Originally Posted by
Xist2inspire
Let's be brutally honest here: New Orleans is a football town. Louisiana is a football state. We're not like Oklahoma City and others, who have a rabid appreciation for both basketball and football. The Saints are as much a part of New Orleans as Jazz, Mardi Gras, Krewes, Voodoo, etc. Trying a Hornets rebrand without acknowledging one of the biggest aspects of New Orleans culture, the Saints, would be stupid. People act like a name change and/or a winning record is going to magically turn New Orleans into a two-sport city, and that's just not true. Locals are still going to see the "Pelicans" or the "Krewe" as a distant second to the Saints, unless some effort is made to make the two teams compatible in the fans' minds. Whether that be a religious-based name, a Fleur-de-lis design style, or a black & gold main color scheme, it doesn't matter. Something must be done to link New Orleans Basketball with New Orleans Football, otherwise the rebrand is purely a minor cosmetic change.
You can create a distinct identity that isn't a direct ripoff of the Saints. However, you cannot, and I do mean CAN NOT, craft an identity that caters to New Orleaneans while avoiding any association with the Saints. Not if you want to be successful, that is.