Longtime fan of the Hornets, it's time to say goodbye to the NBA and its system

[England_Hornet]

I'm also in the same boat. 20+ years of being a fan of the Hornets and you hear that your team will no longer be the Hornets is a hard one to hear. I'm hoping Charlotte wants to, and is allowed to, get the name back because I think it would be a big loss to the NBA to lose the Hornets brand. If that happens I will just be a fan of both teams, how can I not be a fan of this team right now with the future looking so bright.

Hopefully this is not the end of the Hornets era, but if it is, at least I have half a season left of being a Hornets fan.

Same for me....pretty much word for word.

It's an odd situation that's just kind of appeared. Obviously have a huge affiliation with the hornets team which goes back 18 years or more for me....through 3 cities....but they've always been the hornets... And I've supported them just as much when they were winning 60 games a season or losing 60 games.

Now I guess I'll continue supporting the pelican... However horrible that name sounds... I've been to New Orleans and I loved it.

I totally understand the City affinity > Team affinity argument.... But if the Charlotte Hornets suddenly popped back into existence... What the H happens then for an international fan!!? I'd feel dirty team switching...you shouldn't do that..you should stick with your team... But if the original Charlotte Hornets reappeared... I just don't know =\

[Perth_Hornet]

Benson is so hung up on getting fan connection with the new name.

Which begs the question, why was there never a public poll officially done to gauge the reaction from the fans?

[tnhornetsfan47]

I'm with Banjoman and others on this. I've been a Hornets fan for 17 years and after all that time to not have a team named "Hornets" to support next year is gonna be really difficult to swallow. I am a huge basketball junkie, and the only reason I ever got into basketball in the first place was because my parents bought me a Charlotte Hornets sweater when I was 8 years old. I loved those colors, and the first basketball game I ever watched in my entire life was a 120-100 Charlotte Hornets win over the Knicks in 1996. I've been hooked ever since. Given that basketball is such a huge part of my life, the Hornets name and logo is more than just a mascot to me, it really is part of my identity. Now that it's gonna be gone, I kinda feel like a part of me is gonna die. I know it sounds stupid, but that's just the way I feel after 17 years. I really hope MJ does the right thing and brings the name back where it belongs.

[Kurgan]

Adios, Au Revoir, Ciao, Shalom, Paalam, Alvida, Adeus, 再见, Vale, Slan, Chao!

Why did you say it twice in spanish? and you missed ma3 assalama.

Back on topic, i became a fan of the hornets some 10 years ago (damn, i was 13) because they were new orleans' team. If they'd been "charlotte hornets" i couldn't have cared any less about them. So honestly, i'm more than happy about the rebranding. Sorry to see some international fans such as myself to go and abandon the boat but hey, that's life, it happens. Hope you'll find a new team in some time.

[Perth_Hornet]

Alot of Facebook and Twitter rants are going on from people from NOLA. They hate the name and logo... I say its 70%

I'm with Banjoman and others on this. I've been a Hornets fan for 17 years and after all that time to not have a team named "Hornets" to support next year is gonna be really difficult to swallow. I am a huge basketball junkie, and the only reason I ever got into basketball in the first place was because my parents bought me a Charlotte Hornets sweater when I was 8 years old. I loved those colors, and the first basketball game I ever watched in my entire life was a 120-100 Charlotte Hornets win over the Knicks in 1996. I've been hooked ever since. Given that basketball is such a huge part of my life, the Hornets name and logo is more than just a mascot to me, it really is part of my identity. Now that it's gonna be gone, I kinda feel like a part of me is gonna die. I know it sounds stupid, but that's just the way I feel after 17 years. I really hope MJ does the right thing and brings the name back where it belongs.

Agree with all this but I don't want to see the Hirnets name ever associated with that terrible franchise.

If we can't have it, let it die.

[hornetstime247]

If the charlotte hornets come back with the original logo, jerseys, court and everything.... Man that will make things very difficult. Thats is one of the best and most unique brands in all of sports and that is the team if fell in love with when i was 3 years old. However this pelicans team is still the team i have followed my entire life. You dont just leave the girl u love if she packs on 100 pounds and gets uglier. This rebrand sucks. The color scheme is generic and boring. The logo is unoriginal and pretty much a copy of the winnipeg jets and atlanta hawks logos. But this is still the team i love.

