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“I buy every damn Bulls ticket, don’t b*tch at me about tickets”: When Michael Jordan got heated regarding Sam Smith’s comments about him getting preferential treatment

Samir Mehdi
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“I buy every damn Bulls ticket, don’t b*tch at me about tickets”: When Michael Jordan got heated regarding Sam Smith’s comments about him getting preferential treatment

Michael Jordan made it very clear he was paying for every ticket he gave out for Bulls games, contradicting what Sam Smith wrote. 

Given just how popular Michael Jordan became upon entering the league in 1984, it’s expected that he’d have an inordinate amount of people want to come watch the games he played in. He was of a similar mentality to what Kobe Bryant preached in terms of playing every single game for fans who come to just see him. 

Other than the season he injured his foot (1985-86) and his incomplete 1994-95 season due to his return from minor league baseball, he played in 78+ games for the entirety of his Chicago Bulls career. Michael Jordan, at age 39, would play in every single game during his final season in the NBA when with the Washington Wizards.

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It’s safe to say that Jordan was a man of the people when it came to giving them what they wanted upon attending Bulls bouts. 

However, that’s where it became difficult for MJ as quite nearly every single person he knew or used to know wanted to see him play. This meant getting tickets for a plethora of fans which of course meant, spending a lot of money. 

Michael Jordan refuted Sam Smith’s claim. 

‘The Jordan Rules’ written by Sam Smith, shed light on a number of things that Michael Jordan did that weren’t exactly what you would expect from the cheery guy in those McDonald’s commercials. One thing Smith accused him of was getting preferential treatment from the Bulls when it came to having hordes of tickets bought under his name.

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Jordan addressed this accusation made against him in a 1992 Playboy interview. 

“I buy every damn ticket. Ain’t nobody giving me tickets. I pay for all those fifty-dollar box-seat tickets I give to little kids. For all the loose tickets that I may have after a game that I do not use and I give to Scottie Pippen, give to Horace Grant, give to people, I pay for them all. I don’t ask them to pay me back.” 

“I spent one hundred thousand dollars on tickets last year that I didn’t get back. That’s money that I paid the Bulls and other teams. So don’t b*tch at me about all the tickets I spread around.” 

About the author

Samir Mehdi

Samir Mehdi

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Samir Mehdi is a senior strategist for the NBA division at The Sportsrush. Ever since he was 13 years old, he’s been obsessed with the game of basketball. From watching Kobe Bryant’s highlights on YouTube to now, analyzing and breaking down every single game on League Pass, Samir’s passion for the game is unwavering. He's a complete basketball junkie who not only breaks down current games but also keenly watches ones from the 60s’ and 70s’ while also reading comprehensive books on the history of the league. Samir’s life revolves around basketball and he hopes that shows in his work. Aside from work, he loves to spend time in the gym and with his friends at social gatherings.

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