CHARLOTTE, NC – It took 12 years, but the Charlotte Hornets are buzzing in the Queen City again.
The Hornets’ name change comes with a $4 million dollar price tag for Michael Jordan. So the question is, will it be worth it?
Fans say yes, and they’re proving it through season ticket sales. During the official announcement Tuesday, the team announced the Hornets are currently number one in the NBA for new season tickets sales. Also, 90 percent of season ticket holders from the 2013-14 season are returning.
“Such fond memories! I remember when the place was packed and we led the league in attendance for so many years,” said Gene Hoover, a Hickory resident.
Hoover was at the Hornet’s first game in 1988. So were many other fans who shopped at the team store for Hornets gear Tuesday.
“Back in the day I used to watch Larry Johnson and Alonzo Mourning play ball!” said Justin Manuele, a Rock Hill resident.
Now, fans are hoping to find the franchise’s future in its past. The Hornets played in seven playoff appearances during the team’s time in Charlotte between 1988 and 2002.
The NBA is allowing all stats and records from the original Hornets, the Bobcats and the new Hornets to all be combined. That includes big moments like Alonzo Mourning’s buzzer-beating shot against the Celtics in the 1993 playoffs.
“Hornets were the thing and now they’re going to be the new thing now, that’s for sure,” said Chad Bromley, a South Charlotte resident.
Sara Beaver added, “It creates a sense of community and a sense of pride.”
Hugo–the Hornets mascot–the new uniforms and the court floor design will all be unveiled in June.
The Charlotte Sports Foundation says the Queen City is becoming a sports destination.
“A lot of great things are happening in Charlotte sports, and the Hornets are just the latest of those great things,” said Executive Director Will Webb.
The team’s first appearance as the Hornets will be in July at the Summer League in Las Vegas.
