The Atlanta Hawks have announced a multi-year deal with the Metropolitan Atlanta chapter of the YMCA to have their famous “Y” logo on the team’s jerseys.
The partnership doesn’t just include the jersey patches. The Hawks and the Y plan “major community initiatives aimed at improving the well-being and health of Atlantans with a focus on increasing access to youth sports, especially basketball.”
The Hawks say they will assist the Y with urgent community needs, social responsibility, and backing inclusivity. The Hawks plan to launch campaigns to help the Y attain new members and raise funds to keep the organization, which was founded in 1858, going into the future.
“The synergy between the mission of the Hawks and the Y is so authentic and genuine,” said Atlanta Hawks General Manager Landry Fields in a statement. “As a kid who discovered his love for the game at the Lakewood YMCA in California, I know this partnership and the access it will provide will be meaningful for the basketball community in Atlanta and beneficial in the holistic development of our youth.”
Added YMCA of Metro Atlanta president and CEO Lauren Koontz, “Everything the YMCA of Metro Atlanta does is grounded in meeting the unique needs of communities – and we can’t do it alone. We’re grateful to partner with the Atlanta Hawks. Together we can increase access and involvement and provide the opportunity for more people to discover their potential and thrive.”
The new Y patches will make their debut in the In-Season Tournament game with the Indiana Pacers at State Farm Arena tomorrow night. They will also be seen on the uniforms of the Hawks’ G-league team, the College Park Skyhawks.
The Hawks worked with Excel Sports Management to forge the jersey patch deal. The Y deal replaces the Sharecare patch deal that expired last year.
Image credit: Atlanta Hawks/NBA
