Atlanta Hawks attendance and the "R" word

If I was working with the PR budgets with the Hawks, I would appropriate those funds a lot differently. You never see any kind of Hawks promotions around the city. Where are the autograph signings at Lenox Mall? Harry the Hawk should make random appearances at local events, schools, etc. Where are the cross-promotions with world of Coke, the zoo, and the Georgia Aquarium? Yeesh!

Do you know how freaking awesome a Zaza Pachulia commercial would be??? He’s a freaking fan favorite.

Atlanta Spirit can’t leave it up to the NBA to decide that JSmoove, Al, or Joe Johnson are worthy of marketing worldwide like Lebron, Carmelo, Dwight, Wade, etc. They have to do a better job highlighting the heroes we have in town and getting the city behind these guys. If someone saw Al Horford’s personality, you couldn’t help but like him. How come he’s not on TV more? Where are the newspaper articles on these guys?

The only way people start talking about the Hawks is if you already have friends that are into the Hawks, or if you decide to strike up a random conversation with someone because they’re wearing one of those free Al Horford shirts that were given away on Opening Night.

Do people even get together to watch Hawks games? Is there an official Hawks bar that we could all go to to watch away games?

Another thing that bothers the crap out of me: Why is all the gear offered in the Philips Arena team store so fugly and stupid? Aside from the jerseys, which I don’t have a problem with, there are about 2 things in that store that I would actually buy. Everything else looks like Ed Hardy throw-up. I’d love to see some classic snapback hats, more Hardwood Classics jerseys, Old-school warm ups, Varsity Jackets, Satin jackets, clean & straightforward logo tees, etc. Also, do I need to stress that I’d like to purchase these items in a NORMAL PERSON’s size Medium or Large? Why is everything in the damn store size XXL?

This season alone, I’ve attended games in New Orleans and Charlotte that have worse attendance (and even worse team gear stores) than we have in ATL. Considering the size of our city and the athletic talent we have in Atlanta, the Hawks shouldn’t be ranked that low on the attendance charts.

Being an African American female I can get this because I do have caucasian friends, male and female, who would rather sit at home then go to the playoffs when that time comes. but, this could be a touchy subject that could go either way when dealing with the big R. Though the hawks don’t broadcast enough. you barely see them on billboards so Everythingplays a factor to me.

to me, first of all, basketball is orange. The most popular American sport in the world, and the second most popular sport in the world after soccer. So I wish we talk orange as opposed to black or white – with that

Racisim does not even come to my mind as a reason for the fans not embracing the Hawks. I mean sure we are in the south, and typically south is more right wing and racist. Also we are in the south, and football is king, even for this old lion. But…

Let’s look at Falcons: Vick was the prince of Falcons for several years. In those years if you attended games at Georgia Dome, it was sold out, toughest ticket in town. Much tougher that with Matt Ryan or Vick’s predecessors. You could only get tickets on the scalping sites or from live scalpers. Why is that? With the QB being black, and not only that, a hip-hop black athlete many times in trouble with law, and the team slightly better than average. Reason is because the black community embraced him. They made the Falcons a hard ticket to obtain and supported him and Arthur. Make no mistake about it, ATL is one of the most affluent black cities in America, if not the most affluent. Just walk the downtown corridor and the black college scene. Why do you think the Housewives of ATL has 4 black women on it?

No it has nothing to do with race my dear young HawksDawgs. Because the black community in ATL would easily sell out Phillips, if they can easily sell out the Dome.

It has to do with first the product. The product that for so long was as you so kindly say been mediocre (I say it sucked). At some point, as a fan, you stop caring. That is the worst thing that can happen to a sports team. If you even look at the national stage, the Hawks games are not televised at the same rate as teams that are not even as good as them. Because we have not had a competitive product for so long we have been forgotten. And on top of that, we have not had a superstar. Fans became desensitized.

Let’s make no mistake about it, Chicago, LA, NY, Boston, always will have more exposure, more money to spend and more telecasts. But that is probably true in most sports.

In our case, our product needs to improve. The audiences will come as they are beginning to. The TV exposure will help, as the Hawks-Celtics game recently was the highest rated NBA game in some time in ATL area. Sell a viable product. That is why it is so important not to lose Joe Johnson. He is being recognized as a national level player, a role model, with a bunch of good guys around him. Lose him, and you lose the crowds that are beginning to come in. The excitement of Smoove and Horford and Marvin will keep them there. Add to that Jamal, and some new point guard (?) and you got it.

Mark my words, been there, done that, it was the same with the Hawks in the 80s. There was a time we had Roundfield and Drew and Tree. Then they drafted Nique and Wittman. slowly they got Willis, and the Doc. Then it seemed overnight, in one trade, we got Cliff Levingston/Anotinne Carr and got Webb and battle next. The people, including black community saw that. They embraced it. The white community saw it, they loved it. The rest is history.

If anything, in the intervening 20-30 years, we have grown as a community. The race thing doesn’t really mean anything in ATL. Give me a good product and I come, short of having a superstar performer. But even a superstar performer that does not win, is no guarantee to keep them the

Think about mike Vick. That guy wasn’t just black. He was in-your-face black. The African American community embraced him for being one of the few black quarterbacks at the time and not shying away from it.

