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N.O. HORNETS

fromdust

By fromdust
in Oklahoma

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Sundodger Hamlet

Sundodger

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If they can't do it in Charlotte, and they abandon NO, the owners will certainly shrivel up and die in OKC. No offense to OKC residents. It is just simple economics.

A2

I disagree. First of all, the Hornets were a smashing success in Charlotte. Their stupid owners killed the franchise there. Also OKC has the ablilty to succeed as an NBA market as Sacramento, Salt Lake City, San Antonio, & other smaller NBA markets have. The OKC market is less saturated than the NOLA market, has a larger corporate presence, & more prosperus. If the Hornets don't move to Las Vegas, I think they are in OKC for good.

I just thought I'd tell you guys that in this weeks edition of Sports Illustrated, it has a NBA preview and the Hornets are ranked last in the Western Conference. What do you guys think about this?

Portland might have something to say about this.

Nagin called Schinn a saint after he heard that Schinn guaranteed that the Hornets would return to New Orleans.

They aren't coming back. They shouldn't have moved to NOLA in the first place.

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NCB Metropolitan Area

NCB

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They aren't coming back. They shouldn't have moved to NOLA in the first place.

George Shinn has publicly said that he wants to, and will return the New Orleans Hornets to New Orleans.

He has said that OKC is just temporary, and the Hornets will be back in New Orleans as soon as possible. He has come out and said that he will do everything he can to help New Orleans recover, and that he wants to be a part of the rebuilding. He has told the city, and the fans that, the Hornets will be back. And now, the New Orleans Arena is expected to be fully cleaned up and ready to go around March 2006.

The Hornets will be back in New Orleans...

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mcheiss Metropolitan Area

mcheiss

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George Shinn has publicly said that he wants to, and will return the New Orleans Hornets to New Orleans.

He has said that OKC is just temporary, and the Hornets will be back in New Orleans as soon as possible. He has come out and said that he will do everything he can to help New Orleans recover, and that he wants to be a part of the rebuilding. He has told the city, and the fans that, the Hornets will be back. And now, the New Orleans Arena is expected to be fully cleaned up and ready to go around March 2006.

The Hornets will be back in New Orleans...

I'll second with him.

New Orleans just wouldn't be the same without it's sports teams.

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fromdust Whistle-Stop

fromdust

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George Shinn has publicly said that he wants to, and will return the New Orleans Hornets to New Orleans.

He has said that OKC is just temporary, and the Hornets will be back in New Orleans as soon as possible. He has come out and said that he will do everything he can to help New Orleans recover, and that he wants to be a part of the rebuilding. He has told the city, and the fans that, the Hornets will be back. And now, the New Orleans Arena is expected to be fully cleaned up and ready to go around March 2006.

The Hornets will be back in New Orleans...

if the hornets go back thats great. i just hope we show enough support that the nba considers us for our own team in the future.

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NCB

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if the hornets go back thats great. i just hope we show enough support that the nba considers us for our own team in the future.

I also hope that OKC is able to show the NBA that they are capable of handling their own franchise.

The business and economics are certainly in place, the Ford Center looks great from what I've seen, so the only major factor left would be fan support. I really hope OKC is able to take advantage of the fact that the Hornets are there currently, and maybe get a future NBA franchise, but I dont think the Hornets will be staying.

I also hope that OKC doesnt try to pull a fast one on New Orleans, like San Antonio did with the Saints.

What really got me was when I heard that San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger told Saints owner Tom Benson to quote "forget about Hurricane Katrina, forget about New Orleans, but remember the Alamodome" :angry:

But I dont think Oklahoma City will do anything like that with the Hornets.

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NCB Metropolitan Area

NCB

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Why not? If OKC doesn't step up, they could lose the team to Las Vegas. The Hornets aren't going back to NOLA so OKC shouldn't worry about hurting feelings?

Why not?

New Orleanians cherish their sports teams. Evacuees from New Orleans are all over the country, and being able to watch their Saints and their Hornets play is a bright spot in what is going on. It's not about hurting feelings, it's about showing some class and care.. San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger showed very little class with statements such as the one I listed in my above post, and I'm saying that OKC shouldn't do something that with the Hornets. There is a right and a wrong way of handling the issue of the Hornets future home, and I hope OKC handles it the right way.

The Hornets will be back in New Orleans, in fact they may be able to be back in N.O. before the season is over. And there is no way the NBA is going to give OKC a team before Las Vegas.

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Sundodger Hamlet

Sundodger

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Why not?

- New Orleans is/was the most oversaturated makret in major professional sports

- New Orleans has a small corporate base

- New Orleans development & growth patterns aren't conducive to a sport that plays on Tuesday nights

- The fan support for the Hornets in New Orleans was poor

- the New Orleans arena doesn't offer the revenue, by its design (not lease), as most NBA arenas and even has less revenue potential than OKC's Ford Center

- Hurricane Katrina will make a worse situation worse

- George Shinn isn't the brightest bulb; research his history. The decision to relocate to NOLA in the first place was knee jerk & not well researched. The team in a few months alone in OKC has been way more supported & embraced than it was in NOLA; the team will stay or try to move to even greener pastures like LAs Vegas.

