90-799: Omni Coliseum (often called The Omni ) was an indoor arena in Atlanta , Georgia , United States . Completed in 1972, the arena seated 16,378 for basketball and 15,278 for hockey . It was part of the Omni Complex, now known as the CNN Center . It was the home arena for the Atlanta Hawks of the National Basketball Association from 1972 until the arena's closure in 1997, and the Atlanta Flames of
180-523: A 28–54 record. In 2003, Atlanta hosted the All-Star game, the last an Eastern Conference team would host for nine years. On March 31, 2004, the team was sold to a group of executives by the name of Atlanta Spirit LLC by Time Warner (who inherited the Hawks, Braves and Thrashers upon its merger with Turner Broadcasting in 1996). During the off-season, the Hawks sent Jason Terry , Alan Henderson , and
270-673: A 50–39 victory over the Syracuse Nationals – was played on November 8, 1946. On the team was William "Pop" Gates , who, along with William "Dolly" King , was one of the first two African-American players in the NBL. The team, which needed to draw 3,600 fans per game to break even, struggled to draw 1,000 fans per game to the Auditorium. The franchise lasted only 38 days (13 games) in Buffalo when, on December 25, 1946, Leo Ferris ,
360-562: A Western Division-best 49–23 record, helping him capture his second MVP award. The Hawks remained one of the NBA's premier teams for the next decade. In 1960, under coach Ed Macauley , the team advanced to the Finals , but lost to the Celtics in another game seven thriller. The following year, with the acquisition of rookie Lenny Wilkens , the Hawks repeated their success, but met the Celtics in
450-531: A condition of their sale. Additionally, Atlanta mayor Kasim Reed stated that the city might offer incentives for a prospective owner to keep the Hawks in Atlanta for another 30 years. On April 22, 2015, Atlanta Spirit reached a tentative agreement to sell the franchise to a group led by billionaire Tony Ressler (with Grant Hill , Steven Price , Rick Schnall , Sara Blakely , Jesse Itzler and Ressler's wife Jami Gertz holding minority stakes) for $ 850 million;
540-451: A double-overtime thriller in game seven. In 1958, after tallying their first winning record, they again advanced to the Finals , where they avenged their defeat against the Celtics from the previous year, winning the series 4–2 and giving the Hawks their first and only NBA Championship. Bob Pettit scored 50 points in the final game of the series. The following season Bob Pettit led the Hawks to
630-602: A future 2nd-round pick to the Golden State Warriors in exchange for Jeremy Tyler , who was waived 15 days later. The Hawks ended the 2012–13 season with a 44–38 record, making a playoff appearance for the sixth straight season. However, they were eliminated by the Indiana Pacers in six games in the first round. By the end of the off-season, every player involved in the Johnson and Williams trades just
720-478: A future first-round draft pick to the Dallas Mavericks for Antoine Walker and Tony Delk . After the change in ownership, the Hawks still struggled. In the 2004–05 season , the Hawks were the league's worst team with a mere 13 victories (five fewer than even the expansion Charlotte Bobcats and the struggling New Orleans Hornets ). It was also the year Josh Smith won the 2005 Slam Dunk Contest. In
810-521: A losing record, they managed to make the playoffs for the first time since 1999 . In the playoffs the Hawks started to show improvement, pushing the eventual NBA Champions, Boston Celtics , to a Game 7 before losing in Boston. The Hawks won all three games at Philips Arena, which hosted its first playoff games and earned its first sellout. The 2008–09 season saw the Hawks win 47 games, their first winning season since 1999. With almost an intact lineup from
900-463: A merger of the 12-year-old NBL and the three-year-old Basketball Association of America (BAA). They reached the playoffs in the NBA's inaugural year under the leadership of coach Red Auerbach . The following season, they drafted three-time All-American Bob Cousy , but they were unable to reach a deal and traded him to the Chicago Stags (who would later surrender him in a dispersal draft to
990-528: A multitude of spectators. The word derives from Latin harena , a particularly fine-grained sand that covered the floor of ancient arenas such as the Colosseum in Rome , Italy, to absorb blood. The term arena is sometimes used as a synonym for a very large venue such as Pasadena's Rose Bowl , but such a facility is typically called a stadium . The use of one term over the other has mostly to do with
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#17327900936211080-589: A new arena was being constructed, the team spent its first four seasons playing at Alexander Memorial Coliseum on the campus of Georgia Tech , winning their first Division title in the 1969–70 season with a 48–34 (.585) record in the Western Division. Cousins' firm soon developed the Omni Coliseum , a 16,500-seat, state-of-the-art downtown Atlanta arena, for the Hawks and the expansion Atlanta Flames ice hockey franchise, which opened in 1972 as
