Major Bobcats Announcement Coming Soon?

[King Taharqa]

Jeez, we really need a team this city can finally get behind.

The city has been behind the Bobcats, while a vocal minority of "basketball fans" are trapped in a 20 year time warp. Its kinda cool tho to see everyone else enjoying the team we have now while others take pride in being 20-25 years behind the rest of the NBA world.

[Carl Spackler]

The NBA brought a team back to Charlotte not Robert Johnson.

This. Christ, KT. Your racism has reared its ugly head again. No one takes you seriously because you ignore major points to enhance your otherwise pathetic argument.

Bobcats name sucks. It does. I go to a lot of games and cheer for the team but compared to Hornets, it's not worth a damn. If they don't change it, I won't complain. But if they did change it, they've made worse decisions than that.

If George Shinn were black and Johnson were white, you'd be playing a different tune and you know it. You'd be telling us how Shinn brought the NBA to us, and how Johnson thankfully sold the team. Truth is they were two of the 10 worst owners in NBA history. Whether you agree or not, pundits nationwide will.

If anyone deserves credit for bringing the NBA back it's David Stern. Deal with it.

[King Taharqa]

You "Hornets nostalgists" are pathetic and are obsolete to Charlotte sports. You do nothing and you mean nothing, which is why the Bobcats arent bothering to change their name to please you folks. Your half hearted support of the Bobcats and reluctance to change with the times is the MAIN REASON no Superstar wants to set foot in this market. You all will die off eventually and be forgotten just like the Hornets. As stated earlier, these kids today never saw them play and hold no allegiance to them like you sad 20-30-40 year olds still trapped in your childhood. All you guys have left is the blogs of the Charlotte Observer, youtube clips, retro snapback hats, and memories. BWAHAHAHAHA!!!

Go downtown right now, you wont find one image of the Hornets on display. Not one! Bob Johnson saved Charlotte, and our "name" reminds people of that everyday. We're not called the Sterncats, we're not called the Hornets, we're called the Bobcats. Deal with it baby. 8 years and running.

[King Taharqa]

Hey all you NO Hornets fans out there, good news...

NEW ORLEANS (AP) — Gov. Bobby Jindal and the Hornets plan to announce an agreement on a 10-year lease extension at the New Orleans Arena, according to people familiar with the deal.

The people spoke to The Associated Press Friday on condition of anonymity because the deal had not been publicly announced. Jindal is expected to discuss the deal Friday afternoon.

People say the deal will run through 2024, but requires legislative approval of a bond issue of more than $40 million to help fund about $50 million in arena improvements that should give the Hornets more revenue streams.

The new lease would not require any new taxes.

The extension was done in conjunction with the NBA's efforts to find a new owner for the team, which is currently owned by the league. A new owner would be bound to the new lease.

The people say the NBA is also expected to award New Orleans an NBA all-star game sometime during the lease.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has said he hoped to announce an agreement with a new owner this month, but it is not yet clear exactly when that process will be complete.

"This is a major step toward completing the sale of the team," said one of the people familiar with the process, but he could not specify when a new owner might be in place.

The hope is that a long-term lease and new ownership will stabilize a franchise that has at times been on shaky ground since moving to Louisiana from Charlotte in 2002.

The Hornets also spent two full seasons in Oklahoma City after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans in August 2005.

By 2010, owner George Shinn was saddled with too much debt to continue operating the club effectively and needed to sell. Shinn has said he did not want to sell the team to someone who would immediately move it out of Louisiana. However, he also could not reach a deal to sell his shares of the club to then-minority owner Gary Chouest, a Louisiana native and owner of a thriving business that builds and operates supply boats to the offshore oil and gas industries.

That led the NBA to step in, and for the first time in league history, take over ownership of one of its teams, with commissioner David Stern acting as the de facto owner.

Once the sale was completed in Dec. 2010, Stern appointed sports attorney Jac Sperling, a New Orleans native, to oversee the club and begin negotiating with prospective buyers, as well as with state officials concerning the team's lease of the state-owned New Orleans Arena.

The old lease was set to expire in 2014 and contained provisions that allowed the club to break the lease if average attendance fell below 14,735 during a two-year period. Last year, that attendance threshold was surpassed only after an intense campaign, orchestrated with the help of politicians and business leaders, urging fans and businesses to buy up blocks of tickets,

The new lease does not have such an escape clause, which is meant to send a message to fans in Louisiana that the new ownership is committed to the region long-term.

As part of the effort to attract a new owner, team officials also spent the past offseason conducting an unusual campaign to build the club's season-ticket base to 10,000, which the league considers a benchmark for successful franchises. The campaign involved social mixers in the homes of prominent business people in the region, giving Hornets officials an intimate forum to explain the benefits of owning Hornets season tickets and having their city represented by a franchise the world's top professional basketball league.

