Who is to blame for the Hornets-Charlotte fiasco? While owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge seem almost certain to be packing their bags for the Big Easy within months, was it stubbornness on Charlotte’s behalf which sealed their fate?
There is no question that Shinn is disliked in Charlotte, but when push becomes shove is it really beneficial for the city to boycott business dealings with him just because of this dislike? This is one of the many questions that the current Hornets owners are asking, adding that people should also be asking what the City of Charlotte could do differently to keep the Hornets as well as asking ownership the same question.
"Everybody keeps asking what me and my partner could have done differently," Wooldridge said. "No one asked, `What could the community have done differently, what could the political leaders have done differently?' "
"I just didn't think anybody wanted to make it work," Wooldridge said. "We've all made mistakes, but that doesn't mean you don't look toward the long-term future of something."
Wooldridge claimed that the city officials had already agreed to help fund a new arena, to which Shinn and himself invested $6 million, and wondered why the arena plan ever went to a referendum. "Doesn't a pro team bring economic stimulus to the local economy? That's what New Orleans finally decided,” said Wooldridge.
The partnership between the city and the team quickly turned from a match made in heaven behind the team consisting of Larry Johnson, Alonzo Mourning and Muggsy Bogues to a team which now has the reputation of pinching pennies, trading top players in the last year of their deals for others with longer term contracts to avoid paying out the money. A packed Charlotte Colosseum has seen Alonzo Mourning turn into Glenn Rice, who has turned into Eddie Jones, who turned into PJ Brown and Jamal Mashburn. This instability has seen the crowds leave in droves despite the team still being successful, the Hornets coming within one game of the Eastern Conference Finals last season before going down in game 7 to Milwaukee.
NBA commissioner David Stern said the Hornets had to sell 2,400 club seats, find three more corporate sponsors, complete a television deal and wrap up the paperwork on the sales of 55 suites before the close of business on Wednesday. If the Hornets meet those demands, the league's owners will vote on April 9 to approve or deny the move, something Wooldridge guaranteed would happen. At the close of business Thursday, the Hornets were 696 season tickets short.
But with Vancouver moving to Memphis last season, Mike Wise of the New York Times cannot help but wonder how the votes on the move will go, a move from Charlotte to New Orleans meaning that two teams have moved from larger to smaller markets in the last 24 months.
"I don't think it says that much about the long-term viability of the N.B.A.'s future," Wooldridge said. "You've got a new TV deal, international opportunities sprouting up all over. I'm very confident about the business future of the league."
Of New Orleans, he said, "There's 2.5 million people in the region; there's tremendous opportunity in being one of the only games in town."
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Mike Wise of the New York Times reports that the Hornets are getting closer to moving to New Orleans.
The Big Easy may be a much smaller market, but it understands two things that Charlotte doesn't. The city has to spend money if the NBA team is going to make money. And you don't attack team owners, even if it's justified.
While visiting New Orleans last week, Stern said the Hornets had to sell 2,400 club seats, find three more corporate sponsors, complete a television deal and wrap up the paperwork on the sales of 55 suites before the close of business on Wednesday. If the Hornets meet those demands, the league's owners will vote on April 9 to approve or deny the move.
At the close of business Thursday, the Hornets were 696 season tickets short of the league's benchmark for moving the team from Charlotte.
Wise says it will be interesting to see if the owners vote unanimously. After all, what does it say about their businesses that two franchises have left larger markets for smaller markets in consecutive years? And what does it say about their commitment to communities?
But he predicts the end is near, and soon they will be playing their last game at the Charlotte Coliseum — another once-raucous N.B.A. arena about to rest in peace.
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700 seats to go, 0 days remaining. This is the scenario facing the Hornets, a team desperate to move from Charlotte to New Orleans.
Just last week the team said the NBA's approval would be "a lock" if it sold a total of 2,400 club seats -- priced from $3,870 to $5,375 -- by today. The Hornets were able to sell 472 club seats this week alone, with the help of some New Orleans business and political leaders.
"Time is running out," Hornets spokesman Alex Martins said Thursday. "I still believe we're going to get this. We have a lot of deals in the works."
With the paperwork not officially due into commissioner David Stern until Wednesday, the team essentially has three more business days to sell the 700 remaining seats required. But with Easter weekend upon us Chicago-based sports finance expert Marc Ganis predicted the team will find it "very challenging" to sell the remaining seats, and waiting in the wings are a group trying to keep the Hornets in Charlotte.
"I think we continue to make (Charlotte) look attractive and if there's any kind of a chink in the armor, we're there as the alternative," said Nelson Schwab.
