The Hawks’ opening-night festivities Saturday "included the unveiling of a 3-D projection system, new hi-definition scoreboard screens and sound system" and a performance by rapper T.I., according to Chris Vivlamore of the ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION. Former U.S. President Jimmy Carter "was one of the announced 19,118 in attendance" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 11/2). In Atlanta, Christian Boone wrote Hawks management "pulled out all the stops Saturday, giving away T-shirts [and] a $10 voucher for future tickets" in addition to the T.I. performance. Hawks F Elton Brand addressed the crowd before the game and said, "We’re going to make you proud on and off the court." The moves come after a "tumultuous offseason of their own making." Team Managing Partner Bruce Levenson announced his intent to sell his share of the team after the discovery of a racially tinged email, while GM Danny Ferry was suspended for racial comments made about F Luol Deng. Hawks season-ticket holder Walter Kelly said that winning "will help, but believes a change in ownership is desperately needed." Kelly: "They all need to go, not just Levenson. This ownership has been a disaster since Day 1. They need one voice, one vision." Boone noted the "enthusiastic crowd was squarely in the home team’s corner, cheering loudly whenever former players" such as Spud Webb, Kevin Willis and Basketball HOFer Dominique Wilkins "were introduced" (ATLANTA JOURNAL-CONSTITUTION, 11/2).
TARGETED ENTERTAINMENT? Hawks season-ticket holder Jon Reid said of T.I.'s pregame performance, "That was for us. The brown people." In a special to USA TODAY, Ray Giler writes the Hawks' "show business" Saturday night "was all for the sake of saving the Hawks' business." The fans "who happened to be of color" -- about 70% -- were "being wooed." The team's presentation Saturday "was a very loud 'We are very sorry.'" The Hawks' gestures, which included a $1.3M sound system and new scoreboard worth more than $1M, "seemed sincere." Giler: "The team must be sincere, or else" (USA TODAY, 11/3).