The 10,000 season ticket mark was surpassed right around the time the NBA's lockout ended with a new labor agreement, and Stern praised the community for its support during a time when the league was dealing with labor strife. However, the club has played to small crowds as it has struggled to win since the NBA signed off on a controversial trade of Chris Paul to the Los Angeles Clippers.

http://www.tri-paris...1871e3ce6c.html

Looks like the Hornets arent leaving their "home" New Orleans any time soon. In fact, looks like in the next few years they will have been in Louisiana longer than they were in Charlotte. And just like back here in Charlotte, the league had to literally beg people to attend games to keep the franchise afloat. Maybe if we offer all our firstborns, 20 mill, and a share of the NASCAR Hall Of Fame the city of NO and the New Orleans franchise "will give us our name back". Or just maybe the Hornets will continue to rot away in the swamp.

[x djdrew x]

as much as i think a lot of folks would like the 'hornets' back, i just don't in any way see how its possible when a current NBA team holds stake to the name.

doesn't even seem in the realm of possibility unless its actually possible to trade mascots/teamnames.....which i'm sure NO would say no to....lol

[Porn Shop Clerk]

people in new orleans realize what a shitty name the hornets is, why can't people in charlotte

oh, because they were all in diapers when they went to the playoffs and made it out of the first round that one time

[Hugor Hill]

Sorry to disappoint some that want the name change, but there is no "major announcement" forthcoming. Per BobcatsPR on Twitter: B.J. Evans ‏ @BobcatsBballPR "FYI: a post on http://carolinahuddle.com indicating a big announcement is false. Trust this account and @bobcats for official info. about team." Now back to your regularly scheduled program.

LOL BigFurryKittyMan, you just Nike'd the Bobcats.

[theyhateme45]

I consider myself like other here a pretty big Bobcats fan and supporter (Not too many people would be paying our team attention during this rough season). I order league pass to be able to watch my Bobcats in Texas and try to go to as many games as I can when I am back home. So, I am all for what is best for the team… Period.

Personally, I like our current logo, uniforms, and jerseys and I own a decent amount of bobcats gear so it would be my personal preference for things to stay the same if I just based it on me. But I want the team to be successful… I want as many fans and supporters as possible (even if they are only casual fans and not true bobcat fans as others has said (Just using others terms, not that I agree with it)). I think a name change will get more people behind the team right or wrong so that is what I am for. If most people want hornets, go with that… if most people want something knew… go with that…

It is clear from various polls online and listening to people they do not like Bob Johnson nor the team named after him and want a name change… It’s not a minority, but the majority. So lets do it. Whatever brings people on, because for me no matter the name/logo/owner I am going to support the home town team like most other hardcore bobcats fans… So do not worry about us, we will be fans regardless, but the team needs to get the casual on the fence fans aboard. My .02 cents.

[Munch4455]

Go downtown right now, you wont find one image of the Hornets on display. Not one! Bob Johnson saved Charlotte, and our "name" reminds people of that everyday. We're not called the Sterncats, we're not called the Hornets, we're called the Bobcats. Deal with it baby. 8 years and running.

[AppStatePanther]

Nothing Bob did here compares to going on trial for rape and forcibly moving a sports franchise from our city. And yet folks like yourself still romanticize and hold allegiance to that man's business. Bob used to get all the blame for the arena, he deserves all the credit for its prosperity. He did far more good here than bad, but its that same "hillbilly" spirit as you call it that denies him that. Its OK though, Charlotte is known for that. Thats nothing new, and the people who matter know the real and support our founder and his vision.

Why won't you admit your racist views...? Shouldn't you be at a trayvon martin rally? Everyone hated shinn. I didn't dislike Bob Johnson but he wasn't a good owner at all and we are dealing with that now. Oh and you shouldn't like Bob either hes done the more for African American stereotypes than anyone. Watch his former business venture. BET is nothing criminial shows and "computer generated music" awards. You might be the most racist person on here just because your mom told you that you had to watch out for those whiteys all the time.

[Munch4455]

KT as a Kid

[King Taharqa]

More race card pulling and crying while the real basketball fans of Charlotte and NC ride with our Bobcats. The more and more you bash Bob and Charlottes team the less and less chance of the Hornets history here remaining alive here. Bobs COULD preserve it, but you guys bash the founder, the team, and its supporters so much they have no incentive to help you. The Hornets will go the way of the Cougars because a bunch of fraudulent NBA fans felt they were too good to respect and support their city and states team. And take every opportunity to marginalize them while giving FREE PROMO to rival city New Orleans. Sellouts!

[Zod]

As far as I can tell, you all troll KT into mentioning race. You all should probably cut it out.

[thatlookseasy]

Also race doesnt really explain why KT like Bob Johnson more than MJ as an owner.