1170-469: A new arena. The Omni was designed with weathering steel that was intended to rust into a seal around the arena so it could last for decades. However, the designers and architects did not reckon on Atlanta's humid subtropical climate. As a result, it never stopped rusting, and looked somewhat dated despite being 25 years old. When Turner won an NHL franchise, the Atlanta Thrashers , one condition
1260-627: A steal in a loss to the New Jersey Nets . After the game he was dealt to the Detroit Pistons in a three-way trade with the Boston Celtics . In turn, Detroit sent guard Bob Sura , center Željko Rebrača , and a first-round draft pick to the Hawks. The Boston Celtics also sent forward Chris Mills to Atlanta to complete the deal, but Mills never had a chance to play in a Hawks uniform. The Hawks ended their 2003–04 season with
1350-563: A step back in the 2010–11 season, finishing with 44 wins, even though Horford and Johnson were named to the All-Star team. In mid-season the Hawks traded Mike Bibby to the Washington Wizards for Kirk Hinrich , in hopes of bringing a defensive guard to replace the defensively liable Bibby. The Hawks finished the season losing their final six games. In the playoffs the Hawks beat the Magic in six games; however, they subsequently lost to
1440-536: A year earlier were either waived or not brought back. The 2013 free agency period also marked the end of the Josh Smith era for Atlanta as he signed a contract with the Detroit Pistons . Longtime Hawk Zaza Pachulia moved on as well and signed with the Milwaukee Bucks . With half the roster gone, 2012–13 proved to be a roster turnover year, paving a path to success for Mike Budenholzer. On May 28, 2013,
1530-454: The 1961 NBA Finals again and lost in five games. They would remain contenders for most of the 1960s, advancing deep into the playoffs and also capturing several division titles. Despite the success, Kerner became weary of the Hawks' longtime home, Kiel Auditorium . The 33-year-old arena seated only 10,000 and was starting to show its age. The Hawks occasionally played at the larger St. Louis Arena , mostly against popular opponents, but Kerner
1620-543: The 2012 NBA draft , the Hawks chose guard John Jenkins with the 23rd pick and power forward Mike Scott with the 43rd pick. On July 2, 2012, the Hawks traded leading scorer and All-Star Joe Johnson to the Brooklyn Nets for Jordan Farmar , Anthony Morrow , DeShawn Stevenson , Jordan Williams and Johan Petro , as well as a 2013 first-round pick. That same day, the Hawks traded small forward Marvin Williams to
1710-611: The Boston Celtics when the Stags folded). The Blackhawks finished last in the Western Division and missed the playoffs. By then, it was obvious that the Tri-Cities area was too small to support an NBA team. After the season, the franchise relocated to Milwaukee , and became the Milwaukee Hawks . In 1954, the Hawks drafted Bob Pettit , a future NBA MVP. Despite this, the Hawks were one of the league's worst teams, and in 1955
1800-682: The Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in six games. In August 2011, it was announced that California-based businessman Alex Meruelo was buying a majority stake of the Hawks, but in November he backed out of his intentions. In December 2011, the Hawks signed Tracy McGrady , Jerry Stackhouse , Jason Collins , Vladimir Radmanovic , Jannero Pargo , and Willie Green . They also picked up rookies Donald Sloan and 27-year-old Ivan Johnson . Sloan
1890-690: The Denver Nuggets of the American Basketball Association (ABA) and never played for the Hawks. Cable network entrepreneur and Atlanta Braves owner Ted Turner bought the team in 1977 and hired Hubie Brown to become head coach. The Hawks were the only NBA team in the Deep South, just as the Atlanta Braves were the only Major League Baseball team in the region for many years to come. Turner's ownership
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#17327900936211980-478: The Georgia Dome used for larger-capacity games, until Philips Arena opened before the 1999–2000 season. The Hawks had two 50+ win seasons in 1996–97 (56–26) and 1997–98 (50–32), with center Dikembe Mutombo winning defensive player of the year awards back to back. The Hawks defeated the Detroit Pistons in five games in the first round of the 1997 NBA playoffs, but lost in five games in the second round to
2070-477: The Georgia Dome . Indoor arena An arena is a large enclosed platform, often circular or oval-shaped, designed to showcase theatre , musical performances , and/or sporting events . It is composed of a large open space surrounded on most or all sides by tiered seating for spectators, and may be covered by a roof. The key feature of an arena is that the event space is the lowest point, allowing maximum visibility. Arenas are usually designed to accommodate
