Win and They Will Come

[spectre]

For uptown, big payoff for playoffs

One restaurant expects sales to nearly triple. A bar is ordering more beer and scheduling more servers. Around town, fans are buying T-shirts and slapping Charlotte Bobcats bumper stickers on their cars.

The Bobcats' first trip to the playoffs could result in a significant economic boost for hotels, restaurants and other local businesses, with tourism officials estimating the impact from the two home games to top $11 million.

A visitors authority analysis concluded that the impact of the two playoff games will be comparable to an NCAA men's regional event - the last of which, in 2008, brought in $11 million, Newman said. He said that number could climb to $17 million if the series stretches to seven games.

Attendance is up 10 percent this season, the No. 1 increase in attendance in the NBA, he said. Last year, the team drew about 14,000 per game; now, that's closer to 15,700. Time Warner Cable Arena holds about 19,000.

New season-ticket sales for next year have topped 620, compared with 160 this time last year, and the renewal rate for existing ticket-holders is 75 percent, up from 29 percent this time last year, Whitfield said.

Playoff tickets went on sale to the general public Wednesday morning. In pre-sales, offered to corporate sponsors, Twitter followers and other fans, the team sold more than 10,000 for the first home game and 9,000 for the second.
"We expect to be sold out, without a doubt," Whitfield said.

Jordan Steps to the Line in Charlotte

Right now, it is easy to notice in Charlotte. While they rank 22nd in attendance, the Bobcats are averaging nearly 16,000 fans a game, their best ever and more than a 10 percent jump over last season. No N.B.A. team has improved as much in this category. The Bobcats have also sold three times as many season tickets compared to this point last season and have added 30 corporate sponsors since August.

Way to step up Charlotte!

[CatNation]

Bob Johnson must have been really broke. Seems like it would have been so much smarter financially to hold on to the team for the rest of this year and sell it in the offseason.

[teej]

^His creditors demanded money. And all his assets are in hotels and such.

Great article, and to all the arena haters: SUCK IT, BITCHES!!

Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest.

[Dcarnys]

About effing time.
Ohh and agreed Teej.

[spectre]

I didn't bold it, but 30 new corporate sponsors is pretty good isn't it? Anyone know how many they have total?

[teej]

I didn't bold it, but 30 new corporate sponsors is pretty good isn't it? Anyone know how many they have total?

Probably 30.

Nah, I think it's close to 50-ish now. Unless a bunch have left or I don't understand "corporate sponsor," though I doubt both of those.

[CarolinaBlue704]

^His creditors demanded money. And all his assets are in hotels and such.

Great article, and to all the arena haters: SUCK IT, BITCHES!!

Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest.

After reading the comments on the Observer, there are still some haters. But they're fighting a losing battle, and they know it.

To me, if you hate the arena, then you must also hate the idea of Charlotte moving forward and becoming a TRUE major city.

All the "Charlotteans" who think like this need to pack their bags, AND GET THE HELL OUT OF CHARLOTTE!

[EC123]

They ought to come anyway.

[LadyCats Rule]

to all the arena haters: SUCK IT, BITCHES!!

Sorry, I needed to get that off my chest.

Its funny to hear people talk about the "Old Coliseum". That place was a barn. It was so cavernous. No good sightlines.

I hated that huge parking lot. You had no choice but to pay $8-$10 for parking. Then you had to wait 20-30 minutes to get out.

I love an arena downtown. Park on the street for free. Goto the bar before and after (Epicentre Rocks). A thousand ways in and out.

People just got hung up on the fact it was only 12 years old when the owners wanted a new building. Well, when you build something for college basketball (24,000 seats, only 12 suites, and no club seats) and you put an NBA team there, it won't take long for it to fail.

[Dunk]

Good news.

There's some nice banners over uptown celebrating the playoffs. I'll try and post a pic this weekend.