Selling seats: Jazz work to keep arena full

The color of money is something Jay Francis doesn't like to see in his arena.

Not that he dislikes cash.

It's just that when the Utah Jazz's chief marketing officer and senior vice president looks out into the Delta Center during games and sees green, it's a green seat back that could have been turned into greenbacks.

"Green is my most un-favorite color," said Francis, whose job is putting people into the seats for Jazz games.

While there have been dire predictions for both this Jazz team and the general population of the Delta Center in this post-Stockton-to-Malone year, Francis doesn't concede any green chair backs.

"For me, the target figure every night is 19,911," said Francis, quoting the number that denotes a sellout. "I'm not satisfied. That's my target."

He knows a more reasonable figure, without John Stockton and Karl Malone, who combined for 18 remarkable Jazz seasons until they went their separate ways this summer, might be a couple thousand less. "Some would say, 'Well, you had 17,300 and 17,100, or something. With all the changes, you must be happy.' The answer to that is, 'No, I'm not,' " Francis said.

The new-look Jazz drew 17,306 on opening night for Portland, 17,177 last Monday for Minnesota and 18,852 Wednesday for Phoenix.

"I suppose that's better than maybe what a lot of teams are doing, and maybe a lot of teams would like to have those attendances. But my target is 19,911, and everybody here knows that."

Utah's 3-1 record to start the season has helped Francis' marketing of the team.

"The team is certainly doing their part. Is (three) games enough to convince the marketplace or to turn doubters? I don't know," Francis said. "But so far, the team has done their part, so we've got to do our part."

"We've got to make sure and let people know (tickets are) available and that we have affordable ways for people to get them. We can't sit and wait for the phone to ring. We've got to go after them and make offers to them."

Over the past two years, the Jazz have assigned seven extra salespersons to go after corporations and groups, and this year, they've just started a "starving student" campaign that allows college students to buy a ticket and a hot dog for $10. Ads began running on radio and in school newspapers the past week.

Because the NBA scheduled Utah for more Monday-night home games than usual, there are more family-night promotions (six tickets, six hot dogs for $60).