2160-691: The NBA Finals in 1957, 1960 and 1961. The Hawks played the Boston Celtics in all four of their trips to the NBA Finals. The St. Louis Hawks moved to Atlanta on May 3, 1968, when Kerner sold the franchise to Thomas Cousins and former Georgia Governor Carl Sanders . The Hawks currently own the second-longest drought (behind the Sacramento Kings ) of not winning an NBA championship at 64 seasons. The franchise's lone NBA championship, as well as all four NBA Finals appearances, occurred when
2250-789: The National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference . The team plays its home games at State Farm Arena . The team's origins can be traced to the establishment of the Buffalo Bisons in 1946 in Buffalo, New York , a member of the National Basketball League (NBL) owned by Ben Kerner and Leo Ferris . After 38 days in Buffalo, the team moved to Moline, Illinois , where they were renamed
2340-662: The National Hockey League from their inception in 1972 until 1980, when the franchise was sold and relocated to Calgary , Alberta . It hosted the 1977 Final Four , the 1988 Democratic National Convention , and the 1996 Summer Olympics indoor volleyball competition. The Omni was closed and demolished in 1997. Its successor, Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena ), was constructed on the Omni's site and opened in 1999. In 1968, real estate developer Tom Cousins , and former Governor of Georgia , Carl Sanders bought
2430-594: The Tri-Cities Blackhawks . In 1949, they joined the NBA as part of the merger between the NBL and the Basketball Association of America (BAA), and briefly had Red Auerbach as coach. In 1951, Kerner moved the team to Milwaukee , where they changed their name to the Milwaukee Hawks . Kerner and the team moved again in 1955 to St. Louis , where they won their first (and thus far only) NBA Championship in 1958 and qualified to play in
2520-521: The Turner Cup . In 1977, the arena hosted the NCAA Final Four , won by Marquette University over North Carolina . This was Warriors' coach Al McGuire 's last game. It also hosted one SEC and three ACC men's basketball tournaments, the 1978 NBA All-Star Game , the 1993 NCAA Women's Basketball Final Four , and the indoor volleyball matches for the 1996 Summer Olympics . The Omni
2610-571: The Utah Jazz for point guard Devin Harris . On July 10, 2012, the Hawks signed guard Lou Williams. On January 21, 2013, following Lou Williams' season-ending injury in a game against the Brooklyn Nets, the Hawks signed guard Jannero Pargo to a 10-day contract. On February 21, 2013, the Hawks traded Morrow to the Dallas Mavericks for Dahntay Jones . That same day, the Hawks traded
2700-632: The 1995–96 season with a 46–36 record, fourth in the Central Division. Midway through the season, they acquired Christian Laettner from the Minnesota Timberwolves ; Laettner would get an All-Star appearance in 1997. They upset the third-seeded Pacers in the first round in five games; however, lost in five games to the Orlando Magic in the semifinals. Around this time, it was decided that the Omni should be replaced by
2790-546: The 2014–15 season. However, the team could not advance past the semifinals of the Eastern Conference playoffs, losing to the eventual Eastern Conference (and in some years, NBA) champions Boston and Detroit . The Hawks drafted Stacey Augmon with their ninth overall pick in the 1991 NBA draft , who would make the All-Rookie First Team. However, Wilkins had a season-ending injury in the middle of
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2880-497: The Central Division with a 28–54 record; they would not return to the playoffs for eight years. Point guard Jason Terry became the team's scoring leader during the 2000–01 season, leading them with 19.7 ppg. After the All-Star break, the Hawks traded Mutombo to the Philadelphia 76ers for Theo Ratliff , Toni Kukoč , and Nazr Mohammed . However, Ratliff was injured and did not play with the Hawks until next season. They ended
2970-421: The Hawks announced that he would undergo surgery the next day and would miss the rest of the season. The Hawks finished 38–44, their first losing season since 2008. However, due to the weakness of the Eastern Conference, they finished as the 8th seed in the playoffs, and just like 2008, the Hawks would not go down easy, as they took the top-seeded Pacers to 7 games in before a 92–80 loss in game 7. On May 1, 2014,
3060-535: The Hawks finished four games under .500. However, the Western Division was extremely weak that year; no team in the division had a winning record. They won the division title and a bye to the division finals after defeating the Minneapolis Lakers and Fort Wayne Pistons in one-game tiebreakers. They then defeated the Lakers in the division finals to advance to the Finals , losing to the Boston Celtics in
3150-575: The Hawks fired head coach Hubie Brown en route to the team's 31–51 record. In 1982, the franchise acquired superstar Dominique Wilkins (a University of Georgia alumnus) and promoted Mike Fratello to head coach a year later. Due to sagging attendance, 12 home games during the 1984–85 season were played at the Lakefront Arena in New Orleans , Louisiana . The New Orleans games were paid for by Barry Mendelson for $ 1.2 million with
