Charlotte Hornets coming back now?

[dcameronh]

Marc Stein ‏@ESPNSteinLine

Charlotte Bobcats announce they're "in contact w/the NBA and conducting our own due diligence" relative to reclaiming old Hornets nickname

[habsfan1]

I want this to happen! I want them to bring back one of my favorite looks from childhood.

[jstraper]

This is just so ridiculous. The Hornets were in New Orleans for over a decade and then they would suddenly just act as if nothing changed in Charlotte?

There's so much wrong with this:

-The Bobcats, while a terrible name, just redesigned their logo and uniforms this season

-The history: whose history is what and in which city??

-The history part 2: Shinn made the people of Charlotte HATE the Hornets, so that's supposed to just be ignored?

I can't fathom the NBA going ahead and letting Charlotte re-do everything in time for the 2013-14 season. If that's the case, then why wouldn't every team start renaming themselves every year?

[jhans203]

I could see a revamp to the Hornets in 2014-15. But, who knows? If they go back to the 1988-2002 logo much wouldn't have to be done.

However, I'm not worried at all about history of the franchise. It doesn't take an idiot to know where the new and old Charlotte franchises stop. I think history recognition between the Sonics/Kings is trickier. But, it doesn't confuse me at all.

[rams80]

Hey....they can rename the team just long enough so we can say the Hornets moved from Charlotte twice!

[B-Rich]

-The history part 2: Shinn made the people of Charlotte HATE the Hornets, so that's supposed to just be ignored?

No, I think Shinn made the people of Charlotte hate HIM; from what I understand they would have loved to keep the Hornets and would have given anyone else but him an arena (which they did). Actually, it didn't take too long for the people of New Orleans to tire of Shinn and his shenanigans, either. It was a good day when he got out of pro sports ownership.

[hawk36]

I sure hope they do change back. I think the NBA is now realizing how horrible it has been to allow all this movement and loss of a connection between a city and its team. With New Orleans now having a name that means something to their fans and the return of the SuperSonics to Seattle, it would only be fitting to bring the Hornets name back to Charlotte. Well done NBA for allowing teams to try and get things back on track.

[Equinox]

I sure hope they do change back. I think the NBA is now realizing how horrible it has been to allow all this movement and loss of a connection between a city and its team.

You're overlooking the fact that Sacramento could potentially be losing a team..

[Jamikel]

Maybe this is weird, but if the Hornets name does come back to Charlotte, I'd actually prefer they used the updated colors of the New Orleans Hornets than the old Charlotte Hornets colors. Partly because they look better, and partly because it would cause even more identity confusion.

[rams80]

I sure hope they do change back. I think the NBA is now realizing how horrible it has been to allow all this movement and loss of a connection between a city and its team. With New Orleans now having a name that means something to their fans and the return of the SuperSonics to Seattle, it would only be fitting to bring the Hornets name back to Charlotte. Well done NBA for allowing teams to try and get things back on track.

Yeah man, the Hornets name is going to breathe life into that flatlined corpse of a franchise there.

[habsfan1]

Maybe this is weird, but if the Hornets name does come back to Charlotte, I'd actually prefer they used the updated colors of the New Orleans Hornets than the old Charlotte Hornets colors. Partly because they look better, and partly because it would cause even more identity confusion.

Disagree. Ever since the NO Hornets changed to the creole colors, teal has been officially dead from the NBA. The new Charlotte Hornets have a chance to revive it.

[CrazyTex00]

[OnWis97]

I suspect the outcry in NC for the "Hornets" name is what's behind the whole "Pelicans" rebrand, i.e., there is some agreement among the franchises and/or league that the New Orleans franchise will make the name available. So yeah, the Hornets is a done deal; it's just a question of what year.

Here's what I don't understand, though. What is so special about the Hornets? They were not around that long. They did not have the success of the Magic or Heat (more success than the T-Wolves but that's by default). I just don't quite understand. Also, if the team remains this dismal, will it really matter? Would the Bobcats really not be embraced if they were, um, adequate? I tend to doubt it.

I've said enough in other threads about history swapping, so I just hope they don't try to retroactively say that the "new" Hornets are somehow the same franchise as the "old" Hornets.

[kw11333]

It would be hilarious, if they got the name, and relocated in 5 years.

[IceCap]

I suspect the outcry in NC for the "Hornets" name is what's behind the whole "Pelicans" rebrand, i.e., there is some agreement among the franchises and/or league that the New Orleans franchise will make the name available. So yeah, the Hornets is a done deal; it's just a question of what year.

Here's what I don't understand, though. What is so special about the Hornets? They were not around that long. They did not have the success of the Magic or Heat (more success than the T-Wolves but that's by default). I just don't quite understand. Also, if the team remains this dismal, will it really matter? Would the Bobcats really not be embraced if they were, um, adequate? I tend to doubt it.

I've said enough in other threads about history swapping, so I just hope they don't try to retroactively say that the "new" Hornets are somehow the same franchise as the "old" Hornets.

Pretty much. All of this nostalgia for a team that constantly under-performed. The Bobcats have been a trainwreck, of course, but I don't think the name, or certain elements of the identity, are all that bad. With a few tweaks the Bobcats could look really great. And if they started winning consistently most Charlotte basketball fans wouldn't think twice about "Bringing Back the Buzz."

If the team isn't going to improve on the court then the change to "Hornets" will only placate the fanbase so much. The short term nostalgic boost won't suddenly bring the fans back in droves if the team doesn't improve.

[zpqmaowl]

It would be hilarious, if they got the name, and relocated in 5 years.

