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Utah Jazz: Travel expenses hurting Jazz, other local teams

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Too bad | 5:00 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

And I'm supposed to feel sorry for multi millionares that have to pay a few bucks more to fly their chartered air planes?
They'll just raise ticket prices.

So Sad | 5:47 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

We're all feeling the pinch from higher feul costs. Even if Larry Mille's Sports & Entertainment Group has to spend extra on travel costs, I don't think it's going to affect his lifestyle. The Jazz are worth over 200 million, with multiple players earning over 8 million per year. Paying a little on jet feul isn't going to make me feel bad for the team. What's the difference between netting 100 million on the year compared to 98 million?

disgusted with pro basketball | 6:49 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

You could charge a fee to the players and they could use some of their easy earned money to help out their franchise. Sorry, not feeling too bad for you

Comments continue below

Feeling So Bad | 6:56 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I feel so bad for these spoiled millionaire athletes. I vote that the State of Utah raise taxes and Miller raises ticket prices so that these athletes can continue private charter flights and "top" hotels. How can they possibly play basketball if they are forced to sleep at "regular" hotels that most of us? My heart goes out to each one of them...bless them.

Terrible article desert news | 7:10 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I also feel terrible for theses athletes. I mean, how can they afford to feed their families. $90 million goes fast.

Middle East Oil | 7:15 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

It has been really hot in the Middle East this summer and their air conditioning bills have sky rocketed. I feel really bad for them! Why don't we pay a little more for our fuel so they don't feel the pinch on the billions they make. Give me a break Deseret News - you seriously have no credibility if you write stories like this. Why don't you put some effort into world news that actually matters instead of this trash.

Shoes | 7:21 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Just look at the picture of D-Will and Brewer accompanying this article. The fuel pinch has even forced them to wear bowling shoes around. These poor, poor millionaire athletes...what is this world coming to?

Duff Tittle? | 7:29 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Tell me that's a nickname and not an actual name!

WHAAAAAAA! | 7:32 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I'm crying crocadile tears! Poor, poor, poor, NBA athletes. What are they going to do? And I bet they have to pay what us peaons have to pay in their Lamborgini's. Whaaaaaaa!

To the professional athletes and organizations: SUCK IT UP!!!!

I am soooo done with watching these boobs!

Mustang | 7:42 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

The answer is very simple - Reduce expenses! Player salaries are outrageous. While talent acquisition is important, as a business you have to manage the cost of acquisition against expenses such as travel. Obviously, this is not an easy thing to do given the player's association and existing contracts. My concern is that the ticket holder or fan will end up paying for these luxurious expenses. Attending a professional sporting event is already beyond the average fan's economic ability to pay. This will further distance the game from the average fan, which overtime will jeopardize the ability for certain sports to remain financially viable and relevant to their existing fan bases. I recommend alternative forms of travel such as Greyhound, Southwest Airlines etc... If you look at history, bus travel was a common method of transportation for all sports. With all of the other issues we have as a society, it's hard to believe that this would make the front page of our online newspapers...

Dutchman | 7:54 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

These guys make more on travel per diem per day than I do per day in addition to multi million dollar salaries and I am supposed to feel sorry for them. Come on DesNews, why bring this up in the first place? I am sure they will all survive.

Get a life | 8:11 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Why are so many of you railing on the athletes? It's not their fault the cost of fuel has gone up. What are they supposed to do...take a pay cut because their employers cost of doing business goes up? Yeah, right. Just like all you poor whiners are voluntarily taking pay cuts at work because your employers costs are rising. It's not a matter of how much they get paid or where they stay. It's a matter of their employers cost to get them delivered to the venues where the income is generated. Don't forget, the owners sign those contracts that include salary and travel perks too.

NEWS FLASH...it's called good ole American capitalism at work...supply and demand...As long as you whiners pay the ticket prices the player salaries will continue to rise. Don't fault D-Will for signing a market value contract. And don't be so naive as to think the players should bail the employers out because their cost of doing business rises.

Get a life!

Oh, and let us know when you take that pay cut to support your employer's rising business costs. Losers...