3240-735: The Hawks going 6–6 in Louisiana. Wilkins won the Slam Dunk Contest in 1985 and 1990, engaging in an iconic rivalry with Michael Jordan . Spud Webb won the Slam Dunk Contest and Fratello won the Coach of the Year Award in 1986. From 1985 to 1989, the Hawks were among the league's elite, winning 50 games or more each season. They won a division title in 1986–87 going 57–25 which was a franchise record that would last until
3330-489: The Hawks hired San Antonio Spurs assistant coach Mike Budenholzer as the new head coach. The Hawks entered the 2013 NBA draft with four draft picks. They drafted point guards Dennis Schröder (17th pick) and Shane Larkin (18th pick). They also chose point guard Raulzinho Neto with the 47th pick and small forward James Ennis with the 50th pick. However, the Hawks traded Larkin to the Dallas Mavericks for
3420-609: The Hawks moved, this time to St. Louis , Missouri , Milwaukee's rival in the beer industry, and became the St. Louis Hawks . In 1956, Bob Pettit captured the league's first official Most Valuable Player award , and the St. Louis Hawks drafted legendary Bill Russell in the first round (second overall pick). They immediately traded Russell to the Boston Celtics for Cliff Hagan and Ed Macauley , both Hall of Fame members. In 1957,
3510-416: The Hawks only landed the number two pick in the 2005 NBA draft lottery (the first pick went to the Milwaukee Bucks ). With the second pick, the Hawks selected Marvin Williams of North Carolina . In the 2006 draft , the Hawks selected former Duke star Shelden Williams with the fifth overall pick. Hope and redemption appeared to be on the horizon for the Hawks beginning in 2007. With the third pick of
3600-676: The Hawks unveiled a new secondary logo, which is a modernized version of the 1972–95 "Pac-Man" logo. On July 15, 2014, they acquired defensive specialist Thabo Sefolosha from the Oklahoma City Thunder . On September 7, 2014, Bruce Levenson announced he would sell his share of the team, after self-reporting an inappropriate email he sent in 2012. Some in the African American sports community have defended Levenson, namely Jason Whitlock and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar , commenting that Levenson's email had no racist intent, but
3690-403: The Hawks up for sale. One of the bidders was a New Orleans group led by future talk show host Morton Downey Jr. , but the deal collapsed and Kerner temporarily took his team off the market. Unable to resolve the arena situation, Kerner sold the Hawks to Atlanta real estate developer Tom Cousins and former Georgia governor Carl Sanders , who moved the team to Atlanta in 1968. While
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3780-512: The Hawks won 57 games, tying a team record. They also won a fourth division title in Atlanta, and third in the Central Division. Coach Wilkens was named Coach of the Year for his work with the team. However, the team fell short again in the playoffs, losing to the fifth-seeded Indiana Pacers in the Eastern semis in six games. The season was also marred by the trading of Dominique Wilkins, who remains
3870-412: The Hawks' most popular players during the 1990s, and Smith had recently been awarded the J. Walter Kennedy Citizenship Award for his charitable endeavors, as well as being selected in the 1998 NBA All-Star Game . By contrast, Rider had a history of behavioral problems both on and off the court. Rider's troubled conduct continued after his arrival in Atlanta. Rider missed the first day of training camp and
3960-415: The NBA draft, they selected Al Horford . Horford nearly averaged a double-double during his rookie season, and was the only unanimous selection to the All-Rookie First Team as well as being runner-up for Rookie of the Year honors. The season started with a victory against the Dallas Mavericks 101–94, sending hope to Hawks fans. The last time they won a season opener was in 1998, also the last time they made
4050-518: The NBA's Southeast Division ; one week later, with a win over Miami as well as a Cleveland loss to Brooklyn, the Hawks clinched the top seed in the Eastern Conference playoffs . The team finished a franchise-best 60–22. In the Eastern Conference first round, the Hawks defeated the Brooklyn Nets in six games. The Hawks then advanced to the Eastern Conference Semifinals to face the Washington Wizards, also defeating them in six games. It
4140-578: The NBA's St. Louis Hawks , and relocated them to Atlanta, where Cousins made plans to build a new sports arena over an unused railroad gulch in the downtown area. The $ 17 million indoor arena with a total capacity of 16,500 would be named "The Omni", where its name comes from the Latin prefix meaning "all" or "every". Construction on the Omni began in April 1971, and was completed in October 1972. The arena
