Rebrand Hornets

[God]

lol the bobcats....what else can you say about them? They were doomed from the start with dumbass bob johnson and michael jordan running things. Poor thing never had a chance.

[panthersfan085]

I agree that puting all blame on Shinn isn't right but the majority of the blame should be. Its hard to support a team when you know their future is not with us. Wasn't he planning to move the team after the 2001-2002 season but decide to stay 1 more year after the playoff run?

I don't know why you keep saying Charlotte Hornets never made it out of the first round, they made the playoffs 7 times and 4 times made it to 2nd round, even the last 2 years in Charlotte made it past 1st round. unfortunately never could past 2nd round.

[King Taharqa]

lol the bobcats....what else can you say about them? They were doomed from the start with dumbass bob johnson and michael jordan running things. Poor thing never had a chance.

Bobcats are still here "God" enjoying the spoils of Charlotte. Its those purple bumblebees that got ran outta town. Jordan & Johnson wouldnt even buy the Hornets right now. Nobody will. LMAO.

[King Taharqa]

Its hard to support a team when you know their future is not with us.

You can say that again. GO BOBCATS & COUGARS, fug A HORNET! Their future is not with us.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

but but but but

kelly tripucka!

[4Corners]

it was cool to see a packed stadium last night. don't think the bobcats know what those look like.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

yeah since they play in arenas and coliseums

[NanuqoftheNorth]

If money were no object and time were unlimited, sticking with the Bobcats brand would be as good as any, but time and money are running out, even MJ has his limits.

Some people don't care about local sports history much less history in general and have their own reasons to feel loyalty to the Bobcats name and that is OK, but I would wager that demographic is much younger and has much less disposable income than those with loyalties to the Hornets brand.

The Hornets name goes back a long way, well beyond the NBA basketball team, it has also been associated with several Charlotte football and baseball teams going back over 100 years, not to mention its association with the routing of the redcoats over 230 years ago. Say what you will, but when it comes to sports, marketing matters and no name resonates better or elicits more positive residual feelings in Charlotte than the Hornets brand.

As a businessman, MJ would do himself a disservice not to consider acquiring the Hornets brand if it became available. The retail sales in team gear would likely skyrocket with the Hornets return and go a long way in offsetting much of the re branding cost.

The goodwill many city residents would feel toward MJ would ease if not erase much of the animosity felt toward previous management and the NBA (Stern) in general. Many fans in the region that are nostalgic for the glory days of professional basketball in Charlotte would consider something they haven't done in over a decade... going to an NBA game.

Effective marketing matters and team branding is a big part of it. Nostalgia may not matter to you but it matters to much of the older demographic with the greatest disposable income. If this team doesn't start attracting a larger fan base and generate a profit soon, the name debate will be rendered irrelevant.

[King Taharqa]

PanthAZ, if the Hornets name and brand is so strong, and the people who hold it dear and near have such financial backing, why will no one from the Carolinas step up to buy the franchise? Stern is having to run it because it is a very troubled franchise, saddled with debt, and they can't get a deal done. Is George Shinn the only man from the Carolinas rich enough and connected enough to own the Hornets? It sure seems that way. And it seems the basketball franchise is not as important or lucrative as people make it seem. I think Hornets nostalgists keep letting others decide their fate rather than truly go out and take back their basketball team. Had they stepped up financially the Hornets might still be here. The Bobcats future is more important than the Hornets troubled past.

[NanuqoftheNorth]

KT, I think in the end we have the same goal, to have a viable NBA franchise in Charlotte. I think most fans realize it has the potential to provide an enjoyable evenings entertainment at a reasonable price for the entire family. Something many may not consider is It also raises national and international awareness of Charlotte as a major metropolitan area resulting in new business opportunities and conventions for the region such as the DNC. It would be a shame in my opinion if Charlotte lost this team and that is where my point of view is coming from.

I have read many of your comments over the years in relation to the Bobcats and Panthers and think that if most fans were as passionate as you are the subject of renaming the Bobcats would not even be an issue. Unfortunately, most of Charlotte's population will never attend an NBA game in person or appreciate the added value the team brings to the city. Even those that profess to care tend to be fickle fans, The question is then, how does MJ maximize the number of paying fans in attendance during the season?

To me the name Bobcats is not a bad name in and of itself. The problem is the way the brand was mishandled and the way the team was mishandled for so many years. There is a point where it is very difficult to revive a brand when it becomes associated with a poor quality product. I'm sure you can think of many things that you have bought or stores you have shopped at that no longer exist because the brand was tarnished beyond repair and was no longer viable. Are the Bobcats at that point? It is debatable and we can agree to disagree on that point. Winning tends to solve a lot of problems, I'm just concerned that the Charlotte NBA franchise may not have enough time to turn things around if bold actions are not taken. The team sooner than later needs to turn a profit.

[Porn Shop Clerk]

even if the team were renamed the Hornets, jerkwads would still find reasons not to go or put conditions on their fandom. the hornets and panthers both went through that no matter what revisionist history tells you.

the panthers didn't have any problems selling out games, but you would have been hard pressed to find any fans before 2003.

[King Taharqa]

Go ahead CCS, take the easy way out. Bobcats don't need disloyal fans who quit so easily. Our diehards are known for their loyalty.

[King Taharqa]

Hey Hornets nostalgists, stop wasting your time on Bobcats Boards. We are beneath you, you should be congregating with your kind here...

http://www.hornetsreport.com/HRForums/forumdisplay.php?2-Hornets-Nest

There you will see New Orleans crying for a name change from a "horrible" Hornets name and color scheme. Complaining about always being in Charlotte's shadow, and the team wasting draft picks and letting talent go for nothing. At that site, BRASS and MARDI GRAS are cooler and more marketable names than the Hornets. LMAO! There also many posters against a rebrand and think fans should support their team regardless. Crazy idea right? And of course a Hornets forum wouldnt be complete without John Morgan throwing the entire city of Charlotte and the Bobcats organization under the bus on a NEW ORLEANS FORUM. What a Benedict Arnold, and a broke one at that. He has no money for his own selfish misguided cause. Funny thing is, not once does he ask them for a handout, or say he's putting a group together to buy them, or tell them to relocate back to Charlotte. He'd rather beg his Uncle Bob Johnson and Uncle Michael Jordan to help him. He thinks their money is his money since he went to Hornets games as a 1st grader. LMAO!

[PanthersHornets4eva]

Hornets had much more success in Charlotte then Bobcats ever had deal with it! you in denial if you think other wise. why are you telling everyone to pull for N.O Hornets? thats just idiotic. we don't give two shits about N.O. Hornets, all we want is our name back, it has more Charlotte ties then Bobcats ever had.

Bob Johnson was not a good owner at all and to say he brought NBA back to Charlotte may have little truth to it but there was several others groups of people line up to bring a team back to and most likely done ALOT better. Johnson was just the lucky one who was choosen bc of $$$ and NBA wanted a minority to own a franchise. Johnson done nothing but call city of Charlotte racist and bolted!

If Hornets brand becomes available and MJ decide to rebrand to Hornets he would winover lot more fans then he'll lose. itlll be more $$ in his pockets from ticket to merchandise.

To say people outside Charlotte not needed to support the Bobcats is bs, they need all they can get. Charlotte is a city in NC