The Hawks have no one that creates that buzz. No one outgoing enough off the court, and no one electric enough on the court.

The closest thing to that is Smooth, who seems to have started to try making a name for himself lately.

Of course the perception of the NBA is a factor, but overall I think it has to do with the more reserved personalities on this team.

Aside from that I would just say to be patient. It takes time to build a fan base. Remember, this is only the current Hawks’ second legitimate season. People are hesitant to support a team out of nowhere. You have to put a consistent product out year after year. And there’s the other R word (recession).

Even in the title when you say the “R” word, I was wracking my brain to figure out what you were talking about before I read your post. It’s a very interesting theory. Speaking as a black woman, I honestly never considered that. I remember a few years back when Stern attempted to “clean up” the NBA’s image by requiring the players to dress in suits before and after games. That went over really well. They give these guys speech lessons. They do everything possible to make them at least semi palatable to the general populations. It’s just not white people. If I’m watching the game with my mother, she comments on all of their tattoos more than anything else. God forbid if they have dreads!!! She’s throws a bitch fit. I don’t know. I have to mull this one over. I do think advertising is a little lacking. Yes, I see billboards around town, I rarely see commercial about the Hawks that are not on Sports South. The only reason I know a lot of stuff that’s happening with the Hawks is because I visit their website daily. Otherwise I wouldn’t know.

I know it’s hard, but how do the Cleveland Browns have the most loyal fans and the absolutely suck. They have for years. Is it because it’s football? I was born in Mississippi and around those parts it was all about high school football. When I moved here, it was all about college football. We even had a day at work where you were allowed to wear your college paraphanelia. It is insane. I hail from Brett Farve’s alma mater, but when I left that university, I left fanship right there as well.

A lot of my friends black and caucasian say the hawks suck everytime I bring them up. they don’t know the team Is improving……………

I knew racism would be a main subject. This goes to show you there are people in this town who want the culture of this city (if not the nation) to change. To change their stereotypical views of one another, or at least support their home town team with people of any ethnic background.

Granted, this recession is kicking a lot of people in the ass. And anybody who works in, travel through, lives in, or visits Atlanta already know you have to leave earlier than usual to get a parking space, a late ticket, and to avoid traffic. We all know that Nique trade was cataclysmic and along with other prominent atheletes leaving in the past. But the fact remains that more people go to Braves games, college games, and even Thrashers games more than the Hawks. Can we really put a singular reason behind the absentee fans? Probably not.

I hope the collective fan base here carries the torch and show people in this town what fandom is all about

On the one hand: When I was 6, an older male in my family flipped past a Hawks game. I wanted to watch, but he said something about “bunch of tall nigger millionaires” and kept going. And this member of my family had several lifelong black friends, so it’s not like we’re talking about a Klan member — that’s just the way generations of Southern white men have learned to speak and think of black athletes. He loved sports — even rooted for Georgia Tech basketball, but not for Dominique Wilkins’ Hawks. This is Atlanta, but Atlanta’s still Georgia.

On the other: I’d love to see the Hawks sell out every game, but those Atlanta cliches (too many transplants, too much other stuff to do, too many people live OTP) are very real. The Braves struggled to sell out while trotting out eight or nine white faces every night and winning 15 straight division titles! I’ll be surprised if we ever see an Atlanta team put up a decade of sellouts or whatever.

On the whole, I think, I 60/40 agree with you. However, as Mike Vick proved, Atlanta’s black community can just about sell out the Dome all by itself, which means it is more about sustained quality. So maybe I slightly disagree. But

Tough call. You’ve started a good discussion.

Either way, I see the Hawks doing it the right way, as far as presentation goes… embracing Atlanta, and hip-hop, and the urban side of basketball. Playing mostly hip-hop at games, Ryan Cameron as PA, etc.

Atlanta does support their teams as good as anyone, and Georgia has one of the best economies in America New York and LA just steals all the money. The reason that it doesn’t look that way for the fans is they either have long jobs, or the fact that the only big thing the city of Atlanta has won is the 90 something world series and they lost everything else so that adds depression to our city of great sports

Oh, let’s blame the few million white people for being racists and that’s why the Hawks don’t draw dick? Let’s ignore the few million people of similar race and color as those on the floor that aren’t in the stands either.

They are poorly marketed and people don’t want to spend that much money for a game. The Hawks need to do a better job of marketing and promoting their product, and probably lower prices. To blame race, seriously, in a town with millions of people who aren’t all pasty skinned? That is a complete crock of shit. It’s an idea more ignorant than the accusations it’s spitting forth.

I still think it goes back to marketing this product. Even though the Hawks have enjoyed a couple of winning seasons, I still find myself defending them to people who call them sorry. It’s like they’ve been on a different planet.

