Will there BE....

[Diesel]

Here's the question that I and all of the ASG have...

IF they resign the Joshes...

Will the Hawks have close to the same fan support on home games that they had for the playoff series...

And if not, what would it take to get that during the regular season?

[tmac13]

Playing with consistent intensity and winning.

[capstone21]

win games.

[Deeman]

We have a chance to be the #1 team in the city. Braves suck right now Falcolns are going to suck, I dont know much about hockey but I heard the Trashers suck.

[coachx]

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Here's the question that I and all of the ASG have...

IF they resign the Joshes...

Will the Hawks have close to the same fan support on home games that they had for the playoff series...

And if not, what would it take to get that during the regular season?

You will never see that playoff intensity in the regular season.

However if the Hawks are over .500 I believe they will see a big spike in attandence and in atmosphere. Seems I read they have already doubled their season ticket fan base from last year. (Not sure if that meant it went from 100 to 200, LOL, or 4,000 to 8,000.

Heck, if they resign Smoove and keep Chillz (or replace Chillz with a shooter and a big) I am buying season tickets the next day or at least a 13 game package. But there is no way I burn $2,000 or more on season tickets with the possibility Chillz is stolen from us with no reimbursment

[Swatguy]

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Here's the question that I and all of the ASG have...

IF they resign the Joshes...

Will the Hawks have close to the same fan support on home games that they had for the playoff series...

And if not, what would it take to get that during the regular season?

Of course it depends on what the rest of the off-season brings, coupled with the marketing package.

If for instance the Hawks deal Marvin, Bibby and the '10 pick for 'Melo and Anthony Carter (with fillings), there will be 10,000+ season ticket owners.

Which will mean sellouts in November and December.

Without a blockbuster deal, deft marketing will be needed to fill Philips with fannies.

[Diesel]

The people I talk to in the city that are not Hawks fans noticed the playoffs. However, before that... even when we were winning ( Lenny Wilkens) didn't notice the Hawks. It was something about that time that brought an excitement to the city. I suppose that it can be redone.. but at the same time, I think some investments should be made. ASG should have visited some places like Utah, Detroit, or Dallas to see what they did to keep fans in seats.

[Vol4ever]

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The people I talk to in the city that are not Hawks fans noticed the playoffs. However, before that... even when we were winning ( Lenny Wilkens) didn't notice the Hawks. It was something about that time that brought an excitement to the city. I suppose that it can be redone.. but at the same time, I think some investments should be made. ASG should have visited some places like Utah, Detroit, or Dallas to see what they did to keep fans in seats.

If you go back to the past years and check the attendance figures the city of Atlanta has never really supported the Hawks on a nightly basis. Now when the Hawks were wining and in the playoffs those games were good attendance figures.

BUT

Overall the city has not really supported the Hawks in the stands. Don't believe me? Go back and check.

[Swatguy]

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The people I talk to in the city that are not Hawks fans noticed the playoffs. However, before that... even when we were winning ( Lenny Wilkens) didn't notice the Hawks. It was something about that time that brought an excitement to the city. I suppose that it can be redone.. but at the same time, I think some investments should be made. ASG should have visited some places like Utah, Detroit, or Dallas to see what they did to keep fans in seats.

If you go back to the past years and check the attendance figures the city of Atlanta has never really supported the Hawks on a nightly basis. Now when the Hawks were wining and in the playoffs those games were good attendance figures.

BUT

Overall the city has not really supported the Hawks in the stands. Don't believe me? Go back and check.

I believe the city supports the team more than the suburbs.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I'm glad you typed this, and not me. ATL fans know what's up.

If Hawk fans don't support the team at home, they cannot complain when we have 5,000 empty seats in the arena, or 5,000 "star-watching" fans that root for the other team's superstar.

The question is . . . are people going to wait until December, and see if the Hawks are winning or not, to support the team?

I guess november will be like last year, where Hawks fans showed up for just the big name teams, while the lesser name teams didn't have to worry about a distinct home court advantage against them.

