Charlotte Hornets?

[Lights Out]

The New Orleans Hornets will become the Pelicans next season, leaving the Hornets nickname as somewhat of a free agent.

The Charlotte Bobcats are holding a "town hall" meeting Monday with season-ticket holders, one that will include NBA deputy commissioner Adam Silver.

Two days later, Bobcats owner Michael Jordan's company, Jordan Brand, is re-releasing some purple and teal gear and sneakers that harken back to the old Charlotte Hornets.

The Bobcats have reportedly invited some to a Wednesday event, tied to the season finale against Cleveland, to "discuss the Bobcats' future," and Thursday the team will host an open house.

Two fan blogs are reading the tea leaves of all this and coming to the conclusion that the team has decided to change its nickname back to the Charlotte Hornets, the name the city's NBA expansion franchise took in 1988 and held until 2001, when the Hornets bolted for New Orleans after failing to get a new arena.

And while "Bring Back the Buzz" notes that this could all be "one giant, big, huge, coincidence," Bleacher Report goes far enough to suggest that the sneaker release is a sign Jordan and the Bobcats front office have made up their mind.

http://blogs.charlotte.com/inside_the_nba/2013/04/nickname-change-to-hornets-coming-soon.html

Guess the Bobcats might actually go through with the name change?

[Mac the Knife]

They can call them the Harlem Globetrotters, and it won't matter. Michael Jordan is about as effective a basketball team operator as, well, I am, and I've never cared much for the game. As long as he's associated with the team, they'll be losers... and losers don't draw flies unless you're the Chicago Cubs.

[RyanB06]

Two fan blogs are reading the tea leaves of all this and coming to the conclusion that the team has decided to change its nickname back to the Charlotte Hornets

Can't "change back" to something that never was. Minor point of order there.

[Digby]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

[StillS]

They can call them the Harlem Globetrotters, and it won't matter. Michael Jordan is about as effective a basketball team operator as, well, I am, and I've never cared much for the game. As long as he's associated with the team, they'll be losers... and losers don't draw flies unless you're the Chicago Cubs.

Considering how turrible they are, Bobcats surprisingly do manage to fill up 80% of their arena.

On the topic though i fully support bringing back Charlotte Hornets. Even if nothing changes on the court at least they'll have a good identity and distinct team colours.

[rvrdgsfn]

This wouldn't surprise me. I would be one of the many who would like to see the Hornets name come back. Plus they could finally retire some jerseys like Larry Johnson or Mugsy (I don't dare say Alonzo Mourning).

[jrodsep]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

Seattle will have a franchise by next season. They might be the Sacramento Hornets.

[CDixonDesign]

Things around Charlotte have begun to stur, with Adam Silver coming in for the townhall meetings. Local beat writers have "sources" within the Bobcats that say they aren't going to announce anything to conclude the season, but at this point, who knows.

[hawk36]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

Seattle will have a franchise by next season. They might be the Sacramento Hornets.

This always goes back to my "unpopular" opinion that cities, not ownership groups, should keep the names of their teams. Fans love the teams, owners, for the most part, just don't want to lose money once they sell them.

[SJAnfield]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

Seattle will have a franchise by next season. They might be the Sacramento Hornets.

A- I don't think the Bobcats/Hornets or Kings are going to move

B- there is already a Sacramento Hornets

[jrodsep]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

Seattle will have a franchise by next season. They might be the Sacramento Hornets.

