We only have 2 games on national TV this coming year.

[benhillboy]

Whatever, I'll enjoy watching my team no matter the channel. The people who come up with this stuff have expertise in following trends, reading their little ratings data and Forbes lists, and being starstruck. That's why I love the Spurs so much. You know they were crying and screaming about giving San An 19 games. I'm sure most of them feature them against their pet "large markets", to which I hope Pop continues to pull guys and still whoop ass.

I just want my dream to come true of us winning it all and only celebrating with fans ( if we clinched at home). Don't speak a single word to any media types, no locker room coverage, no trophy ceremony. Just a lot of "no comments" and pushing the camera away. Just a big "F&@k You" for all the years of disrespect and neglecting good basketball everywhere because of their market. They'll want to cover the next Big Free Agents' summer decision more anyway. Their disgusting bias won't end until a World Championship team with little to no fanfare from ESPN in the 3 major sports does this.

Edited August 14, 2014 by benhillboy

[ViperXX79]

I guess the big networks weren't sure how to market our system and cap flexibility...

[RWF]

I guess the big networks weren't sure how to market our system and cap flexibility...

 

but.......that ball movement......

[AHF]

Maybe it is easier to market watching your favorite team beat up on the Lakers than it is to market our squad...

 

Kind of like how people like to watch a dunking tank at a fair...

[Guest]

I guess the big networks weren't sure how to market our system and cap flexibility...

Hey we got the new logo on the shorts and we'll be sporting St. Louis' championship tab on the jerseys.  Yay?

[DJlaysitup]

I guess the big networks weren't sure how to market our system and cap flexibility...

Cap Flex Baby !!

[cam1218]

We will have plenty of nationally televised games come playoff time.

Until then, I'll enjoy watching my Hawks with Bob and Nique on league pass!

[ViperXX79]

We will have plenty of nationally televised games come playoff time.

Until then, I'll enjoy watching my Hawks with Bob and Nique on league pass!

 

Yeah nothing like the nation getting to see the Hawks lose in the playoffs while the announcers never even acknowledge that we're the other team playing.  Maybe one day we'll be something more than just one of the lesser teams of the 16 that get to participate in a practice series so the real contenders can figure out what they need to fix for the next round(s).

[Diesel]

Hawks will increase their views by beating people.

The fans choice on NBATV is just a wait for the conglomerate (NBATV, ESPN, ABC, TNT) to fix any mistakes they made.   We could win most of those fan choices.

[High5]

I glanced at the RealGM Raptors board when the schedules were released and one poster there said something along the lines of, "I can't think of a more boring draw for opening night than the Atlanta Hawks. Even when they were blowing us out they did it in such a boring fashion." Many people still think we're the same boring ISO team and playing without Horford against a stout Indy defense didn't fully demonstrate what our team has to offer (in addition to the overall lack of experience). Hopefully we can stay healthy in year 2 of Bud and more people will be converted into Hawks fans (at least as far as neutral entertainment is concerned). 

 

Ultimately it comes down to how well we show in the playoffs. The previous group of Hawks peaked with some decent national exposure (IIRC) with only some mediocre first round wins. We haven't been able to achieve even that recently, so obviously we're not going to be showcased on TNT/ESPN very often with everything else that's working against us (no history of success, no superstar, and minimal fan support). 

[buckeye242424]

This is a tentative schedule. It doesn't mean squat. They'll adjust accordingly depending on records, standings, injuries. LeBron tweaks his knee, out for a month... The Cavs won't be on 25 times.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

I glanced at the RealGM Raptors board when the schedules were released and one poster there said something along the lines of, "I can't think of a more boring draw for opening night than the Atlanta Hawks. Even when they were blowing us out they did it in such a boring fashion." Many people still think we're the same boring ISO team and playing without Horford against a stout Indy defense didn't fully demonstrate what our team has to offer (in addition to the overall lack of experience). Hopefully we can stay healthy in year 2 of Bud and more people will be converted into Hawks fans (at least as far as neutral entertainment is concerned).

Ultimately it comes down to how well we show in the playoffs. The previous group of Hawks peaked with some decent national exposure (IIRC) with only some mediocre first round wins. We haven't been able to achieve even that recently, so obviously we're not going to be showcased on TNT/ESPN very often with everything else that's working against us (no history of success, no superstar, and minimal fan support).

High ... you got it backwards man.

