R.I.P. Larry Miller, Utah’s Pro Sports Savior

↵Larry H. Miller, longtime owner of the Utah Jazz, died Friday due to complications from Type-2 diabetes. His health has been dire for at least a year, between a heart attack and partial amputation of his legs. Down to the last weeks he stayed fiery as ever, calling out Carlos Boozer for talking free agency in the middle of the season. NBA fans often bristled at Miller’s involvement; he maintained a reputation as of those “meddling owners” before anyone knew the name Mark Cuban.
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↵But more than anyone (with regards to his involvement in sports), Miller should be remembered as a man who saved professional basketball in Salt Lake City. Doug Robinson of the Deseret News tells us about the circumstances of Miller’s purchase of the Jazz:↵↵⇥Six years after buying his first car dealership, he bought half the Jazz to prevent the team from leaving Salt Lake City. Fourteen months later he bought the second half, again to keep the team in Utah. Miller considered the Jazz his “gift to Utah.” With a net worth of only $4 million, Miller convinced six lending institutions to loan him $8 million to buy half of a moribund basketball franchise that had lost $17 million in its 11-year history and, in its best year, had lost $1 million.
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↵⇥In 1986, it appeared the Jazz were about to leave town again, and Miller appeared unable to prevent it. He actually picked up a pen to sign a contract that would complete the sale of the team, which not only would have erased his original $8 million debt but would have given him a tidy $6 million profit — double his net worth at the time — for just a 14-month investment. After a long pause, with his pen hovering over the contract, he finally tossed it on the table and told co-owner Sam Battistone he couldn’t do it. To buy Battistone’s share, Miller passed up the fat profit and took on even more debt — to the tune of $14 million — for a total debt of $22 million.↵↵It takes risks to keep pro sports in small markets, and in terms of Utah sports Miller should be considered a hero.↵