Kori Ellis
04-15-2006, 07:39 PM
With the growing popularity of the Las Vegas summer league, teams aren't that interested in Salt Lake anymore. But it seems the Spurs are still going to be playing there.
Jazz: O'Connor keeping summer Revue open
By Phil Miller
The Salt Lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3713592
It's hard enough to lure free agents to Salt Lake. Now Kevin O'Connor has to entice entire teams to commit to Utah.
"There's been some recruiting involved, absolutely," O'Connor said of the time he has spent over the past month collecting enough commitments to keep the Rocky Mountain Revue afloat for another year. "I made sure I kept talking to people, letting them know what we're doing and how much we'd like to have them here."
His efforts have convinced five other teams to join the Jazz this summer, essentially the minimum number to justify the effort and expense of putting on the Revue. "We've got six teams, six solid teams, so that will keep us going," O'Connor said. "We would love to have it be a little bigger if we could. But with six, that gives us a workable number."
The Mavericks, Spurs, Sonics and Hawks have agreed to send their rookies and tryouts to the Revue again this year, but the Bobcats pulled out. After calling around and making his pitch, O'Connor received a commitment from the Sixers for this summer's Revue, tentatively scheduled to run July 14-21 at Salt Lake Community College's Redwood campus.
"That gives us three games a day, and gives us a chance to have a couple of days off during the Revue, so teams don't have to play three days in a row," O'Connor said. "It's a good situation for fans, and I think everyone appreciates the fan support we get."
It's far more difficult to attract teams than it used to be, due to the swift rise of the Las Vegas Summer League. It's easier to convince first- and second-year veterans to spend a week in Las Vegas, so teams have clamored to join that league. In fact, at least 18 teams want to send squads to Las Vegas; according to published reports, the NBA may enforce a 16-team limit there.
The appeal of Salt Lake is the opposite - O'Connor points out that players have far fewer distractions in Utah. "Everything is about basketball here," he said. "We'd like to keep the Revue going for as long as we can."
Jazz: O'Connor keeping summer Revue open
By Phil Miller
The Salt Lake Tribune
http://www.sltrib.com/sports/ci_3713592
It's hard enough to lure free agents to Salt Lake. Now Kevin O'Connor has to entice entire teams to commit to Utah.
"There's been some recruiting involved, absolutely," O'Connor said of the time he has spent over the past month collecting enough commitments to keep the Rocky Mountain Revue afloat for another year. "I made sure I kept talking to people, letting them know what we're doing and how much we'd like to have them here."
His efforts have convinced five other teams to join the Jazz this summer, essentially the minimum number to justify the effort and expense of putting on the Revue. "We've got six teams, six solid teams, so that will keep us going," O'Connor said. "We would love to have it be a little bigger if we could. But with six, that gives us a workable number."
The Mavericks, Spurs, Sonics and Hawks have agreed to send their rookies and tryouts to the Revue again this year, but the Bobcats pulled out. After calling around and making his pitch, O'Connor received a commitment from the Sixers for this summer's Revue, tentatively scheduled to run July 14-21 at Salt Lake Community College's Redwood campus.
"That gives us three games a day, and gives us a chance to have a couple of days off during the Revue, so teams don't have to play three days in a row," O'Connor said. "It's a good situation for fans, and I think everyone appreciates the fan support we get."
It's far more difficult to attract teams than it used to be, due to the swift rise of the Las Vegas Summer League. It's easier to convince first- and second-year veterans to spend a week in Las Vegas, so teams have clamored to join that league. In fact, at least 18 teams want to send squads to Las Vegas; according to published reports, the NBA may enforce a 16-team limit there.
The appeal of Salt Lake is the opposite - O'Connor points out that players have far fewer distractions in Utah. "Everything is about basketball here," he said. "We'd like to keep the Revue going for as long as we can."