Add it all up & the team is gone. Frankly they shouldn't have moved there in the first place. I am not trying to knock New Orleans, it is just reality if you crunch the #s.

It's not about hurting feelings, it's about showing some class and care..

Tell that to Charlotte. NOLA had the Hornets just two seasons & the support was meager. It is not the same as losing the Saints.

San Antonio mayor Phil Hardberger showed very little class with statements such as the one I listed in my above post, and I'm saying that OKC shouldn't do something that with the Hornets. There is a right and a wrong way of handling the issue of the Hornets future home, and I hope OKC handles it the right way.

They are; they are supporting the team better than New Orleans did & will probably keep them. If Shinn were smart, he would have moved them there in the first place (if he didn't wreck the franchise in Charlotte first).

The Hornets will be back in New Orleans, in fact they may be able to be back in N.O. before the season is over.

I don't see it happening. Why go back to a city that couldn't sellout playoff games when they are now in the top 10 of season ticket sales in the NBA? New Orleans didn't make much business sense prior to Katrina, it makes less now.

And there is no way the NBA is going to give OKC a team before Las Vegas.

It is Shinn's choice. Vegas doesn't have an NBA arena, OKC does. Also OKC is less transient & more likely to unite behind a team, like they seem to be doing with the Hornets.

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NCB Metropolitan Area

NCB

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For now, the future of the Hornets is just a matter of opinion.

No one knows where the Hornets will end up, but I personally think they will be back in New Orleans.

I wish OKC the best of luck in handling and supporting the Hornets well for as long as they are there. I am planning on going up to OKC myself for a few days, and will certainly attend as many Hornets games as possible.

BTW, the Hornets looked great last night. I could see a much improved offense and defense over last season, and the team played one of their best games since Byron Scott was brought to New Orleans.

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Sundodger Hamlet

Sundodger

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here is what the mayor has said said there was no way he would allow Oklahoma City to fight over the Hornets with New Orleans.

No offense to the mayor but the Hornets were only in New Orleans 2 years & the support was poor. It's not like OKC is trying to take away Tulane, The French Quarter, or the Saints. This is OKC's best shot; take it! There won't be NBA in New Orleans in 2010, if OKC doesn't grab the Hornets, Las Vegas or some other city will.

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fromdust Whistle-Stop

fromdust

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No offense to the mayor but the Hornets were only in New Orleans 2 years & the support was poor. It's not like OKC is trying to take away Tulane, The French Quarter, or the Saints. This is OKC's best shot; take it! There won't be NBA in New Orleans in 2010, if OKC doesn't grab the Hornets, Las Vegas or some other city will.

you make a good point, but this could just be talk. maybe hes not trying to ruffle feathers at this time.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Yeah from what I heard Stern has been rather impressed with the way the city has handled itself in this situatuion. I don't know if he was referring to the city taking over for the Hornets though. I guess i was thinking more along the lines of OKC would be near the top of the list when expansion came again.

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sleepy Burg

sleepy

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I've heard that The Hornets are coming back to New Orleans, is that true?

The Times-Picayune reported that the Hornets will play 2 games at the New Orleans Arena in March. Those games, I believe, were originally scheduled for Baton Rouge.

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shane453 Whistle-Stop

shane453

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Well, that is of course the plan. Oklahoma City was the temporary shelter. But New Orleans is now reduced to a metro of around half a million citizens. They'll have to look at whether NO is still suitable for a pro franchise, and whether they should stick with OKC where they know they're well off, return to NO and show support for their community (even if they were only in NO for a few years), or choose another city like Las Vegas to relocate to.

They have until the end of January to announce where they will play next season. Chances are looking good for OKC, I think.

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But New Orleans is now reduced to a metro of around half a million citizens.

Actually, the metro population of New Orleans has returned very quickly, and is now estimated to be near 1.1 million people. Most projections have the metro losing at most 5% of its pre-Katrina population by 2010. So New Orleans is still expected to have a metro with around 1.3 million people.

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Mith242 Gigalopolis

Mith242

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Actually, the metro population of New Orleans has returned very quickly, and is now estimated to be near 1.1 million people. Most projections have the metro losing at most 5% of its pre-Katrina population by 2010. So New Orleans is still expected to have a metro with around 1.3 million people.

Yeah the only real population loses seem to be certain areas of New Orleans itself not the suburbs as Nate was saying.

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eastsider Burg

eastsider

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Good write-up of how well OKC has supported the Hornets.

Home for now is Oklahoma City, but the NBA will decide by the end of the month where the Hornets will be based next season. Publicly, everyone points to an eventual return to New Orleans. Commissioner David Stern, owner George Shinn, coach Byron Scott, players, staff, even fans all say it is the right thing to do. Three games scheduled this season for Baton Rouge, La., already have been moved to New Orleans Arena.

But the sellouts, the college-like noise at Oklahoma City's Ford Center, the season-ticket sales, the corporate sponsorships and the political reception have surprised the NBA and left its brass in a quandary. Before Katrina, the Hornets ranked last in the league in attendance. Now they're in the top 10, despite a 15-18 record entering tonight's game against the Pistons.

For sentimental reasons, the league doesn't want to move a team from a devastated city. But the Hornets might have found better economic success in Oklahoma City, tapping into a surprisingly pent-up desire for the NBA.

Detroit Free Press: They're OK now

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