Hawks added almost 1,000 fans per game during their first season in the renovated State Farm ArenaNBAE/GETTY IMAGES
Hawks CEO Steve Koonin said that the team's season-ticket sales are "up 70% from this time last year, with a majority of growth coming in premium-seating areas," according to Eric Jackson of the ATLANTA BUSINESS CHRONICLE. The Hawks had a "busy offseason," signing free agent F Jabari Parker and acquiring G Evan Turner and F Chandler Parsons via trade. As the team's "performance gradually improves, filling up seats will continue to take time for the Hawks, who finished last season averaging 15,327 fans per home game." However, the Hawks "did see minor improvement, adding almost 1,000 more fans per game" in their first season in the renovated State Farm Arena. Koonin attributes the rise in season-ticket sales "not just to the buzz around his team," but the entire NBA overall. He said, "There's a tremendous amount of excitement in the market place, and it's reflected in sales. I've been an NBA fan and around the game through business for 30 years. I've never seen it as popular" (BIZJOURNALS.com, 7/21).
