So do we stand with Charlotte and Bring Back the Buzz

[Atarwii]

Just wondering, since Hugo is done after tonight?

[FlyGirl]

I don't really care what happens in Charlotte. If the Pelicans have a mascot though, I just hope the guy that's in the Hugo costume is in the Pelicans costume. He makes me chuckle sometimes.

[Atarwii]

LOL...interesting take.. The guy in the hugo costume is hilarious.

[all2neat]

I wouldn't be shocked if in a couple of years Charlotte is toward the top of relocation talk so they may never get a chance to get the name back.

[Atarwii]

I wouldn't be shocked if in a couple of years Charlotte is toward the top of relocation talk so they may never get a chance to get the name back.

Relocation?
I thought Charlotte was a basketball hotbed

[AD23forMVP]

Something I've always wondered. Is the guy in the Hugo costume the same guy in the Super Hugo costume?

And are there people in the air Hugos?

[Kibner]

I think Charlotte has a lease that goes for a good many more years and is monetarily prohibitive to break out of, so I don't worry about them moving any time soon. Their attendance is poor, though (just like ours). Detroit is in a tier unto themselves in small crowds.

2013 Attendance     Home                         Road                            Overall
RK   TEAM           GMS  TOTAL    AVG     PCT    GMS  AVG     PCT   GMS  AVG     PCT
1    Bulls          40   874,523  21,863  104.5  39   18,123  94.3  79   20,017  99.7
2    Mavericks      39   781,684  20,043  104.4  40   17,622  92.4  79   18,817  98.3
3    Heat           39   779,531  19,987  102.0  40   19,090  99.3  79   19,533  100.6
4    Clippers       40   769,110  19,227  100.9  40   17,818  93.2  80   18,523  97.0
5    Celtics        40   744,960  18,624  100.0  40   17,770  91.9  80   18,197  95.9
6    Thunder        39   709,917  18,203  100.0  41   18,335  95.7  80   18,271  97.7
7    Lakers         39   740,883  18,997  99.7   41   18,866  99.0  80   18,930  99.3
8    Spurs          40   737,119  18,427  99.2   39   17,187  90.2  79   17,815  94.7
9    Warriors       40   774,724  19,368  98.8   40   17,127  90.3  80   18,247  94.6
10   NY Knicks      39   742,287  19,033  96.3   40   18,347  94.9  79   18,685  95.6
11   Trail Blazers  40   792,751  19,818  95.3   39   16,602  87.4  79   18,231  91.6
12   Nets           39   671,060  17,206  95.0   40   17,230  89.1  79   17,218  91.9
13   Jazz           41   765,915  18,680  93.8   39   16,762  88.2  80   17,745  91.1
14   Magic          40   704,117  17,602  93.4   40   16,743  86.4  80   17,173  89.9
15   Nuggets        39   693,922  17,792  92.9   40   17,423  91.2  79   17,606  92.0
16   Rockets        40   665,426  16,635  92.2   39   17,978  93.9  79   17,298  93.1
17   Raptors        39   708,629  18,169  91.8   40   16,341  84.9  79   17,244  88.3
18   Grizzlies      40   664,836  16,620  91.7   40   17,128  89.7  80   16,874  90.7
19   Timberwolves   40   652,947  16,323  84.3   40   16,995  89.1  80   16,659  86.7
20   Pacers         40   607,904  15,197  83.7   39   17,010  87.7  79   16,092  85.7
21   Suns           40   615,778  15,394  83.6   40   17,142  89.6  80   16,268  86.6
22   76ers          40   666,648  16,666  82.0   39   17,296  90.3  79   16,977  85.9
23   Hawks          40   604,946  15,123  80.7   40   17,119  88.8  80   16,121  84.8
24   Wizards        41   670,070  16,343  80.6   39   16,019  83.2  80   16,185  81.8
25   Bobcats        39   599,568  15,373  80.6   41   16,502  85.6  80   15,951  83.2
26   Bucks          40   599,952  14,998  80.1   40   16,887  87.2  80   15,943  83.7
27   Hornets        40   548,684  13,717  79.8   40   17,186  89.8  80   15,451  85.0
28   Kings          40   546,426  13,660  78.9   39   17,261  89.8  79   15,438  84.6
29   Cavaliers      40   644,791  16,119  78.4   39   16,814  87.6  79   16,462  82.8
30   Pistons        40   588,569  14,714  66.7   40   16,886  87.8  80   15,800  76.5

[Soundwave]

Something I've always wondered. Is the guy in the Hugo costume the same guy in the Super Hugo costume?

