Hawks’ Meruelo wants to earn our respect, and he’s on track
See this picture? Me, I'm darn tired of seeing this picture. (AJC photo by Hyosub Shin)
In his public introduction, Alex Meruelo used that word again, used it four times. That word: Respect. As in, “I want to earn the respect and loyalty of the Atlanta community.”
Then, significantly, he said this: “It’s not something that’s given. I’m not entitled to it.”
Sometimes a guy buys a team and figures the fans come with it. Alex Meruelo seems to grasp that the job only begins when the sale closes. He can’t just say, “These are the Hawks, and we expect you to come watch them.” He has to give folks a reason to spend money on his product.
That, as we know, has been an ongoing disconnect. The Hawks have become a pretty good team — three consecutive winning seasons, three consecutive Round 1 series victories — that our city hasn’t fully embraced. There was a time in the late ’80s when NBA basketball was the hottest ticket in town, but that was before John Schuerholz arrived from Kansas City to reconfigure the Braves.
Meruelo’s mission is to do as Schuerholz did with the local baseball club — assure his constituency that competence is no longer a foreign concept. Meruelo loves basketball but is in no way a basketball insider, which might seem a detriment. (It might also mean he’ll let the professionals in his front office do what they’re paid to do, about which more later.) This much, however, is undeniable: Alex Meruelo is a professional at business, and business is about selling.
Asked after his news conference if, in his entrepreneurial experience, customers respond to knowing there’s one person — a person who cares what they think — in charge, Meruelo said: “In general terms, yes. Otherwise the message can get diluted and convoluted.”
The Atlanta Spirit had many voices, some of whom occasionally agreed. By the time the group rid itself of the dissident Steve Belkin, the damage was done. The brand had been besmirched, the Spirit group cast not as a well-meaning group of moneyed sports fans but as a band of tin-eared klutzes.
In the history of Acts To Follow, the Atlanta Spirit is among the best. (Or worst, depending on your slant.) Even before we knew Arthur Blank would be a skillful steward of a football franchise, we knew he couldn’t be less adroit than the locally lampooned Smiths. Assuming the Hawk get around to playing again — in breaking news, the NBA is locked out — Meruelo should enjoy a blissful honeymoon.
Soon enough, though, he’ll have to put his money and expertise where his mouth is. He’ll have to decide who should stay and who shouldn’t, and that’s no easy call. The Hawks are a winning team that regressed from 53 victories to 44 under new coach Larry Drew. The Core Four — Josh Smith, Joe Johnson, Marvin Williams and Al Horford — has reached a point of diminishing returns. Should the Core be disassembled? (Yes, I’d recommend.) And is general manager Rick Sund the man to build a better core?
Maybe not. Since taking over from Billy Knight in June 2008, Sund has been an able caretaker. But nothing in his long NBA pedigree suggests he’s daring enough to act in the visionary manner that moving from pretty good to great will require. Sund is a good man to have in any front office; he might not be the best to lead the new Hawks’ front office.
Meruelo might well decide that continuity is required, but human nature — in his briefing, an obviously nervous and at times a nearly tearful Meruelo said, “I’m human” — is for a new owner to do some fixing-upping. The Hawks could stand some. My guess is that the new owner will see it that way, too.
“I can’t promise you a championship,” Meruelo said. “I can promise you I’ll never give up.”
A tiny and perhaps apt example: Meruelo wanted a basketball goal installed on the side of his California home. His neighbors were less enthused. (If you think NBA bylaws are inflexible, try working around neighborhood covenants.) “I had to fight tooth and nail,” Meruelo said, but he got his hoop.
Owing to the lockout, Meruelo faces more issues than most first-time franchise buyers. He might not see his first Hawks game until 2012, if then. But this jaded Hawks-watcher has to admit: I like what I’ve heard. I’d say the new man has a real chance. I’d say he’s a man worthy of respect.
By Mark Bradley
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
124 comments Add your comment
E Pluribus Scrotum
August 9th, 2011
10:38 am
He bought a team in a league that will not play next year.
Good move. Would of rather seen the ASG suffer through that.
ASHCAN.
August 9th, 2011
10:39 am
@Steve,why do his race(meruelo) have to be mentioned??? @Tim,you can’t respect someone who loves a dog killer? Really? then you my friend don’t like a lot of people of ALL race speaking of the ones who kill animals but not exposed/caught when they do so.Some people love to hate and hate to love,now think about that for a second.
Tennis Rodman
August 9th, 2011
10:47 am
It is not clear to me – how much do those ASG jerks still own. Until they own 0.0% I am not going to support the HAWKS.
Fundamentals
August 9th, 2011
10:57 am
Congratulations Alex Meruelo. I look forward to your leadership. True, dedicated leadership is something this franchise has lacked for over 20 years. If you bring it, we will come. Good luck and again, Welcome!