The race card can be played both ways. but its hard to blame one specific group mainly because of where we live. I admit that when at a braves game the majority is caucasian but that doesn’t mean blacks don’t like baseball. all I’m saying is that everyone knows the hawks with that 13 game season that they can’t seem to shake. They need more commercials and broadcasting…….the race subject is so touchy

Ryan, he could be the next Peyton Manning we have to keep that in mind

but really when i see basketball commercials its always Lebron Wade Dwight Kobe. Besides after bein a crappy team for a while some people still think that Hawks suck alot so alot of fans stay away

Jj is quiet and ATL is loud and about night life so I see why ATL wouldn’t take to him but more people seem to know jj and smooth and al as hawks than anyone elseon the team. and of course that big white guy named zaza lol. my friend actually called him white and me knowing better I of course told he about the georgian lol

HawksDawgs we need a post on Da Bulls. Please

I feel like I should post something, but if I do we all know that I’ll make a fanpost in the comments because of how long-winded I tend to get. Maybe tomorrow when I’m at work and have nothing to do bored.

is invading my dreams my gf does not approve

its kinda funny this thread is longer then the clippers game thread

Now that the posting has slowed, I think I will take my leave, for now. And just remember kiddies, racism is Reason #3 in favor of selective breeding.

There will always be those who remain ignorant and will refuse to change. The true tragedy is that the offspring of those individuals will grow up in an environment filled with hatred and ignorance and thus will have a significantly slim chance at intellectual free thought for themselves. They will grow up believeing the ignorant thought of their parents as being the truth and the way things should be and the viscious cycle will more likely than not continue with their children. It’s very sad to see.

However, that being said, I firmly believe that, while obviously there are those who will or will not attend sporting events because of race, it is not a large factor in the overall attendance issue in Atlanta, much less an individual team such as the Hawks. Looking into the stands at those that do show up for only a brief moment and it is clear that race is not an issue, nor age, nor social/economic stature. There are people of all ages and races wearing anything from a ratty t-shirt and jeans to three-piece suits. Personally, I think that as it relates to sporting attendance, race is so little of an issue that it isn’t worth bringing up. Those few idividuals that allow something so stupid to rule their thought process are such a minority that it wouldn’t matter what the organization did, they would still think the same way.

Race is clearly still an issue in this country, not just in one particular region, and it’s sad that it will continue to be one for years to come. However, in my experience, I’ve noticed a very promising trend in today’s younger generations that gives me hope that race will be such a small issue in my lifetime that it will essentially be a non-issue. Sure, there are still some troubling things that revolve around race, but the future is bright in the youth that will eventually replace us.

but be honest…if Phillips was in Gwinnett instead of downtown ATL, it would sell out most nights. Race does play a part, as does the fact that football is the unquestioned king of sports in the south. If more people actually lived in the city of Atlanta (like they do in Cleveland, Orlando, Boston, et. al) instead of all the assorted ATL suburbs, attendance would be a lot better.

The Philips Arena Location among the fans is a cop-out, cause everyone seems to find there way to the football games and baseball games besides other things in Atlanta(GA aquarium, college games, events, concerts) . And don’t tell me people still aren’t blowing their money anyway even though it’s a recession (don’t people still drink and club?) If we want to conclude that racism isn’t a factor than we should (if you haven’t already) commit to doing our own PR for the Hawks.

I don’t think race has anything to do with it. I think that is way off base. I think the problem comes down to the recession, ticket prices, traffic, and marketing. The recession and ticket prices go hand in hand. If you want good seats to the game you have to spit out around $75 a ticket. Then if you want to sit in the upper levels you are still throwing out a lot of money. The upper deck/lower section is $43 a ticket. Most of the people who want to go to the games are young adults/college students and money like that is hard to come by. I’m a college student and I love going to the games. If i had the money i would go to 75% of the home games. I’ve made it to 8 this year. It is just tough spitting out that kind of money for a basketball game. I know you can get $10 dollar tickets in standing room only section, but at that point i’d rather watch it on TV. I also believe the reputation of Atlanta Traffic scars a lot of people away from doing anything downtown. I’ve have heard that from a lot of people. Lastly, the marketing in the NBA is only thrown at a few people/teams. For instance if i turn it on ESPN right now I bet within 10 minutes i would see at least 2 or 3 Kobe and Lebron commercials. I would probably even see a few Dwayne Wade commercials. Those are the only three guys that get any kind of marketing from shoe companies, ESPN, and the NBA. The NBA needs to market their players better. That’s why people come to games. They see them on TV a lot, they hear about them through all kinds of things. The hype is what makes people want to come to games.

most people in the audience are not black. In fact the audience is a mixture of people from all different races and from my perspective many are white. Not that it matters what color your skin is when enjoying a professional basketball team. ??????

I agree with those who say the marketing is the issue. Some Georgians just don’t know. I know people who say “Oh the Hawks played last night” or they don’t even know the players names. Go into Footlocker and other stores and there’s not enough recognition of Hawks players. You see mostly Kobe, Dwight, Lebron, KG, and even Derrick Rose merchandise and pictures. Come on I’ve seen a few billboards but not many. You got to put it in the face of people. Get into their minds.

You mostly see Braves, Falcons, Georgia, and Georgia Tech logos everywhere. Get the Hawks logo around town and not just at the CNN/Philips Arena.