Introducing your 2018 SACRAMENTO HORNETS!

[IceCap]

It would be hilarious, if they got the name, and relocated in 5 years.

Introducing your 2018 SACRAMENTO HORNETS!

You'll have the Sacramento Kings who are the Bobcats via the Hornets 2.0 pretending to be a seventy year old basketball team, the Pelicans who are the Hornets but aren't because apparently the city of Charlotte couldn't go on without the Hornets name, the Thunder who are the Sonics but aren't, and the Sonics who were the Kings, but aren't anymore because the warm and fuzzies were preferable to reality when it came to the Seattle fanbase who apparently owns the team.

I can totally see how this is preferable to just letting teams take their histories with them when they move

[Eye]

I suspect the outcry in NC for the "Hornets" name is what's behind the whole "Pelicans" rebrand, i.e., there is some agreement among the franchises and/or league that the New Orleans franchise will make the name available. So yeah, the Hornets is a done deal; it's just a question of what year.

Here's what I don't understand, though. What is so special about the Hornets? They were not around that long. They did not have the success of the Magic or Heat (more success than the T-Wolves but that's by default). I just don't quite understand. Also, if the team remains this dismal, will it really matter? Would the Bobcats really not be embraced if they were, um, adequate? I tend to doubt it.

I've said enough in other threads about history swapping, so I just hope they don't try to retroactively say that the "new" Hornets are somehow the same franchise as the "old" Hornets.

Pretty much. All of this nostalgia for a team that constantly under-performed. The Bobcats have been a trainwreck, of course, but I don't think the name, or certain elements of the identity, are all that bad. With a few tweaks the Bobcats could look really great. And if they started winning consistently most Charlotte basketball fans wouldn't think twice about "Bringing Back the Buzz."

If the team isn't going to improve on the court then the change to "Hornets" will only placate the fanbase so much. The short term nostalgic boost won't suddenly bring the fans back in droves if the team doesn't improve.

I don't think the Charlotte Hornets ever underperformed. I think they got just about all the bang for their buck from those mid to late 90s teams, to the teams from last decade. Those teams were pretty good, just not great, and it showed.

[IceCap]

I suspect the outcry in NC for the "Hornets" name is what's behind the whole "Pelicans" rebrand, i.e., there is some agreement among the franchises and/or league that the New Orleans franchise will make the name available. So yeah, the Hornets is a done deal; it's just a question of what year.

Here's what I don't understand, though. What is so special about the Hornets? They were not around that long. They did not have the success of the Magic or Heat (more success than the T-Wolves but that's by default). I just don't quite understand. Also, if the team remains this dismal, will it really matter? Would the Bobcats really not be embraced if they were, um, adequate? I tend to doubt it.

I've said enough in other threads about history swapping, so I just hope they don't try to retroactively say that the "new" Hornets are somehow the same franchise as the "old" Hornets.

Pretty much. All of this nostalgia for a team that constantly under-performed. The Bobcats have been a trainwreck, of course, but I don't think the name, or certain elements of the identity, are all that bad. With a few tweaks the Bobcats could look really great. And if they started winning consistently most Charlotte basketball fans wouldn't think twice about "Bringing Back the Buzz."

If the team isn't going to improve on the court then the change to "Hornets" will only placate the fanbase so much. The short term nostalgic boost won't suddenly bring the fans back in droves if the team doesn't improve.

I don't think the Charlotte Hornets ever underperformed. I think they got just about all the bang for their buck from those mid to late 90s teams, to the teams from last decade. Those teams were pretty good, just not great, and it showed.

Maybe under-performed was the wrong term to use. They were an ok team during the 90s that never made it past round two of the playoffs, yet people talk about them as if they Jordan-era Bulls.

[Eye]

I suspect the outcry in NC for the "Hornets" name is what's behind the whole "Pelicans" rebrand, i.e., there is some agreement among the franchises and/or league that the New Orleans franchise will make the name available. So yeah, the Hornets is a done deal; it's just a question of what year.

Here's what I don't understand, though. What is so special about the Hornets? They were not around that long. They did not have the success of the Magic or Heat (more success than the T-Wolves but that's by default). I just don't quite understand. Also, if the team remains this dismal, will it really matter? Would the Bobcats really not be embraced if they were, um, adequate? I tend to doubt it.

I've said enough in other threads about history swapping, so I just hope they don't try to retroactively say that the "new" Hornets are somehow the same franchise as the "old" Hornets.

Pretty much. All of this nostalgia for a team that constantly under-performed. The Bobcats have been a trainwreck, of course, but I don't think the name, or certain elements of the identity, are all that bad. With a few tweaks the Bobcats could look really great. And if they started winning consistently most Charlotte basketball fans wouldn't think twice about "Bringing Back the Buzz."

If the team isn't going to improve on the court then the change to "Hornets" will only placate the fanbase so much. The short term nostalgic boost won't suddenly bring the fans back in droves if the team doesn't improve.

I don't think the Charlotte Hornets ever underperformed. I think they got just about all the bang for their buck from those mid to late 90s teams, to the teams from last decade. Those teams were pretty good, just not great, and it showed.

Maybe under-performed was the wrong term to use. They were an ok team during the 90s that never made it past round two of the playoffs, yet people talk about them as if they Jordan-era Bulls.

Yeah, but I don't think people talk about them in the same light. The Jordan era Bulls are a dynasty. The Charlotte Hornets are romanticized (I touched up on why teams (like the Sonics) are romanticized in the thread in Sports in General) for different reasons. Made teal and purple trendy, great team name, cool logos and uniforms.