Hearing the colorful on-court language and being immersed in the speed of the NBA game are just a couple of the things Hawks fans get to experience with a courtside seat. For the second time in their tenure as season-ticket holders, Tim and Simone Harvey witnessed the Hawks up close after their tickets were upgraded to a courtside view.
They got to take in the Hawks' 124-118 comeback win over the Pacers on Thursday night from row DDD. After the Hawks trailed the Pacers by as many as 10 points with 1:30, the Hawks steadily erased the deficit before taking 104-102 lead of a 3-point shot from Georges Niang with just under six minutes to play in the game. Then Niang made another 3 that forced the Pacers to call a timeout.
“Every time we hit those (3-point shots) down the clutch right there, when we really needed we had a little five-point lead, and then we kind of squandered that and went down by four,” Tim Harvey said, reliving the Hawks’ performance in the clutch. “And I thought it was gonna get away from us. But then, you know, we had a couple big 3’s, Niang in the corner, Trae (Young) got a bucket then (an) and-one, and Onyeka (Okongwu) got a putback with a foul so that put us back ahead.”
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
Credit: Colin Hubbard/AP
The Harveys have sat courtside at a game before Thursday’s win. They got the opportunity to watch the Hawks take on the Pacers on Feb. 8, 2022, on Crowning Courage night. That night they sat front in the front row and truly got what it was like to sit on what Hawks play-by-play announcer Bob Rathbun affectionately calls ‘Gucci Row.’
“Rest in peace, I sat beside Rich Homie Quan during that entire game,” Tim said.
“Sure did,” Simone added.
“I mean, he was a really nice guy. We had a great time while we were there. I mean, that’s impressive. To be able to see the culture here in Atlanta. A lot of celebrities here, a lot of stars come out here from all types of whatever, professions and whatnot. So that is impressive. I guess that’s unique to a lot of other arenas, unless you live in one of the big markets, like New York or L.A. or something like that. So I like that. I mean, I like that a lot.”
Credit: AP
Credit: AP
Not one to get starstruck though, the Harveys find themselves more enthralled by the game action, as well as the game presentation and how everything comes together. Up close to the court, they get to hear the conversations that happen between the officials and the players.
“Up front and close, experience of the NBA, the game is a lot faster when you sit in courtside,” Tim said. “The game seems to go a lot quicker when you sit courtside, versus away from the court. You can kind of feel everything. You get a chance to hear what’s going on the floor versus just seeing it, the interaction with the players and the referees, and then all the coordination.
“I look at this stuff that go on the in-game stuff, too, the coordination that it takes to set up the in-game experience, the T-shirt toss, all of that stuff is work. And I think people kind of overlook that.”
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
Credit: Jason Getz / Jason.Getz@ajc.com
The Hawks have sold out all of their season-ticket slots and have a wait list. But of course, those season-ticket members sometimes distribute those tickets to friends and loved ones if they can’t attend the game.
For the courtside seats, the Hawks have different prices for different vantage points across different games. The team has learned that each location around the court has its own unique quality. But on average, those courtside seats of all locations across all the games, costs around or above $900.
Those tickets come with the usual season-ticket perks, as well as some more elevated experiences.
“We consider the first four rows around the court our Delta Sky 360 Club courtside,” said Kyle Brunson, the team’s senior vice president for ticket sales and service. “So our Hawks members that have access to Delta Sky 60 Club, all-inclusive, high-end, elevated food and beverage curated by Chef G (Garvin). And so that’s included.
Credit: Courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks
Credit: Courtesy of the Atlanta Hawks
“Obviously, the really great real estate, proximity to the court is included. Parking is included. We believe in really great service to all of our members. We go past the game, past tickets, we put on events outside of the game.”
The Hawks have several events outside of games, including the Taste of the Hawks event, hosted at State Farm Arena two weeks ago. They also had their Hardwood Dinner at the practice facility, where they got to hear about the state of the team from members of the Hawks' front office.
“So we try to give extra insider access when you’re part of the family, when you’re part of being a Hawks member, and then everything’s elevated when you’re a member of the Delta Sky360 club,” Brunson said.
The Harveys feel that sense of family as season-ticket members. During the first timeout of Thursday’s game, a fellow member participated in one of the games to win a prize. As soon as they saw that they knew the participant, they whipped out their phones to take in the action.
They’ve attended many of the off-court events and have gotten to know many of the members outside of basketball. It has become a family for them.
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