Bradley’s Buzz: The best franchise? It’s not Atlanta’s
The 40th-best owner aims to enhance "stadium experience." (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
Having time on its hands in these long hot summer months, ESPN The Magazine has trotted out its annual rankings of professional sports teams (link requires registration) but not so much as competitive teams as corporate entities. To quote from the mag, “Which teams are most worthy of your hard-earned dollar”?
None of our local clubs crack the top 20. The L.A. Angels rank No. 1, and the L.A. Clippers rank 122nd, or dead last. And one of ours finished in triple digits. Guess which.
Tick, tick, tick … time’s up!
27. Atlanta Braves: Attention, Bobby Cox bashers! The Braves receive their highest rating (15th) for coaching. (Er, shouldn’t that be “managing”?) They’re 21st in affordability and a surprisingly high 32nd in “title track.” But they’re only 54th in ownership and 59th in “stadium experience.” What, you mean not everyone’s a sucker for “Thank God I’m a Country Boy”?
43. Atlanta Falcons: The Birds made the largest jump in the rankings. (They were 119th, or third from the basement, last year.) They get their highest ratings for coaching (18th overall) and players (28th), their lowest (90th) for “stadium experience.” Which will give Arthur Blank — who ranks 40th as an owner — all the more reason to go build that new stadium he wants so much.
80. Atlanta Hawks: They have their first winning season in a decade and win their first best-of-seven series since 1971, and they move up six whole spots. Their best rating: Bang for the buck (27th). Their worst: Well, take your pick. They’re 110th in title track, 102nd in coaching, 101st in players and 100th in fan relations. But only 85th in ownership! Helpfully, ESPN quotes one (unnamed) fan as calling Josh Smith “a spoiled kid” and then misuses the word “flied.” (Hint: If it doesn’t have to do with a popup, it’s “flown.”)
108. Atlanta Thrashers: Remember the owners who ranked 85th? They also ranked 120th, which means they must be a heck of a lot worse at owning a hockey club than a basketball team. (According to ESPN, the hockey side of Atlanta Spirit is exceeded in its ineptitude only by the New Jersey Nets and the Phoenix Coyotes.) The Thrash doesn’t rate above 81st in any category, and the No. 81 comes in coaching. Take a bow, John Anderson!
John Anderson: Shining light in the dark tunnel of Blueland. (AJC photo by Jessica McGowan)
Tell us what you think about the site
Customer Care »
Vacation stops, manage subscriptions and more
AJC Services
Sections
Other Editions
Visitor Agreement | Privacy Statement
© 2013 The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
104 comments Add your comment
Large in the Pants
July 2nd, 2009
11:25 am
Winning the only championship in the city’s history warrants our obsession with the Braves.
We might even be obsessed with the Atlanta Chiefs as well if they still existed…
Gman
July 2nd, 2009
11:26 am
The Angels are #1?!
I live in So Cal and can safely say that ranking seems like a bit of a stretch.
Turtsnap
July 2nd, 2009
11:26 am
I will be SOO glad with Arthur builds a new stadium. I have always loathed the Georgia Dome! It just doesn’t feel like football inside there. While Atlanta-Fulton County Stadium wasn’t built for football, I enjoyed that experience a heck of a lot more than I have been with the Dome.
Ted Striker
July 2nd, 2009
11:27 am
“Stadium Experience counts for slightly more than twice as much as Coaching because that’s how fans rated the categories.” – quoting from ESPN The Magazine
Guess that’s why twice as many people complain about the music as complain about Bobby Cox or Mike Woodson, eh?
Otto
July 2nd, 2009
11:30 am
Huh? Is dead on. The Chik Fil A sp? Kick off classic gets more press than any of the pro teams.
I disagree on Hockey however. It is the only Atlanta based team Pro or College I would spend any money to see.
The Braves play the Country Boy Song? Glad I haven’t been.
Yes I’m a Georgia native.
Master of the Obvious
July 2nd, 2009
11:31 am
It seems that WINNING improves the game-day experience…am I right??
jeffrey d
July 2nd, 2009
11:42 am
We’re here live on location from the State of Organ!
haha! oops….
Pete
July 2nd, 2009
11:43 am
Wait 2 or 3 more years.
Matt Ryan & Co. will have the Falcons in the top 10 !!!!
Sidslid
July 2nd, 2009
11:44 am
Did the stadium experience go up or down after the mascot flew the coupe?
For the other Pittsburgh fans: First time in history the Stanley Cup resides in the city with the last super bowl trophy.