Bi-Polar Wannabe | 8:14 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

So DesNews... Let me get this straight. These profitable entertainment organizations are struggling because airlines are charging 10-15% more? You do realize that with airlines' fuel expenses increasing over 100%, that they have much more of a burden than these sports org's. You make it sound like the airlines are the villains because they're raising their fares. How else would you suggest airlines offset the much more than 10-15% increase in their travel expenses? Airlines are going out of business every week, cutting jobs, going into bankruptcy protection, and making some very difficult decisions because they can't offset their higher costs; and you're worried about profitable sports franchises travel budgets increasing 10-15%? Wow.. I'm a little unimpressed.

No sympathy | 8:21 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

This news just breaks my heart! Perhaps the NBA should stop paying them these outrageous salaries or make them pay their own travel expenses. I hope they don't have to cut back on the number of cars they own. I'm a public school teacher/coach, and I often pay for not only my food, but often for food of athletes who can't afford to buy their own. School districts all over are feeling the effects of increased travel costs and these guys are crying? This is the reason why I have lost interest in professional sports.

noclue2@frontiernet.net | 8:32 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Who cares about the pro teams they can raise ticket prices or what ever. The big question hear is the collage teams. They are running around on the taxpayers dime, and the school systems are crying they don't have enough money. Cut the programs and do what schools are supposed to do, teach!!!

Hmm... | 9:07 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Im a little surprised by all the negativity.

1. Realize the players have nothing to do with this, all these agreements where made in there respective CBAs.

2. The idiot that said whats the difference between netting 98 mil over a 100. Ha, you really think the Jazz have ever made that much in a yr...lol. I cant speak for the Bees, but Real is losing money and the Jazz up until recently had been losing money. Now they turn a very small profit.

Lastly I think the whole point of the article is to point out that you should be lucky to have owners that keep a team in such a small market when they could make more money elsewhere.

K Malo | 9:32 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Mr. Miller is having tough times with transporting his professional teams. Costs have risen and have cut into his budget. News flash...everyone's budget is being cut into. Unfortunately, the only way we average workers can meet these increases is to work more or spend less. I would recommend this same philosophy to Mr. Miller. Either sell more cars, cut back on salaries, or take the bus!!

Stupid | 9:32 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

What a stupid story. Like the common man really cares if these millionaires have to pay a little more? Cry me a river. In comparison, the additional that they are paying isn't as much of an impact as it is for me just to take my kids to school.

Anonymous | 9:37 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Here's the biggest problem. This increased cost doesn't affect big market teams like New York, Boston and LA, but it will affect every small market team like Utah, Minnesota, Portland... You going to see fewer teams playing in small markets becuase the small markets can't afford these price increases. The players will still get paid the same, but the Jazz won't be in Utah anymore within 10 years. If the Sonics can leave Seattle, then the Jazz can leave SLC.

Anonymous | 10:01 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

WHO CARES!!!!
I wish I could get paid by my employer to PAY for my travel expenses back and fourth to work. These overpaid brats should pay their own fare. These guys gives me the creeps. Talk about sitting in their Ivory Towers!

Per Diem | 10:11 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

These guys get paid over $100 per day for per diem so that they can eat. I travel a lot for work and my work pays me around $50 per day, and I was able to save almost every day by not spending the entire $50. $100 almost feeds my entire family for 2 weeks. Hey Miller's and all NBA owners, there's a place to start.....cut the per diem. I just hope the players are okay not eating at the "Flemmings" of every city without digging into their million dollar salaries.

LakerFan | 10:15 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Backwater sports towns like SLC call this a news flash...this, the #2 most read news story of the day. Wow, Jazz fans are living up to their low level of sport sophistication!

Jake Bird | 10:15 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Small market teams? NBA was built on "small market" organizations but mostly TV revenue. Sacramento, San Antonio, Portland, Charlotte, New Orleans, Milwaukee and now Oklahoma City leaving that tiny town, Seattle in the lurch. The idea that these benevolent owners are doing their communities a big favor is a croc.

Let's all pitch in! | 10:32 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Our own money to help the poor NBA out!