Spurs Nation » Meruelo makes history as NBA’s first Hispanic majority owner
August 9th, 2011
11:29 am
[...] to earn the respect and loyalty of the Atlanta community,” Meruelo told Atlanta reporters Monday at his introductory press conference. The Hawks have been a good franchise in recent seasons with four consecutive winning records [...]
Katie
August 9th, 2011
11:30 am
I hope you nay-sayers know that the ASG never intended on selling ALL of the Hawks ownership. This has been known for months now! In pretty much every article I had ever read about them looking for prospective buyers they clearly stated that they planned on keeping a minimal share in the Hawks/Philips Arena. So for those of you saying you won’t spend a dime on this franchise because Mr. Meruelo didn’t buy all of the shares from ASG…..you’re stupid. How do you know that he didn’t want to purchase all of the rights? 80% is all ASG was offering! I mean really, what was he supposed to do??? Would you have rather he said “it’s all or nothing?” because if that were the case we would still be stuck with ASG and probably would be for forever. Would you have preferred that?!
I really don’t understand most of you. How is he supposed to turn this franchise around when you won’t even give the man a chance? Do you realize if we all thought like this there would be no one at any of the games, and it wouldn’t make the ASG sell what MINIMAL shares they have left anyways.
Can’t we all just be happy that the ASG is pretty much done making decisions for this franchise? I’ve been reading this blog for almost 3 years now and all I’ve ever heard was GET RIDE OF THE ATLANTA SPIRIT KILLING GROUP. Now that it’s finally happened you’re still not happy!
I think Mick Jagger said it best, you can’t always get what you want. Just appreciate the fact that a HUGE change is happening, and there is nowhere but up for Mr. Meruelo to go(compared to the ASG)
Scumbag Hawks fans…….. Demands change from ASG. When the changes happens, you’re still pissed for no reason.
And one more thing, reading all of the comments from Tharshers fans on here just makes me feel less and less sympathetic for your loss. Don’t hate on the Hawks just because they were chosen to stay over the Thrashers. NONE of you can deny, they have a better home in Winnipeg when it comes to the amount of fans they now have. They sold more season tickets in one day then I think the Thrashers sold in their entire time here. Yah, it sucks they’re gone, but you bitter fans are only making it easier for me to accept. We don’t need all 5 of you at the games anyways.
Willie
August 9th, 2011
12:22 pm
if this new owner is to connect with the atlanta fans, his first order of business is to fire rick sun and larry drew. if not, they will be a stumling block in way. The atlanta fans have been tormented by bad financial and personnel decisions by these two gentlemen, and will never accept his sale of them as his GM and Coach. The ASG has no control but to have a fresh start, Sun and Drew must go. This is the best news I have heard about the hawks in almost a decade ! Alex. go get atlanta two basketball minds. That would be a new GM and Coach. Nothing Personal just business.
Dwayne
August 9th, 2011
1:04 pm
He bought the rights to all things Thrashers…here is hoping for a return of hockey to Atlanta. With a owner who wants a championship, I’d start going to Hawks games again…one can wish.
Dwayne
August 9th, 2011
1:15 pm
Hey Katie, some Thrashers fans hate basketball like some Hawks fans hate hockey. Thrasher fans got tired of giving the Atlanta Spirit A$$ Clowns their money. The writing was on the wall years ago that the Octocluster did not want hockey. The ASG L.L.C.(liars. lawsuits & contempt) lied to everyone possible about selling/not selling either team. I love both sports, basketball was my first love, so my opinion is unbiased. I wonder which liars are still minority owners? I would love to visit Atl. and see a hockey match and basketball game on consecutive nights. Read up on what happened to those sorry owners, I believe the owner with the most money flew the coupe when the signed Joe Johnson away from Phoniex. Anyway, I hope this owner sees a big need to fix Philips Arena, bathrooms, tv’s(dont Philips make tv’s??lol) concession stands, parking…etc.
nique
August 9th, 2011
1:47 pm
How much is the new owner worth?
Patman
August 9th, 2011
1:58 pm
I’m not expecting an overnight miracle but anybody other than the ASG is a breath of fresh air. I don’t know how much greatnes to expect but I am expecting much better.
Hawks 1 fan
August 9th, 2011
2:34 pm
Mr. Mark Bradley, to correct you about John Scheuerholz when he arrived in Atlanta in 1990 the Braves loaded with all the great players in their organization ready to play, the Braves from 1990 to 2000 was build by Bobby Cox when he was a Gm. These players include Chipper, Glavine, John Smolhz, Justice, Gant, Lopez, and all the rest of the young players at the time. Schuerholz just came in at the right time and he did not do enough to make the a denstiy team. as for as the Hawks the problem has always been the Wrong General Managers for the last 20 years. Turner was a great owner and the ASG was not that bad as for as spending money, they just hired the worst general manager in Knight and Sund is not the GM that can take the Hawks to the next level, its time to get a new boss for Meurlo.
