Name Change?

[CarolinaNiner]

Got through page 14 before I gave up & skipped to the end...

Just a few things...

1) If race wasn't a factor, Larry Bird's group would have gotten the franchise bid instead of Bob Johnson. At the time, more people in Charlotte were behind the Bird & Co. bid than they were the Bob Johnson bid. When the proposals from Johnson and Birds group were very similar, to say race wasn't a factor in Sterns decision to award the franchise to Bob Johnson would be ignorant.

Race may very well be a part of why many people in Charlotte have not/do not root for the Bobcats, but it was part of the award process as well.

2) Whether or not Bob Johnson purposely and egotistically named the franchise after him, Bobcats were the wrong name. It was the wrong name for the exact reason people don't like it - because many people think he named the team after himself. It was a bad PR move, and he should have forseen that reaction. If he didn't see that happening, than he is not as good of a businessman as he thinks he is, and if no one told him than he was surronded with sycophants at that time.

3) I personally don't like the Bobcats name or emblem. I'm ok if they keep the name, but they do need a redesign of the logo. If the new owner(Jordan) decide to change the name and rebrand the team, the new name should be The Carolina Flight. Between the Wright Brothers, the blue skies the carolina's are famous for, and Jordan's Nike connections, using Flight as a moniker is the most marketable. More marketable than Bobcats. With the changing landscape of the NBA as a business, changing the name to something more marketable and likable by the majority of the fan base is smart.

Bobcats is a decent name for a Carolina's based franchise, but for better or worse, it doesn't sit well with a LARGE portion of the fanbase. While it is true that a winning franchise cures all ills, I think it is a smart move in the long term to rebrand the franchise, especially with a lockout looming and the changing landscape of the NBA as a business.

I'm not going to cry if they keep the name, bt I would prefer they rebrand the club.

Carolina Flight... the 'Queen City Airmen'. Decked out in Nike Air Jordan brand Jumpmen appearal.

Get Mike Dantonio as coach, and a Nashish point guard, and play a western conference style of ball, and you have struck gold.

[King Taharqa]

Got through page 14 before I gave up & skipped to the end...

Just a few things...

1) If race wasn't a factor, Larry Bird's group would have gotten the franchise bid instead of Bob Johnson. At the time, more people in Charlotte were behind the Bird & Co. bid than they were the Bob Johnson bid. When the proposals from Johnson and Birds group were very similar, to say race wasn't a factor in Sterns decision to award the franchise to Bob Johnson would be ignorant.

What an ignorant ass statement. "The only reason Bob got the team is cuz he's black." David Stern did not award the NBA franchise to Bob Johnson. The 30 other NBA owners did, who all happen to be rich white men. They, not Stern decided Bob was a better candidate for the franchise than the Bird/Belkin group. Just as they, not Stern have to approve MJ before he buys the team. You're being anti-semitic against Stern.

Race may very well be a part of why many people in Charlotte have not/do not root for the Bobcats, but it was part of the award process as well.

I'm glad you concede race is a factor why people like yourself wont root for their home basketball team. There's 30 other white owned NBA teams you could pull for. How bout the Clippers? Or better yet, Bird's in Indy, become a Pacers fan since you think he deserved this franchise. LOL.

Whether or not Bob Johnson purposely and egotistically named the franchise after him, Bobcats were the wrong name. It was the wrong name for the exact reason people don't like it - because many people think he named the team after himself. It was a bad PR move, and he should have forseen that reaction. If he didn't see that happening, than he is not as good of a businessman as he thinks he is, and if no one told him than he was surronded with sycophants at that time.

Just because a vocal minority of disgrunted Charlotteans with a very limited knowledge of NBA basketball dont like the name means nothing. The Bobcats have fans all over the country who take pride in the name and are happy with our identity.

I personally don't like the Bobcats name or emblem. I'm ok if they keep the name, but they do need a redesign of the logo. If the new owner(Jordan) decide to change the name and rebrand the team, the new name should be The Carolina Flight. Between the Wright Brothers, the blue skies the carolina's are famous for, and Jordan's Nike connections, using Flight as a moniker is the most marketable. More marketable than Bobcats. With the changing landscape of the NBA as a business, changing the name to something more marketable and likable by the majority of the fan base is smart.

Bobcats is a decent name for a Carolina's based franchise, but for better or worse, it doesn't sit well with a LARGE portion of the fanbase. While it is true that a winning franchise cures all ills, I think it is a smart move in the long term to rebrand the franchise, especially with a lockout looming and the changing landscape of the NBA as a business.

I'm not going to cry if they keep the name, bt I would prefer they rebrand the club.

Carolina Flight... the 'Queen City Airmen'. Decked out in Nike Air Jordan brand Jumpmen appearal.

12 mill gets you a name change. If people are so passionate about it they wont have a problem raising that. Get everyone to pitch in 20 bucks, 50 bucks, Im sure the "millions" of people who are bothered by the name can raise that in a jiffy.

Get Mike Dantonio as coach, and a Nashish point guard, and play a western conference style of ball, and you have struck gold.

So we can be the New York Knicks, who aint in the playoff hunt? No thanks.

[Matt Foley]

I'm starting to believe in racism in Charlotte. After all, KT just got owned.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

So what awesome things has Belk done since he lost his bid for the Bobcats?

[panthersphan]

Great article on MJ and the "new" Charlotte franchise...Stern comments on what Bob did wrong and why it initially has struggled.

"Stern said the various missteps - he specifically mentioned television rights"

TV rights...wait...I thought KT said that was out of Bob Johnson's control???

Here's a link to the article...

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/12/1308471/stern-nba-expects-to-approve-charlotte.html

All the "re-branding talk" hints towards a name change...

I'm down for whatever, name change or keep the Bobcats...

[King Taharqa]

TV rights...wait...I thought KT said that was out of Bob Johnson's control???

Stern was referring to C-Set which folded about 5 years ago. He wasnt talking about the current TV situation with Fox Sports. Ironically many of the areas that dont get Bobcats game NOW were getting them under C-Set until they pulled the plug on it.

By the way, I made a thread and stickied it in regards to your TV situation in Boone. I noticed you didnt comment in it or admit you were wrong in slamming Bob Johnson because your cable provider is cheap as hell and doesnt want you to watch Bobcats games.

As for a "name change", the poll you made yourself showed people prefer the Bobcats and arent interested in changing the name and identity of a rising playoff team.

[EC123]

Team should probably be called the "Carolina Flight", or the "Carolina" anything if you want the State of NC, and some of SC, to embrace the team, just like the Carolina Panthers and Carolina Hurricanes, but with so many UNC players associated with the franchise, calling it "Carolina" anything would make the name the subject of many jokes.

[EC123]

This team has a lot of more pressing issues than worrying about their name....like trying to finish above .500 and make the playoffs for the first time.

When you start hearing "THIS TEAM" start "WORRYING ABOUT THEIR NAME", please let the people on this messageboard talking about it know.

[panthersphan]

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/2010/03/18/1322833/jordan-talks-about-brown-roster.html#none

MJ OPEN TO NAME CHANGE.

[King Taharqa]

Make a new thread Panthersphan anytime the local rag tag supplies us with a new article on the "name change". Maybe we can get Zod to make a Bobcat bot. Im closing this one baby!