A- I don't think the Bobcats/Hornets or Kings are going to move

B- there is already a Sacramento Hornets

I actually think the Kings are gone. It's the Maloof's decison not the NBA or the City. They have set a Friday deadline for a backup deal (In case the NBA veto the sale) and the NBA has said that if the Sacramento offer is accepted they must pay $30 million extra as a refund to Seattle's group for a non-refundable deposit they made. So the offer stands at $341 million and a new arena to play in. That means that Sac group must come up with roughly $370 million.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9157927/maloof-family-gives-sacramento-investors-friday-deadline-report

[Bravo96]

You probably couldn't tell by my avi or sigs but I'm a huge proponent of the name change. People tend not to believe and perhaps some of you or all of you won't care, but branding matters. The Charlotte Hornets endured a lot of losing seasons in a row and never ever did well in the playoffs before cutting town due to an arrogant jerk-off of an owner. But they set attendance records (that now completely wrongfully reside in New Orleans, along with the legacy of Muggsy Bogues, Grandmama, and others). They moved merchandise. It's nice to sugarcoat history and pretend that the Hornets were popular because teal and purple was the 90's penultimate color combo and they were popular because of that, but at it's heart, the city of Charlotte really loved our Bugs. Then slimeball George Shinn raped a woman, didn't get exactly what he wanted out of the city council, so he cut ties and ran away to Nola. The Bobcats were greeted with middling excitement that quickly turned into apathy and never once came anywhere close to matching the apex of the Hornets hysteria in Buzz City, due in no small part to the name being a direct reference to the original and second worst owner in Charlotte sports history, Bob Johnson. The name is an egotistical reference to him, that's why the 'Cats have been downplaying the "Bob" part of their name in recent years. I mean, it's pretty challenging to think of a less professional nickname for a top-level sports team than the "Cats," but the alienation of fans has driven it to that point. In print and online, some people refuse to refer to them as anything but the B**cats. Rebranding as the Hornets, even if it's not the "original ones," doesn't matter, because it's the original Hornets in our hearts. Grandmama, Muggsy, even Mourning and Glenn Rice, those are our memories and our achievements, regardless of what "official record" says. That being said, Crown Town as a whole is seeing an economic boost just from an upstart combining of two separate grassroots movements dedicated to what was once the longshot of getting the team name back. Now that it's a reality, these profits are just the tip of the iceberg. I'm not sure where to go for such numbers, but I'd be willing to bet a princely sum that retro Charlotte Hornets merchandise, merch for a team that DOESN'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE, easily outsold Bobcats merchandise in each of the past two years. Imagine what a return to the living could do for such a storied, if under-achieving franchise. The thing is, not everyone understands that it's more than a logo. Charlotte was referred to as "a veritable hornet's nest of rebellion" by Charles Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War. That's something Charlotteans and North Carolinians take a great deal of pride in. Hornet's nests adorn the CLT/Mecklenburg Police seal, and the Hornets weren't even the first Charlotte sports team to be named such. In short, it's not just a team, a set of colors, or a logo. It's not even merely a far superior identity. First and foremost, it's history, pride, and 100% Charlotte. That's what the city needs: a team it can get behind. So far, the Bobcats have not been that team. The Hornets can be.

[habsfan1]

The Charlotte NBA team to be named the Hornets again?

[rams80]

And they'll be changing the nickname again to "Seattle Supersonics" five years after that.

Seattle will have a franchise by next season. They might be the Sacramento Hornets.

A- I don't think the Bobcats/Hornets or Kings are going to move

B- there is already a Sacramento Hornets

I actually think the Kings are gone. It's the Maloof's decison not the NBA or the City. They have set a Friday deadline for a backup deal (In case the NBA veto the sale) and the NBA has said that if the Sacramento offer is accepted they must pay $30 million extra as a refund to Seattle's group for a non-refundable deposit they made. So the offer stands at $341 million and a new arena to play in. That means that Sac group must come up with roughly $370 million.

http://espn.go.com/nba/story/_/id/9157927/maloof-family-gives-sacramento-investors-friday-deadline-report

You simple fool. This is David Stern's league and David Stern doesn't want the Kings to move. You really should read up more before posting. Check the thread in sports in general.

[dbadefense1990]

I wonder if Jordan's management regime is thinking this:

"Our fans are gonna be pretty dumb and gullible. They're gonna totally eat up the return of the Hornets name, and we're gonna make serious bank off it. We're off the hook from building this team with decent players, because our fans will be too busy enamoring the Charlotte Hornets name."

