Quick Facts: Atlanta Hawks
| Current Owner | Tony Ressler |
| Ownership Type | Private |
| Owner Since | June 2015 |
| Purchase Price | ~$850 million |
| Owner’s Day Job | Co-founder, Ares Management (also co-founded Apollo Global Management) |
| Franchise Founded | 1946, as the Tri-Cities Blackhawks |
| Championship | 1958 (as the St. Louis Hawks) |
Who Owns the Atlanta Hawks?
Tony Ressler leads the ownership group that has controlled the Atlanta Hawks since June 2015, when it bought the team for roughly $850 million.
Ressler co-founded two major alternative asset firms — Apollo Global Management in 1990 and Ares Management in 1997 — building the financial background that funded his move into sports ownership after relocating his family from Los Angeles to Atlanta’s Buckhead neighborhood.
His group bought the team from a Bruce Levenson-led ownership group, which put the Hawks up for sale after Levenson self-reported a 2012 internal email discussing race and season-ticket demographics — a decision that drew comparisons to the Donald Sterling situation involving the Clippers around the same period.
As of 2026, Ressler has expanded his Atlanta footprint well beyond basketball, courting major investors for the Centennial Yards development project downtown.
Atlanta Hawks Ownership History
Few NBA franchises have moved this many times — the Hawks are one of the league’s original teams, and their ownership history is really a story of following the team across three different cities before Atlanta.
| Year | Event | Owner / Key Figure | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1946 | Founded as Tri-Cities Blackhawks | Ben Kerner (co-founder) | Based in Moline, Illinois area; one of the NBA’s original franchises |
| 1951 | Moves to Milwaukee | Ben Kerner | Shortened name to “Hawks” |
| 1955 | Moves to St. Louis | Ben Kerner | Team’s most successful competitive era begins |
| 1958 | NBA championship | Ben Kerner | St. Louis Hawks beat the Boston Celtics — still the franchise’s only title |
| 1968 | Moves to Atlanta | Tom Cousins-led group | First major pro sports team in the Southeast |
| 2015 | Sold following email controversy | Bruce Levenson group sells | Levenson self-reported a 2012 email; sale followed NBA review |
| 2015–Present | Bought for ~$850 million | Tony Ressler | Ressler relocates family to Atlanta |
About Tony Ressler
Ressler co-founded Apollo Global Management in 1990 alongside Leon Black and others, later leaving to start Ares Management in 1997, which grew into one of the largest alternative investment firms in the world.
Since buying the Hawks, he has become an increasingly visible figure in Atlanta’s civic and business life, moving his family from Los Angeles and pushing into major real estate development projects like Centennial Yards alongside the team ownership.
Key Ownership Highlights
- The Hawks are one of the NBA’s original 1946 franchises: few teams in any major American sports league have relocated as many times — Tri-Cities to Milwaukee to St. Louis to Atlanta.
- The 1958 championship remains the franchise’s only title: won as the St. Louis Hawks, nearly seven decades and three cities ago.
- Ressler’s group bought the team out of a genuine controversy: Bruce Levenson’s self-reported 2012 email led directly to the 2015 sale, a rare case of an owner initiating his own exit over such an incident.
- Ressler brings elite private-equity credentials: co-founding both Apollo Global Management and Ares Management before moving into sports ownership.
- Ownership and civic investment now overlap: Ressler’s Centennial Yards development work in downtown Atlanta extends his influence well past the basketball team itself.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who owns the Atlanta Hawks?
Tony Ressler, co-founder of Ares Management and Apollo Global Management, who has led the ownership group since June 2015.
How many times has the Hawks franchise relocated?
Three times before landing in Atlanta — from the Tri-Cities to Milwaukee (1951), to St. Louis (1955), and finally to Atlanta (1968).
Have the Hawks ever won an NBA championship?
Yes, in 1958, as the St. Louis Hawks — still the franchise’s only title.
Why did the previous ownership group sell the team?
Owner Bruce Levenson self-reported a 2012 internal email involving race and season-ticket demographics, which led to the team’s sale in 2015.
How much did Tony Ressler’s group pay for the Hawks?
Approximately $850 million in 2015.
