I hate Charlotte!!!

[walkerl]

I really hate the city of Charlotte. They are killing the Bobcats over the Bob Johnson comments. There are so many people who want to see this team fail. I hope the Bobcats leave Charlotte, and go to a city that appreciates them!!!

[Slam]

Ottawa???

;)

[Muttley]

Ottawa???

;)


I was gonna guess Raleigh!

[davcbow]

Ottawa???

;)


I was gonna guess Raleigh!


Great Idea Raliegh would love having them I bet and they would still close by for me since I live about halfway between the 2 cities..... :g:

[tamburello]

Ottawa???

;)

Slam, I predicted that you resided in Canada (now I'm pretty sure :D) beforehand. Maybe a little out of topic but what do you think about a second Canadian NBA team? Do you see a 2nd Canadian team possible in the near future? You know the first experiment was a total failure (Vancouver Grizzlies). I don't think it's likely for Canada to have another NBA city so then, because Canadians are mainly interested in ice hockey and now David Stern knows it very well. Toronto was able to build a fanbase, but that's all Canada can do about basketball I guess.

About the topic, I have to confess that I cannot believe how Bob Johnson is still losing money. I mean, North Carolina is a real basketball state, with two of the greatest college teams in Blue Devils and Tar Heels. How can Bobcats be 24th in attendance out 30 teams? Or are these two teams haunting the Bobcats? People aren't supporting Cats as passionate as they do NC or Duke? Generally I'm against franchise relocations unless it is inevitable. And I don't think Bobcats have come that far. First of all, there is no significant success. How can you measure the people's "lack" of interest in Bobcats if you have nothing to show them? If they wouldn't come to our future playoff games, then be it. But at the moment, I cannot blame Charlottean people for not coming games.

Bob Johnson has to blame himself first of all, for that psychopathic TV rights agreement with Time Warner Cable. It has the most share on this low attendance average.

[x2pacalypse]

was it here that i read the blue jays might relocate to raleigh?

btw the bobcats are moving to wilmington...we'll build them a nice stadium on the river and everything

[Slam]

tamburello I'm an Australian living in Ottawa. Been here 3 years. There is no way another NBA team could survive on the east coast of Canada, but I don't see why it couldn't on the West. Calgary would be ideal, because there so SO much money there and they are pretty sport orientate.

The reason the Raps worked so well is because they are backed by Blue Leaf Entertianment who also own the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Blue Jays too.

The reason the Griz didn't work in Vancouver is because the guys in BC are more into the music and arts scene than they are sports.

[BIGCatBobcat]

As a fan you have to step back in situations like this and listen to what everyone is saying. It's been a big day started off by, apparantly(I don't read the Observer) a big article.
The reaction is coming from some very very abrasive comments by Bobcat Johnson.
Don't hate Charlotte, Charlotte is a great city with great people. Hate Bob for expecting to make his money in 3 years, and for not marketing better and for expecting free money from "Charlotte Business."

[MattD]

Bob Johnsons comments were way out of line. Granted the Charlotte fan base is a tricky one, but Johnson has not handled the team well, he needs to stop bitching and do something.

Dont blame Charlottes fanbase for not wanting to come to the games, have their ear drums damaged, and watching a substandard product. Build a contender, and Charlotte will love them, and bob will make money. Also he made a mistake by choosing a Bobcat. Not as marketable as something cool.

Flight? Spiders? Either would have been better

[BIGCatBobcat]

Also he made a mistake by choosing a Bobcat. Not as marketable as something cool.

Flight? Spiders? Either would have been better


another mistake and an egotistical one at that. Other than the public transportation and the football team what in this area has anything to do with cats? All that he went with on that was his name "Bob" cats. Ridiculous, and people will hate him forever for that. Petty but true.

[Muttley]

I think the team name is fine. Named after himself? Fine. He did pay for the team. In addition, Bobcats are (or at least used to be) native to North Carolina.
It's also a fairly reasonable mascot businesswise being that it's a mammal, and can be made cute and cuddly for kids.
I do actually like the idea of the spiders, but I don't see how it has any more to do with Charlotte than the Bobcats. Honestly, "Flight" sounds like a D-League team to me. Really, arguing over the team name is kind of trifling.

Charlotte's got its good and its bad. Unfortunately, those who read the Observer online just see the bad. It's a damn shame that the most ignorant people are often the loudest. Bob Johnson probably made an error in saying some of the things he said. The problem is that just like Joe Bananas said, a lot of people are trying to get this team to fail. So, he should have known that what he said would be turned against him. Granted, he will have to work harder than he currently is in Charlotte to build this fan base, but I don't think it's unreasonable to ask area businesses for support.

Of course, if the team wins, then we're not even having this conversation.

[amour217]

Gotta love reading those comments on the Observer's website about our team, it's almost thematic. That being said, I've taken the time to help out the citizens on Charlotte by creating The Official Charlotte Observer Bobcats Commenting Guide!

