Drafts past. Playoffs for other sports going on so question. Are the Carolina Hurricanes more relevant in the Carolina's now than the Hornets?

[imminent rogaine]

23 hours ago, JakeDel5674 said:

For years, I've had Charlotte residents try to convince me how the Hurricanes were irrelevant and more people show up to Hornets games. The Hurricanes have been to 3 ECF's, two Stanley Cups, and won a Stanley Cup. 

While the the Hornets have only been to the Second Round of the Playoffs. 

I think it's time to put the Hornets are more relevant than the Hurricanes to rest at this point. 

You don't see these types of crowds at Hornets games:

 

I think so.

I’m from Charlotte originally and loved the hornets in the early to mid 90s. I quit watching the nba completely when the Hornets left.  I started watching the canes in 06 and haven’t stopped.

I think both teams probably have a regional appeal in the state but that is really not what you expect from an NBA team. It’s a lot more understandable w hockey given that most of us didn’t grow up watching or playing the sport.

[WOW!!]

31 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

LOL. I think we are done here if that is the basis for your argument. 

I don't care.. You think their some huge Hurricanes following Okay.. Cool ..

I'll still be a Hornets fan.. And NBA will still be in Charlotte..

[RumHam]

Im pretty sure the checkers are more relevant. Jordan has done an awful job and he cheaps his way to simply fielding a team with no aspirations to win. The canes are the only professional team in the carolinas with a championship and they may make it two this year. These arent the hornets i grew up with.

[lightsout]

11 minutes ago, WOW!! said:

I don't care.. You think their some huge Hurricanes following Okay.. Cool ..

I'll still be a Hornets fan.. And NBA will still be in Charlotte..

Canes support is deceptively large. Like you don't expect it...then you show up to the tailgates at PNC Arena. And personally, I've lived in about every corner of this state and a few places in between. I always find at least one Canes fan. They're there for sure. They just become very disinterested when the team isn't winning. The last decade has been tough to be a Canes fan. It's like what would happen to the Panthers if they had a full decade of going 7-9 or worse with a couple 8-8 seasons at best (while having a guy or two who was top 5 at their positions). 

Hornets attendance will go up if they start making the playoffs regularly, and there will be more general excitement. But again, in a basketball heavy state, Hornets support will be more easily accomplished than Hurricanes support.

[kungfoodude]

1 hour ago, imminent rogaine said:

I think so.

I’m from Charlotte originally and loved the hornets in the early to mid 90s. I quit watching the nba completely when the Hornets left.  I started watching the canes in 06 and haven’t stopped.

 I think both teams probably have a regional appeal in the state but that is really not what you expect from an NBA team. It’s a lot more understandable w hockey given that most of us didn’t grow up watching or playing the sport.

Yeah, it's pretty difficult to build a fan following when you are one of the worst teams in the history of the NBA. That is basically the Hornets. 11 winning seasons in 29 years and never having advanced past the second round of the playoffs. That is historically bad for any professional sport. The OG Hornets had one brief period of being relevant in the 90's and have basically been completely irrelevant since then. Furthermore, they will likely remain completely irrelevant while they continue to have inept owners like Bob Johnson and Michael Jordan. At this point, I honestly don't think Jordan cares at all about the Hornets success, he is just sitting back and enjoying the returns on his minimal initial investment. 

The Hurricanes are relevant because they are the only professional team to win in this state, if only on that basis alone.

[AggieLean]

3 hours ago, JakeDel5674 said:

Live in Durham, seen a ton of Canes gear here in the Piedmont and especially Raleigh. The wife and I go to Chapel Hill, see Canes gear and people rooting on the Canes. Go to Cary, saw a Canes hat. Barely EVER see any Hornets gear being worn. 

I don’t consider Durham, Cary, or Chapel Hill the Piedmont. 

I don’t see any of that in Winston, High Point, or Greensboro. I can honestly say, I’ve never seen any Canes gear here, but then again, I’m usually in South Winston or East Greensboro. Never have seen any Canes gear in Hanes, 4 Seasons, or the Friendly Center.

[kungfoodude]

3 minutes ago, AggieLean said:

I don’t consider Durham, Cary, or Chapel Hill the Piedmont. 

I don’t see any of that in Winston, High Point, or Greensboro. I can honestly say, I’ve never seen any Canes gear here, but then again, I’m usually in South Winston or East Greensboro. Never have seen any Canes gear in Hanes, 4 Seasons, or the Friendly Center.

