Rule #1 in "successfully" building your underachieving nba franchise: alienate fans by forcing them to buy cable

Finally, the nba season has begun.... and the ineptitude of the Jazz front office are in midseason form.

Just look at the tv schedule for the Jazz this year. You want to watch your Jazz? Get cable or satellite or some other extra expense for the privilege of rooting for the team with the most contradictory name in sports. Is this a joke?

Growing up watching the Jazz, I took comfort in knowing that I could at least watch a few games on tv and still consider myself in the know of what was going on with the team. Today's family operating on a budget and priorities of life? Forget it. Go get cable you cheapos.

Forget the fact the Utah Jazz are a bunch of underachievers. Forget the fact that there is this thing called a recession. Forget the fact that unemployment is in the toilet. The Miller group obviously thinks they are feeling the squeeze, and want to squeeze the fans back. What better way to "sell" your team to the masses by making it exclusive to the "haves" over the "have nots"?

Although the late Larry Miller had a few missteps with the team from this fan's perspective, I can say with certainty that the Utah Jazz was viewable to the masses under his watch. This new breed of Miller group is giving me thoughts of seeking free agency with my fandom. I'm sure there are better front offices out there that try to keep "all" fans in the know. Yes, the Jazz aren't the first to force their fans to "get" cable, I just didn't think the Jazz was that type of organization. Being a Jazz fan trying to convince other fans of the value of this team is becoming harder and harder. Especially when you see a championship Laker organization once again guaranteeing HALF of their games on local tv. (Lakers broadcast away games on local kcal9, home games on FSN west).

The worst part of this "new" Jazz way of running things is the lack of any type of forward thinking. It appears the Jazz are thinking about "now" and getting dollars for "now" to pay underachieving players with bloated contracts for "now". What about the fans who want to watch their Jazz "now" and stick with the team for the "Future"? Hey Miller group, ever heard of building your fan base from the ground up? Perhaps how Larry did with my generation?

Good Luck.

-J

Redskins Fan says:
http://sports.espn.go.com/nba/news/story?id=4303047
have i mentioned i hate shaq
well, i hate shaq
i think this thing is going to blow up
James says:
wow, maybe Lebron has a shot now
Lebron had NO chance
and now, because of the kindness of Shaqa claus, it can happen
Im so glad Shaq is still relevant
Redskins Fan says:
did you hear that i hate shaq
the cavs will NOT win the championship
bank on iy
it
James says:
wow, imagine the storyline for next season
Redskins Fan says:
drive and diss guarantee
James says:
Shaq vs. Kobe
with Lebron
Redskins Fan says:
the spurs will win
they need a back-up big guy but there are guys available
i hate shaq
had i mentioned that
James says:
this conversation will be published as a Drive and Diss entry
Redskins Fan says:
that is a great idea
James says:
Drive and Diss is back
Redskins Fan says:
we should just publish all of our daily im's
James says:
check it
Redskins Fan says:
hahaha
nice!
James says:
HA HA HA HA HA
Redskins Fan says:
btw here is some more nba analysis
i really like what detroit did
not at all
they now have a roster of about 20 shooting guards to compliment the great charlie villenueva
dumars is the most overrated gm ever
there
hard hitting analysis the readers of drive and diss expect