[WhoDatPelican]

Must be a HUGE fan if a name change makes you root for another team.

As Eddie Bo (famous new orleans musician) says :
"If it's good to you it's good for ya"
Dig it

[bojangles837]

It's sports. U can root for more than 1 team

[BallSoHard]

You dont just leave the girl u love if she packs on 100 pounds and gets uglier. .

Exactly. You scheme to make her break up with you.

[daybreaker]

Team > geography

Had they moved to OKC after Katrina, I would not have followed them. I wouldve probably gone back to being a Spurs fan as I was pre-Hornets.

Non-NOLA people who cheer for the Hornets apparently fall into two groups:

1) People who became fans because of the name "Hornets" and are now leaving because it changed. Thats pretty stupid. They are literally the same exact team you were just cheering for.

2) People cheering for them because they like the franchise itself, from Charlotte days, and followed them to NOLA, and would follow them if they moved. Thats fine. For these people, team > geography.

But for those of us in NOLA, team is NOT more important than geography. I doubt more than 10% of us here in NOLA would have followed the team had they moved to OKC. So when someone bails solely because of a name change when theyre the same exact team, yes, many of us will act like jerks to that guy. Because its a silly reason to leave a team.

[Hornets85]

I'm with Banjoman and others on this. I've been a Hornets fan for 17 years and after all that time to not have a team named "Hornets" to support next year is gonna be really difficult to swallow. I am a huge basketball junkie, and the only reason I ever got into basketball in the first place was because my parents bought me a Charlotte Hornets sweater when I was 8 years old. I loved those colors, and the first basketball game I ever watched in my entire life was a 120-100 Charlotte Hornets win over the Knicks in 1996. I've been hooked ever since. Given that basketball is such a huge part of my life, the Hornets name and logo is more than just a mascot to me, it really is part of my identity. Now that it's gonna be gone, I kinda feel like a part of me is gonna die. I know it sounds stupid, but that's just the way I feel after 17 years. I really hope MJ does the right thing and brings the name back where it belongs.

Pretty much the same story here. Been in denial hoping they would scrap the idea of a name change, hoping that the first reports were intentionally put out as feelers for reaction.

I'll be truly torn if the identity does return to Charlotte because on one end will the be the identity that I've know my entire life (I'm 27). On the other end, is THE franchise I've followed my entire life. You can also add to the equation how coming down for Hornets games made me fall in love with your great city. I truly don't know what I'd do if the identity returned to Charlotte.

[Muggsy]

Here it is.
The end of 18 faithful years. So sad.

Now I understand why people in the US prefer College Basketball. Of course you would never see a team moving.
Thanks to the NBA to consider us as sheeps.

Hornets for ever.

[IamQuailman]

Here it is.
The end of 18 faithful years. So sad.

Now I understand why people in the US prefer College Basketball. Of course you would never see a team moving.
Thanks to the NBA to consider us as sheeps.

Hornets for ever.

[Soundwave]

This is why we need red thumbs here.

[IamQuailman]

This is why we need red thumbs here.

Red thumbs?

[The JNR]

Downvotes, etc.

[RealPelicans Fan]

Here it is.
The end of 18 faithful years. So sad.

Now I understand why people in the US prefer College Basketball. Of course you would never see a team moving.
Thanks to the NBA to consider us as sheeps.

Hornets for ever.

[FlyGirl]

Sorry to hear fans are leaving because of colors and a name but, if that's how you feel, ....

[Soundwave]

Red thumbs?

Negative rep.

[Soundwave]

Sorry to hear fans are leaving because of colors and a name but, if that's how you feel, ....

Hey Look, Hunny B is now FlyGirl.


Like J-lo.

[Eman5805]

Good riddance. Hornets will be back in Charlotte soon enough. So what's the bother?

[FlyGirl]

Hey Look, Hunny B is now FlyGirl.


Like J-lo.

That's what they should re-name the Honeybees.

[Soundwave]

That's what they should re-name the Honeybees.

The J-Lo's? Could have promise.

[IamQuailman]

Negative rep.

NEGGED... i get it

[AD23forMVP]

We really don't need the dramatics. You don't like the name change, we get it. But trust me, nobody is begging you not to leave. So just go, I'll even hold the door open for you.