The Utah Jazz Love Their (Wealthiest) Fans

At a recent Jazz-Warriors game, the Jazz rewarded their fans with cool t-shirts to promote fan unity and as a thank you for the fans' support of the team ... but only if you ponied up enough dough to be in the lower, most expensive seats.

From the Tribune:

The Jazz apparently angered many fans who watched Game 2 of their playoff series against Golden State from the upper bowl at EnergySolutions Arena, by giving away T-shirts only to those fans who sat in the more expensive lower-bowl seats.

But they said they didn't mean to slight anybody.

"We may do something different for the upper-bowl fans, at some point," said Randy Rigby, the Jazz's senior vice president of broadcasting, sales and marketing.

How about at least a free Utah Jazz pen or one of those We're #1 foam fingers for the nosebleeders? I know you wouldn't want to spend too much on those cheap bastards who only spent a paltry $65 to see the game.

Rigby said the Jazz gave away the same number of light-blue shirts - 10,000 - as other items they typically distribute during other promotions.

But rather than hand them out to the first 10,000 fans who arrived for the game as they usually do, the Jazz decided to canvas the lower bowl to replicate the dramatic visual effect created when Miami fans wore all-white T-shirts during the Heat's run to the NBA championship last season, and when Warriors fans wear their bright yellow "We Believe" shirts at Oracle Arena.

"It just worked in the lower bowl, and it looks good on TV, and it's just fun," Rigby said.

Keep spinning, Randy, keep spinning. If we've learned one thing, you don't want to the make the people of Salt Lake City angry.

(The Tip: Shakedown Sports)