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Bobcats Mar 2002 Archive
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Dallas Morning News | Mar 26, 2002
There is still no telling, Marc Stein of the Dallas Morning News says, whether the Hornets will be able to move to New Orleans.
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Florida Today | Mar 23, 2002
John Denton of the Florida Today reports: Orlando Magic owner Rich DeVos said before Friday's game that he believes the NBA will allow the Charlotte Hornets to relocate to New Orleans.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 23, 2002
John Reid of the New Orleans Times-Picayune reports: If the Hornets can sell another 1,200 expensive club seats and finalize a handful of other commitments by Friday, the team's proposed move from Charlotte, N.
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| Mar 22, 2002
Tom McCeachin of the Ogden Standard-Examiner writes:
Normally he"d get top billing wherever he goes, but NBA commissioner David Stern played second fiddle on Thursday night.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
New Orleans had its chance to lobby NBA Commissioner David Stern and the owners' relocation committee.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
Some folks filing in to Wednesday night's Hornets game hadn't heard the news.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
New Orleans has to sell about 1,200 premium "club" seats at New Orleans Arena, in addition to the 1,232 that had been sold by Wednesday.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
Although the Charlotte Hornets' proposed move to New Orleans often seems to depend only on revenue streams and club seats, it is ultimately about a simple sport: basketball.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
The Hornets' fate in Charlotte now rides on whether New Orleans can sell the best seats in its new arena.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 21, 2002
After a meeting with local leaders that he said included "one of the most dynamic presentations we've ever had," NBA Commissioner David Stern on Wednesday gave New Orleans his conditional blessing, if the team can sell its premium seats and attract more corporate support, to become the new home of the Charlotte Hornets.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 21, 2002
Even before National Basketball Association commissioner David Stern could inquire about New Orleans' long-term viability as an NBA city, Mayor-elect Ray Nagin fired a pre-emptive strike during a 90-minute meeting Wednesday with Stern and the league's relocation committee.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
It wasn't the shot coach Paul Silas was expecting, but he sure wasn't going to turn it down.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 21, 2002
Hornets closer to the Big Easy
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Associated Press | Mar 20, 2002
Will Mashburn be tearing it up in New Orleans next season?
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| Mar 20, 2002
It is the nature of sports that clarity get clouded by bad bounces and injuries and excuses, ifs and maybes telling a thousand lies, but the standings always give you the truth undistilled.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 20, 2002
When members of an NBA relocation committee begin their evaluation of New Orleans today, Hornets co-owner Ray Wooldridge will try to hammer home two points: that season-ticket sales are sufficient to justify a move from Charlotte, N.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 20, 2002
Rick Bonnell and Tim Whitmire of the CHarlotte Observer report: On the eve of an NBA relocation committee's visit here, even Commissioner David Stern has no feel for how the drama over the Hornets' future will play out.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 20, 2002
That old confidence is coming back.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 19, 2002
D.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 19, 2002
Tim Whitmire of the Charlotte Observer reports: The Charlotte City Council voted 9-1 Monday to remove from its new arena plan a clause demanding that the Charlotte Hornets have new owners if they are to play in the building.
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Gaston Gazette | Mar 19, 2002
When Jerry Tarkanian retired Friday as Fresno State head coach, it ended the tenure of a college coach who gets as much loyalty as any from his NBA players.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 19, 2002
There was enough offense to have everyone's arms aching.
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Washington Post | Mar 19, 2002
Jordan is on the mend and should be back soon
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Winston Salem-Journal | Mar 18, 2002
An hour before the start of the Phoenix Suns' 87-76 loss to the Charlotte Hornets Saturday night, Frank Johnson stood outside the Suns' locker room talking about the team's most-pressing issues.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 18, 2002
Posted on Mon, Mar.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 17, 2002
The buzz of the Hornets has been relentless.
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New Orleans Times-Picayune | Mar 17, 2002
The moment remains in sharp focus.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 17, 2002
I suspect Hornets owners Ray Wooldridge and George Shinn are running scared right now.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 16, 2002
Will Wesley and the Hornets play in empty stadiums in New Orleans?
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 16, 2002
Don Hudson of the Charlotte Observer reports: Charlotte city councilwoman Lynn Wheeler said the controversial clause that requires "new ownership" for the Hornets before building a new arena will be on the council agenda Monday night.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 15, 2002
SCOTT DODD AND TIM WHITMIRE of the Charlotte Observer report: Hornets co-owner Ray Wooldridge told New Orleans reporters on Thursday that he's confident the team will meet its ticket-sales goals today.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 15, 2002
The (AP) reports: NBA All-Stars David Wesley of Charlotte and Jerry Stackhouse of Detroit are among nine finalists for the league's Home Team Community Service Award.
