Bobcats to Honor Charlotte's First Pro Basketball Team, The Carolina Cougars
Hardwood Classics Nights Presented by Lowe's Begin February 11
The Charlotte Bobcats will celebrate the past with a series of retro games entitled Hardwood Classics Nights presented by Lowe's. As part of Hardwood Classics Nights, the Bobcats will honor the Carolinas first professional basketball team, the American Basketball Association (ABA) Carolina Cougars. Each game will commemorate Cougars milestones, anniversaries and players with retro uniforms, ABA-themed in-arena entertainment and promotions.
The first Hardwood Classics game will take place on Saturday, February 11, when the Bobcats host the L.A. Clippers, who will also don the jerseys of their city’s former ABA franchise, the L.A. Stars. The first 5,000 fans in attendance that night will receive a Kemba Walker Cougars jersey T-shirt courtesy of Lowe's. Fans that night will also be treated to retro food and beverage options such as $1 sodas and $1 popcorn.
"I am elated that our organization will recognize the history of basketball in the Carolinas," said Bobcats Sports & Entertainment President & COO Fred Whitfield. "As a former ballboy for the Carolina Cougars in Greensboro, I hope that our fans will enjoy this opportunity to pay tribute to the ABA and the state of North Carolina’s first professional basketball team."
Throughout the five games, the Bobcats will wear red, white and blue uniforms reminiscent of those worn by the Cougars from 1969 to 1974, highlighting the team's word mark on the front of the jersey and logo down the sides of the shorts. A limited supply of adidas Swingman jerseys will be available for purchase in the Team Store.
In further recognition of Hardwood Classics Nights, the Bobcats will turn back the clock to the 1970s with special ticket prices, merchandise incentives and arena concourse activities that have the look and feel of the legendary ABA. There will also be web contests on bobcats.com, where fans can vote for their favorite Carolina Cougars players, win prizes and read weekly historical features.
The remaining four Hardwood Classics Nights games will offer fans an opportunity to purchase tickets in a special price category, while choosing between a Gerald Henderson or Byron Mullens Cougars jersey T-shirt, with prices starting at $15 in the upper bowl and $35 in the lower bowl.
Tickets for Hardwood Classics Nights games are available here.
In addition to the February 11 game, the remaining Hardwood Classics Nights schedule includes games on February 22 vs. Indiana, March 9 vs. New Jersey, March 23 vs. Milwaukee and March 30 vs. Denver. In each of the first three contests, the visiting team will also wear jerseys reminiscent of their former ABA team.