STH Survey Regarding Name Change

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Originally Posted by JGib23

Would you give up your season tickets over a name change?

That's the crux of the issue.. Which brand create more revenue. That's what we will be.

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Tickets...probably not, merchandise...yes completely, concessions...yes completely.

Loyalty is something that is earned over time.

I just don't see the overwhelming increase in ticket sales from the 'ground-swell' that is supposedly sweeping the Queen City. I was expecting a lot stronger showing last weekend from the Hornets supporters. Merchandise profit is watered down potential because the lions share of Charlotte based purchases are done outside of the Arena, so MJ would bank 1/30th of each dollar of profit from most any increase in merchandise profits.

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Originally Posted by BlockParty

Tickets...probably not, merchandise...yes completely, concessions...yes completely.

Loyalty is something that is earned over time.

I just don't see the overwhelming increase in ticket sales from the 'ground-swell' that is supposedly sweeping the Queen City. I was expecting a lot stronger showing last weekend from the Hornets supporters. Merchandise profit is watered down potential because the lions share of Charlotte based purchases are done outside of the Arena, so MJ would bank 1/30th of each dollar of profit from most any increase in merchandise profits.

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Fair enough- I respect your honesty.

But to break even, the team only needs 1k incremental fans to avg. $73 per game on tickets and concessions to break even in only 1 season., 500 fans per game makes it 2 seasons. That doesn't include any merchandise revenue at all.

If we are talking Merchandise revenue, I could see the NBA trying to "encourage" the team to switch to Hornets as the underperforming Bobcats brand is hurting every team (as u mentioned, all those monies are split).

Also, I would make sure that all my merchandise would come from the team store to ensure the team got all of it.

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Originally Posted by JGib23

Fair enough- I respect your honesty.

But to break even, the team only needs 1k incremental fans to avg. $73 per game on tickets and concessions to break even in only 1 season., 500 fans per game makes it 2 seasons. That doesn't include any merchandise revenue at all.

If we are talking Merchandise revenue, I could see the NBA trying to "encourage" the team to switch to Hornets as the underperforming Bobcats brand is hurting every team (as u mentioned, all those monies are split).

Also, I would make sure that all my merchandise would come from the team store to ensure the team got all of it.

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but they had...200 hundred fans for their blowout marquee event last weekend, at probably an average price of $10/per game, heck to help your argument, let say it was $25/per game? That would only take 14 years to recoup the $3M, we would've renamed ourselves again by then. And that's assuming they came off the hip and bought tickets like you did, instead of for 1 game.

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Originally Posted by BlockParty

but they had...200 hundred fans for their blowout marquee event last weekend, at probably an average price of $10/per game, heck to help your argument, let say it was $25/per game? That would only take 14 years to recoup the $3M, we would've renamed ourselves again by then. And that's assuming they came off the hip and bought tickets like you did, instead of for 1 game.

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No way in he'll there were only 200 people there. The section sat 300 plus and was packed with less than 30 tickets unsold (although I can't say everyone in the section was there just for the swarm) additionally both sections to the left and right were pretty full with Hornets fans and the lower bowl had a good many as well)..My estimate is low side 500, high side 900...

Also, you can look at every home game there are Hornets fans pretty easy to spot.. For instance last night there was a guy sitting court side in a #6 Eddie Jones jersey, there is a guy who must own season tickets that sits behind the Bobcats bench that wears a Purple Hornets hat to every game, last night there was a guy sitting right behind Dell and Steve with a Charlotte Hornets shirt on as they were interviewing that NASCAR guy. Let's not pretend that there are only 200 people buying just cheap seats 1 time a year. All of those seats that i just mentioned cost a good bit.

The SWARM was an organized effort to get everyone in the same sections and if thats the goal, the logical choice is of course upstairs where it's basically empty... It would have been nearly impossible to get even 200 people seated together in the lower bowl much less 500. ( we have the smallest amount of lower bowl seating in the entire NBA- a major mistake in arena design -IMO)

Most cap-ex projects are expected to break even in a maximum of 5 years( at least within my corporation) I can't see a scenario where the $3M isn't recouped by that timeframe... I'd bet the team sees positive ROI by year 2 if the $3m price is accurate.

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Originally Posted by SWedd523

Then why change it back to a name so closely related to all of George('s) Shinn-anigans?

Why not rename it something brand new like Carolina Flight?

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Because Flight is the dumbest name ever. I'd rather it be like a soccer team and call us Charlotte United then that godawful name.

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Originally Posted by JGib23

Fair enough- I respect your honesty.

But to break even, the team only needs 1k incremental fans to avg. $73 per game on tickets and concessions to break even in only 1 season., 500 fans per game makes it 2 seasons. That doesn't include any merchandise revenue at all.

If we are talking Merchandise revenue, I could see the NBA trying to "encourage" the team to switch to Hornets as the underperforming Bobcats brand is hurting every team (as u mentioned, all those monies are split).

