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At some point, the conversation shifted to using the Jazz as a means for change. “A year and a half ago,” Ashley admits, “we weren’t that aware of the lack of inclusion everywhere. Our eyes have become wide open.” With an NBA franchise, the Smiths agreed, they could have a greater impact than with any other company. In the months since, that sense of mission has helped insulate them from critics who can’t understand why their favorite team won’t stick to basketball. “I don’t care about the haters,” Ashley says. “I don’t care about the negative feedback. Because we’re so clear on the stewardship and what it means to us and what we want to do.” She takes a deep breath, then exhales with a smile. “My gosh,” she says, “it’s freeing.”
And not for the Smiths. “Look, we want to get rid of all the sucky experiences in the world,” Ryan says. “Systemic racism is a horrible experience. Lack of equity is a horrible experience. When we took over, I was pretty direct that we were going to be actively anti-racist. And active means not passive. It means we’re actively going to do something.”
When the Smiths bought the Jazz and created Smith Entertainment Group, the learning curve was steep. He had grown up rooting for the team, but now he had to engage with and learn the franchise's inner workings. And he had to make it competitive. Part of his initial meetings with employees was changing their small-market mindset. It meant securing bigger sponsorships, negotiating better television deals, introducing innovations. He started making inroads with other owners. He said then-Dallas Mavericks majority owner Mark Cuban "was awesome" helping integrate Smith into the league. Cuban told ESPN by email that he advised Smith to "have fun. To be himself. Not to be shy and to realize that the best teams communicate often with their fans." He talks a lot with Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer, who shared Smith's background in tech.
Utah Jazz owners Ryan and Ashley Smith discussed hosting next year’s 2023 NBA All-Star Game during this season’s exhibition. The 2022 All-Star Game took place at Rocket Mortage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio on Sunday, February 20. In between the third and fourth quarters, the Smiths discussed hosting the 2023 All-Star festivities. “We’re excited to bring the party to Salt Lake,” Ashley Smith said.
Wade already has a number of business partnerships, including Li-Ning, Hisense, MISSION, Budweiser, BallerTV, Wade Cellars and 800° Woodfired Kitchen. Smith and Wade met several years ago and had engaged in numerous conversations about working together. Shortly after the Smiths acquired the Jazz in 2020, those conversations shifted to focus on the Utah Jazz and Smith Entertainment Group. “Partnering with Ryan and the Utah Jazz is the perfect fit as we share the same vision and values,” Wade said. “Not only is this group focused on building a championship franchise, they are also committed to using their platform to do good and actively create a more inclusive, equitable world. We share a lot of the same goals and are trying to go the same places in life.”
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But Pope, who is entering his second season as the Cougars’ head coach next month, did not have to Google Smith’s name to learn more about him. Pope and his wife, Lee Anne, are close friends with the Smiths and live in the same neighborhood in Orem. “I do know Ryan and Ashley and, I mean, come on, how blessed are we in the state of Utah to have this legendary family like the Millers being stewards over this program, and then have Ryan and Ashley Smith take over the deal?” Pope said Thursday in his weekly press briefing with reporters who cover BYU basketball. “I mean, they are going to blow it up to epic proportions, and they are going to represent the state in such an extraordinary way.”
Former NBA star Kenny Smith and his family will appear on a reality show on TBS in the spring. The 49-year-old Smith is a basketball analyst for Turner, TBS's parent company. The network said Tuesday it had ordered six episodes of "The Smiths." The show will follow Smith, his wife and five children between the ages of 2 and 20.
Smith, 27, and his father, Earl, wanted to wait at least through Dwight Howard’s decision today before agreeing to terms. But the agent assured the Smiths no whopping offer — in the $9-to-10 million per year range — was coming down the pike. Plus, Howard reportedly may not make his decision until after the weekend. Two of Smith’s suitors, Houston and Dallas, were waiting to see if they land Howard before making Smith an offer. The Rockets considered a four-year package, however, according to a source, neither team was willing to go as high as $8 million per.
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