4230-667: The Omni Coliseum. Michael Jackson performed for the Bad Tour in 1988. Elvis Presley played 12 sell out shows between June 1973 and December 1976. Judas Priest has also played this venue on a few occasions. Def Leppard recorded footage from the October 7–9, 1988 shows at the Omni for their In the Round, in Your Face video. Paul McCartney and Wings played at the Omni on May 18, 1976, and May 19, 1976, during their Wings Over
4320-420: The Omni had only 16 luxury boxes and no club level. It also became a disadvantage during Atlanta's explosive population growth. Although the Omni hosted many events, it lost more than its share due to the smaller capacity and lack of amenities compared to newer buildings in other cities. By the start of the 1990s, an effort began to build a replacement. A new arena would have likely been needed in any event due to
4410-787: The Omni was a Game 4 loss to Michael Jordan , and the Chicago Bulls in the Eastern Conference Semi-finals during the 1997 NBA Playoffs , 89–80 on May 11, 1997. The Omni was also home to the NHL's Atlanta Flames (now the Calgary Flames ) from 1972 until 1980 , and the Atlanta Knights of the IHL (1992–1996). In 1994, the Knights became the only pro team to win a championship in the building, when they won
4500-413: The Omni's structural problems. This also stemmed from Ted Turner 's desire to own an NHL franchise; the Flames had been sold to Canadian businessmen and relocated to Calgary, Alberta a decade earlier. The NHL determined the Omni was not suitable even as a temporary facility, and would only grant Atlanta an expansion team if Turner guaranteed a brand-new arena would be in place by the time the new team took
4590-415: The Omni, including Starrcade (1985, 1986, 1989 and 1992), the first WarGames match during the Great American Bash tour (1987), and the first Slamboree in 1993. The World Wrestling Federation also held many events at the Omni including house shows and closed circuit broadcasts until their last card at the venue on November 2, 1992. WCW also aired Monday Nitro on January 1, 1996, and March 3, 1997, at
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#17327900936214680-444: The Omni. In July 1986 challenger Evander Holyfield beat WBA Light Heavyweight Champion Dwight Muhammad Qawi by split decision (144–140, 147–138, 141–143). The fight is widely regarded as one of the best fights in the history of boxing. The Omni was home to the NBA's Atlanta Hawks from 1972 to 1997 . The Hawks played their first game at the Omni on October 15, 1972, defeating the New York Knicks , 109–101. Their final game at
4770-401: The United States , respectively. The Omni did not last nearly as long as many other arenas built during the same time period, in part because a number of its innovations did not work as intended. Most seriously, its designers failed to reckon with Atlanta's humid subtropical climate, which specifically caused problems with the Cor-Ten exterior walls; the weathering steel never actually created
4860-516: The World tour . Paul McCartney returned to the Omni with his band for concerts on February 18, 1990, and February 19, 1990. George Harrison played two concerts on November 24, 1974, on his only North American solo tour . Pink Floyd played at the Omni in November 1987 on their A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour . Among the major non-sports events at the Omni was the 1988 Democratic National Convention , where delegates nominated Michael Dukakis and Lloyd Bentsen for President and Vice President of
4950-515: The basketball-specific scoreboard in the early 1980s to replace the original hockey-specific scoreboard that Daktronics maintained during the 1990s. The arena also had four message boards in each end zone, two of which were animation boards. The Omni was a hotbed for professional wrestling . Since its opening, it was considered the home base for the NWA's Georgia Championship Wrestling , Jim Crockett Promotions , and World Championship Wrestling . Many major and historic wrestling events took place at
5040-457: The defending champs Chicago Bulls . Game 4, an 89–80 loss, would be the last game at The Omni. In 1997–98, forward Alan Henderson won Most Improved Player award. However, the Hawks would lose in four games in the first round of the playoffs to the Charlotte Hornets . The Hawks would end up with a 31-win campaign in the lockout-shortened 1998–99 season. In the first round they defeated the Pistons in five games again, but they could not advance past
5130-485: The draft rights of Mike Muscala and Lucas Nogueira (originally drafted by the Boston Celtics ), as well as guard Jared Cunningham . They also traded Ennis's draft rights to the Miami Heat and Neto's to the Utah Jazz for a future second-round pick. The Hawks brought back Kyle Korver with a four-year, $ 24 million deal and signed power forward Paul Millsap to a two-year, $ 19 million deal. On December 26, 2013, Horford tore his right pectoral muscle, and on December 30,