[Old School Fool]

If only they could get good players again...

[Bravo96]

If only they could get good players again...

Kemba, Biyombo, and even MKG all show great promise. It's a process. (Also, Hendo has been on fire lately. This from a Carolina fan.)

[IceCap]

The Bobcats were never the Hornets. Pretending they were would be stupid. Which is why I expect this sad, flailing franchise to go through with it.

[sigepraider]

You probably couldn't tell by my avi or sigs but I'm a huge proponent of the name change. People tend not to believe and perhaps some of you or all of you won't care, but branding matters. The Charlotte Hornets endured a lot of losing seasons in a row and never ever did well in the playoffs before cutting town due to an arrogant jerk-off of an owner. But they set attendance records (that now completely wrongfully reside in New Orleans, along with the legacy of Muggsy Bogues, Grandmama, and others). They moved merchandise. It's nice to sugarcoat history and pretend that the Hornets were popular because teal and purple was the 90's penultimate color combo and they were popular because of that, but at it's heart, the city of Charlotte really loved our Bugs. Then slimeball George Shinn raped a woman, didn't get exactly what he wanted out of the city council, so he cut ties and ran away to Nola. The Bobcats were greeted with middling excitement that quickly turned into apathy and never once came anywhere close to matching the apex of the Hornets hysteria in Buzz City, due in no small part to the name being a direct reference to the original and second worst owner in Charlotte sports history, Bob Johnson. The name is an egotistical reference to him, that's why the 'Cats have been downplaying the "Bob" part of their name in recent years. I mean, it's pretty challenging to think of a less professional nickname for a top-level sports team than the "Cats," but the alienation of fans has driven it to that point. In print and online, some people refuse to refer to them as anything but the B**cats. Rebranding as the Hornets, even if it's not the "original ones," doesn't matter, because it's the original Hornets in our hearts. Grandmama, Muggsy, even Mourning and Glenn Rice, those are our memories and our achievements, regardless of what "official record" says. That being said, Crown Town as a whole is seeing an economic boost just from an upstart combining of two separate grassroots movements dedicated to what was once the longshot of getting the team name back. Now that it's a reality, these profits are just the tip of the iceberg. I'm not sure where to go for such numbers, but I'd be willing to bet a princely sum that retro Charlotte Hornets merchandise, merch for a team that DOESN'T EVEN EXIST ANYMORE, easily outsold Bobcats merchandise in each of the past two years. Imagine what a return to the living could do for such a storied, if under-achieving franchise. The thing is, not everyone understands that it's more than a logo. Charlotte was referred to as "a veritable hornet's nest of rebellion" by Charles Cornwallis during the Revolutionary War. That's something Charlotteans and North Carolinians take a great deal of pride in. Hornet's nests adorn the CLT/Mecklenburg Police seal, and the Hornets weren't even the first Charlotte sports team to be named such. In short, it's not just a team, a set of colors, or a logo. It's not even merely a far superior identity. First and foremost, it's history, pride, and 100% Charlotte. That's what the city needs: a team it can get behind. So far, the Bobcats have not been that team. The Hornets can be.

I agree with all of this. I grew up in North Carolina and was heart broken when the Hornets left, yet to be honest I still rooted for them even though Shinn ripped my heart a new one. Even after the Bobcats came to town, I supported them, but Im still a Hornets fan at heart. They were my first team, and they will always be my team, even if its in name only. I associate my fandom with that Purple and Teal color scheme, and I wholly support bringing the name back to the QC, even it it will be in name only. I dont get why there is so much viciousness to this idea ^^^^^^^ especially when the fan base wants it. Just look at the popluarity of the "Bring Back the Buzz" movement.

[C's]

Good. Everything about the Bobcats identity is garbage. Let them be the Hornets.