Media mogul Ted Turner, the former owner of the Hawks and MLB’s Atlanta Braves, has passed away at age 87, per Matt Kempner and Christopher Quinn of The Atlanta Journal-Constitution. Turner, who was diagnosed with Lewy body dementia in 2018, died peacefully surrounded by loves ones, a spokesperson told the AJC.
Turner bought a majority stake in the Hawks in 1977 to ensure the team remained in Atlanta and to provide content for his local cable station, WTCG, which was later rebranded as WTBS/TBS (Turner Broadcasting System). He continued to serve as the Hawks’ owner until after Turner Broadcasting System was acquired by Time Warner in 1996.
Time Warner later the sold the franchise in 2004 to a group known as Atlanta Spirit LLC, while current Hawks owner Tony Ressler took control of the team in 2015.
A banner still hangs at State Farm Arena in Atlanta honoring Turner. Ressler issued a statement on Wednesday recognizing the former Hawks owner’s importance to the organization.
“For me personally, owning the Atlanta Hawks and following in his footsteps – even in a small way – has been one of the great honors of my life. Seeing his name raised above the rafters at State Farm Arena serves as a constant reminder of the standard he set and the legacy he built,” Ressler’s statement reads, in part. “In many respects, my work in Atlanta – through the Hawks, the transformation of State Farm Arena, and the development of Centennial Yards – are all extensions of that legacy, rooted in our shared belief that sports and community can come together to inspire, uplift, and create lasting impact.
“Ted Turner showed us what it means to think boldly and act with purpose. His legacy will continue to guide and inspire all who strive to make a difference.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver also put out a statement in the wake of Turner’s passing, referring to former Hawks owner as a “true pioneer whose vision transformed modern media” (Twitter link).
“He was a passionate steward of our game for decades,” Silver said. “Both as a longtime owner of the Hawks and as a devoted partner who played an integral role in advancing the league’s growth.”
We at Hoops Rumors send our condolences to Turner’s family and friends.
RIP Ted 🙏 …. “The Mouth of the South”
RIP legend
Thank you for all the good memories
Rest in peace Mr Turner. There’s parts of his story that I love, including these 2 …
His dad was in the billboard business and pretty successful in that media but Ted took it a whole new level and achieved billionaire status as a self-made guy.
But my favorite is how he bought the Braves with nothing down. No money out of his own pocket.
Part of the purchase agreement was Turner using the cash on the team’s books as the down payment.
The Braves had a small reserve and positive cash flow and that was the earnest money that the seller accepted.
Being a very small player in real estate myself, I can definitely appreciate his creativity, determination, and desire for success.
Would you guys mind if I give you one more memory? Sorry if I write a book sometimes but here’s a little tidbit that I’ve always appreciated…
For many years, Ted would walk around with a gold coin in his pocket everywhere he went. He felt like if it was ever necessary he’d have 1 OZ of gold handy if anything ever came up.
If he ever stumbled across a deal, he could say, take this, I’ll get you the rest tomorrow, and he would be able to act immediately.
I think he also did it to give him confidence when speaking to more educated guys as he could feel the $1000 coin in his pocket and it was better than any $500 suit felt back then.