BigKat
July 2nd, 2009
11:44 am
get rid of that dome….build a stadium….fall football in the south….fahgetaboutit
10 yard fight
July 2nd, 2009
11:50 am
For the other Pittsburgh fans: as bad as the Pirates are today, they DID win 5 championships.
ctfalconsfan
July 2nd, 2009
11:54 am
Turtsnap I completely agree about the GA Dome. We need a real football stadium. I’m a 20 year season tix holder and I have never liked the Dome. I love going to see the Birds play in Tampa or Charlotte and sitting outside, it’s refreshing…
Mark Bradley
July 2nd, 2009
12:00 pm
I know I’m in the minority on this, but I’ve always liked the Georgia Dome.
Supes
July 2nd, 2009
12:07 pm
ESPN agenda is to promote sports teams in the following cities:
NY, Boston, LA, Chicago
To a lesser degree:
Philly, Pitt, St. Louis,
Their agenda is clear to cater to those markets for whatever reasons. Why not expose that Mark, rather than indulge them and use their useless “rankings”.
Brendan
July 2nd, 2009
12:29 pm
Hockey hasn’t started in Atlanta, and won’t, until the expansion team gets good ownership. Don Waddell has been a ‘caretaker’ GM. Hopefully, one day, Atlanta can begin its journey towards being a team in the NHL that’s really trying to win a Stanley Cup. Until then, it’s just schedule fodder, desperately trying to reach the floor of a salary cap that is truthfully out of its price range, thanks to ‘dubious’ NHL accounting schemes.
Until the Atlanta Spirit, LLC changes its business model, and improves its product, it’s simply not in a position to truly compete with the other teams and markets of the NHL. When the Thrashers get good, they probably will sellout every night, lest the pricing scheme get totally absurd. ($90 for 400 level seating, or some such non-sense.) But a reasonably priced product will sellout the Philips Arena venue, provided that it is a legitimate threat to reach the playoffs and advance deep into those playoffs.
Eric
July 2nd, 2009
12:34 pm
Do not get me wrong. I love football played outside. I used to really like the dome. The last couple of times I went it seemed like a circus. When Arthur does build a new stadium, I hope he looks long and hard at Arizona ans Dallas when designing it. Of course the Panther’s stadium is kind of nice.
FalconsFan
July 2nd, 2009
12:38 pm
Mark,
You are not alone, the GA Dome is a nice place to see a game. I think it’s just the average fan that brings down the experience of seeing a game at the Dome. Look at old RFK in DC, that place rocked not because of the quality of the teams playing but because of the quality of the fans. Atlanta has by far some of the worst fans I’ve ever encountered, the worst are the ones that complain about a stadium being downtown or in a lower income area. Where do they think stadiums are built? Surely not in ticky tacky suburban areas where SUV’s out number the number of families living in the area.
Benjamin
July 2nd, 2009
12:45 pm
I don’t like anything about the Dome. Bad location. Smells. Feels like we’re watching football in a box.
Wouldn’t mind having an open-air stadium in Gwinnett.
StateBird
July 2nd, 2009
12:49 pm
Don’t know if the Angels deserve #1 but attended a game there on a recent business trip to Anaheim. Over 40,000 turned out on a Wednesday night in April for a game against the Tigers. Everything was clean, staff was friendly, concessions were good quality at a decent price, in game experience was fun, yet professional. Pleasant SoCal weather doesn’t hurt either. I don’t think I can say the same about any category when I attend Braves games at Turner Field.
Dan
July 2nd, 2009
12:49 pm
Where did the Hawks rank in “game/stadium experience”? I have been to a bunch of NBA games at different arenas (16, to be exact). The Philips Arena experience is just as good as any of the arenas I have been to.
I am pretty much starting to hate anything ESPN does, though. I amazed they had enough time to put these rankings together. I thought they would be too busy talking about only the Red Sox and Yankees. ESPN sucks.
Dan
July 2nd, 2009
12:50 pm
Benjamin,
F anything in Gwinnett County.
FalconsFan
July 2nd, 2009
12:51 pm
Benjamin,
When was the last time you were at the Dome?
Bradley's Buzz: The best franchise? It isn't Atlanta's | Mark Bradley - Find Restaurants
July 2nd, 2009
12:53 pm
[...] Heather wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptThat’s all well and good, but I’d like to see the Falcons sign their two top draft picks, the Hawks move on the free agent front and the Braves start a spurt. The Thrashers? Only time I ever think about them is when I see the word in the ….. If someone surveyed restaurants where you lived and Sushi Palace was #1 and the Varsity was #122 — it wouldn’t matter much — if you hated sushi and loved gut bombs. Besides, ESPN ranked last years Falcon team 3rd from the last — and … [...]