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Gaston Gazette | Mar 15, 2002
There were no closed-door team meetings.
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Herald | Mar 15, 2002
- The Charlotte Hornets found a way out of their Western Conference funk Thursday night.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 15, 2002
For the first time in a long time, the defense looked familiar.
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Winston-Salem Journal | Mar 15, 2002
The Charlotte Hornets know from experience that one-game trends are nothing to get excited about.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Mar 15, 2002
The Jazz have run out of excuses.
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Salt Lake Tribune | Mar 15, 2002
HIGH POINT
Given extra minutes because of the blowout, DeShawn Stevenson played well -- mostly at point guard.
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Deseret News | Mar 15, 2002
Karl Malone played 25 minutes Thursday night but wondered later if perhaps he should have played none.
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Deseret News | Mar 15, 2002
— Karl Malone was ill, suffering from flu-like symptoms, and held to three points on 1-of-11 shooting in 25 draining minutes.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 14, 2002
Hornets owner Ray Wooldridge met Sunday night with Jerry Colangelo, chairman of the NBA's relocation committee, apparently trying to make sure the team is following all the necessary steps in its application for a move to New Orleans.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 14, 2002
Using their strongest public language to date, some NBA owners are expressing serious concern about the Charlotte Hornets' proposed move to New Orleans.
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Gaston Gazette | Mar 14, 2002
Former Philadelphia 76ers president Pat Croce has a pretty strong personal opinion on the NBA’s upcoming decision to vote for or against the relocation request of Charlotte Hornets co-owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge for New Orleans.
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Charlotte Observer | Mar 14, 2002
Owners oppose Hornets move
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Winston Salem-Journal | Mar 14, 2002
The (AP) reports: As the city and state try to push ticket sales high enough to get the NBA's Charlotte Hornets to move to New Orleans, a marketing campaign urging buyers to come forward is being paid for with about $400,000 of public money.
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Winston-Salem Journal | Mar 14, 2002
Rusty LaRue has been a basketball vagabond ever since he graduated from Wake Forest in 1996, bouncing around from the CBA to the NBDL to the European Leagues with an occasional call-up to the NBA.
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| Mar 7, 2002
Back in 1988, I remember walking into the new Charlotte Coliseum for the first time.
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| Mar 7, 2002
The ACC men's basketball tournament will return to Charlotte, regardless of whether a new arena is built.
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| Mar 7, 2002
A combined arena and park in uptown's Third Ward could be the centerpiece of a new neighborhood that would supplant the current landscape of surface parking lots and old buildings, Charlotte Planning Director Martin Cramton told city and county officials Wednesday.
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| Mar 6, 2002
Q.
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| Mar 6, 2002
In many respects, Charlotte couldn't have found a better potential buyer for the Hornets than Robert Johnson.
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| Mar 6, 2002
Robert Johnson, the billionaire founder of Black Entertainment Television, said Tuesday that he wants to buy the Hornets and keep them in Charlotte.
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| Mar 6, 2002
CHARLOTTE
Bob Johnson, the billionaire founder of Black Entertainment Television, emerged yesterday as the leader in an effort to buy the Charlotte Hornets and keep the team in Charlotte.
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| Mar 6, 2002
Tim Whitmire and Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer report: Robert Johnson, the billionaire founder of Black Entertainment Television, said Tuesday that he wants to buy the Hornets and keep them in Charlotte.
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| Mar 3, 2002
John Delong of the Winston Salem-Journal reports: When Greg Anthony's name hit the waiver wire on Friday, the Charlotte Hornets were intrigued.
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| Mar 2, 2002
aul Silas, the coach of the Charlotte Hornets, had a treat last night.
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| Mar 2, 2002
BOSTON -- Jamal Mashburn had 20 points and nine rebounds, and Baron Davis added 19 points and eight assists Friday night as the Charlotte Hornets scored the first 10 points of the game and coasted to a 100-87 victory over the Boston Celtics.
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| Mar 2, 2002
Tim Whitmire of the Charlote Observer reports: With two weeks to go until a crucial deadline, Charlotte Hornets officials in New Orleans said Friday they have commitments to purchase 5,010 season tickets and 33 luxury suites at the New Orleans Arena.
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| Mar 1, 2002
Jamaal Magloire spots the opening and, cupping the ball in one hand, springs into the air, his arm extended.
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| Mar 1, 2002
Guard David Wesley came off the injured list Thursday and may get some playing time today when the Hornets face the Boston Celtics at the FleetCenter.
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| Mar 1, 2002
Cliff Mehrtens of the Charlotte Observer reports: The WNBA plans to keep the Sting in Charlotte beyond next summer, whether the Hornets stay or not.
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