This situation reminds me way back to the 80s when Larry Bird came in to save basketball because of the abysmal ratings it had at the time. In the 1970s almost 98% of basketball players were Black and it didn't sit too well with White America where they saw legendary teams like the Knicks, and the Lakers be 100% Black. White Americans stopped watching basketball and ratings plummeted in the 70s. The owner of the Boston Celtics at the time pushed for an all White team and started by drafting Larry Bird. Larry Bird came into the Celtics off the bat being a monster, talking trash and not afraid of anybody and gave white America a reason to watch again (that Great White Hope) and it virtually saved basketball from total extinction. Over the years the Celtics became an all white team and all of a sudden the Celtics became "America's team" and Magic Johnson became the villain sort of speak (outside of LA). Race played a HUGE part in making of the NBA what it is today, even Larry Bird was offended when opposing teams would put a white guy to guard him. Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were very aware of what they represented in the 80s and understood the racial politics at the time.
I see a similar situation ensuing in Atlanta. Maybe a white player or superstar can help with more white attendance. Lets be honest, people take great pride seeing someone who looks like them tear it up in the sports arena of any race. We're tribal by nature as you can see in the Michael Brown case. At the same time, I'm not sure if this guy has trouble selling seats or if he has a problem with the color of the people on these seats. If he is selling tickets and making money, why would it matter if the people on the stands are Black or not? I side with Jariel, there is a huge Black community in Atlanta and no one seems to point that out. So what if they are Black? What's the problem?
I honestly don't think it was his intent to be racist and in no way at the same level of bigotry as Donald Sterling. I just think subconsciously he has many racial entrenched biases that many white Americans have of Blacks like "they are all poor and can't pay" or "hip-pop=Black" (70% of all rap albums are bought by whites) or there aren't any "affluent Blacks" and many others.
I see a similar situation ensuing in Atlanta. Maybe a white player or superstar can help with more white attendance. Lets be honest, people take great pride seeing someone who looks like them tear it up in the sports arena of any race. We're tribal by nature as you can see in the Michael Brown case. At the same time, I'm not sure if this guy has trouble selling seats or if he has a problem with the color of the people on these seats. If he is selling tickets and making money, why would it matter if the people on the stands are Black or not? I side with Jariel, there is a huge Black community in Atlanta and no one seems to point that out. So what if they are Black? What's the problem?
I honestly don't think it was his intent to be racist and in no way at the same level of bigotry as Donald Sterling. I just think subconsciously he has many racial entrenched biases that many white Americans have of Blacks like "they are all poor and can't pay" or "hip-pop=Black" (70% of all rap albums are bought by whites) or there aren't any "affluent Blacks" and many others.