TNT rights pre-empt KJZZ from airing Jazz games

KJZZ has been flooded with calls and e-mails from Jazz fans demanding to know why games 1 and 2 of the Utah-Golden State series weren't on Ch. 14.

The simple answer is — because Ch. 14 had no rights to those Jazz-Warriors matchups. And if you put a game on the air you don't own the rights to, you get sued. And you don't have a legal leg to stand on.

Clear enough?

Under the terms of the NBA's contract with TNT, that cable network has exclusive rights to the second-round playoff games it carries. That was not true of first-round games, which is why KJZZ did air Jazz-Rockets games that were also on TNT.

Nor is it true of second-round games on ESPN, which is why Game 3 of the Utah-Golden State series will be simulcast on Ch. 14. As will Game 6 (if the series goes that far).

Clear enough?

What's both sad and pathetic is that some of the angry callers/e-mailers are suggesting that Ch. 14 isn't airing games because Larry H. Miller doesn't want the station to air the games.

Gee, let's think about that for just a moment.

Miller owns the Jazz.

Check.

He also owns KJZZ.

Check.

Jazz playoff games get the highest TV ratings of any games all season long.

Check.

The higher the ratings, the more you can charge for advertising.

Check.

Miller owns the Jazz. Miller owns KJZZ. When KJZZ telecasts Jazz playoff games, Miller makes a bunch of money off the advertising.

And yet there are actually Jazz fans out there who think Miller is intentionally annoying local viewers by keeping playoff games off Ch. 14?

Does that make any sense? To anyone?

IT'S AMAZING that anyone who owns a television could still be surprised that a lot of major sporting events are seen exclusively on cable/satellite channels.

Especially here in Utah, where the whole Mountain West Conference-CSTV/The mtn./Versus thing continues to cause so much uproar.