Garrett Jones thinks keeping Utah Jazz forward Gordon Hayward in Utah makes good business sense.
Hayward becomes a free agent in a few weeks. That means he can sign with any team that will pay him enough. Although the local team has the inside track to resigning him thanks to NBA rules that allow the incumbent team to pay veterans more money, a number of other teams are in the mix. The New York Daily News’ Frank Isola has reported on “whisperings” Hayward might go to the Miami Heat. Other teams such as the Boston Celtics, Los Angeles Clippers and Indiana Pacers have been mentioned as landing spots for the seventh-year player who was named to the NBA All-Star team for the first time this season.
But Jones has launched an ambitious billboard and social media campaign to help convince Hayward to remain a Jazzman. Started as a crowdfunding project by the Heber City resident, the “Stayward” (Get it? We want Hayward to stay!) campaign has teamed up with Relic Agency to feature a prominent billboard in downtown Salt Lake City and seven more billboards along I-15 from Centerville to Murray posted for 45 days starting last week.
One of the billboard designs features Hayward in the foreground flanked by the names of former Jazz greats like John Stockton, Karl Malone, Jeff Hornacek and Darrell Griffith. The original crowdfunding project has raised $6,600 — $1,600 over the original goal of $5,000 to put up the first billboard.
“After the success of our GoFundMe, I knew I had the manpower behind me to make an impact,” Jones said in a release from Relic. Jones said any extra funds raised will be donated to the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society to support a former teammate of Hayward’s fundraising campaign, the release said.
“I just wanted to give this passionate fan base a place where we could all come together and say, ‘I care about the players on this team and am proud to be a Jazz fan,’” Jones said in an interview with the Salt Lake Tribune last month. “This was just an idea that could show one of our players that we care.”
Jones reached out to Adam Stoker, the president and CEO of Provo-based Relic — also a longtime Jazz fan — who jumped at the chance to get involved. Relic donated creative services for the eight billboards.
“Keeping Hayward with the Jazz is not only important for the general community, but for the business community as well,” Stoker said. “The Jazz bring so much value to businesses who surround themselves with the team and with the arena.”
“I’m thrilled at the response the campaign has had so far,” Jones said, “I’m beyond excited to see the buzz Relic will bring to the table. When it comes down to it, we want to show Hayward how much his fans really care. None of this would be happening if the Jazz community didn’t rally together.”
Jones has also launched a social media campaign, encouraging fans to upload videos of themselves explaining why they hope Hayward will choose to stay.