5220-401: The facility is called Cameron Indoor Stadium . Domed stadiums, which, like arenas, are enclosed but have the larger playing surfaces and seating capacities found in stadiums, are generally not referred to as arenas in North America. There is also the sport of indoor American football (one variant of which is explicitly known as arena football), a variant of the outdoor game that is designed for
5310-399: The first NBA team to 50 wins in 2014–15, scoring a season high in routing the Sacramento Kings 130–105. The Hawks also set a franchise record by going 20-of-36 for three-pointers, breaking the mark of 19 set against the Dallas Mavericks on December 17, 1996. On March 20, 2015, the Hawks clinched their first division title in over two decades and became the first team not based in Florida to win
5400-414: The first overall pick, their first since 1975 . The origins of the Atlanta Hawks can be traced back to the Buffalo Bisons franchise, which was founded in 1946. The Bisons were a member of the National Basketball League , and played their games at the Buffalo Memorial Auditorium . The club was organized by Leo Ferris and the Erie County American Legion and was coached by Nat Hickey . Their first game –
5490-421: The first phase of a massive sports, office, hotel, and retail complex, most of which is now the CNN Center . Also in 1972, the Hawks debuted a new logo and new colors, trading the green and blue color scheme that the team had used for two years, in favor of white, gold, and red, the same colors the Flames used. The hawk head silhouette inside a circle remained as the team's logo, albeit simplified. The years after
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#17327900936215580-428: The first time since 1998 that the Hawks sent two players to the All-Star Game. The playoffs, however, were a reprise from the previous year. They won a hard-fought seven-game series against the Milwaukee Bucks , but they were swept by the Orlando Magic in the second round, with every game a one-sided contest. After the season, the Hawks dismissed head coach Mike Woodson and was replaced by Larry Drew . The Hawks took
5670-428: The franchise's all-time leading scorer, to the Los Angeles Clippers for Danny Manning , who quickly left via free agency to the Phoenix Suns after the season ended. On March 6, 2015, Dominique Wilkins received a statue in front of Philips Arena. At the beginning of the 1994–95 season, the Hawks traded forward Kevin Willis to the Miami Heat for Steve Smith and Grant Long . During the season, coach Wilkens broke
5760-472: The ice. Despite the arena's close proximity to the CNN Center, Georgia World Congress Center , and the Omni MARTA station , the Omni was imploded on July 26, 1997. Philips Arena (now State Farm Arena ) was constructed in its place, and opened on September 18, 1999. The demolition of the Omni forced the Hawks to split their home games for the 1997–98 and 1998–99 seasons between the Alexander Memorial Coliseum at Georgia Tech (their first home in Atlanta), and
5850-446: The move showcased a talented Hawks team, including Pete Maravich and Lou Hudson . However, after this period of success, the team experienced some years of rebuilding. Despite appearing to be moving in the right direction when they ended up with the first and third picks overall in the 1975 NBA draft , the players drafted with those two picks, David Thompson of North Carolina State and Marvin Webster of Morgan State, both signed with
5940-492: The playoffs. For the 2007–08 season, the Atlanta Hawks updated the logos and uniforms that saw navy blue become the primary color, with red relegated to trim color status. This marked the first time in team history that they had used navy blue as one of their colors. A mid-season trade for point guard Mike Bibby boosted the Hawks' playoff hopes. At the time of the trade the Hawks were 22–28; afterwards, they won 15 of their last 32 games to finish 37–45. Although they finished with
6030-533: The previous year, the Hawks manage to take a step forward in their development. Again they were pushed to a Game 7 in the first round but capitalized on home-court advantage earning their first playoff series win since 1999 against the Miami Heat . The Hawks were swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers 4–0 in the Conference Semifinals. The 2009–10 season saw the Hawks improve further, winning 53 games, their first 50-win season since 1997–98. Al Horford earned his first All-Star selection, and along with Joe Johnson, this marked
6120-406: The record (previously held by coach Red Auerbach ) for most victories by an NBA head coach with victory number 939. They ended up fifth in the Central Division with a 42–40 record, they would be swept by the Indiana Pacers in the first round of the playoffs. During the off-season, shot-blocking All-Star center Dikembe Mutombo signed a 5-year, $ 55 million deal with the Hawks. The Hawks finished
