July 18, 2013
Photo Gallery | Videos: Board of Governors: Name Change | Muggsy Bogues | Rex Chapman | Dell Curry | Kendall Gill | Kelly Tripucka
Earlier today, the NBA Board of Governors unanimously approved Bobcats Sports & Entertainment’s application to change the team’s name to the Charlotte Hornets, effective at the start of the 2014-15 NBA season. The Hornets was the name of the original Charlotte NBA franchise that debuted during the 1988-89 campaign.
“We’re thrilled to bring back the Hornets to Charlotte and the Carolinas,” said Bobcats Sports & Entertainment Chairman Michael Jordan. “The passion and enthusiasm around this name change by fans in this market has been unmatched. They overwhelmingly told us what they wanted, we listened and we couldn’t be happier with the Board of Governors’ approval of the name change. With the young team we are developing on the court, the direction of our business and the return of the Hornets name, we are extremely excited about our future. The Buzz is Back!”
As a thank you to the New Orleans Pelicans (formerly the New Orleans Hornets) organization for their assistance in this process, the Bobcats will make a donation to Pelicans Gulf Coast Preservation Fund.
“I want to personally thank the New Orleans Pelicans and their owner Tom Benson for helping to make this a smooth transition and because of that, we wanted to make a donation to the Pelicans Gulf Coast Preservation Fund as a show of our appreciation,” said Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield. “From our earliest discussions, it was clear both organizations wanted to do what was best for their fan bases and the NBA. We look forward to working with the Pelicans throughout this process as we finalize specifics of the transition.”
With the approval of the Hornets name, the next steps in the transition to the new name will be developing the team’s NBA brand identity, including color schemes, logos and uniform designs. No timeline has been established for when these elements will be unveiled.
Thousands of fans tonight viewed the official announcement live in-person at the team’s Buzz City Celebration at Alive After Five at Charlotte’s EpiCentre. Charlotte Hornets legends Muggsy Bogues, Rex Chapman, Dell Curry, Kendall Gill and Kelly Tripucka were all in attendance.
Fans can purchase season tickets, including the two-year package that is the only way to guarantee seats and pricing now for the return of the Hornets in the 2014-15 season, by visiting Bobcats.com or by calling 704-688-8000.