ATLANTA — Hawks co-owner Bruce Levenson said Sunday that he is selling his controlling interest in the team, partly because of an inflammatory email he said he wrote in an attempt “to bridge Atlanta’s racial sports divide.”
Levenson said he regrets the email sent to the team’s co-owners and general manager Danny Ferry two years ago as “inappropriate and offensive.” In a statement released by the team on Sunday, Levenson said he sent the email due to his concerns about low attendance and a need to attract suburban whites. He said he later realized the email made it seem white fans were more important.
Levenson said he voluntarily reported the email to the NBA.
NBA commissioner Adam Silver said Sunday the league will work with the Hawks ownership group and CEO Steve Koonin, who now will oversee all team operations.
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