From the second that word began to spread about the New Orleans Hornets' impending re-brand as the New Orleans Pelicans, long-swirling rumors that the Charlotte Bobcats would one day look to re-take the Hornets moniker gained steam and urgency. Subsequent polling showed Charlotte fans overwhelmingly supported the return of the Hornets name, which had belonged to New Orleans since owner George Shinn moved the franchise out of North Carolina following the 2001-02 season, leading Bobcats owner Michael Jordan to begin the process of reclaiming the name with the NBA.
The next step in that process comes Thursday, with the NBA's Board of Governors set to take up the issue during its meeting at the Wynn resort in Las Vegas. According to longtime beat writer Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer, it's all just a rubber-stamp away from becoming official:
The Bobcats technically need approval from a majority of the league’s other 29 teams to take on the name of Charlotte’s original NBA team. But it’s clear there won’t be resistance, after the New Orleans franchise gave up that nickname to be called the Pelicans.
Incoming NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said twice during visits to Charlotte that he is for this name change if Bobcats owner Michael Jordan wants it. And outgoing Commissioner David Stern advocated a name change, according to a source familiar with Stern’s thinking.
So, that's exciting, right? The buzz is back! And, more importantly, all that teal clothing North Carolinians have had stashed since 2002 can make its way back into the regular rotation! I, for one, can't wait to bust out my teal cargo-pants-that-unzip-at-the-knees-and-turn-into-shorts.
Just one thing, though: We'll have to hold our horses on getting too amped up about the switcheroo, because it's a bit more complicated than just saying, "We are the Hornets now; everyone please refer to us as such." Bonnell explains:
The actual change in name, logo and uniforms won’t take effect until after the 2013-14 season because of all the changeover entails. For instance, adidas, the league’s uniform maker, needs time to design and fabricate new uniforms.
Beyond that, the Bobcats’ courts, both at the arena and the adjoining practice facility, will have to be resurfaced. Extensive signage inside and outside Time Warner Cable Arena will have to be replaced.
The Bobcats estimate the cost of all those changes will reach about $4 million.
This, of course, isn't unexpected — that's the rebranding timeline that Bobcats owner Michael Jordan laid out back in May.
One final lame-duck season of Bobcats basketball might be a bit of a bummer for Charlotte residents eager to shed the yoke of the team's depressing history — a 250-472 overall record, one playoff appearance in nine seasons, the worst single-season winning percentage in NBA history, no truly great or even especially memorable players to speak of (save a then-underappreciated Gerald Wallace). And it might feel like just more wasted time for those dying to return to the relative glory days of the Hornets — a 542-574 total mark, seven playoff appearances in 14 seasons sparked by stars like Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning, Glen Rice and Baron Davis, as well as memorable contributors like Muggsy Bogues, Dell Curry, Kendall Gill, Anthony Mason and others. After 11 seasons of waiting, though, what's one more year of delayed gratification?
Especially considering the Bobcats are apparently planning to start the celebration ASAP, with a team event planned this evening as part of the city's "Alive after Five" summer series. If you're a former Hornets fan looking to kick up some dust with Dell, Muggsy, Kendall, Rex Chapman and noted uniform model Kelly Tripucka, well, get thee down to the EpiCenter at 6:30 p.m. this evening. A Michael Jackson cover band named "Who's Bad" will be performing. It should be killer.
And make sure you've got your teal cargo-pants-that-unzip-at-the-knees-and-turn-into-shorts. It's finally time, brothers and sisters. It's finally time.
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