Fascinating story on how the Hawks try to fill their arena

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Reselling the Hawks to Atlanta

This is a really fascinating story about how the CEO of the Atlanta Hawks is trying to fill the seats of Phillips Arena. He discusses about how the marketing of the Hawks for years has not been toward the mainstream audience that would tend to purchase tickets.

Let’s get real. The Hawks have had troubles for years with filling the arena up with their fans. It is similar to the Panthers in the NHL (or at least this year you can substitute the Hurricanes as they have had attendance — and winning — issues).

The approach they are taking is not the normal marketing method but it seems to be working. Also, the team is winning more now. Winning cures most ailments.

Diagnosing the root of Atlanta’s historic apathy toward its NBA franchise has long been a discussion among the city’s sports fans and amateur sociologists.

The snarling traffic is often cited. Some say Atlanta is a city of transplants who brought their loyalties to other teams with them. There’s the loser theory, too: Fans in Atlanta don’t connect to the Hawks because the team hasn’t been to the NBA’s final four since 1969. The roster hasn’t featured a bona fide superstar since Dominique Wilkins was shipped out of town in 1994. And the problem of the Hawks’ ownership can’t be understated, a group that’s been consumed by in-fighting, lawsuits, messy buyouts and, more recently, inflammatory racial comments made by co-owner Bruce Levenson and general manager Danny Ferry.

…

ut as has long been tradition in this transient city, it’s an uphill climb to fill Philips Arena night in and night out and, consequently, attract the kind of name superstars who could put the Hawks on the map. LeBron James never considered Atlanta. Pau Gasol turned down a heftier offer than he received in Chicago. And that was before owner Levenson’s email buried the franchise even deeper in the consciousness of the league.

As the on-court product continues its surprising ascension up the league standings, behind the scenes one of the historically most racially backward front offices in the NBA is attempting to make sports business history by embracing black fans more meaningfully than any other major pro sports team.

“If this doesn’t work,” says Hawks CEO Steve Koonin, “blow me out.”

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