Pay attention ... | 10:33 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

After reading these comments, some of you need a lesson on understanding the content of an article. First of all NBA players don't pay for their travel expenses therefore all of you who made comments about the players are just being ignorant. Second, my company pays for all of my business related travel-just like every NBA team does! I agree with one comment that the per diem could be cut-but remember that money is taxed as well to the player so they truly are not getting the full benefit of $100 per day.

All of us are feeling the effects of rising costs associated with travel expenses. However last time I looked, most division 1 college football stadiums are filled, most NFL stadiums are filled, most NBA arenas are filled and so forth. As a society we have to stop putting so much emphasis on being entertained by sports. I can tell most of the comments are written by fans, just as I am, because your biased emotion is coming through!

We can complain or we can do something about it. We need to drill offshore for oil so we are not dependant on anyone else.

BYU 27 UCLA 24

Zeke | 10:40 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Cry me a river. Think of the fans who can`t even aford to buy a ticket because of the high ticket prices.

Give me a break! | 11:05 a.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Make the players pay their own way if they want to play and continue earning outrageous, unmerited incomes.

re Per Diem | 12:10 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Here is something else about per diem. A local college athlete, and I'm not sure what it is nationally, it might be an NCAA rule, gets 20$ per day. Now, I know they are pros, but I'm sure that a college athlete can and does eat as much as a pro. PLUS, these kids aren't getting paid and can't even accept a pizza ordered from a coach!

to "Pay Attention" | 12:13 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I'm glad you mentioned offshore drilling, because that's certainly the obvious answer to all of this, why are we so dumb? If we can just get gas down another dollar a gallon, I'll be able to buy that new game for my Wii at my local Walmart--yes, it would all be worth it. USA! USA! Number 1! Number 1!

vo0rheez | 12:18 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

So many people are so ignorant! Yes, it is true that pro players make a lot of money esp in the NBA. However, can you imagine if Utah made its teams pay for their own way for travel and hotels? It's hard enough to get players to come to Utah. The article isn't meant to invoke sympathy. The article is merely showing that the rising gas prices have an impact on everyone. Look before you leap morons!

Cheap Seats | 12:22 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

The Jazz are already covering at least some of their cost increases. My cheap seat season tickets went up almost 50% this year over last. It's my choice, however, to determine whether the product being put on the floor is worth the bottom line cost to me. So far it still is, including my own increased cost of getting from my home in Orem to the games in Salt Lake City.

nottyou | 2:23 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Here is the real headline: "Jazz Announce Ticket Price Increase of 20%" -- That's the bottom line.

Anonymous | 2:23 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I dont think most of you read this article. The Jazz Players have nothing to do with the cost of travel. None of the players are paying any money towards the travel costs. It is just additional money LHM has to pay to keep the Jazz here. The Jazz up until two years ago were on of 12 teams loosing money a year. You have to give credit to Larry for cutting checks when he was the one loosing money each year.
The value of the Jazz has gone up and if I remember right they are work around $350 mil. But that is only if someone is willing to write a check for that amount.

Do you believe in Santa? | 2:35 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

If you believe that any NBA team in the post Larry/Magic/Michael era has ever lost money, can I interest you in some Enron stock?

Ryan | 2:37 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Never fear - we've gotcha covered. Yet another ticket price hike will keep you all fat and happy.

There, there... Dry your eyes. You won't have to sell your 4th, 5th, and 6th Bentleys. They can stay parked in your driveway and never be driven so you can appease your over-inflated ego and sense of self-worth. You know, since you won the lottery of life and are tall, and you can play a game well.

Neither the team nor the ownership has my sympathy. They do nothing about internal costs spiralling out of control, and they are reaping their reward.

Hawk | 3:16 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Larry H. Miller would make a lot more money if he sold the team and put the money in a CD. The player's union demands that the pampered NBA roster be treated like royalty and the per diem passed $100 long ago.

They.... | 3:35 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

can pay their own way and still be able to travel first class on a regular flight.....LOL!!

NBA? | 3:58 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Oh yeah. I remember that. I lost interest in it a long time ago.

College athletics.... | 4:27 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

is the way to go. I'm fed up with watching millionaires playing each other...

