Bad News: No Utah Jazz Game on KJZZ this year

by Basketball John on Oct 6, 2009 9:15 AM MDT

So I've been wondering when the TV schedule for KJZZ and FSN was going to be released. We already know that there weren't going to be any pre-season Jazz games televised on KJZZ. Sine the schedule hasn't been released yet, I emailed Bob Quigley, the program director at KJZZ to find out when it was going to be released. If you read the title of this post, you already know how it's going to end,

There will be no games on our station this year. All games will be on FSN Utah.

I have a follow up question in to him to find out why KJZZ won't be carrying any games this year. I can only imagine it's a financial issue. Did having to pay the luxury tax cause this? They weren't broadcasting that many games last year as it was. I'd like to know how much is being saved by not broadcasting the games.

I never heard from anyone as to why the Jazz didn't broadcast any of the pre-season games.

KJZZ just made a huge investment over the past few years to upgrade their equipment to broadcast games in HD. They started that for the 2008 playoffs. Seems like a lot of money just to toss aside now. Maybe it will be sold off?

Also, the Jazz had the big standoff with DirecTV last year about broadcasting KJZZ. Any extra value the team though they had there has to be gone now.

And of course what sucks the most is that unless you have cable/satellite, you won't be able to see any Jazz games this year. No free OTA games this year.

And maybe this is an overreaction, but if the reason is financial, it kind of scares me that they can't broadcast at least as many games as they did last year, which wasn't a lot.

If I hear back from Mr. Quigley or hear something otherwise, I'll post an update.

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What I don't get

I don’t understand why TV information is so hard to dig out of them. I’ll read 10 previews before the game, post in a blog, and then go to turn it on and have to scan 3 different channels just to find it. There’s the KJZZ/FSN thing, but then on Comcast, the HD feed is always on a different channel. And if you’re not on your toes, you might have missed that they moved the Jazz’ HD channel from 632 to 688 (or whatever).

Last year they had a HD schedule, but only through the end of the year. After that, it was haphazard. I even emailed a few people asking for information, and it went into a black hole.

And is it a different set of cameras and camera crew when it’s a KJZZ game? A different production van? I just don’t get the difference, and I really don’t care. It seems more complicated than it needs to be.

by chamont on Oct 6, 2009 9:36 AM MDT reply actions

Well

this sucks.

I hate KJZZ now. Enough to not watch anything on that channel anymore.

True Blue Jazz
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RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09

by UtesFan89 on Oct 6, 2009 10:02 AM MDT reply actions

I don't think...

that the production price is any different for the team if the game is on KJZZ or FSN UT. They use the same truck, and the same production crew, and as far as I know the same equipment.

Also I am quite sure that LHM Sports and Entertainment has shut down the KJZZ studios/offices and moved everything over to the ESA. I would imagine that they are in the process of building a studio/production area at the arena to accommodate the move and maybe they can’t broadcast the games until that is complete. Just a guess on my part though.

http://8hourstokill.blogspot.com

by BC7 on Oct 6, 2009 10:11 AM MDT reply actions

That could be it.

Makes sense. I don’t know why they haven’ released anything on it yet though.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Oct 6, 2009 10:29 AM MDT up reply actions

answer

hey guys. my public relations teacher knows the jazz media guy and he was told it was because FSN gave them an offer they couldn’t resist. so they accepted, and it looks to be purely financial.

as to why they haven’t officially told us yet, I’m not sure why. perhaps they know how upset everyone will be. but whatever the reason, it’s my opinion that’s really bad pr and they should have released the news right away. It feels like this shows they don’t truly care about the fanbase as much as they claim. either way, it’s a bad deal for us.

by susanna Metzger on Oct 6, 2009 10:46 AM MDT reply actions 1 recs

If that is the case...

Can’t say that I blame them because of the money crunch right now. But it’s not going to be popular with fans. UtesFan89 will have a petition with 10,000 names + to get their call sign change to KFAIL

They should have released something by now. We’re just a few weeks until the season starts.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Oct 6, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions

And thanks for the info.

SLCDunk.com, The Utah Jazz on SBNation

by Basketball John on Oct 6, 2009 10:51 AM MDT up reply actions

I know. my professor had spoken with the media rep at the jazz in early september! I’ve known for over a month and our professor keeps asking, “have they released the news yet?” and obviously they haven’t, because no one has said anything till now. KFAIL, hahaha! that’s awesome.

I understand money issues, but I’m majoring in Public Relations and let me tell you, holding back this kind of information from your publics is exactly what we are learning NOT to do. Fail for sure.

by susanna Metzger on Oct 6, 2009 10:56 AM MDT reply actions

Eh. I pick up Digital Cable w/ HD for the season, then cancel at the end

by prodigal punk on Oct 6, 2009 12:24 PM MDT reply actions

I feel for you guys in Utah...

but this might be good for us out of state fans. FSN didn’t broadcast any of the games that were on KJZZ last year and I obviously don’t get KJZZ through my cable in Montana.

by Patrick517 on Oct 6, 2009 5:32 PM MDT reply actions

You better have every game up on

channelsurfing or justinTV or something…

True Blue Jazz
I'm on Twitter
RIP Nick Adenhart. 4/9/09

by UtesFan89 on Oct 6, 2009 6:42 PM MDT up reply actions

yeah i was gonna say

for the 50% of us that live out of state (according to the poll on the right) it’s actually good news since kjzz games were the ones that we had less of a chance of seeing.

by moni on Oct 6, 2009 9:25 PM MDT up reply actions

Jazz games on KJZZ

When I had emailed KJZZ about a schedule, Bob Q had informed me that the Jazz organization decided to go with the cable only route. I get the feeling that he was disappointed since the Jazz games was probably one of the highest rated programs on the station. I guess I find it ironic that the owners of both the team and the station refuses to show any games (I would have been happy with pre-season games even). LHM must be very shaking his head in disgust. The whole reason to purchase the station (and change the call letters) was to showcase the team to fans.

I guess I won’t be watching any Utah Jazz games this year on TV (or watching the commercials). I refuse to pay the high rates for cable/satellite when I only watch 3-5 channels on the line up. The cost just wasn’t worth it and I found I wasn’t missing the programming when I cut the cable.

by TardisCaptain on Oct 7, 2009 7:29 PM MDT reply actions

from today's sltrib blog

Randy Rigby also disputed a blog report that KJZZ will not be televising any Jazz games this season. Rigby said the final decision has not been made and that he has some issues to address on the subject once he gets back to Utah.

http://blogs.sltrib.com/jazz/index.php?p=3898&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1

by moni on Oct 9, 2009 1:10 AM MDT reply actions

DTV FSN UTAH

I have directv and I was checking the game on Oct. 30th that is on FSN and it does not show up on my FSNUT channel 684 or 684-1 does anyone know why? The denver game doesnt show on there either but it is on espn. Was just wondering as I got all the FSN games last year on those two channels.

by Kuesta on Oct 19, 2009 6:17 PM MDT reply actions