SALT LAKE CITY-Per a Wednesday announcement, SME Steel Contractors Inc. has canceled its suite at Vivint Smart Home Arena, the home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz.
This was revealed by a letter dated September 9 which stated officials with the West Jordan-based company were “disappointed and disillusioned” when the entire Jazz team (owners, coaches and players) knelt during the national anthem when the NBA reconvened in Orlando July 29.
In the statement, company executives said they were disappointed the NBA season was postponed because of covid-19 but were even more disappointed at the kneeling for the national anthem.
The statement also expresses executives’ disappointment in social justice slogans being worn on the players jerseys while “true heroes like Chris Kyle (a United States Navy SEAL sniper who served four tours in the Iraq War) and Pat Tillman (a former Arizona Cardinals safety who enlisted in the US Army following the 9/11 attacks and later died for his country in Afghanistan) go unnoticed and unremarked.”
The statement also declared “the company was angered over the recent strike by NBA players” (August 26-28) calling this impromptu protest a “frivolous disruption” of playoff games.
The statement was addressed to Utah Jazz owner Gail Miller and signed by SME Steel Contractors Inc. CEO Craig Moyes, company owner Jerry Moyes, company president Dieter H. Klohn and vice president of finances Gordon K. Holladay.
SME asserts some of its employees participated in the construction of Vivint Smart Home Arena which was completed on October 9, 1991 and was then known as the Delta Center.
Since its completion, the company has spent approximately $6 million in the 28 years it has licensed a suite.
Because of the stance the Jazz has taken on social issues, the company says it can no longer support the franchise.