[Diesel]

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The people I talk to in the city that are not Hawks fans noticed the playoffs. However, before that... even when we were winning ( Lenny Wilkens) didn't notice the Hawks. It was something about that time that brought an excitement to the city. I suppose that it can be redone.. but at the same time, I think some investments should be made. ASG should have visited some places like Utah, Detroit, or Dallas to see what they did to keep fans in seats.

If you go back to the past years and check the attendance figures the city of Atlanta has never really supported the Hawks on a nightly basis. Now when the Hawks were wining and in the playoffs those games were good attendance figures.

BUT

Overall the city has not really supported the Hawks in the stands. Don't believe me? Go back and check.

Yeah...

But before, there was the OMNI...

The crime element of downtown.

The raggedy orange seats.

No luxury boxes.

The poor food vendors .

Etc.

Now, there's the Phil.

The Phil is a step up...

However, we have not put a winning team in the Phil yet.

Moreover, the prices are sky high.

I'm saying that if the Hawks were marketed better.

If the fans were treated better.

If there were some deals.

If the Marketing took advantage of some of our stars...

Then this is a great time to take over this city.

But if they come back to the same team.

Same trip to the same phil... then probably not.

[gsuteke]

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The people I talk to in the city that are not Hawks fans noticed the playoffs.

I talked about this very thing with a friend of mine last week while on a business trip in Greensboro. He's from Charleston, could care less about the Hawks.

Something came across the TV and me going to Game 3 came up. He said that place was going crazy. I asked him, "like it was in Boston?" He said no, Phillips was off the charts.

So the answer to your question D is "No." It cannot be duplicated.

I would be suprised if the Hawks sell out 1/2 their games next year.

[Swish]

I don't think the atmosphere from 3,4,6 can be entirely duplicated. That was probably the most amazing crowd performance I have ever seen. We can sell out, but it won't be like that till we make the playoffs again. It was a combo of first time playoffs in a decade, playing the Celtics and beating the crap out of them.

[Diesel]

I wouldn't be surprised to see us have a strong atmosphere for the home opener... Sorta like a curtain call.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Yeah...

But before, there was the OMNI...

The crime element of downtown.

The raggedy orange seats.

No luxury boxes.

The poor food vendors .

Etc.

Now, there's the Phil.

The Phil is a step up...

However, we have not put a winning team in the Phil yet.

Moreover, the prices are sky high.

I'm saying that if the Hawks were marketed better.

If the fans were treated better.

If there were some deals.

If the Marketing took advantage of some of our stars...

Then this is a great time to take over this city.

But if they come back to the same team.

Same trip to the same phil... then probably not.

This is what gets me. It's always an excuse to NOT support the team.

The Hawks won 28 out of 44 regular season and playoff home games. Fans in ATL left Philips HAPPY more times than not.

Oh . . you forgot all of the transplants from different cities, as to why people don't support the Hawks.

Might as well get all of the excuses out the way.

[Diesel]

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Yeah...

But before, there was the OMNI...

The crime element of downtown.

The raggedy orange seats.

No luxury boxes.

The poor food vendors .

Etc.

Now, there's the Phil.

The Phil is a step up...

However, we have not put a winning team in the Phil yet.

Moreover, the prices are sky high.

I'm saying that if the Hawks were marketed better.

If the fans were treated better.

If there were some deals.

If the Marketing took advantage of some of our stars...

Then this is a great time to take over this city.

But if they come back to the same team.

Same trip to the same phil... then probably not.

This is what gets me. It's always an excuse to NOT support the team.

The Hawks won 28 out of 44 regular season and playoff home games. Fans in ATL left Philips HAPPY more times than not.

Oh . . you forgot all of the transplants from different cities, as to why people don't support the Hawks.

Might as well get all of the excuses out the way.

Nobody is making excuses to not support the team. I'm pointing out reasons why people aren't supporting the team consistently. You need to get off your high horse. What I'm saying is that there are teams in different cities with the same problems, higher prices, and sometimes not as good a teams and they still can fill the arena. The Hawks need to find the model of what others have done. My question is what are some of the things that other teams are doing to get fan involvement that we aren't. Now if you want to quit your pissing contest I think that the conversation would be a little more fruitful.