ATL Observer
August 9th, 2011
3:22 pm
@Katie, we realize that he only bought what was offered. No one’s blaming him for taking what was given. But the fact remains that some money spent on Hawks games will still go to ASG, which many fans cannot support.
It’s no more personal than Hawks fans not going to Thrashers games because they don’t like hockey. I didn’t take personal offense to that, nor should you take personal offense to this.
It’s just one segment of fans saying “this is what it would take for US to offer our support” i.e. the unconditional and COMPLETE purging of ASG. Those are that group’s demands. As long as the people that don’t demand that are in plentiful supply, it will be none of Meruelo’s concern. If that group becomes larger, then Meruelo will have to address the issue. How do you expect fans that want ASG fans completely gone to try to communicate the change they want? Say nothing?
Gotti
August 9th, 2011
4:12 pm
i like this guy already..now we need to get new management in here. get rid of johnson and his stupid $120 million contract and get aonther guard(C.Paul or Westbrooke) and REAL center(D.HOWARD) at 2 yrs $60 million apiece!
dirtyo11
August 9th, 2011
6:54 pm
He let’s give this guy a chance. Hope he will tell his GM to go out and get a player that will help this team get into the Eastern Championship finals if not the NBA Finals. He need to make a splash via trade or FA. How bout Williams,Teague and 2012 1st rnd for CP3 (if CP3 agree to a extension)and another player from N.O, then do a sign a trade deal with J Crawford for Rudy Gay. Also through FA get a 3pt threat and a aggressive SG/SF defender to come off the bench. We got to load up like the rest of the elite teams in the NBA going to do. We need to trade for CP3 before the Magic, Heat, Lakers or Knicks do it.
C – Hortford
PF – Smith
SF – Gay
SG – Johnson
PG – CP3
Bench: Hinrich, ZaZa, Wilkins, 3pt threat and aggressive SF/SG defender
I see this team competing with any team in the league to include the Heat, Bulls & Mavs
Winny Pegg
August 9th, 2011
10:18 pm
I get the feeling that all these Thrasher fans are really just one guy under different pseudonyms.
J
August 10th, 2011
11:41 am
These Thrashers fans are a bunch of hypocrits on here … they say they won’t buy anything Philips Arena related until a new owner comes in. A new owner buys the team and then they bash him and say they won’t buy b/c he didn’t save the Thrashers. What a crock! Put your money where your mouth is or shut up. And give the guy a chance, by God. Keep your seething rants to yourself at this point …
Phillips Areana
August 10th, 2011
12:48 pm
To those of you who arent intelligent enough to understand how moving a team works let me help you. You cant just up and move a team bc u feel like it. Especially in the Hawks case. I see people saying o he will sell the areana at first chance, are you serious????? He owns the OPERATING RIGHTS to phillips, he doesnt own the building, city of Atlanta does. And if you ASG haters read all the articles that were coming out during the thrashers sale they said not to worry about the hawks who are contractually obligated to play at phillips into 2020’s. Do the research folks before you post, not really that hard.
Wily
August 10th, 2011
2:13 pm
From a distance he looks like Jim Mora Jr.
Yeahsure
August 10th, 2011
4:25 pm
@Katie
Thanks for writing this so that I didnt have to.
Some people think that business deals are simple and buyers can do whatever they want. Thats not the case 99.9% of the time. EVEN if the extra 20% share was on the table, that’s quite a few million dollars that won’t go into rebuilding the team, and will instead go directly into the pockets of the ASG. Even millionaires cant go around blowing cash everywhere. Do you want a 100% owner with a losing team or do you want a team with an owner that knows how to do business?
truhawksfan
August 13th, 2011
3:24 am
The people I saw that could go when the season start is Marvin Williams I like him but he would do good somewhere wlse and also Rick Sund could go to, I think they could use another GM.O.A.N as long as J-Smoove,JC,JJ,AL,and JT are there i don’t care who go.
Mae rose
August 14th, 2011
7:17 pm
Hi new owner if u want a ring bring D.Howard home.
Mae rose
August 14th, 2011
7:24 pm
teague
Rip
Joe
Al
D.howard
Luv These Hawks
August 14th, 2011
8:12 pm
First mistake of Meruelo-Hawks PR spin:
According to the AJC Business section of the Aug 14, 2011 Sunday edition:
“Meruelo is conservative in both financial and political matters, having supported several republican candidates and donating to the swift boat veteran for truth, who attacked Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry’s war record in the 2004 election”
Rule #1: POLITICS AND SPORTS DON’T MIX
Rule #2: NEVER FORGET RULE#1
Is this the “new” strategy, to increase the fan base by drawing more red fan from the red state of Georgia?
This addition by subtraction may backfire