We're boring because we don't have 3 things

- a superstar type scorer who can score 30+ points in a game at any given moment

- a flashy player that makes people go "oooooooo"

- a dunked that people want to come out to see

Now look at the Hawks. We don't have that guy who can drop 30 points on somebody at any given moment. We don't have a flashy player ( Schröder may be the flashiest, but he hardly plays ). And we don't have that high flying, creative dunker. ( Hawks were LAST in the league in % of made FGs that were dunks. )

That = no box office draw ... even at home.

So it's no wonder why other fan bases sees us as "boring". And that's the driving reason why we only got 2 national TV games.

[TheNorthCydeRises]

And as much as people want to rag on the Joe Johnson/ISO era Hawks ( like they were the worst team on Earth ), they possessed 2 out those 3 elements at any given time. JJ could get you 30+ on occasion. Jamal could make you go "ooooo" with the "tricky dribble". And Josh could give you a highlight type dunk.

[High5]

High ... you got it backwards man.

We're boring because we don't have 3 things

- a superstar type scorer who can score 30+ points in a game at any given moment

- a flashy player that makes people go "oooooooo"

- a dunked that people want to come out to see

Now look at the Hawks. We don't have that guy who can drop 30 points on somebody at any given moment. We don't have a flashy player ( Schröder may be the flashiest, but he hardly plays ). And we don't have that high flying, creative dunker. ( Hawks were LAST in the league in % of made FGs that were dunks. )

That = no box office draw ... even at home.

So it's no wonder why other fan bases sees us as "boring". And that's the driving reason why we only got 2 national TV games.

 

Our team isn't boring, though. And we should be even more entertaining next season with Horford back and the team being more proficient within the offense. Sure the casual NBA fan isn't interested in any team without a superstar, but who cares? I saw a surprising amount of praise last year from fans, players, coaches, analysts, etc. for the way we played the game, especially compared to the often nauseating Joe/Josh-led Hawks. I'm talking about more true basketball fans being converted after seeing what we're capable of and getting rid of the old perception of the Hawks (and forgetting the horrible game 7 against Indy). That won't result in any big time national exposure (unless we manage a competitive ECF run), but we'll be a team that true basketball fans enjoy watching. 

[MaceCase]

We are talking about a difference of 5 nationally televised games between the "peak" Hawks that featured all of Joe, Josh and Jamal and now. The team actually had it's peak number of nat. TV games (8) in 11-12 when Jamal was already gone.

Edited August 16, 2014 by MaceCase

[noble]

Our team isn't boring, though. And we should be even more entertaining next season with Horford back and the team being more proficient within the offense. Sure the casual NBA fan isn't interested in any team without a superstar, but who cares? I saw a surprising amount of praise last year from fans, players, coaches, analysts, etc. for the way we played the game, especially compared to the often nauseating Joe/Josh-led Hawks. I'm talking about more true basketball fans being converted after seeing what we're capable of and getting rid of the old perception of the Hawks (and forgetting the horrible game 7 against Indy). That won't result in any big time national exposure (unless we manage a competitive ECF run), but we'll be a team that true basketball fans enjoy watching. 

Here is the thing though. People who want to watch that type of basketball don't bring in the money. There just isn't enough of them. Putting a team on television isn't about the fans, it is about the money those fans bring in. This means the NBA and television caters to the masses, and the masses want exciting players, exciting dunks, and not the style of basketball the Hawks play. The only way this team gets more recognition is if it makes the ECF or Championship games. If they don't make that or don't get a superstar it won't bring the masses and it won't bring the money. Plain and simple it is all about the dollars, not about the game.

[High5]

Here is the thing though. People who want to watch that type of basketball don't bring in the money. There just isn't enough of them. Putting a team on television isn't about the fans, it is about the money those fans bring in. This means the NBA and television caters to the masses, and the masses want exciting players, exciting dunks, and not the style of basketball the Hawks play. The only way this team gets more recognition is if it makes the ECF or Championship games. If they don't make that or don't get a superstar it won't bring the masses and it won't bring the money. Plain and simple it is all about the dollars, not about the game.

 

Which is what I said. But if we can play an entertaining brand of basketball and have some success in the playoffs, then it's much more likely that our games in Chicago, Cleveland, OKC, etc. get a spot on ESPN or TNT. That caters to every fan. 

 

Honestly, though, I couldn't care less about how many nationally televised games the Hawks get. Other than the fact that more games would mean we're doing something right. 

[ViperXX79]

Other than the fact that more games would mean we're doing something right. 

 

And clearly we're not...

[High5]

And clearly we're not...

 

The season hasn't started yet. Plus Memphis has been one of the best teams in the league for 3-4 years and they were only deemed worthy of one game. 

[Guest]

I - really - don't - care.

I just wanna watch the hawks play.