6210-404: The sale was approved by the NBA Board of Governors on June 24, 2015. On January 31, 2015, the Hawks became the first NBA team to go 17–0 in a calendar month by beating Portland. The 2015 All-Star Game consisted of four Hawks All-Stars including Jeff Teague, Paul Millsap, Kyle Korver, and Al Horford. On March 9, 2015, Kyle Korver and DeMarre Carroll each scored 20 points to help the Hawks become
6300-677: The seal that had been envisioned and instead corroded to the point where holes large enough for a person to climb through began showing up along the perimeter of the building. In addition, the space frame roof of the building would often leak water as the designers did not anticipate the building settling into its foundation as quickly as it did. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, a growing number of NBA and NHL teams began to construct arenas with better amenities for their high-end customers to increase revenue. These amenities included luxury boxes, club seating, and massive club concourses. Some of these new arenas had as many as 200 luxury boxes. By comparison,
6390-427: The season with a 25–57 record. In 2001, the Hawks drafted Spanish star Pau Gasol third, but his rights were ceded to the Memphis Grizzlies in a trade involving Shareef Abdur-Rahim . Abdur-Rahim became the team's scoring leader, and made his only All-Star appearance in 2002. The team ended up 33–49 for the 2001–02 season. The Hawks sent Kukoc to the Milwaukee Bucks for All-Star Glenn Robinson in 2002, Robinson lead
6480-406: The season, and without him, the Hawks were unable to make it to the playoffs. In 1992, the Hawks acquired guard Mookie Blaylock from the New Jersey Nets ; he would spend seven years of his career as a Hawk, leading them in career steals and three-point field goals while earning an All-Star appearance in 1994. After seasons of mediocrity, Lenny Wilkens was hired as head coach in 1993. In 1993–94 ,
6570-411: The second round of the playoffs, as they were swept by the eighth-seeded New York Knicks . In the 1999–2000 season , their first season at Philips Arena, the Hawks traded Steve Smith to Portland for Isaiah Rider and Jim Jackson , and sent Mookie Blaylock and a first-round draft pick to the Golden State Warriors for Bimbo Coles and a first-round draft pick. Smith and Blaylock had been two of
6660-475: The summer of 2005, the Hawks completed a sign and trade deal with the Phoenix Suns to acquire Joe Johnson in return for Boris Diaw and two future 1st round picks. They also signed Zaza Pachulia from the Milwaukee Bucks . These changes occurred after an apparent power struggle between the owners for nearly three weeks before the moves were made. Despite their league-worst record the previous season,
6750-560: The team was based in St. Louis. Meanwhile, they went 48 years without advancing past the second round of the playoffs in any format, until finally breaking through in 2015. However, the Hawks are one of only four NBA teams that have qualified to play in the NBA playoffs in 10 consecutive seasons in the 21st century. They achieved this feat between 2008 and 2017. In the 2024 NBA draft , the Atlanta Hawks selected Zaccharie Risacher with
6840-463: The team with 20.8 ppg. But the Hawks still failed to make the playoffs for the 2002–03 season, finishing with a 35–47 record. In February 2004, the Hawks had the distinction of having NBA All-Star Rasheed Wallace play one game for the team. Wallace was traded from Portland to the Hawks along with Wesley Person for Abdur-Rahim, Ratliff, and Dan Dickau . In his lone game for the Hawks, Wallace scored 20 points, had 6 rebounds, 5 blocks, 2 assists and
6930-597: The team's general manager and co-owner, announced that the team would be moving to Moline, Illinois , which at that time was part of an area then known as the " Tri-Cities ": Moline, Illinois , Rock Island, Illinois , and Davenport, Iowa . Upon relocation to Moline, the team was renamed the Tri-Cities Blackhawks, and played their home games at Wharton Field House , a 6,000-seat arena in Moline. The team featured guard / forward and coach Deanglo King, and
7020-538: The type of event. Football (be it association , rugby , gridiron , Australian rules , or Gaelic ) is typically played in a stadium, while basketball , volleyball , handball , and ice hockey are typically played in an arena, although many of the larger arenas hold more spectators than do the stadiums of smaller colleges or high schools. There are exceptions. The home of the Duke University men's and women's basketball teams would qualify as an arena, but
7110-645: The usual smaller playing surface of most arenas; variants of other traditionally outdoor sports, including box lacrosse as well as futsal and indoor soccer , also exist. The term "arena" is also used loosely to refer to any event or type of event which either literally or metaphorically takes place in such a location, often with the specific intent of comparing an idea to a sporting event. Such examples of these would be terms such as "the arena of war", "the arena of love" or "the political arena". Atlanta Hawks The Atlanta Hawks are an American professional basketball team based in Atlanta . The Hawks compete in