Also, I would make sure that all my merchandise would come from the team store to ensure the team got all of it.

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Where do you keep coming up with $75 per game??? Forbes just came out with the rankings of NBA teams and revenue per fan is $25 and you're assuming the BBTB fans will spend 300% more than the average fan if the name gets changed?! I can swing numbers however I want to as well so lets say Forbes is correct (or at least more accurate than you are) to break even in 1 year we need 2926 add'l fans each night. So lets say 5 years is the time required to recoup the costs, that's 609 add'l fans. The bottom line is even if you stretch this out over a longer period of time like 5 years how would you calculate what fans are attributable to changing the names and which fans are there because by then we have turned the franchise around and are a seasonal contender in the east?

And there was no where close to 900 fans at the swarm event. You had the top half of section 206 taken up and the top half of 205 and I could count on my two hands the number of people dressed in Hornets gear around me.

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Originally Posted by JGib23

Also, you can look at every home game there are Hornets fans pretty easy to spot.. For instance last night there was a guy sitting court side in a #6 Eddie Jones jersey, there is a guy who must own season tickets that sits behind the Bobcats bench that wears a Purple Hornets hat to every game, last night there was a guy sitting right behind Dell and Steve with a Charlotte Hornets shirt on as they were interviewing that NASCAR guy. Let's not pretend that there are only 200 people buying just cheap seats 1 time a year. All of those seats that i just mentioned cost a good bit.

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I'm not sure how that is an argument. The purpose of the change would be to attract NEW fans, not retain ones already supporting the team.

JMO- in addition to the section you mention was 204 which was the main section and it packed! I sat in Row B of 204 and it was nearly full from top to bottom. And other areas spread throughout the arena.

I think I got the $75 figure because its around the average price of 1 ticket from every price section ( i could be wrong but, i think thats where i originally came up with $75) It's also the season ticket price and single game tickets are higher.. Plus concession which I think around $10 is fair avg. I tried to take a balanced approach. Maybe it was too aggressive but, remember- I also didn't include any merchandise revenue , which I think will be HUUUGE!!!!!

It's not really worth arguing about though... The goal off the entire movement was to get the Bobcats attention and persuade them to consider changing the name, that mission is accomplished! now its up to MJ & company to do the analysis of if it makes financial sense



@gamecocksmitty- it's both keeping /pleasing your current fans ( hence the STH survey), and attracting incremental business. The incremental business is the more important in this situation but, there is a contingent of current STH that prefer Hornets.

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Originally Posted by JMo

Where do you keep coming up with $75 per game??? Forbes just came out with the rankings of NBA teams and revenue per fan is $25 and you're assuming the BBTB fans will spend 300% more than the average fan if the name gets changed?! I can swing numbers however I want to as well so lets say Forbes is correct (or at least more accurate than you are) to break even in 1 year we need 2926 add'l fans each night. So lets say 5 years is the time required to recoup the costs, that's 609 add'l fans. The bottom line is even if you stretch this out over a longer period of time like 5 years how would you calculate what fans are attributable to changing the names and which fans are there because by then we have turned the franchise around and are a seasonal contender in the east?

And there was no where close to 900 fans at the swarm event. You had the top half of section 206 taken up and the top half of 205 and I could count on my two hands the number of people dressed in Hornets gear around me.

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Agreeded i don't think its worth the cost . And me i don't want 2 have any to do with Shinn or the team he owned . He was a ass from day one and i want nothing to do with the Hornets brand. The name isn't going help ticket sales winning is. And if we talking about those people in the noze bleed section turning branding into a profit hell it would take 25 years.

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Originally Posted by JGib23

JMO- in addition to the section you mention was 204 which was the main section and it packed! I sat in Row B of 204 and it was nearly full from top to bottom. And other areas spread throughout the arena.

I think I got the $75 figure because its around the average price of 1 ticket from every price section ( i could be wrong but, i think thats where i originally came up with $75) It's also the season ticket price and single game tickets are higher.. Plus concession which I think around $10 is fair avg. I tried to take a balanced approach. Maybe it was too aggressive but, remember- I also didn't include any merchandise revenue , which I think will be HUUUGE!!!!!

It's not really worth arguing about though... The goal off the entire movement was to get the Bobcats attention and persuade them to consider changing the name, that mission is accomplished! now its up to MJ & company to do the analysis of if it makes financial sense



@gamecocksmitty- it's both keeping /pleasing your current fans ( hence the STH survey), and attracting incremental business. The incremental business is the more important in this situation but, there is a contingent of current STH that prefer Hornets.

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Wow and how many people in section 105 do you see wareing Hornets crap.103, 104, 105, 106 is where the money is spent . Compare those sections, all most no Hornets branding. But you see one hell of a lot of Bobcats branding and those people isn't trying to prove a point.