I mean, I know multiple friends that live in Winston/Greensboro and they wear Canes gear and support the Canes. Certainly you aren't going to see as much support as the Triangle but definitely more support than the Hornets.

[AggieLean]

2 minutes ago, kungfoodude said:

I mean, I know multiple friends that live in Winston/Greensboro and they wear Canes gear and support the Canes. Certainly you aren't going to see as much support as the Triangle but definitely more support than the Hornets.

All this is anecdotal, but I can say in my circle and on my side of Winston where I grew up, I don’t see Canes wear. When I’m back in Greensboro, in the area of my alma mater, A&T , I don’t see it.

Again, with the Hornets GLeague team being in Greensboro, I see Hornets gear quite a bit. I can’t speak for Raleigh or the Triad, but I feel comfortable speaking for my hometown and area.

[Mr. Scot]

1 hour ago, lightsout said:

But again, in a basketball heavy state, Hornets support will be more easily accomplished than Hurricanes support.

Which brings up a question...

Is being a basketball team in a "basketball heavy state" that has perennial college contenders like UNC and Duke more difficult than if you were located somewhere that had less of a college basketball tradition?

[kungfoodude]

11 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Which brings up a question...

Is being a basketball team in a "basketball heavy state" that has perennial college contenders like UNC and Duke more difficult than if you were located somewhere that had less of a college basketball tradition?

No, the basketball support will aid the Hornets, it did during the initial years. You have a built in advantage in the knowledge of the game in general. It doesn't matter when you run a dumpster fire of a franchise, however.

[lightsout]

26 minutes ago, Mr. Scot said:

Which brings up a question...

Is being a basketball team in a "basketball heavy state" that has perennial college contenders like UNC and Duke more difficult than if you were located somewhere that had less of a college basketball tradition?

I don't know. When you look at the other "big" basketball schools, they tend to not have NBA teams. Hard to compare. Now if you flip the Canes and Hornets and put the Hornets in Raleigh....yeah, that'd be tough. Nobody is buying Hornets tickets when you have UNC and Duke games to go to. And even NC State games have decent turnout nowadays. Hornets being in Charlotte helps. It's definitely easier to build a basketball fan base for a pro team than a hockey fan base for a pro team in this state. The fact that the Canes can sell out the arena is impressive.

The Canes can potentially be minimum 2nd round of playoffs for the next 5 years with the way this team is looking talent wise and contract wise. That happens, and if hockey fans start pulling more people into following the sport and the team, we can see a big statewide fan base that rivals the Panthers following. That's my hope anyway. I long for the day where we have more than 10 or so consistent users in the Canes sub. Plenty more pop in and lurk, for sure. But need more fervor here.

[TheMaulClaw]

23 hours ago, Trill OG said:

Oh wow Zion Williamson got paid to advertise the Carolina Hurricanes. Oh and you totally proved me wrong with the 30 people in the bar cheering for the Hurricanes. Oh wow the Hurricanes are everywhere! LOLZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ

I've lived in Charlotte for years. Have watched the Hornets my whole life. Love them...have gear....but I also have Canes gear and I completely ignored the Hornets the second half of the year and focused on the Canes. That said...if the roles were reversed this season...I may be paying a tad more attention to the Hornets. Either way I've developed a love for hockey and I think it's more exciting.

The refs have killed the NBA for me...and the NCAA scandals have made me pay less attention to college BBall.

[djp14]

33 minutes ago, lightsout said:

The Canes can potentially be minimum 2nd round of playoffs for the next 5 years with the way this team is looking talent wise and contract wise. That happens, and if hockey fans start pulling more people into following the sport and the team, we can see a big statewide fan base that rivals the Panthers following. 

If winning a Stanley Cup couldn't do it, I doubt it will happen.  They've been here 22 years, almost as long as the Panthers. Their fanbase is what it is. Enjoy their success, and don't worry about the entire state jumping on the bandwagon.As long as the Triangle supports them, they're golden.  

[L-TownCat]

Just for shits and giggles, let Durant or Curry sign with the Hornets.  Give the city a reason to think they actually give a poo about having more than just 5 guys on the court.  We'd be right back to sold out arenas/toughest places to play.

 

Even still, I have 2 bobcats jerseys, an autographed Kemba, and a Hairston jersey.

 

Ask me how many Canes sweaters I have... (hint: <1)