IMO what the Backbone.js version has over the jQuery [only] version is readability in a large code base. I assume by "maintainability" this is one thing you mean.
You're only going to cover a small example in a tutorial, so the above benefit is not readily apparent.
I disagree that this spread-out, boilerplate-rich format becomes more readable the more of it that you have. I think the larger your codebase is, the more important it becomes for distinct chunks of application logic and behavior to be written clearly and concisely.
You're only going to cover a small example in a tutorial, so the above benefit is not readily apparent.