Let's create a buzz for this new floor design (images included)

[pistol #7]

Great design! I hope we use it

[PELICANSFAN]

I like it too. It is different.

[Slidell Hornet]

I like it. We need to let the team/arena folks know that the fans like this idea.

[NYKF Hornet]

I remember that honeycomb design inside the free throw area in CHT, how many years ago was that?

Anyway, the design is interesting and a good fit. I know the bees/hornets debate, but it is different without having having to paint a cartoon on the floor.

The only problem would be that the pieces would be custom, which I'm sure gets really expensive. Of course it could work, but it might be too costly. Most teams are going back to the tradiation looking court, here is a way to do that and be original. Good design.

[Ecce]

The more I look at it the more I don't like it. It's makin' me dizzy. I hope they pick something else. They should scrap the cartoon bug, too. Give Q-Bert his basketball floor back.

[Harvey Hornet-x]

We will know about the status of the cartoon bug come Wednesday!!!

[GrandAdmiral-x]

I guess we're going to start calling the arena the Hornets' Nest next, right?

[GrandAdmiral-x]

The design looks great with the current colors. The only other colors that will go with this is black, brown, and yellow-- just like a hornet.

[wildhare]

First of all, thank you for the overwhelming support of the Honeycomb Floor design. Your comments were honest, enthusiastic and very encouraging. I was hoping to take this opportunity to answer some of your questions/concerns:

The Floor was specifically designed for the HORNETS - yes they were the Charlotte Hornets when I applied for the patent. With the move to New Orleans, it seems like the perfect time to apply the "full-court press."

Regarding production of the Honeycomb Floor, the "big three" floor manufacturers (Horner, Robbins and Conner) have all reviewed the design. They all can create the Honeycomb Floor with specifications similar to that of their standard portable or permanent basketball floor systems. The estimates have ranged from 20 to 50 percent more than a standard parquet floor. One manufacturer was confident that they could turn the floor around in a month.

"Fan Ownership" is very exciting as it will pay for the construction and installation of the Honeycomb Floor. Per this layout, 210 individual Honeycombs can be sold to Fans (price per Honeycomb TBD by the Hornets, New Orleans Arena or the NBA). Then, at a prominent location in the New Orleans Arena, a replica of the court is created with the name of each Fan Owner inscribed on their respective Honeycomb. This inscription depicts the exact location of their Honeycomb on the actual court. The Fan will also get a "take-away" plaque for their home, office, etc. which again depicts the exact location of their Honeycomb. Lastly, years from now, when the Floor needs to be replaced with a new Honeycomb Floor, the Fan Owner would obtain the actual, full-scale, parquet Honeycomb.

Yes, there were Honeycombs in the key at one time. However, they were painted with a rather thick black outline. This parquet treatment is a more subtle yet elegant representation. It would make you no more 'dizzy' than the Boston Garden/Fleet Center. Let's hope for just as many championships...

The Honeycomb association has been with the Hornets from day one. Look no further than the sole of the sneaker on the current (perhaps soon to be tweaked) logo.

And definitely no 'big basketballs' on the top of the keys. We all know the Hornets are playing basketball. Frankly, that would be like placing a big baseball on the pitcher's mound at a Major League Baseball field.

Again, thank you for all of your support and comments. I am truly "floored!"

[CC_Hornet-x]

I like it and I hope you can get it done with the NBA and the team. Like always the money will probably be the main issue. But, I don't think you would have too much trouble selling the spots here. Do you think you can get this done by the end of October? How long would it take until the NBA/Hornets would approve your idea? I think if you put it to a vote in the public you would get overwhelming support.

[Ecce]

Screw this fancy-pants floor. Subtle, yet elegant? Are we talking about a floor for basketball or a Martha Stewart napkin-folding contest? Go back to the drawing board, dude. Give us a plain cement floor and some chains on the hoops. Then, take some black spray paint and write "edited " in the middle of the court. Over by the visitors' bench, write "edited " Do that, and you've got yourself a deal.

[RENFO]

I love it !!!!

[say-what-x]

Ecee, gotta luv it!

[teepo2]

Originally posted by Ecce
Screw this fancy-pants floor. Subtle, yet elegant? Are we talking about a floor for basketball or a Martha Stewart napkin-folding contest? Go back to the drawing board, dude. Give us a plain cement floor and some chains on the hoops. Then, take some black spray paint and write "Mother F'n Hornets!" in the middle of the court. Over by the visitors' bench, write "tonite's *****es." Do that, and you've got yourself a deal.