When responding to an article about the Charlotte Bobcats, arena, or Bob Johnson, pick one or more of the following:

1. Insert comment about Hornets
2. I didn't vote for the arena, so I won't go
3. Blah blah blah taxpayers blah blah blah Pat McCrory blah blah blah
4. What team?
5. They stink.
6. Insert insensitive racial comment about not enough white players and too much rap music
7. NBA sucks and is comprised of thugs, blah blah blah.

[Muttley]

Gotta love reading those comments on the Observer's website about our team, it's almost thematic. That being said, I've taken the time to help out the citizens on Charlotte by creating The Official Charlotte Observer Bobcats Commenting Guide!

When responding to an article about the Charlotte Bobcats, arena, or Bob Johnson, pick one or more of the following:

1. Insert comment about Hornets
2. I didn't vote for the arena, so I won't go
3. Blah blah blah taxpayers blah blah blah Pat McCrory blah blah blah
4. What team?
5. They stink.
6. Insert insensitive racial comment about not enough white players and too much rap music
7. NBA sucks and is comprised of thugs, blah blah blah.


That's about it, amour! Nice work. No one should have to read Observer comments ever again after reading this list.

[ReesieNCPantherCatfan1]

Read in the Observer this morning for the Bobcats to break the lease and move now it would cost them a $200 million penalty, so they are not going anywhere (til 2030 at least when there is no fee for relocating). I do find it funny that Bob Johnson would bite the hand that feeds him though. The city let him keep all the profits from the arena, including things like the Springsteen and Van Halen concerts, Checkers, CIAA, and ACC tourneys, etc. He doesn't have to pay property tax on the arena (as the land is a lease from the city). Bonnell went as far as to say Johnson has the best stadium deal in the NBA for an owner. Bob also forgot that Bank of America gave him a 2% loan for financing the capital he needed for the team, and he only had to contribute $20 million of his own to the arena, the other $245 mil was from the hotel tax. I don't know how much more Charlotte can bend over backwards for him.

It has been said many times, but most in Charlotte are from other areas with their own allegiences, hence the fairweather fans. But as soon as we are successful on the court then attendence and profits will follow. People love winners, and everybody here will jump on the bandwagon when we win. (remember 1996 or 2003 with the Panthers, or 1994 with the Hornets?) Success = Money

[CMc$]

The whole thing about the city of Charlotte and the Bobcats that irks me to no end is that there are a sect of people in Charlotte that are so dead set, so feverishly anti-Bobcats that it saddens me. Why would a city root for a business, any business, to fail?

Look, if anyone knows the warts of the Bobcats, it's us here at BobcatsPlanet. There problems. There have been strides against some problems. Some problems still exist.

But why do people hate on the game we love, the league we love, and the team we love? I have been to two dozen games and I've never once noticed "offensive rap music, an urbanized setting, thugs on the court, or a team that is consistently boring". Why are people so ignorant?

[bizzlecatz]

Because they are afraid of Change. Change is a threat to them, They rather live in a world where you have to punp sunshine, then welcome CHANGE.

[spectre]

Bumping CMc$ and bizzlecatz +1 just cause they're so damn smart.

[King Taharqa]

Im gonna re-post what I wrote on another board...


Ive been consistent with my view for the past 3 years, Charlotte is just not a good sports town as far as supporting home teams. The most popular sportsteams in Charlotte play their games 2 1/2 hours away (Tar Heels, Blue Devils, Wolfpack). The Bobcats arent experiencing anything different than UNCC and the Charlotte Knights. The Panthers saving grace is the PSL system which forces people to continuously buy tickets no matter how shitty the product. Without that, they would be in the exact same boat. And even so, late season gameday attendance has been a problem the past 2 years at BOA.

As for the relentless anti-Bobcats sect of Charlotte, they take issue with the minority ownership. Thats the one constant that has remained thru out the Bobcats improvements as a franchise on & off the court.

I'd say the vast majority of Charlotteans just are "spoiled" though when it comes to pro sports and most opt to hop on the bandwagon. ACC Basketball is the most visible and most celebrated sport for NC nationally, so its no surprise it has the biggest following sports wise in Queen City. The vast majority of people in this area who follow didnt attend any of those schools and have no ties whatsoever.

If you study the history of Charlotte as a city, you'll notice over the past 2 centuries it is constantly tearing itself down than attempting to rebuild itself only to repeat the process. This is a HUGE reason why it hasnt been able to create and maintain a sense of culture or unique identity that would make it stand out. I blame this the most for why Charlotteans dont have that "unconditional" pride in their home sports teams and opt to ride someone else's bandwagon. The main thing the Bobcats need to do is to focus on folks like us who believe and support this team no matter what. Keeping us happy will only lead to a next generation of Bobcats fans who will grow up with that "unconditional" pride that I speak of.

[Icky Thump]

People forget too quickly... We supported the Hornets BIG TIME, even through horrible seasons.. finally got the team built up *thanks to the draft, not free agency because of a cheapskate owner who then let the players we drafted go* and then had the team ripped out from under us... that leaves horrible feelings. Then we get another owner who to this point has not made swift moves nor showed willingness to spend *at least for quality players*.... That along with the W/L record is why the heat is on.....

I've said for some time that this franchise doesn't have a lot of time to win the fans over and the owners should have seen that coming in....