7200-440: Was considered an architectural marvel that combined innovative roof, seating, and structural designs. The logo is based on the unique seating arrangement. The exterior cladding was composed of Cor-Ten weathering steel , which is covered in rust; the idea was that the steel would continue to rust to the point where the rusted exterior would form a protective seal, making a solid steel structure that would last for decades. The Omni
7290-403: Was instrumental in keeping both teams in the region. Coach Brown won coach of the year in 1978. In the 1979–80 season, the Hawks finished with a 50–32 record and won the Central Division. It was their first division title in the Central Division and second in the city of Atlanta. The next season, the Hawks got off to a 4–0 start, then lost 13 of the next 14 games and with 3 games left in the season,
7380-440: Was late for two games. After reports that he smoked marijuana in an Orlando hotel room during a January road trip, the league demanded that he attend drug counseling, and fined him a total of $ 200,000 until he agreed to go. When he showed up late for a March game, the Hawks released him. The Smith/Rider trade sent the Hawks into a downward spiral. After only missing the playoffs four times since 1977, they fell to seventh place in
7470-484: Was motivated by valid business concerns. On January 2, 2015, The Atlanta Journal-Constitution reported that the remaining minority owners of Atlanta Hawks, LLC would join Levenson, effectively putting the entire franchise for sale. The sale of the team as well as the operating rights to Philips Arena was handled by Goldman Sachs and Inner Circle Sports LLC. The NBA has stated that the Hawks would remain in Atlanta as
7560-443: Was not willing to move the team there full-time because it had not been well-maintained since the 1940s. Even though it was being heavily renovated to accommodate the arrival of the National Hockey League 's (NHL) St. Louis Blues in 1967, Kerner was still not willing to move to the St. Louis Arena. He wanted a new arena to increase revenue. However, Kerner was rebuffed by the city on several occasions. In early 1967, Kerner briefly put
7650-546: Was noted for its distinctive space frame roof , often joked about as looking like an egg crate or a rusty waffle iron. Designed by the firm of tvsdesign with structural engineering work by the firm of Prybylowski and Gravino, the roof was technically described as an ortho-quad truss system. The only surviving component of the Omni is its scoreboard, which now hangs in the pavilion of the State Farm Arena. American Sign & Indicator (which became Trans-Lux ) built
7740-520: Was owned by Leo Ferris and Ben Kerner . Pop Gates remained on the Blackhawks roster, and finished second on the team in scoring behind future 1949 NBL MVP Don Otten . A Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame member, Gates helped to integrate the league and later became the first African-American coach in a major sports league, coaching Dayton in 1948. In 1949, the Blackhawks became one of the National Basketball Association 's 17 original teams after
7830-399: Was that a new arena had to be in place before the new team took the ice for the first time, as The Omni was unusable even for temporary use. Eventually, it was decided that The Omni would be demolished and a new arena for the Hawks and the expansion NHL Thrashers would be built on the same area. Following the 1997 playoffs, the Hawks moved back to Georgia Tech's Alexander Memorial Coliseum, with
7920-551: Was the first time they had advanced past the second round since 1967, their second-last year in St. Louis. The Hawks advanced to the Eastern Conference Finals for the first time in franchise history, when they lost in four games to the Cleveland Cavaliers . On June 22, 2016, the Hawks traded Jeff Teague to Indiana in a three-team deal, that would give Utah's 12th pick in the 2016 NBA draft to
8010-996: Was the indoor home of the Atlanta Chiefs of the North American Soccer League , as well as the Atlanta Attack of the American Indoor Soccer Association. The Omni was Atlanta's primary concert venue from 1972 to 1997. The Grateful Dead played The Omni 24 times between 1973 and 1995, more than any other musical act. The Jacksons performed for the Destiny World Tour in 1979 and for the Triumph Tour in 1981. Madonna brought both her Virgin Tour in 1985 and her Who's That Girl World Tour in 1987 to
8100-528: Was waived a month later. The Hawks finished the 2011–12 season with the fourth-best record in the Eastern Conference with 40 wins, clinching the playoffs for the fifth straight season. However, the Hawks would be eliminated in the first round by the Boston Celtics in six games, ending the Hawks' three-year streak of advancing to the second round. On June 25, 2012, the Hawks hired San Antonio Spurs Vice President of Basketball Operations Danny Ferry as President of Basketball Operations and General Manager. During
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