Hms
July 2nd, 2009
1:03 pm
I wonder if there are 101 coaches in sports who’s teams have improved their records each and every year they have coached the team?
I am so tired of hearing this. Even an imbecile of a coach can ride the wave from thirteen wins on up if he has enough talent at his disposal. And that is just what has happened with the Hawks. If you want a more dramatic and very obvious change due to coaching, look no further than the Falcons who jumped up from downtrodden to one of the better teams in the league in the space of a single season. With less talent and a rookie quarterback no less. It takes Mike Woodson five years to do what Mike Smith does in one. It may be a comparison of apples to oranges, but I’ll say it’s a comparison of rotten apples to ripe oranges.
bigstack19
July 2nd, 2009
1:31 pm
ESPN as a whole are a bunch of idiots anyway. From there “Insider” B.S. that you have to pay for in order to get information you already know to there ego-driven Sportscenter hacks who fill the need to pepper highlights with a bunch of moronic catch phrases. Boo-Yah! Who cares what some grade school dropout who writes for this bird cage filler thinks anyway.
MannyT
July 2nd, 2009
1:39 pm
The survey lost credibility with me when I saw that the best human thing about the Hawks is the ownership. Survey sez the gang that sues itself and cannot come up with a settlement to resolve ownership is better than the coaching, players, and chance for a title.
Good thing Belkin saw fit to bring in Joe Johnson while Gearon lead us to that stellar home record.
Supes
July 2nd, 2009
1:59 pm
FRAK ESPN.
Here is SC: Yankees, Red Sox, Albert Pujols, Cubs, Dodgers, Manny…REPEAT
woody
July 2nd, 2009
1:59 pm
Dont watch ESPN anymore. They are not bias towards Pittsburgh sports They just have to cover us because we won this year. They don’t cover Hockey maybe NHL tonight at 1am. What they promote is Basketball in your face MTV rapp style. Along with Tom Brady’s escapades and those lovable Cowboys.
Pittsburgh’s blue-collar teams arent flashy enough for ESPN, of which I’m glad.
Atticus
July 2nd, 2009
2:00 pm
Braves have been class for a while. Falcons are going to be huge the next several years with Matt Ryan.
Thrashers and Hawks suck (ownership) and until that is fixed, I feel sorry for the players stuck in that organization. There is no plan, no accountability and poor decisions. They lose a fortune on the teams but make it up on the Arena, maybe good for business, and certainly the franchises appreciate over time–but horrible for fans or for winning. The same thing is happening with the Braves to a lesser degree.
confedrated sports teams in Atlanta
July 2nd, 2009
2:10 pm
no fun in Atlanta sports, media bad , sport team bad, and clueless fans. they just give other teams some one to play . sports is rigged. to much hate of the players . ESPN FOX , all have to many bone heads that know don’t jack about the game . The game has to many people who don’t play the game calling the shots. Atlanta will never be a true sport town to much politic
Dr. Warren
July 2nd, 2009
2:33 pm
So the ownership is the BEST thing about the Hawks?? This list sounds inane, as most of these kinds of lists are.
Ted Striker
July 2nd, 2009
3:51 pm
Grandpappy Striker always said that the best way to teach someone what they’re doing wrong is to do it the right way.
Maybe some of you Hawks/Thrashers Ownership critics can pool your money, buy the teams, and show everyone how doggone smart you are. Or maybe current ownership is way better than you.
What!!!
July 2nd, 2009
4:03 pm
Top Pro Sports Franchises:
“WITHOUT MIKE VICK”
2007: Number 119
2008: Number 43
“WITH MIKE VICK”
2005: Number 6
2004: Number 7
http://sports.espn.go.com/sportsnation/news/story?id=2248555
Interesting
Blog Article and Video about Bradley's Buzz: The best franchise? It isn't Atlanta's | Mark Bradley - Gwen Stefani
July 2nd, 2009
4:34 pm
[...] oregon for about a decade now. I also noticed how lame everything sounds on that oregon. … http://blogs.ajc.com/mark-bradley-blog/2009/07/02/bradleys-buzz-the-best-franchise-it-isnt-atlantas/... Daily [...]
Hawksgirl
July 2nd, 2009
6:58 pm
No one cares what these peolpe say because its a popularity contest. Atlanta could be 100 and i would still root for my hawks, falcons, and braves. Dont know much about the thrashers because we southerners dont watch hockey.
GO ATL!
Famuan
July 3rd, 2009
7:07 am
Thanks What!!! Thats’ an interesting tidbit! Geez, I wonder why the Falcons front office has now gone to the 2 tickets & 2 caps for $99!! Run, don’t walk people! Operators are standing by!
