Hawks Co-Owner "black crowd scared away whites"
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ATLANTA -- Atlanta Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Sunday he is selling his controlling interest in the team, in part due to an inflammatory email he said he wrote in an attempt "to bridge Atlanta's racial sports divide."
Levenson said he regrets the email sent to the team's co-owners and general manager Danny Ferry two years ago as "inappropriate and offensive." In a statement released by the team, Levenson said he sent the email due to his concerns about low attendance and a need to attract suburban whites.
He says he later realized the email made it seem white fans were more important. He voluntarily reported the email to the NBA.
"I have said repeatedly that the NBA should have zero tolerance for racism, and I strongly believe that to be true," Levenson said in the statement. "That is why I voluntarily reported my inappropriate e-mail to the NBA.
"After much long and difficult contemplation, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the team, the Atlanta community, and the NBA to sell my controlling interest in the Hawks franchise."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Sunday the league will work with the Hawks ownership group and CEO Steve Koonin, who now will oversee all team operations.
Silver said the league's independent investigation "regarding the circumstances of Mr. Levenson's comments" in the email was ongoing. Silver said he was told Saturday night of Levenson's plan to sell his share of the team.
Silver said he supported Levenson's decision.
"As Mr. Levenson acknowledged, the views he expressed are entirely unacceptable and are in stark contrast to the core principles of the National Basketball Association," Silver said. "He shared with me how truly remorseful he is for using those hurtful words and how apologetic he is to the entire NBA family -- fans, players, team employees, business partners and fellow team owners -- for having diverted attention away from our game.
"I commend Mr. Levenson for self-reporting to the league office, for being fully cooperative with the league and its independent investigator, and for putting the best interests of the Hawks, the Atlanta community, and the NBA first."
In the email sent in August 2012, Levenson shared his observations of the fan experience at Hawks games. He said he concluded "southern whites" were uncomfortable at games.
"My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base," Levenson said in the email released Sunday by the Hawks.
"Please don't get me wrong. There was nothing threatening going on in the arena back then. I never felt uncomfortable, but I think southern whites simply were not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they were in the minority."
Levenson said Hawks crowds are 70-percent black, the team's cheerleaders are black and hip-hop music was played.
"Then I start looking around at other arenas," Levenson said. "It is completely different."
Levenson said he often heard fans say the area around Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta is dangerous.
"This was just racist garbage," Levenson said. "When I hear some people saying the arena is in the wrong place I think it is code for there are too many blacks at the games."
Though he said he disagreed with the conclusion, he said he told team executives to add white cheerleaders and music "familiar to a 40-year-old white guy."
Added Levenson in the email: "I have even ? that the kiss cam is too black."
Though the NBA investigation of the email was ongoing, Levenson apparently concluded he couldn't continue in his ownership role.
"If you're angry about what I wrote, you should be," Levenson said in Sunday's statement. "I'm angry at myself, too. It was inflammatory nonsense. We all may have subtle biases and preconceptions when it comes to race, but my role as a leader is to challenge them, not to validate or accommodate those who might hold them."
Levenson said he regrets the email sent to the team's co-owners and general manager Danny Ferry two years ago as "inappropriate and offensive." In a statement released by the team, Levenson said he sent the email due to his concerns about low attendance and a need to attract suburban whites.
He says he later realized the email made it seem white fans were more important. He voluntarily reported the email to the NBA.
"I have said repeatedly that the NBA should have zero tolerance for racism, and I strongly believe that to be true," Levenson said in the statement. "That is why I voluntarily reported my inappropriate e-mail to the NBA.
"After much long and difficult contemplation, I have decided that it is in the best interests of the team, the Atlanta community, and the NBA to sell my controlling interest in the Hawks franchise."
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Sunday the league will work with the Hawks ownership group and CEO Steve Koonin, who now will oversee all team operations.
Silver said the league's independent investigation "regarding the circumstances of Mr. Levenson's comments" in the email was ongoing. Silver said he was told Saturday night of Levenson's plan to sell his share of the team.
Silver said he supported Levenson's decision.
"As Mr. Levenson acknowledged, the views he expressed are entirely unacceptable and are in stark contrast to the core principles of the National Basketball Association," Silver said. "He shared with me how truly remorseful he is for using those hurtful words and how apologetic he is to the entire NBA family -- fans, players, team employees, business partners and fellow team owners -- for having diverted attention away from our game.
"I commend Mr. Levenson for self-reporting to the league office, for being fully cooperative with the league and its independent investigator, and for putting the best interests of the Hawks, the Atlanta community, and the NBA first."
In the email sent in August 2012, Levenson shared his observations of the fan experience at Hawks games. He said he concluded "southern whites" were uncomfortable at games.