I'm with you Ecce! The honeycomb is not my cup of tea. Parquet ala Boston Garden would be retro & better. This is too"busy". The national media would have a field day. It just doesn't look right. And PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE don't put those ridiculous basketballs at the top of the key! I HATE those!!

[HubCityHornet]

All this talk about the floor is nice, but my main question about the Arena has yet to be addressed; will the concessions be operated by Angus' NewOrleansHornets.com snackboard?

[Primetime]

Random Question: In the first picture, where is the 5th Hornet?

[The Rocket Man]

I have been a frequent visitor to this site, but never really felt the need to chime in. However, I think Mr. Spina is really onto something here. I think the critical comments of posters like Ecce are completely unwarranted.

In your Business 101 class which some may have slept thru you would know that creating a Brand Identity is important in sales and marketing. The marketing of an NBA team is no different. Any idea like Mr Spina's that helps the franchise draw in fans hence dollars is what's needed. Just remember you cannot attract and keep the big players without money.

Therefore Mr. Spina or whomever might have some positive and constructive ideas bring em on for the good of the team !!!! If you want to hang chains from the hoops I suggest you hang out at the playground with the kids.

[COCajun]

Originally posted by The Rocket Man
I have been a frequent visitor to this site, but never really felt the need to chime in. However, I think Mr. Spina is really onto something here. I think the critical comments of posters like Ecce are completely unwarranted.

In your Business 101 class which some may have slept thru you would know that creating a Brand Identity is important in sales and marketing. The marketing of an NBA team is no different. Any idea like Mr Spina's that helps the franchise draw in fans hence dollars is what's needed. Just remember you cannot attract and keep the big players without money.

Therefore Mr. Spina or whomever might have some positive and constructive ideas bring em on for the good of the team !!!! If you want to hang chains from the hoops I suggest you hang out at the playground with the kids.

Far as I'm concerned, whatever helps promote the Hornets throughout the region, and hence plant more fannies in the seats, is fine by me. Sure, winning is what ultimately draws the capacity crowds - no question about that. If you consistently don't win, you won't draw even with images of naked women on the floor. That's the bottom line.

BUT what's the harm in NOLA's NBA franchise having a unique brand identity as Rocket Man refers to? People on the fringe (that is, casual fans who don't follow the team on a day-to-day basis) would remember a honeycomb-style basketball court, hence thinking of the Hornets, and the more the casual fans think about the Hornets, the more likely they are to walk into New Orleans Arena on game night. It's a stand-out marketing concept - name and brand-recognition.

We greatly appreciate your posts, wildhare and Rocket Man. Keep those insights flowing on in!

Brad

[The Rocket Man]

Greetings All,

I just saw this posting on the Hornets Home Page in the article entitled "Arena starts getting ready for Hornets". Does this mean that Mr. Spina's floor was not considered ?? I think as the fans we should demand to get a preview of the floor chosen for our team.

Let's create a buzz and have the team show us the floor design. I would at least like to know that the team took the time to consider the excellent design offered by Mr. Spina.

Let me know what you guys think and start sending those emails, etc. to the team to get a look at the floor that "has been ordered"


Menard said a new basketball court has been ordered, and a matrix board will be installed around the entire ring of the arena to provide advertising and visual effects during games.

[say-what-x]

Welcome Rocket Man.

And I would suspect that based on yesterday's news saying that a new floor had been ordered, this means that we won't see the honey comb parquet design shown in this thread.

[CC_Hornet-x]

I guess Shinn and Wooly said, Honeycomb floor..... No! No! No! Regular Floor .... Yea! Yea! Yea! :9195: I thought Mr. Spina's floor was pretty unique and a great idea, but it may have been too straining on the eyes. :Eyecrazy:

[Harvey Hornet-x]

Maybe the new floor they ordered was Spina's design...

[cab694]

Originally posted by CC_Hornet
I guess Shinn and Wooly said, Honeycomb floor..... No! No! No! Regular Floor .... Yea! Yea! Yea! :9195: I thought Mr. Spina's floor was pretty unique and a great idea, but it may have been too straining on the eyes. :Eyecrazy:

Made me dizzy. It could have been a huge home court advantage.

[CC_Hornet-x]

Originally posted by Harvey Hornet
Maybe the new floor they ordered was Spina's design...

I guess we'll find out in a few weeks.

[Westbank Hornet]

I remember heaing that it was a parquet floor they had ordered. I hope it is this design. I love it.

Btw- Hornets' nests do have hexagonal patterns. They just aren't called "honeycombs."