Just Me | 5:05 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I didnt read this article. just the headline. why waste your time reading this garbage. Who cares if LHM has to pay more in travel costs. SO DOES THE REST OF THE WORLD! There are a lot more interesting things to write about than this. Peace Out.

Per diem | 5:26 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

College athletes get the $20 for personal expenses. The schools pay for all food on the road. Lets not feel too sorry for them.

Continue | 7:06 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

As long as fans are willing to pay ticket prices and pay for NBA products, the league will continue on and these 20 year old players that couldn't teach a middle school math class will continue making millions. If you don't like the salaries, then quit paying for the product.

think a little | 7:35 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Drilling offshore for oil is like putting a band aid on a gunshot wound, it helps for a second then we are back to where we were, plus untouched nature reserves have now been compromised so we selfish humans can have a quick fix. Lets all learn from our mistakes and think about more then just ourselves and lets consider future inhabitants of our world and even the world itself!
Everyone is feeling the effects of a problem that could be seen coming a long time ago...

HELP | 7:42 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I think the JAZZ should raise ticket prices to pay for these expenses.

Given the amount of money people gave to the REPUBLICAN PARTY, only to see their favorite son get run over, TWICE; it is the least these people should be asked to do in order to SUPPORT MILLIONAIRE CAPITALISTS.

Easy Solution | 8:26 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Just make the players pay their own way... They make enough money - surely they can pay for a hotel and an airline ticket. If they want to play, they will pay. If they don't play, they don't get paid. It would be interesting to see how quick they would choose to get to the games.

Easy solution.

Bus 'em | 8:45 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Or, better yet, have them take a train. That's the way professional baseball players traveled for over half a century.

Real Life Travel Woes | 10:17 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

Tell me about it! I had to park the gas guzzling 9 miles per gallon Suburban and take Jacob and Brittani to soccer practice on a bicycle with a two seat trailer. 2 miles and I am shot. When I got home I had to pedal Tyler and Caitlyn to piano lessons and then go back and get the two kids from soccer. In my spare time I started a batch of laundry and put a chicken and vegetables in the slow cooker for dinner. After I picked up the kids from piano I picked up Brianna at the junior high school from pom practice. By the time dinner comes around I am beat. I'm getting in better shape but I don't know what I'm going to do when the weather gets cold and nasty.

I like the Jazz and all but give me a break they're still flying first class and staying in nice hotels. I'm at home in our 3-bedroom house with a bike, two dogs, 5 growing kids, and a house that needs new paint and carpet. Oh, yea, and a gas hog 14 year old Suburban in the driveway that I can't give away.

Final Easy Solution | 10:39 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

To Easy Solution: why don't you just outfit the players with atomic jet packs and solar power propeller beanie caps. They could fly directly to the games without having to go through security or luggage check.

You ever heard of unions?

Real Cougar | 11:47 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

I think a lot of you comment posters are ignoring a simple fact of the article. Yes, it's true that rising travel costs are slightly affecting the Jazz; that was mentioned. But didn't anybody notice that a lot of the research came from Utah's "other" sports teams, such as the Bees, Blaze, and RSL?

Most of those athletes are NOT making the six-digit salary of D-Will or Carlos Boozer; most of them are merely making a decent living. In fact, if anybody wants a good read about prop athletes and salaries, read an Economists article from about a year ago that examined RSL's Andy Williams paycheck compared to how much he spent to travel, stay away from home and play the game he loves. Bottom line: he was going broke, and he is a family man.

I agree that most prop athletes are way too overpaid, and there are plenty of overpaid athletes in all sports. But not all of Utah's athletes are making as much money as D-Will, while not all agencies are raking in the dough like multi-business entrepreneur Larry Miller.

re Per Diem | 11:53 p.m. Sept. 12, 2008

If that is a national policy I got screwed! We'd get food maybe once a road trip, the others we had to pay for.

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Scott G. Winterton, Deseret News

Jazz players Ronnie Brewer and Deron Williams arrive at Houston's Toyota Center last season. Increased travel costs are hurting the team's bottom line.