No tickets, no problem as fans gather outside arena

The real cheap seats for Game 3 of the Western Conference Finals were not in the nose-bleed section of the Energy Solutions Arena. They were outside the heavily-guarded glass doors and down the stairs on the northwest corner of the sidewalk.

That's where about 300 people chose to cheer on the Jazz as they won game three Saturday night. Some had been planning the outing for more than a week, while others stopped on their way home from shopping. They had to provide their own chairs and snacks, but most said that was a small price to pay to experience the excitement of the playoffs in a way that just can't be duplicated at home.

"It's free," said Ryan Bennett, 20, West Jordan. "If we were inside, we'd be so high up, we'd just watch the Jumbotron most of the time anyway. This is like being inside with other fans ... but we can see the screen better."

And he can bring his dog Leia along for the party. She sat on the lap of his friend, Tony Ritz, West Jordan, who said he is a "lifelong" fan but without the means to buy courtside tickets. Still, the pair wanted to enjoy the Western Conference Playoffs in an atmosphere that was similar to the one inside ESA. So they put on their Jazz T-shirts and set up camp outside the arena.

That's where Jazz officials set up a giant television set on the northwest corner of the sidewalk. Most of those who came Saturday night said it was the perfect way to enjoy a playoff game. Some fans wore the powder blue shirts handed out before the game, while others wore their own creations or their favorite jerseys. They held up signs, giant foam fingers, danced with the music, booed the bad calls and screamed at a deafening level when Carlos Boozer found his way to the basket.

Some came because it was free but said they'd do it again because it was fun.

"It's more fun out here," said Marlena Peterson, 23, whose boyfriend, Zac Bell, 23, was high-fiving some new friends sitting just in front of them. "We just wanted to watch it on the Jumbotron. It's not as much of a party to stay home."

Adds her boyfriend, who was wearing a Deron Williams jersey, "And out here, we can walk around ... and we have crazy fans to sit by."

The couple said they never considered buying Jazz tickets, even though many were available on the street at game-time. It's more economical to sit on the street and watch the game, and as one woman pointed out, they get the beautiful sunset, in addition to the beauty of watching the Jazz beat San Antonio.

Another family asked about tickets but said the $300 price tag was too high.