June 19, 2018 – The Charlotte Hornets today unveiled additional plans for the celebration of the 30th Anniversary of the inaugural 1988-89 Hornets season during the 2018-19 NBA campaign and announced a deal with Spectrum to serve as presenting partner of the season-long commemoration.
- Hornets legend Muggsy Bogues has joined the organization as a Hornets Ambassador, alongside current Hornets Ambassador and FOX Sports Southeast analyst Dell Curry. Curry and Bogues were both selected by the Hornets in the 1988 NBA Expansion Draft and remain the two longest-tenured players in franchise history with 701 games and 632 games played, respectively.
- During the series of “Classic Night” games, the Hornets will honor some of the organization’s all-time great players, including Bogues, Curry, Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Glen Rice. There will be a minimum of six “Classic Night” games, which will celebrate the history of the organization and feature music and game presentation elements designed to take fans back to the Charlotte Coliseum of the late ‘80s and early ‘90s.
- The “Classic Night” games will feature giveaways, including bobbleheads and T-shirts, that highlight some of the great players and moments in Hornets history.
- The Hornets will play on a special classic court with a throwback design and wear new Classic Edition uniforms during the “Classic Night” games, both of which will be unveiled closer to the season.
- Fan voting for the 30th Anniversary Team will take place on the special Hornets 30th Anniversary website, Hornets30.com, which will launch on July 30. Fans will be able to select up to 10 players from the history of Charlotte’s time in the NBA, with the top 10 overall vote-getters being named as the 30th Anniversary Team. Hornets30.com will also include historical content such as written and video features, photo galleries, a “This Week in Hornets History” series and more.
- The Hornets Fan Shop and HornetsFanShop.com will have a complete line of commemorative 30th Anniversary merchandise, including T-shirts, sweatshirts, outerwear, hats, memorabilia and more. T-shirts, hats and other items are currently available, with additional items to come as the season draws closer.
- The Hornets will integrate former players in various aspects of the 30th Anniversary, including appearances at games and other events. The first of these will be this Thursday, when Rex Chapman, the first-ever draft pick of the Hornets in 1988, is a guest at the team’s Draft Party for Swarm365 Members.
“We have a great series of activities lined up to celebrate the 30th Anniversary of the Hornets during the 2018-19 season,” said Hornets President & Vice Chairman Fred Whitfield. “We believe our fans will truly enjoy this look back at the history of NBA basketball in Charlotte and the commemoration of the moments and people that have made the Hornets what they are today.”
As an added element to their Founding Level Partnership with the Hornets, Spectrum will be integrated into the 30th Anniversary logo and have a significant presence throughout all activations as presenting partner of the 30th Anniversary. Spectrum will have entitlement to the series of Classic Nights, serve as presenting partner of Hornets30.com and fan voting for the 30th Anniversary Team, and sponsor a “This Day in Hornets History” content series via social media. In addition to the company’s status as the naming rights partner of Spectrum Center, Spectrum will receive additional signage around the arena, including on the 360 LED boards, scorer’s table and basket stanchion LED boards, as well as a 30th Anniversary-themed arena takeover during each regular-season home game with all digital signage at the same time. The Hornets and Spectrum will also partner on a 30th Anniversary-themed community initiative to be announced at a later date.
“We have a great relationship with the Hornets, who are part of the fabric of Charlotte,” said Charter Executive VP, Chief Marketing Officer Jon Hargis. “The Hornets’ 30th anniversary is a perfect opportunity to enhance our partnership, celebrating in a variety of ways at Spectrum Center throughout the 2018-19 season.”
To launch the 30th Anniversary, the Hornets will run a two-week advertising campaign starting today that will include TV spots on Spectrum News, a homepage takeover and preroll video on CharlotteObserver.com and paid social media posts. In addition, a 25 foot-by-25 foot 30th Anniversary logo has been installed above the Trade Street entrance to Spectrum Center.