And are there people in the air Hugos?

I'm pretty sure Hugo and Super Hugo are totally different people. (Still not 100% sure Hugo is a guy under the costume)

Air Hugo? You mean the one that flips over and dances on its head? Yeah there's someone in that.

[42]

Detroit is fine, as is Charlotte.

I'm not sure if I can stress the importance of attendance being much smaller than other factors.

Per Stern, after an Arena, of course, here are the top factors:

Local TV deal
Government support
Corporate support

We are strong on the public side . . . among the strongest . . . getting better on the local tv deal, as this one increased penetration but did not help the pocketbook out directly, so that will wait until the next one. The corporate support is heating up a little, but it needs to improve. I have faith that a good winning season will bake in some long term sponsors. Naming rights will help here too.

It was the corporate support than sank the Jazz, for those who care.

[FlyGirl]

What I do know is the longtime Hugo the Hornet that came with the team from Charlotte retired a few years ago. He was Hugo, Super Hugo AND Air Hugo. The same guy could very well be doing all 3 right now.

[Emilio]

With all the hype around Brooklyn and all their marketability I'm surprised their behind a mediocre team like Portland.

[groundpatty]

Relocation?
I thought Charlotte was a basketball hotbed

Used to be, but Shinn soured the market. I really do believe a Hornets rebrand for that franchise would increase support, but like 42 said there's a lot more to it than that.

[Gumbo Jackson]

I absolutely support Charlotte getting back the Hornets name. I think it is dumb when a franchise moves and takes the old name, especially if it had some kind of specific tie to the area. Utah Jazz, LA Lakers, Memphis Grizzlies, etc should have all been renamed.

On a similar note, I'm a Washington Nationals fan, and if Montreal ever got another baseball team I would absolutely want them to be able to use the Expos name if that is what the fans up there wanted.

[Stealth Matrix]

Definitely! Give it back!

(Although the prospect of possibly cheering against the Hornets next season is strange)

[LoCo89]

Came to say this. Ron Swanson does it better

[Atarwii]

Definitely! Give it back!

(Although the prospect of possibly cheering against the Hornets next season is strange)

that would be very strange.

[all2neat]

If it went back it would take several years.

[rockman]

If it went back it would take several years.

I don't see why it would take several years. Most rumors have them taking it back for next year.

[HornetsFanJeff]

Way too soon. It needs to be a few years ...

[PELICANSFAN]

Kinda hope it stays unused. There is no need for even more confusion around the name.

[iNolaNightmare]

It will never happen. It would create mass confusion among the casual NBA fan, which is 60% of the fan base.

[IamQuailman]

The lady in the gift shop (manager maybe?) bluntly told me the name change for the Hornets to Pelicans happened so fast because Charlotte wanted them back and that's the plan. She said it pretty matter-of-fact.

I'm taking it with grain of salt though.

[PELICANSFAN]

The lady in the gift shop (manager maybe?) bluntly told me the name change for the Hornets to Pelicans happened so fast because Charlotte wanted them back and that's the plan. She said it pretty matter-of-fact.

I'm taking it with grain of salt though.

Yeah, I would not think the gift shop manager would be privy to the inner workings of the NBA. She may just have heard someone tell that rumor.

[Joe Horn(ets)]

The same guy does Hugo, Air Hugo, and Super Hugo and yes, he will be the Pelican.

[FLYINGPELICANS]

I don't really care what happens in Charlotte. If the Pelicans have a mascot though, I just hope the guy that's in the Hugo costume is in the Pelicans costume. He makes me chuckle sometimes.

I'm just ready for pelicans247