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Atlanta Hawks: Changing Atlanta’s Pro Basketball Culture

By Jonathan Savitske

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For many, many years, the Atlanta Hawks were nothing but an afterthought in the Atlanta sports landscape.

For period from the late 1990’s to the year 2007, the Atlanta Hawks faced the nadir of their existence since they moved to the City of Atlanta in 1969. The teams coached by Lon Kruger, Terry Stotts, and Mike Woodson were hopelessly mired in basketball futility for the better part of a decade, unable to not only reach the playoffs, but capitalize on drafting top talent despite being in a position to do so.

-= Related: Atlanta Hawks: Tiago Splitter and the Front-Court Rotation =-

The 2007 season was the beginning of brighter days for the team, as the Atlanta Hawks were finally able to draft their franchise cornerstone — Al Horford. That same season, the Hawks traded for Mike Bibby, who was the first legitimate point guard the team had on its roster since Mookie Blalock.

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After a decade of irrelevance, the 2007-2008 made the playoffs as the 8th seed in the Eastern Conference. They faced the daunting task of facing the top seeded Boston Celtics in the first round of the playoffs. They took the C’s to the brink, and eventually lost the series in 7 games.

That series in 2008 lifted the Atlanta Hawks and their fans to a place they had not been in over a decade, and re-energized a lost fan base. All this passion and enthusiasm for the Atlanta Hawks was for naught, however, as the team would wallow in mediocrity for the next 6 seasons. Though the Hawks would make the playoffs for the next 6 seasons, they could not get over the hump of getting out of the Eastern Conference Semifinals, or would just simply lose in the first round of the playoffs.

All of the frustration and angst of Hawks fans would change when Danny Ferry became General Manager. He jettisoned unfriendly contracts, collected assets, and created financial flexibility on a team that for so long had become encumbered by big egos and bad signings. Ferry’s most important acquisition was no doubt was offering Mike Budenholzer the Atlanta Hawk’s head coaching position.

“The Atlanta Hawks have gone from being the prodigal sons of Atlanta sports to being the crown jewel of the city.”

Budenholzer, an acolyte of the great Gregg Popovich for over 18 years in San Antonio, brought an unselfish brand of basketball to the Atlanta Hawks, and with Ferry’s vision for the team, acquired players that bought into the system for the greater benefit of the team.

Another signing by the Atlanta Hawks that tends to go unnoticed, but is no less salient to their success is the leadership of President and CEO Steve Koonin. A longtime veteran of Atlanta-based Turner Broadcasting and Coca-Cola, Koonin understands Atlanta better than anyone, and provides invaluable insight on how to properly market and alter the Atlanta Hawks’ perception in the City of Atlanta that for so long had been merely an afterthought.

After achieving a number 1 seed in the East and winning 60 games last season, coupled with Koonin’s efforts to increase attendance, the Atlanta Hawks have gone from afterthought to Atlanta’s team. One can argue that the Braves will always be Atlantans go to franchise, but the excitement and passion that the Atlanta Hawks generated last season permeated every corner of the city, energizing a long-lost fan base and welcoming new fanatics on board the hype train.

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By introducing new, cutting edge uniforms, it is clear that Koonin and the Atlanta Hawks front-office truly cares about what its fans have to say and what they want to see on the team. Attendance increased last season, and season ticket sales for next year are already above the league average — in July. This is a far cry from the team three seasons ago under Larry Drew that struggled to put fans in the seats at Philips Arena, despite being a playoff team.

On Saturday, both Steve Koonin and Mike Budenholzer posted a letter in the Atlanta Journal Constitution, thanking fans for their support while also talking about how creating an environment of sustainable success is of paramount importance to them. Both Bud and Koonin have shown their dedication to the City of Atlanta and the surrounding community. Now with new owner Tony Ressler looking to renovate Philips Arena or even construct a new stadium, it is amazing to see an ownership group that actually cares about the team and its fans.

This, Hawks fans, is a dramatic shift in the culture of professional basketball in our city. The Atlanta Hawks have gone from being the prodigal sons of Atlanta sports to being the crown jewel of the city. They are a model of franchise management and put a winning product on the court. I’m very thankful for both Bud and Koonin, and hope they can continue to propel the franchise to new heights in the years to come.

Next: Atlanta Hawks: Patterson and Petteway Invited to Training Camp

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