Media Icon and Former Hawks Owner Ted Turner Dies at 87
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Ted Turner, the broadcasting trailblazer who once controlled the Atlanta Hawks and Major League Baseball’s Atlanta Braves, died Wednesday at the age of 87, according to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. A family spokesperson said Turner, who revealed a Lewy body dementia diagnosis in 2018, passed away peacefully while surrounded by loved ones.
Turner purchased a majority share of the Hawks in 1977, ensuring the franchise stayed in Atlanta and supplying programming for his local cable outlet WTCG, later rebranded as WTBS/TBS. He remained the team’s owner until 1996, when Time Warner acquired Turner Broadcasting System. Time Warner ultimately sold the club in 2004 to Atlanta Spirit LLC; current owner Tony Ressler assumed control in 2015.
A banner honoring Turner still hangs in the rafters of State Farm Arena. Ressler called it a “constant reminder of the standard he set,” adding that his own work with the Hawks, the arena renovation and the Centennial Yards development are extensions of Turner’s legacy of using sports to uplift the community.
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver described Turner as “a true pioneer whose vision transformed modern media” and praised his decades-long stewardship of the Hawks and support of league growth.
The Hawks, Braves and numerous figures across sports and media offered condolences to Turner’s family and friends as they reflected on his lasting influence on both industries.
Source: Hoops Rumors
