Ross Priest: Jam's return to come at a premium
| Friday, Jun 19 2009 11:04 PM
Last Updated Friday, Jun 19 2009 11:04 PM
Stan Ellis wasted little time Friday morning. The local businessman looked at his watch, stepped to the podium and started his meeting just a few seconds past 11 a.m. Three speakers and approximately 5 minutes later, it was announced the Bakersfield Jam is returning for another season.
Meeting adjourned.
It was quick, it was to the point and it left a lot of questions that needed to be answered.
Given the economy's topsy-turvy ride and the fact two months ago, Ellis and minority owners David Higdon and Steve Chase decided to fold the franchise, it's a turn of events that no one expected.
In his brief invocation, Mayor Harvey Hall said it was just nice to have something positive to announce for a change.
So why the change of heart? Or better yet, why the change in business philosophy after announcing April 29 that the NBA D-League franchise had lost an estimated $1 million in each of the past two seasons?
Ellis said it came down to, amazingly enough, economics. That's the short one-word answer, but it's actually a change in the business model Ellis went on to explain.
The Jam has downsized from gas-guzzling Rabobank Arena to its own economical-friendly hybrid, the Jam Center.
Ellis estimates a savings of more than $400,000 a year by making the switch from Rabobank to the $2 million facility on Norris Road.
"We're in a situation where it comes down to dollars and cents," Ellis said, "and inexpensive entertainment."
Without the overhead of playing at Rabobank, Ellis believes this scaled-down, streamlined version can become a model for future D-League franchises.
After repeated "conversations with NBA commissioner David Stern", along with helpful advice from Los Angeles Lakers executive Jeanie Buss and Los Angeles Clippers President Andy Roeser, Ellis and company decided to invoke their revised plan and approach D-League commissioner Dan Reed about the plausibility of returning for a fourth season with its new approach.
While both sides worked the kinks out, Reed said a majority of the credit goes to Ellis and his staff.
"They identified that they had a facility that meets their needs and allows them to develop a business model that will be very successful for them, not only for this season but for the long term," Reed said.
Seating capacity for the arena has yet to be determined, and ticket prices and packages were not disclosed, but Higdon said fans can expect first-class entertainment.
But this won't be a venue for the casual fan.
Considering the limited seating and close-to-the action-enviroment, tickets will come at a premium.
Not exactly the business model the D-League has tried to sell to its fans and markets across the U.S. But Reed and the D-League is hoping this model is a success.
"The ultimate goal is to bring the team back, build the fan base and allow the community to enjoy top-notch basketball. ...
"We want it to grow."
Higdon said the facility will offer more courtside seats than at Rabobank Arena and will offer executive suites that seat six directly behind the courtside seating. The Jam also plans to have five luxury "lofts" that seat between 12 to 18 fans on the second floor in the first year. There will also be bleachers on the north side of the facility.
As for other amenities, the 22,000-square-foot facility will have state-of-the-art flooring built by a company that is expected to be under the umbrella of Ellis' global holdings in the near future. Higdon declined to state the name of the manufacturer because the sale has not been finalized. There will also be a four-sided digital scoreboard, a smaller version of the one at Rabobank, that will hang from the ceiling.
Despite a limited seating capacity of less than 1,000 at the new facility, Ellis insists the Jam is devoted to community.
"This is about the community. And it's about not spending the money to fill a 10,000-seat (arena) and paying for a 10,000-seat (arena). What we need to do is scale back like any business and run it like any business, and meet the demands of the people that really want basketball.
"So now we have a facility that we don't have to work so hard to fill and beg people to come to the (arena). We have a venue that's economical, it's paid for, and, one of the things I really like, we're going to have an after-school program. ... Within our local community we want to give kids an opportunity to get up to speed, and we want to give back to the community."
It's that sort of community involvement that Ellis and company hope will bring fans to the facility. Whether the community returns its devotion to the Jam will be answered at a later point.
These are Ross Priest's opinions, and not necessarily The Californian's. Call him at 395-7452 or write rpriest@ bakersfield.com.
