Part of his e-mail:
Quote:
Regarding game ops, i need to start with some background. for the first couple of years we owned the team, i didn’t much focus on game ops. then one day a light bulb went off. when digging into why our season ticket base is so small, i was told it is because we can’t get 35-55 white males and corporations to buy season tixs and they are the primary demo for season tickets around the league. when i pushed further, folks generally shrugged their shoulders. then i start looking around our arena during games and notice the following:
— it’s 70 pct black
— the cheerleaders are black
— the music is hip hop
— at the bars it’s 90 pct black
— there are few fathers and sons at the games
— we are doing after game concerts to attract more fans and the concerts are either hip hop or gospel.
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I guarantee if they just invested money in the actual talent of the team and made them actual contenders then they would see a rise in ticket and merchandise and the overall value in the franchise would go up. Why the **** would anyone want to invest money in season passes for a team that sucks? The Atlanta Hawks have never had a loyal fan base because they have no real accolades or prestige. The days of Dominique Wilkins, Mutumbo, and Pistol Pete are long over and even then... there are still no banners hanging from the rafters in Philips Arena. Most of the people who do buy tickets to a Hawks game do it in interest to see the opponent. I know I do and the majority of my friends. If your team is actually winning and worth watching you don't give a **** about all the intangibles like what kind of music is playing.
Teams like the Celtics (heart2), Lakers, and Bulls are always going to have outstanding ticket sales because they're among the most successful franchises in NBA history... Nostalgia. You either need that, a superstar player, or be a current playoff contender like the Heat, Clippers, Spurs, or Thunder. The Hawks have neither.
Part of the problem of the e-mail is, is I get that he's just speaking from a business perspective, but he's willing to neglect his black consumer in order to attract his white one.
