Falcons decline ‘Hard Knocks’ offer
UPDATE: The Falcons declined HBO’s offer to appear on the popular show Hard Knocks, the team confirmed on Saturday.
As of late Thursday, the team was still considering the offer. Thomas Dimitroff, the team’s general manager, spoke about the offer on Thursday and stated that team needed to emphasis winning in order to improve their brand nationally.
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FLOWERY BRANCH – Falcon general manager Thomas Dimitroff did not shed any light on if the team will accept HBO’s offer to appear on the show “Hard Knocks.”
“ Right now, I have nothing to offer on that,” Dimitroff said on Thursday.
He noted that the football operations department has been preparing for the draft and that HBO will not be around to shoot any backup footage during the draft, which is set for April 26-28.
He has not talked to other teams who have appeared on the show.
“Like all of us, we’ve watched it over the years and there have been some highlights,” Dimitroff said. “There have been some highlights, no questions about that. It’s interesting TV.”
In some ways, he considers it an honor that HBO would want to chronicle the team’s training camp.
“I am proud of where we are,” Dimitroff said. “I feel that we are the type of organization that would be considered in not only this situation that you are referring to, but other situations from a national perspective. We need to continue to build Arthur’s brand.”
While the television show would expose the Falcons to a national audience, Dimitroff stated that the best way to build the brand was to play winning football.
“TV really doesn’t mean that much if we’re not putting wins in the win column,” Dimitroff said.
–D. Orlando Ledbetter, The Atlanta Falcons beat blog
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UPDATE: Falcons decline ‘Hard Knocks’ offer | NFL Online News
April 22nd, 2012
7:38 am
[...] Atlanta Falcons This entry was posted in Atlanta Falcons and tagged decline, Falcons, Hard, Knocks, offer, update. Bookmark the permalink. ← 2012 NFL Draft offers hope for Cleveland Browns with a league-high 13 picks: a draft analysis [...]
ls1z28chris
April 22nd, 2012
7:49 am
He’s partially correct. I would suggest, though, that before the Falcons start focusing on “winning” they should probably focus on scoring points, especially in playoff games.
Also, I find it funny that people are saying the Falcons don’t need gimmicks. You folks are probably the first ones to show up shouting some lame catch phrase Arthur Blank paid a celebrity to shout at a TV camera. No gimmicks my hairy butt.
walter harris
April 22nd, 2012
9:15 am
being a falcons fan for over 40 year i say no t.v.show we need to win something first.
JSS
April 22nd, 2012
9:33 am
Where’s Najeh Davenpoop with that Ray Edward’s porn pic when you need him?
JSS
April 22nd, 2012
9:37 am
“You folks are probably the first ones to show up shouting some lame catch phrase Arthur Blank paid a celebrity to shout at a TV camera.”
It wasn’t “lame” when the Hawks used it first… The Falcons are nothing but gimmicks…
Jeff
April 22nd, 2012
9:37 am
Typical Falcons. As much as I love them, boring and unwilling to take chances.
Greg from Marietta
April 22nd, 2012
10:02 am
Thank goodness, the Falcons management made the right call! It was really surprising the number of ’supposed’ Falcons fans that wanted the team to accept the offer from ‘Hard Knocks’. Those vocal few really show how uneducated in team sports that some of the fan base are. Most of those in favor, I dare say, have never played a team sport much less football. They lack the understanding of what a distraction that the camera crew of ‘Hard Knocks’ would have provided to a team that will be undergoing a major transition in philosophies and techniques on both sides of the ball. As I said back on Friday there are two new coordinators and several new position coaches with which the players are going to have to quickly become familiar. For those that have never played team sports there is a lack of understanding of the amount of concentration and repetition that is required in adjusting to new coaches and systems. Even the slightest distraction can disrupt this transition and the ‘Hard Knocks’ camera crew and the potential ‘Side stories’ that the program thrives on has the potential to be not only a distraction but a major distraction. My hat is off the the Management team of the Falcons for making the ‘Right Call’ and putting the team ahead of the voyeuristic desires of an uneducated minority of the fan base. GO FALCONS!!
Mark
April 22nd, 2012
10:46 am
Yup. No heart. Fear of the spotlight and the eyes. This could help increase free agent interest but noooooooo….
ATLBRAVE
April 22nd, 2012
10:47 am
And Falcons ownership wonders why half of the home games you find more fans cheering for the OTHER team and wearing the OTHER team’s colors. Yes, there are a lot of transplants living in Atl but the way to win them over is to first WIN games (that means score more than 2pts in a playoff game) and last but not least be exciting. You have to give them a reason to want to put away their old Steelers jersey and wear a Falcons jersey. This show would have helped A LOT to change that culture. “Being realistic is the most commonly traveled path to mediocrity!” The Falcons are a mediocre franchise with a very predicable brand of football. This city is ooozing for attention and the people in the suits are asleep at the wheel! Get ready for a 10-6 record and another 1st round playoff exit!
Tell it like it is
April 22nd, 2012
10:56 am
This orginization don’t want to be eyeballed for 45 years of futility,by the whole country.
steverino
April 22nd, 2012
11:01 am
I’m a football fan, but not a fan of reality soap operas. Footballs fans don’t need this type of thing, ESPECIALLY the way they are presented nowdays
Chris Dimino
April 22nd, 2012
11:04 am
Thank God. It would have been all about Arthur Blank. The makeup, Botox, hair color etc would have driven tickets up 300%.
Truth
April 22nd, 2012
12:17 pm
I don’t mind the decision one way or the other but I don’t like the foolish comments. Building a brand is more than about winning. Its a combo of that plus excitement. See the San Antonio Spurs. They have four championships in the last 13 years but they are considered boring. San Antonio is a small market so maybe that works for them. The other major difference is the Spurs have hardware. Atlanta on the other had is a large market and currently has no hardware. Focus on both. If the team is to weak minded to handle distractions then they can not handle the big lights, distractions of the playoffs and championship football.
Post-it
April 22nd, 2012
4:31 pm
I think this was declined because of Smith. He ain’t the sharpest knife in the drawer and didn’t want the world to know it.
Falcons Say No To Hard Knocks; Who Should Say Yes? « Joe Montana's Right Arm
April 22nd, 2012
5:50 pm
[...] Dimitroff, the team’s general manager, told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution that the team wanted to focus on winning; and in turn, improve the [...]
10 of 12
April 22nd, 2012
7:10 pm
More like Hard Knocks declined Failclowns offer . You see , they actually wanted people to watch the show !
hbcuclassics
April 22nd, 2012
7:25 pm
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