Paddy
July 3rd, 2009
9:55 am
I agree with the point; you are suing each other, (Hawks-Thrashers) management and you are not the worse two team in sports. You just have to be last. Hawks maybe below last, if there is such a thing.
MK West
July 3rd, 2009
1:35 pm
“I am so tired of hearing this. Even an imbecile of a coach can ride the wave from thirteen wins on up if he has enough talent at his disposal. And that is just what has happened with the Hawks. If you want a more dramatic and very obvious change due to coaching, look no further than the Falcons who jumped up from downtrodden to one of the better teams in the league in the space of a single season. With less talent and a rookie quarterback no less. It takes Mike Woodson five years to do what Mike Smith does in one. It may be a comparison of apples to oranges, but I’ll say it’s a comparison of rotten apples to ripe oranges.”
Sorry an imbecile of a coach cannot improve +10 wins consistently over 5 years. I’m not totally sold on Woodson yet, but give credit where credit is due. What he’s doing with the Hawks right now is awesome and hopefully he can keep it up. What Mike Smith and Dimitroff have done with Falcons is not normal so it’s almost unfair to suggest that because Woodson didn’t do what Mike Smith did, he’s an imbecile. It’s more of a comparison of a standard grocery store apple to a rare high quality top of the line orange.
mars
July 3rd, 2009
2:45 pm
Here’s another interesting tidbit. Unemployment is near 9%. Mortgage defaults are so prevalent that peolple are renting out empty homes they don’t even own. The average person is hurting, and more focused in providing shelter and food for their families than attending sporting events. Have you missed the devastation reaped upon Atlanta from mortgage fraud? It is truly astounding. The drop in ticket sales is not astounding at all. Nor does it have anything to do with the loss of any idiot athletes.
mars
July 3rd, 2009
2:48 pm
Uh, thats people, and don’t you peolple forget it.
niremetal
July 3rd, 2009
4:13 pm
ESPN only has 12 pro sports teams as less on a title track than the Hawks? That just doesn’t add up.
upset
July 4th, 2009
12:59 am
I am tired of people saying “The Braves have the only champianship in Atlanta”. The Atlanta Chiefs were the 1st. In order of pro sports teams for me it goes like this. Falcons,Hawks,Mets,Red Wings, then Man U.
BigGAdawg
July 5th, 2009
1:59 am
bigstack19 – Amen. The only thing worse than the unjustifiable arrogance, and poor language skills of many ESPN commentators is the whining we get from some of the AJC sports writers.
woody – I don’t see anyone begging you to stay. If you need help packing your Hefty bag I’m sure we could round up some help and maybe a few donations for your bus ticket back to the pothole capital of the world. Who the crap invited you here in the first place? You think we need your help to get along? Oh gosh and golly how will be make it without you? YOU are why people think damn and yankee are one word.
If Arthur wants a new stadium, then I hope he will have the good sense to build it away from downtown. The Georgia Dome may be a fine venue once you are in it, but having parking for 3,000 and seating for 70,000+ is nonsense. Build a great stadium in Cobb or Gwinnett or North Fulton with adequate parking and allow people to avoid the experience of MARTA. Not only could people drive to and from the game, they could even tailgate. What a radical concept–football & tailgating!
niremetal
July 5th, 2009
3:27 am
Soccer doesn’t count as a sport.
Mz. Hawkdafied
July 5th, 2009
11:40 am
Everyone on here wishing for a stadium in Cobb, Gwinnett, etc. must have forgotten that the team’s name is ATLANTA FALCONS! Keyword: A-T-L-A-N-T-A! That’s why the Braves, Thrashers, Falcons, and Hawks venues are located in A-T-L-A-N-T-A! Get it now!
Mz. Hawkdafied
July 5th, 2009
11:46 am
Don’t like the stadium/venue experience stay home. The game comes on the television. Besides once your team wins you forget all about the one thing that made your experience terrible.
Unca' Bob
July 5th, 2009
12:09 pm
Mz. Hawkdafied,
While the Falcons practice at their Flowery Branch facility, do we have to call them the Flowery Falcons?
booboozooboo
July 5th, 2009
2:36 pm
Anybody else notice the knockers on that chick in the mint green blouse?
James
July 6th, 2009
12:28 am
Who are the Thrashers? Is that soccer or hockey or something?
JJB
July 7th, 2009
8:28 am
Come on Mz Hawkdafied, lets look at some other football teams- NY Jets, Giants- they play in New Jersey. Dallas Cowboys-they played in Irving, now Arlington, TX. Are they not representative of the areas that they play. The Falcons in Cobb would represent the same way