mostly nonfiction and bakersfield news | June 19th, 2009
Bakersfield Jam Downsize, Return To NBA D League, Hint Of Lakers Affiliation
“There are about that many [1,500] avid basketball fans in town. There are not 9,000,” said Stan Ellis owner of the Bakersfield Jam on Friday after the team announced their return to the NBA D League.
That point may be argued as there are many high school and youth sports players and families locally, but Ellis’s point was that 9,000 fans didn’t regularly show up to NBA D League games that were held by the Bakersfield Jam over the past three seasons. The team folded at the end of the 2009 season, citing economic reasons for their downfall.
Face News shoveled out some harsh criticism after the Jam’s folding earlier in the year, which didn’t fly well with Stan Ellis. He pointed at the NBA, suggesting that his hands were tied when it came to trying to make money for the failed franchise. The team had expected to stop losing money much sooner.
According to a press release issued by the Bakersfield Jam on Friday, following the team’s announcement to cease operations, team owners David Higdon and Ellis continued to try to find a way to keep professional basketball in Bakersfield. Their solution, they believe, was sitting right in front of them. “By utilizing our incredible new facility we are able to create a fantastic fan experience in an intimate atmosphere while also cutting costs from our bottom line,” said Higdon.
Ellis added, “David and I are dedicated to this community, and we’re thrilled to be able to continue to provide NBA-caliber basketball and fun family entertainment to our fans.” He said at the press conference that Jeanie Buss of the Los Angeles Lakers owners gave him the idea to utilize the facility in a meeting that took place within a month after the team folded.
Watch video of press conference:
The Jam face a tough battle of winning back disappointed fans and a community that has expressed a degree of criticism over the team’s closure at the end of April. The team also announced that games will be held at the Jam’s million-dollar practice facility, which some consider would have been a waste of a great facility if it weren’t used for the NBA D League. It’s first floor was once that of the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks. The Jam’s game-time floor has been since laid down in the facility as can be seen in a photo of TV news cameraman Johnny Guillen who was in the Jam Center on Friday.
It might be a tough sell to bring fans all the way out to the Norris Road facility, which isn’t centrally located like the Rabobank Arena. While the facility is state-of-the-art for training, it wasn’t intended to be a place where fans could come and watch NBA-caliber games. And so it loses the luster of games at the downtown Rabobank Arena. Ellis didn’t talk of future hopes of returning there.
It will be interesting to see how the team develops the facility that’s located in the drab outskirts of north Bakersfield. Corey Costelloe of ESPN1230 said on his radio program on Friday that downtown Bakersfield sports has been a failure, and that people may welcome seeing NBA-caliber games within a smaller, more intimate setting.
But the new Jam Center will be a tight fit. While there’s room at either end of the court for bleachers, the sideline areas are sparse for any kind of half-court seating. Ellis said the facility will accommodate less than 1,500 people. On Costelloe’s show, Ellis said as few as 500 fans may be accomodated at the Jam Center.
NBA D League President David Reed was on-hand at the press conference and said the team was welcomed back into the league. He also mentioned there were eight former NBA D Leaguers on in the NBA finals this year as the Los Angeles Lakers took on the Orlando Magic. That’s good news for the league.
Ellis said the new scaled back version of the Bakersfield Jam will stay privately owned. He also hinted at an NBA affiliation “within close proximity to Bakersfield.” He wouldn’t say anything else on the subject, but smiled. One Twitter response to the announcement from a fan said, “It’s such sweet music to my ears about the Jam and the “hinted” affiliate.” That fan tweet was also partially read on ESPN1230 on Friday.
That could mean a Lakers affiliation, which would mean the possibility of the occasional NBA Lakers player slam dunking at the Norris Road Jam facility. But of course that could also mean a Los Angeles Clippers affiliation, who Ellis mentioned on Friday the Jam was already working with in some capacity. “He’s really tickled about having us,” Ellis said about meeting with the Clippers owner.
Tickets for the upcoming season are on sale at www.bakersfieldjam.com
Watch: video of the press conference.
NBA D League president David Reed
David Higdon and Stan Ellis, owners of the Bakersfield Jam
Stan Ellis talks to Corey Costelloe of ESPN 1230
Setting up for the press conference
Related article: Bakersfield Jam Team Owner Calls Foul On Face News, Points Finger At NBA
Related article: Commentary: Bakersfield Jam Folding Will Be Felt For Years
Related article: Bakersfield Jam NBA D League Basketball Organization To Cease Operations
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6 Responses for “Bakersfield Jam Downsize, Return To NBA D League, Hint Of Lakers Affiliation”
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I think it’s wonderful the Bakersfield Jam are back…. hopefully, stronger and with a better business plan. When they “folded” back in April, I never told my daughter and her 1st grade class who are such huge fans… so I’m glad I held back cuz they’ll be extremely excited over everything. My daughter will be extremely excited to Swish again!
It was good to hear Stan Ellis all giddy on the video above and on the air with ESPN 1230. I look forward to the upcoming season and checking out the Jam facility. Go JAM!
I’m glad the team is back too. Let’s hope for the best.
Does anyone else read this and think that the question isn’t “Will the Jam survive?”; that its more like “Will the Jam survive the season?” A 500 seat shed with a basketball floor? Methinks David Stern wasn’t imagining that scenario when the D-League was created. Should provide great entertainment for Bakersfield — not exciting basketball as much as unintentional comedy.
I’m skeptical, Zombie Swish. But maybe the long term goal is to be back in the Rabobank and to take baby steps on the way. I think it’s being scaled back a little too much as far as a venue. But maybe it will work.
At least they’re trying. I’ll give them that. And the players will be top notch. That’s the exciting part.
See, I don’t consider this “trying.” Ellis has never devoted the resources necessary to actually promote the team — instead, he’s content with going with a completely bare-bones approach and then bitching when people don’t show up. There are more than 9,000 basketball fans in Bakersfield; there just aren’t that many “hardcore” fans, who will show up simply for the basketball. The old business adage holds: “You have to spend money to make money,” just ask Jonathon Fleisig (or, on the other end of the spectrum, ask DG Elmore).
Its great for Bakersfield to have a D-League team, but it would be even better if it was in the hands of an owner who actually cared, instead of a guy who’s just trying to make a buck (and even doing that poorly).
Zombie Swish: I think even as a bare bones operation it’s going to be tough. I’m not sure people want to go to Oildale to watch pro basketball. I will. But then, I bought into the idea of the NBA D League last season.
And I agree, there are way more than 9,000 basketball fans in Kern County. Just look at hockey. Hardly anyone plays (tough to afford, poorly promoted locally) and the fans eventually bought into supporting a pro team. They literally came out of the woodwork.
Basketball on the other hand is a part of almost every elementary school, junior high, high school and both colleges. And that doesn’t count all the NBA lovers in Bakersfield. It’s a matter of marketing to the people in a manner that’s going to reach and motivate.
I’m just going with the “something is better than nothing” approach and at the same time hope he’s creating a worthwhile business model.