Passittothebulls.com is reporting an interesting theory that the Atlanta Thrashers are actively acquiring black players to improve attendance. The hockey blog pointed out the Atlanta Thrashers have six black players on their current roster. The players are not just American but of Canadian and European decent too. Atlanta has one of the lowest attendance ratings in the league but also has one of the highest African American populations in the city.
The blog post has caught much criticism from civil rights groups and has even caused Thrashers President Don Waddell to deny any racial basis. Waddell told the New York Times: “It all just kind of happened. It wasn’t like we went out and tried to pick up black players.”
Currently, the Atlanta Thrashers have about 20% of all black players on their roster.