[DrReality]

Gas prices are going to impact the attendance, that's reality.

my first thought was: Za to bring attitude.

[Iman]

This year's home playoff crowds were just plain goofy. It was more like a UFC fight crowd than a basketball crowd. For the first game there were plenty of Celtic fans and this strange Hawks crowd fed off that as well as all the other factors. One of the strangest things was the crowd occasionally practically spontaneous would get loud and the next thing you know the Hawks would go on a run. It was contagious. I think a good number of fights with Celtic and Hawks fans broke out, I nearly saw one right in front of me but the Celtic fans backed down. By the second and third home game, barely any Celtic fans remained. By the third game I was sick of "high-fiving" all the new Hawks fans that were just plain goofy/happy. I guess I was realistic and knew that we couldn't win in Boston so what did it really matter.

Opening night is always packed as are the Lakers and a few other games. This year I see much better crowds, probably 2k more per night. However, I think the crazy fan thing was much like what happened the first year the Braves broke out, it happened the first year but never again.

[Chris18]

I think we can replicate the game 3 atmosphere during most regular season games if they are sold out or very close to it but if we want a game 6 atmosphere we need to reach the level that the Magic are on. If we can improve our record above .500 the fans would come out to games and we could develop a Utah Jazz like home court advantage.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

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Nobody is making excuses to not support the team. I'm pointing out reasons why people aren't supporting the team consistently. You need to get off your high horse. What I'm saying is that there are teams in different cities with the same problems, higher prices, and sometimes not as good a teams and they still can fill the arena. The Hawks need to find the model of what others have done. My question is what are some of the things that other teams are doing to get fan involvement that we aren't. Now if you want to quit your pissing contest I think that the conversation would be a little more fruitful.

F--- a "high horse" Diesel. The answer is staring you right in the face, but a lot of you don't want to see it or admit to it.

It has NOTHING to do with the marketing of the team.

It has EVERYTHING to do with fans being passionate about the team, NO MATTER WHAT.

Wrigley Field isn't the most luxurious place in the world. And God knows that the Cubs are good maybe once every 10 years. Yet, people still pack that place, regardless of what the Cubs do on the field.

The crowds you speak of will only come in Atlanta, if this team becomes a top 5 team and exciting to watch . . because that's the only way A-Town gets excited about a sports team. You not only have to win, you have to win with some flash.

Even though the 90s version of JJ, Mitch Richmond, played on all of those sorry Kings teams, Arco Arena almost ALWAYS sold out .. . because they supported the Kings unconditionally.

I mean, what can the Hawks marketing team do, that they're not doing already?

- they have in-game promotions tha let the fans win prizes and money

- they have post-game concerts ranging from rap to gospel

- they do all the little entertainment gimmicks that every other arena does ( news flash Hawks fans: EVERYBODY does the "Kiss Cam" )

- they discount ticket prices all the time

- the owners come to THIS SITE and offer ticket deals us die-hards about 2 - 3 times a year.

- they aggressively go after anybody that purchase a ticket online, and try to sell them season ticket packages or partial packs

- they pretty much give tickets away to corporations and youth groups

- they've even REFUNDED season tickets to people after a team that was a supposed "lock" to make the playoffs, didn't

So tell me Diesel, WTF are the marketing people supposed to do to gain fan interest?

The only thing management can do is try to put a winning product out on the floor. But the fans want management to spend the money first, before they support the team.

And all the team can do, is win . . . especially at home.

Diesel, the problem are the fans themselves, that don't care enough about the Hawks to make it a point to show up as much as they can.

It has to start with the die-hards first . . . then it might trickle down to the fans that care, but don't spend the money to watch the team live. From there, it might go to the casual fan that used to only show up to watch whenever there was a big name player in town.

It's the fans who give a damn, that have to try to make Philips a very difficult place to play on a nightly basis.

We won over 60% of our home games last year. I guess we need to do like Utah did lst year, and win 85+% of our home games, in order for Philips to be a big time home court advantage for the Hawks.