Atlanta mayor launches Midnight Basketball League to curb crime

By Patrick Quinn

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    ATLANTA, Georgia (WGCL) — On Wednesday, Atlanta Mayor Andre Dickens launched a Midnight Basketball League to help curb crime.

“You can get people out of a lot of trouble if they are in an activity that they love and people are watching, and they have games, and prizes and music to go along with it. The competitive spirit will keep it indoors instead of outdoors,” said Mayor Dickens, in an interview outside the C.T. Martin Recreation Center.

City officials said in organizing this league, they looked at the metrics of where crime was happening in Atlanta, who was involved, and at what hours of the day.

The league in west Atlanta will run on select nights through June with games played between 7-11 p.m.

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