teams playing in an annual doubleheader each December from 2017-19. The schools will rotate opponents in a round-robin format over the three years in the soon-to-be renovated home arena of the Utah Jazz in downtown Salt Lake City.

The annual dates and schedule of the Zions Bank Beehive Classic at Vivint Smart Home Arena are (games times TBD):

2017

Saturday, December 9
BYU vs. Weber State
Utah State vs. Utah

2018

Saturday, December 8
Utah State vs. Weber State
Utah vs. BYU

2019

Saturday, December 14
Weber State vs. Utah
BYU vs. Utah State

“We are excited to announce the Zions Bank Beehive Classic — a celebration of community and basketball,” Starks said. “Our organization is thrilled to bring these four great schools, and their fans, together at Vivint Smart Home Arena for an annual one-day doubleheader.”

BYU has played 14 games at Vivint Smart Home Arena since 2003, including at least one game in 12 of the last 13 seasons. The Cougars are 12-2 at Vivint Smart Home Arena during that span, including two wins over Utah State and one against Weber State. BYU also played Utah at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 10, 1994, in the Western Athletic Conference Tournament. The Cougars won the game 96-65.

BYU owns winning records all-time and under coach Dave Rose against Utah (129-128, 12-6), Utah State (140-92, 7-3) and Weber State (31-10, 11-0). On neutral courts, the Cougars are 6-5 against Utah, 2-0 against Utah State and 1-0 against Weber State.

Each school will have an allotment of 4,500 tickets to go on sale at a later date. A ticket provides access to both games played that evening. Student pricing will be available for seating in designated lower bowl student sections. School pep bands and cheerleaders will also be participants.

A portion of proceeds from the Zions Bank Beehive Classic will be directed to individual school scholarship funds along with the universities sharing equally in the revenue distribution. 

Vivint Smart Home Arena has been the site of regular season college games and will host the first and second rounds of the 2017 NCAA Division I men’s basketball tournament. The Beehive Classic is scheduled to take place shortly after the completion of a $125 million renovation to the facility.

“The four universities and their fans will be among the first to experience all the new upgrades to the arena,” said Jim Olson, Vivint Smart Home Arena president. “We are excited to create a Utah-flavored event of this caliber. No doubt, it will be a special evening for everyone involved when the Zions Bank Beehive Classic debuts in 2017.”

-- vivintarena.com –

Media Contacts: Frank Zang, Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment, frank.zang@lhm.com; Duff Tittle, Brigham Young University, duff_tittle@byu.edu; Liz Abel, University of Utah, label@huntsman.utah.edu; Doug Hoffman, Utah State University, doug.hoffman@usu.edu; Paul Grua, pgrua@weber.edu