Rick Bonnell of the charlotte Observer reports: The Charlotte Sting is the only WNBA team not in an NBA city. M.L. Carr hopes to make sure that's not a permanent condition.
Carr, a former coach of the Boston Celtics, was named president of the Sting, a newly-created role, Thursday. While running the Sting, he will continue pursuing an NBA expansion team to replace the Hornets, who are moving to New Orleans.
Carr represents Hall of Famer Larry Bird and Boston-area millionaire Steve Belkin in a group applying for that expansion franchise. He appreciates the synergy between his two jobs; successfully running the Sting would develop Charlotte business contacts and do the NBA a favor. But he says running the Sting is no ploy.
"It's a nice platform to work from (pursuing NBA expansion), but I don't want anyone to think (the Sting) is just a jumping-off spot," Carr said.
"This is not a testing ground (for the NBA) and there's no quid pro quo involved. It's an opportunity to help."
The WNBA is owned by the NBA, which hopes to keep the Sting in Charlotte. The reigning Eastern Conference champion opens its season at the Charlotte Coliseum on Saturday night against the Los Angeles Sparks.
With the Hornets moving to New Orleans, the WNBA office has taken over the team's operation. Carr's primary task will be propping up fan and sponsor support.
"My commitment is not halfway," said Carr. "I'm there to make sure attendance is increased and sponsorships, too."
Via Charlotte Observer
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Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports: Larry Bird has competition in pursuit of an NBA expansion franchise in Charlotte.
Bob Sturges, a minority partner in the Miami Heat, says he has contacted the league about owning a team in Charlotte. Sturges assembled a group earlier this year that attempted to buy the Orlando Magic when that team was briefly on the market.
Another group, led by basketball Hall of Famer Bird, has expressed interest in a team to replace the Hornets, who are moving to New Orleans after 14 seasons in Charlotte. The NBA expects to take up the expansion issue this summer after the playoffs are completed.
Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory said repeatedly last week that he expected more than one group to pursue bringing another team to Charlotte. M.L. Carr, part of Bird's group, said he was "not surprised, nor concerned," by the prospect of competition for a team.
NBA officials could not be reached for comment late Thursday.
Sturges, who said he's in his 50s, has owned a small piece of the Heat since its inception in 1988.
It's also possible that Washington-based billionaire Robert Johnson will be involved if the NBA grants Charlotte another team. Johnson offered to buy the Hornets from owners George Shinn and Ray Wooldridge before the team got permission to move.
Nelson Schwab, the Charlotte businessman who led the effort to keep the Hornets, said it was his impression Johnson would still like to own an NBA team here.
Johnson could not be reached for comment.
Via Charlotte Observer
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May 30, 2002 10:50 AM EST
They'll continue to be the Hornets, at least for next season.
Though the Hornets are moving to New Orleans, they will keep their nickname at least through the 2002-2003 season, according to team spokesman Harold Kaufman.
The team has made no decision about whether to find a nickname more appropriate to New Orleans, although team co-owner Ray Wooldridge has been quoted in New Orleans media as saying he'd be delighted to take the name "Jazz" if the franchise in Utah is willing to give up that name. The Jazz moved to Utah from New Orleans after the 1978-79 season and kept the nickname.
Via Charlotte Observer
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Bobcats May 2002 Archive
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Charlotte Observer | May 30, 2002
They'll continue to be the Hornets, at least for next season.
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Charlotte Observer | May 29, 2002
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports: They'll continue to be the Hornets, at least for next season.
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| May 26, 2002
Larry Bird’s last gig in the NBA was the head coaching position in Indiana, and as he now works towards acquiring an expansion franchise in Charlotte he has the support of Pacers president Donnie Walsh.
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Charlotte Observer | May 22, 2002
RICK BONNELL AND MICHELLE CROUCH of the Charlotte Observer report: The NBA will start considering a request from basketball legend Larry Bird after the playoffs end this summer to place an expansion team in Charlotte, Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik said Tuesday.
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| May 21, 2002
Can Larry Bird ressurect professional basketball in Charlotte?
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| May 19, 2002
Will the city of Charlotte get another team soon?
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| May 16, 2002
Wesley and Co. have played their last game as Charlotte Hornets
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| May 15, 2002
Terence Moore of the AJC is not a fan of Bayou Sports and he lets it fly as he breaks down the breakdown of the Hornets move from fan-hungry Charlotte to just plain hungry New Orleans.
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Gaston Gazette | May 14, 2002
They are Charlotte Hornets no more, even as the team will carry the name into at least two more playoff games.
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| May 14, 2002
While they are not quite past the Hornets just yet, but if the do (a mere formality?) then ex-Net P.
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| May 14, 2002
Did the NBA choose Shinn over Charlotte?
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| May 13, 2002
Baron Davis is not in the Big Easy just yet, the All-Star guard still holding onto the belief that his team will find a way out of their 3-1 rut to the New Jersey Nets.
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| May 12, 2002
With the Charlotte Hornets down 2-1 to the New Jersey Nets and facing what possibly could be their last game in Charlotte, the team received some bad news yesterday.
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| May 12, 2002
As both parties wind down their respective tenures, the Hornets in Charlotte and the NBC televising the NBA, it looks as though the two parties will be hooking up for what could be the final hurrah of the Hornets in Charlotte.
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| May 12, 2002
Jason Kidd is still hopeful that he will be able to make an appearance in Game 4 of the Nets series against Charlotte, if he can see.
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nba.com | May 10, 2002
According to the press release on nba.
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AP | May 10, 2002
Charlotte will play next season in New Orleans
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Charlotte Observer | May 10, 2002
SCOTT DODD AND PETER SMOLOWITZ of the Charlotte Observer report: Everyone's heard about the Michael Jordan sale that fell through.
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| May 10, 2002
A bloodied Jason Kidd helped keep the Hornets alive
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| May 9, 2002
Down 0-2 and now back ‘home’, the Charlotte Hornets are in serious mode.
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| May 8, 2002
They were able to dispose of the Orlando Magic without their leading scorer, but have the Charlotte Hornets met their match in the Nets?
The Hornets are missing Jamal Mashburn.
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| May 6, 2002
Elden Campbell wasn’t too happy with the referees in Game 1 of the Hornets playoff series with the New Jersey Nets, calling for the officials to be a little more consistent.
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| May 5, 2002
The Charlotte Hornets received bad news yesterday with Jamal Mashburn taking a turn for the worst, making him doubtful for Game 2 as well as today’s game.
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| May 4, 2002
As the Charlotte Hornets’ players move into the second round against the New Jersey Nets they finally have a weight lifted from their shoulders, albeit slightly.
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AP | May 2, 2002
Owners to vote May 10th
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Charlotte Observer | May 1, 2002
Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer reports: The NBA's relocation committee will recommend the Charlotte Hornets be allowed to move to New Orleans, Mayor Pat McCrory and two sources close to the league told The Observer Tuesday.
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Orlando Sentinel | May 1, 2002
Tracy McGrady, once again wincing with each step, left the floor limping gingerly.
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Orlando Sentinel | May 1, 2002
Muhammad Ali once said, "It ain't braggin' if you can back it up.
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Orlando Sentinel | May 1, 2002
The NBA isn't waiting for the Hornets to exit the playoffs before releasing a report by the relocation committee that will recommend approval of their move from Charlotte to New Orleans for next season.
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Orlando Sentinel | May 1, 2002
NBA deputy commissioner Russ Granik said Tuesday that the league's Relocation Committee will release its report on the viability of the New Orleans market as early as Thursday, likely paving the way for the Hornets' departure from Charlotte.
