Ever gone to a Jazz game, looked up (or down) at all those private suites that ring the Delta Center's beltline and asked yourself, "Who are those people?"
In a National Football League stadium, they would be the team owner and his family, along with assorted other hyper-rich folks who spend more time doing deals and schmoozing with each other than watching the game.But at the Delta Center, the status of those who occupy the suites is less clear. After all, Jazz owner Larry Miller isn't gazing down from a private box like Caesar; he's sitting in a folding chair on the front row hoping Shaquille O'Neal doesn't land in his lap.
And not far from Miller are Spence Eccles of First Security Corp. and Harris Simmons of Zions Bancorp. And there's Jon Huntsman, Gov. Mike Leavitt and Sen. Orrin Hatch . . . even Madonna and Jack Nicholson eschew the boxes.
If those folks prefer to be down where the sweat flies and you can hear all the interesting things that Dennis Rodman has to say, then what makes those suites worth as much as $100,000 a year in lease payments?
Hold on a minute, says Jay Francis, Jazz senior vice president of marketing. Sure, the suite dwellers tend to be a bit removed from the action, but there are compensations - substantial ones.
They include beverages of all persuasions, hors d'oeuvres, a catered dinner (no $3 hot dogs), a TV and a private restroom. The suites have up to 18 plush seats in a box that is (more or less) part of the arena. Or, if you need a little quiet to close a deal, a sliding glass door can be shut, turning the inner area of the suite into a cozy living room. Game? What game?
"There's no question the experience people get in the suites is a whole lot different than being in the regular seats. They are a little separated from the game," Francis agreed. "But for a company to entertain clients or reward employees, it's the best entertainment experience you could get on a group level."
So, there's your answer to "Who are those people?" Many are current or potential customers of the corporations who lease the suites. (A lot of those are banks and telephone companies) or employees being treated for a job well done. Oh, and you'll also spot a few media types as well.
In other words, they're mostly regular folks who usually sit right alongside you, but once in awhile get invited to a very exclusive party - one that will give them bragging rights for years.
But during the NBA playoff finals, it just might be easier to wangle an invitation to sleep over at the White House than watch the Jazz and the Bulls battle it out for the championship.
Of course, the lucky few are not always Utahns. Robyn Smart, Salt Lake marketing manager for arena namesake Delta Air Lines, says she often uses Delta's suite - Suite No. 1 - to entertain out-of-town guests.
"If the Trailblazers are coming to town, we might invite some corporate people from Nike (based in Portland, Ore., along with the Blazers). They stay overnight and maybe do a tour of Temple Square and then return to Portland the next day. We've hosted corporate accounts from key markets from all over the country."
Scott Nelson, an executive vice president at First Security Bank, terms the bank's suite a "terrific marketing tool" and one whose use is carefully planned.
"We put a lot of energy and effort into it," Nelson said. "We have our maitre 'd from our private dining room there to take care of all our guests just as he does in the dining room."
A perk for employees? Forget it, Nelson said. "Our bankers do not go in the box unless they are with a customer."
Harris Simmons of Zions Bank also views the bank's suite as a marketing tool to be used to thank its best customers or woo new ones. He leaves the decisions on who gets invited to his various branch managers and loan officers. Simmons hasn't been in the Zions suite once this season.
"I use it quite sparingly, so I sit elsewhere in the arena," he said. "Mostly, I like to have other people around here use it."
Whatever the philosophy, the value of the suites to a company's marketing efforts is impossible to quantify, but all agree that it's worth every dollar of the hefty lease payments. (See box.)
Dale Zabriskie, president of the Salt Lake public relations firm Zabriskie & Associates, won't dispute the value of the suites, although he suspects some com-pan-ies really get them for themselves and justify it by inviting others.
"But there's no question that inviting someone to your suite makes something that is already attractive a lot more so," Zabriskie said. "You can invite a group and they can mingle and visit in a way that wouldn't be possible if they were sitting in a row of seats."
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Additional Information
Suite facts and figures
- Number of private suites in the Delta Center: 56
- Price per suite: Leases are $70,000, $80,000 and $100,000 per year, depending on suite size (12, 16 or 18 seats) and location in the arena. Some views are obstructed.
- What you get for the money: Depending on the suite, 12, 16 or 18 tickets for all Jazz preseason and regular season games. Playoff tickets must be purchased separately, but no one else can buy them, and suite owners don't have to stand in line. The price for playoff tickets in suites is the same as those for the row of seats immediately in front of the suite.
- Number of suites currently available for lease: None. Occasionally a suite owner will drop out, but there's always a waiting list. - Number of permanent seats per suite: 12, 16 or 18 depending on suite. Additional chairs can be added to the landing. Lounge seating available behind sliding door.
- What about other Delta Center events such as concerts, rodeos, circuses and such? Same deal. Suite owners have to buy individual tickets. If they don't, the suite remains empty. No one else can use it.
- Do the catered meals and drinks come with the suite? Nope. All that is extra. - Does the Delta Center or the Jazz do anything special for suite owners during the playoffs? Not usually, but this year is an exception.
For the finals, the suites are being decorated with balloons and such, and the team will give them an NBA finals book. "It's a surprise," said a Jazz executive.