"My theory is that the black crowd scared away the whites and there are simply not enough affluent black fans to build a significant season ticket base," Levenson said in the email released Sunday by the Hawks.
"Please don't get me wrong. There was nothing threatening going on in the arena back then. I never felt uncomfortable, but I think southern whites simply were not comfortable being in an arena or at a bar where they were in the minority."
Levenson said Hawks crowds are 70-percent black, the team's cheerleaders are black and hip-hop music was played.
"Then I start looking around at other arenas," Levenson said. "It is completely different."
Levenson said he often heard fans say the area around Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta is dangerous.
"This was just racist garbage," Levenson said. "When I hear some people saying the arena is in the wrong place I think it is code for there are too many blacks at the games."
Though he said he disagreed with the conclusion, he said he told team executives to add white cheerleaders and music "familiar to a 40-year-old white guy."
Added Levenson in the email: "I have even ? that the kiss cam is too black."
Though the NBA investigation of the email was ongoing, Levenson apparently concluded he couldn't continue in his ownership role.
"If you're angry about what I wrote, you should be," Levenson said in Sunday's statement. "I'm angry at myself, too. It was inflammatory nonsense. We all may have subtle biases and preconceptions when it comes to race, but my role as a leader is to challenge them, not to validate or accommodate those who might hold them."
Comments
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Whites are afraid of overly flamboyant ? black men from Atlanta
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He sure it's not the fact that The Hawks can't ever get any marquee players? They don't even sell out until other stars come into town. That needs to be addressed.
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Now take a guess IC as to why he self reported the emails.
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another white man not taking responsibility for his fukk ups.
but its easy to blame black people
or it could be the new way to sell your team.
seems being racist will get you a billion and reconciled with your wife on the beach
he did volunteer his inappropriate email
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I honestly think this is a a ploy to sell his team
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white people makes jokes of black peoples reality to make money.
hes losing money so use races to be forced to sell to make his profit.
this is white thinking.
he should not be forced to sell and atlanta should boycott all his games so he loses more money -
LOL @ the kiss cam being to black
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Ghostdenithegawd wrote: »I honestly think this is a a ploy to sell his team
This. Hawks are valued at 300million. I'm sure you could at least sell for 800 million at the lowest and to make it extra nice if the new owner decides to move back to Seattle the net worth of the team will jump
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Yall are right though I think dude wants to sell the team and has a buyer already in mind (may have already even discussed it) thats ready to drop 3Xs what he paid for it
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It never made sense for Atlanta to have a hockey team
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He got out in front of this. I'm sure it was about to be released anyway.
I won't go so far as to say hes racist because he actually based all this on objective research and not on how he personally feels (like Sterling did).
The racism is in the white community of Atlanta that refuse to support the team...even though I'm sure the lack of marquee players have a share of the blame as well. -
They always scared. Its them not us.
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There's nothing grown&sexy about this, tf
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Nothing to see here...just whites folks being white.
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Hawks have had a boring team for years. That's why no one gives a ? a the game. ATL teams forever get their fans hopes up, just to lose in the playoff. Word to the braves. If Jordan to run to a billi of some ? shoes, you can market and make money off of black folks. Ask Tyler Perry, ask Jayz, ask Jimmy and Dre. You gotta to give the people something to get excited about. Jeff Teague and Nene...get the ? outta here.
As much as I like Matt Ryan this is the ? honest truth
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And this email is the perfect example why there was no way in hell that the vote to oust Donald Sterling would have been 100%, as some people would want you to believe. The ? structure neither wants nor respects black people. It doesn't matter how much money you have or how influential you think you may be, its ALWAYS about race, even when it appears to be about capital..it still is based on race, period.
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Just realized I said Nene, that ? play for the wizard. See..don't even know who plays for the hawks...lol
paul millsap, al horford and elton brand -
Just realized I said Nene, that ? play for the wizard. See..don't even know who plays for the hawks...lol
? cuh I thought u meant that tall ? from Atlanta housewives -
I think it is more that its a mediocre team. There s also lots of things to do in the area. He was about to be ousted. No one self reports
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i really dont see whats so bad about the email.
there are a lot of truths spoken, which appear to be based on observations not assumptions.
the atmosphere at Hawks games is something i've known about for at least 10 years
because i follow the nba.
observations based on race does not equal racism
so i concur that its gotta be a ploy to sell the team for a profit,
or he was about to be exposed so he got out ahead of it -
ion give a ?
he said ? people already know.
rich white people scared of a lotta black people.
its not the same as "i dont want black people in my arena" -
I think he did this to force a quick sale after seeing the clippers sell for 2 bil.
Even though he revealed it himself i hope mark cuban ? ass is next. -
thing is how do you reveal yourself