y, New Zealand has been my favourite place.The All Blacks play their first Test matchh next weekend since claiming a second succ

ATLANTA -- Turner Entertainment Networks president Steve Koonin is joining the Atlanta Hawks ownership group, which hopes he can raise the profile of an NBA team that has struggled to draw fans or lure big-name free agents. Chris Ivory Bills Jersey . The Hawks announced late Sunday that Koonin would take an ownership stake, serve as chief executive officer, oversee all business operations and represent the ownership at league functions. Koonin comes to the Hawks after 14 years with Turner Entertainment Networks, where in his most recent role he led the division that included TNT, TBS, TruTV and Turner Classic Movies. He previously spent more than a decade as a marketing executive at Coca-Cola. "Steve Koonins reputation as a game changer in both marketing and media makes him the ideal leader to usher the Atlanta Hawks into a new era," said Bruce Levenson, the teams majority owner. "He has created a legacy as an expert in sports marketing, television, branding and digital media." The Hawks clinched their seventh straight playoff appearance this past weekend but perennially rank among the worst teams in attendance. The team is hoping Koonin can change that after his stint at Turner, where he was involved in programming and media rights acquisition with both the NBA and the NCAA. At Coca-Cola, he served as vice-president of sports and entertainment marketing. Koonin is a lifelong resident of Atlanta, headquarters of Turner and Coca-Cola. "My family has been a part of this city for nearly a century," Koonin said in a statement. "We have a lot of work to do, but I believe my professional experience, my passion for this team and the NBA, as well as the Hawks great existing executive talent ... make this organizations future very bright." Under general manager Danny Ferry and first-year coach Mike Budenholzer, the Hawks are in the midst of a major rebuilding effort. Only two players, centre Al Horford and point guard Jeff Teague, have been with the team longer than two years -- and Horford missed most of this season with an injury. Koonins focus will be off the court. Heading into its final home game Monday night, the Hawks were averaging crowds of 14,400 a game -- 28th out of 30 NBA teams. The actual turnouts are generally much lower, with thousands of empty seats a trademark of games at Philips Arena, where capacity was actually reduced by curtaining a section of seats at the top of the upper deck. Over the past decade, the team has never ranked higher than 18th in attendance and is largely overlooked in a market that also has the NFL, Major League Baseball and a passion for college football. "I have known Steve for more than two decades and based both on firsthand experience and his stellar record of accomplishments," NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. "He is one of the very best executives and creative minds in the entertainment industry." Jeremy Kerley Bills Jersey .com) - SirDominic Pointer posted career highs of 24 points and seven steals to lead No. Eddie Yarbrough Bills Jersey . He reps the 4-1-6The insecurity of Canadian basketball fans is not what it once was with the home grown talent making its way to the big leagues, but it is still nice to see the local kids remembering where they come from once they make their way south. http://www.billsnflgears.com/Black-Josh-Allen-Bills-Jersey.html?cat=948 . But luckily for the Canadian squad, one goal was all it needed. Winnipegs Sophie Schmidt scored the winner off a Diana Matheson corner kick to seal Canadas third-place spot in the Torneio Internacional de Futebol Feminino in Brazil on Sunday.Wales captain Sam Warburton says playing a three-Test series against the All Blacks in New Zealand, live on Sky Sports, is an amazing opportunity. Warburton, providing he recovers in time from a shoulder injury, will return to the scene of arguably his most painful rugby experience next Saturday.When the Wales skipper last played at Eden Park in Auckland - a 2011 World Cup semi-final against France - he was sent off midway through the first-half as Les Bleus went on to triumph 9-8. Since then, though, Warburton has led the British and Irish Lions on tour to Australia, while Wales have won two more Six Nations titles and reached a World Cup quarter-final, and he is relishing world rugbys greatest challenge.With his country without a victory over New Zealand away from home in seven attempts, Warburton said: I am never, ever going to go into a game not believing we are going to win it. I cant wait for it.Its an amazing opportunity for us, three games. You have to have a really positive mindset to go out there, which is half the battle in professional sport. Warburton suffered a miserable sending off the last time he played in Auckland We obviously know that New Zealand are massive favourites. They have been the worlds best team for a long time now, and they will be the best team we have played against probably in the last three or four years.The feeling of victory, then, is what motivates you because it would make it that much greater an achievement. So its really motivating to go out there and try to get a win against the best side in the world. Its an amazing rugby country. The people are fantastic, and they are all pretty fond of Welsh rugby, which is really nice to hear. They all seem to enjoy the brand of rugby that we try to play, so probably anywhere other than Wales that I play rugby, New Zealand has been my favourite place.The All Blacks play their first Test matchh next weekend since claiming a second successive World Cup triumph last autumn, and they go into battle without the likes of retired record-breaking captain Richie McCaw, plus France-based trio Dan Carter, Maa Nonu and Conrad Smith. Josh Allen Jersey. Warren Gatland was reletaively satisfied despite their 27-13 defeat by England But Warburton added: They might lose experience, but they will never lose talent. I have been watching the guys in Super Rugby, and their teams have been doing extremely well, playing some great rugby.They will have a plan in place and guys coming in, and they will be extremely strong, as ever. Dont get me wrong, the experienced players will be missed, but the ones they have coming through is scary, their strength in depth. Also See: No All Blacks weaknesses - Gatland Gatland looks at Georgia