The Jazz are one of 21 teams to report a drop in net gate receipts through the first quarter of the season, according to an internal league document obtained by CBSSports.com. According to the document, the Jazz have seen average net gate receipts decline 8.8 percent this season, to $888,478 per home game from $974,551 last season. The report covered games through Nov. 29 and comparisons are year-to-date. The Jazz ranked 14th in the league in gate receipts, which is the money teams make from ticket sales and is a key component in determining the NBA's salary-cap and luxury-tax figures. The league average is $828,985, having dipped 7.4 percent this year.
Jazz officials declined to comment on the figures, but privately noted that their business is off a comparatively smaller amount than other industries are during the recession. They also expressed gratitude to fans for their loyalty.
The document, which was acquired by CBSSports.com NBA columnist Ken Berger , also shows the Jazz as having seen a 17.2 percent decline in paid attendance, to 14,492 this season from 17,503 last season, a drop of 3,011 fans on average per game.
The Jazz ranked 11th in paid attendance, with the league average at 13,187 this season. After announcing sellout crowds for 40 of 41 home games the previous two seasons, the Jazz went into Thursday having done so just twice in 12 games this season.
With Carlos Boozer , Mehmet Okur and Kyle Korver all declining free agency last summer, the small-market Jazz are set to be luxury-tax payers for the first time in franchise history this season and are projected to spend $94 million in payroll and tax.
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Early returns
As much of a campaign as he's made for votes on his Web site, Deron Williams ranked 10th among Western Conference guards in the first returns of All-Star fan voting announced Thursday.
Williams has received 94,715 votes, with Kobe Bryant (692,518) and Tracy McGrady (281,545) the two early leaders. All-Star starters will be announced Jan. 21; McGrady has yet to play this season after undergoing microfracture knee surgery.
Williams' representatives are planning next week to air the first of a series of Internet videos to promote his candidacy. Boozer, meanwhile, did not rank in the top 11 of conference forwards despite his strong start this season.
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Briefly
Andrei Kirilenko missed his fourth consecutive game with a strained back. Kyrylo Fesenko is continuing to suffer from migraine headaches and left the arena before the game.
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