How motorcycles, Michael Jordan's golf course helped launch Utah Hockey Club hoodie craze

On the opening night of the Utah Hockey Club, one item flew off the shelves faster than expected: a black hoodie from Foreign Rider Co. What started as a niche product for outdoor and motor sports enthusiasts has now become the official travel gear for the team. But its journey into the hockey world took an unexpected turn.

Canadian designer Ralph Dunning originally created Foreign Rider for the outdoors—testing his gear while riding his motorcycle across the country.

"Everything was around surfing, moto, trail sports—spiritual sports,” Ralph Dunning tells KUTV.

His travels even brought him to Utah, where he rode his bike all the way from Toronto.

"It took me five days to get here, eight days back,” describes Dunning. “Utah has such variable terrain.”

But hockey? That was never in the plan—until a chance encounter changed everything.

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A meeting at NBA legend Michael Jordan’s private golf course, Grove 23, introduced Dunning to Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith. That connection led to a bold business decision, one that came with risk.

"Before the game started, I placed an order for 4,000 hoodies,” says Dunning who admitted he was nervous. “What if these don’t sell?”

But they did. In fact, the demand was so high that Foreign Rider quickly became the team-issued travel gear for the Utah Hockey Club.

"It has a unique feel to it, just like the Utah hockey club, the new team in town,” says Utah Hockey Club defenseman Sean Durzi.

Players like Sean Durzi are not just choosing to rep the brand, but they are also helping shape it.

“I was talking to Durzi last night, listening to how these guys are so engaged in what we are doing,” explains Dunning. “But it’s because we actually listen to what they are looking for.”

By listening to player feedback, Dunning ensures Foreign Rider isn’t just another brand, it’s an authentic part of the team’s identity.

“It’s important to find the right gear for us, finding out what we want to wear, what we would be comfortable in,” Durzi adds.

In a league dominated by big brands, Foreign Rider has found its place in Utah. And it’s not just the Utah Hockey Club repping the gear. Utah Jazz coaches have also been spotted wearing it courtside.

"To launch our company out of this state, it’s pretty amazing, a path I never thought I’d walk on,” Dunning says. From motorcycles to the ice, Foreign Rider is proving that sometimes, the best journeys are the ones you never expected to take.

Foreign Rider is opening its first Utah brick and mortar store this Summer in Salt Lake City.

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