Utah Jazz: Travel expenses hurting Jazz, other local teams
The state's largest pro sports organization, the Larry H. Miller Sports and Entertainment Group, which controls the Utah Jazz and Salt Lake Bees, has found that rising travel expenses have heavily affected the team's finances.
Jazz and Bees President Randy Rigby said that travel costs for the Jazz, who fly by charter jet, have increased by at least 10 to 15 percent in the past year. The minor-league Bees, who just wrapped up their PCL season, travel on commercial flights, and because of increasing airfares and extra luggage charges that many airlines have imposed in recent months, travel costs for the baseball team increased 20 to 25 percent, Rigby said.
The National Basketball Association and Major League Baseball have union agreements that leave team financial managers with few options to alleviate higher travel costs, Rigby said. The NBA agreement stipulates that players must stay in top hotels, and they usually travel on charter flights.
Finding ways to cut travel costs is difficult, so for now, his organization just has to "suck it up" and look for additional ways to generate revenue, he said.
Faced with soaring fuel costs, U.S. airlines have increased domestic fares between large metro cities by an average of about 16 percent since Jan. 2, while fares between small cities are up roughly 37 percent year-to-date, according to Rick Seaney, head of airfare research site FareCompare.com. The fare hikes have come with a litany of new charges for luggage, drinks, pillows and other amenities announced by some airlines earlier this year.
Smaller pro franchises and college teams in Utah are dealing with travel-budget challenges similar to the Jazz, but the smaller organizations don't have the same financial resources at their disposal as the NBA team.
"The tightening of the economy has made us look to stretch a little harder," said Utah Blaze president Jason Jones. "We have to be a little bit more prudent to make sure there is a justifiable return on investment when it comes to expenses."
Because of league rules, his franchise doesn't have the luxury of making cuts on player travel or player housing. As a result, his organization is trying to keep costs down wherever possible in terms of day-to-day operations, he said.
For Major League Soccer team Real Salt Lake, travel costs have risen about 15 percent in the past year, said team spokesman Trey Fitz-Gerald. Additional baggage fees have been the biggest drain on the team's budget, he said.
Recent comments
It's been said, stupid story. It's kind of like Patrick Ewing's...
Ummm? | Sept. 17, 2008 at 5:58 p.m.
Sorry, even as a sports fan. I don't care. Talk about a slap in the...
Stupid Story | Sept. 17, 2008 at 9:01 a.m.
This might be the worst timed article of all time.
WTI Crude is...
Terrible Timing | Sept. 16, 2008 at 6:45 p.m.
- Fed program backs $12B in loans 8:24 a.m.
- Tehran police chief: Few arrests 8:18 a.m.
- GM chief: Co. will make money 8:02 a.m.
- Stocks fall 7:57 a.m.
- 1 dead at Pamplona 7:49 a.m.
- Somali insurgents behead 7 people 7:42 a.m.
- Obama: Recovery 'a ways off' 7:39 a.m.
- May trade deficit drops to $26B 7:33 a.m.
- 400,000 flee homes after quake 7:22 a.m.
- Funds for new courthouse approved 1:48 a.m.
- Rumor has Boozer with Bulls
- Stadium of Fire flag burning was fake
- Jazz in back of line for free agents
- Okur signs two-year extension
- A primer for the 6th Potter film
- Restaurant destroyed by fire
- Jazz won't meet Lopez on Europe trip
- Jazz rally for OT win at Orlando
- Mall owner seeks to retain zoning
- AK will not play for Russia this summer
- Bronco collecting a galaxy of recruits
140 - Letters: Palin mistreated
136 - Teachers struggle with district cuts
134 - Blazers may offer Millsap a contract
123 - Rumor has Boozer with Bulls
89 - Fairness of BCS debated
81 - Moon landing: Let's hear from you
75 - Chaffetz eyes challenging Bennett
73 - Services bids farewell to Jackson
70 - Letters: Time for a revolution
69
Two California high school receivers have given the University of Utah
The recent Poly camp in Bountiful opened the eyes of recruiters to at...
just a sign of the economic times, consumers aren't buying, so fewer chinese...
In March of this year Senator Bob Bennett was rated one of the ten most...
For Republicans to do anything less would be unfair to the American people....
Doesn't seem like the article included all the data...in my mind a $1.2M fine...
The Daily Universe at BYU actually broke this story yesterday and the other...
Hmmm. looks like Yoda to me. I wonder if they could cut one to look like Elvis.
All Senator Bennett needs is 40% plus 1 at convention, but he won't get it....
TimJ, can't attack the facts as presented so you attack the presenter? good,...
Isn't the new courthouse waiting on the Odd Fellows' move? Doesn't seem like...
To "Reality | 10:35 p.m." so how is the government going to get more doctors...



