Stephanie Ready addressing Bobcats fans

[Stylesg1234]

I saw Stephanie Ready's plea after the game....which is sad that an announcer had to beg fans to support the local team....i think its been know that fans in Charlotte are very fical and alot of ppl just go to games ( Panthers and Bobcats ) just attend games to be seen and for something to do...The season ticket holders are the diehard fans ( at least the ones that have enough $$ to buy tix )..there are also alot of diehard fans such as myself who are Bobcats thru thick and thin but cant always attend games ..but just like that Panthers games there r alot of ppl who sell their tickets to fans of other teams..bc its so hard to get rid of tix they really dont ask they just want to unlead the tix without taking a loss...and just like the Panthers every1 shows up late....when Michael Buffer did his ready to rumble thing there were probably 5 - 6 k fans there and i llooked as if it would be another sad showing...but like most games..when it was mid 3rd quarter the arena looks pretty damn full..i would estimate 16-17k fans...it was a nice showing

I know when JR Smith hit that game winner there were alot of fans who cheared and it was loud in there after they won...but what ppl fail to mention is that when the Bobcats were dominating the game it was just as loud in there if not more....i know we dont always have alot of fans showing up but i will say that the ppl who do attend always make alot of noise...for being such a young fan base and with they way we were scorn with the Hornets leaving and how bad we have been over the years , i really think that things have been good lately as far as attendance ...this city is all about winning teams...and i think as time goes on and we continue to improve and soon make the playoffs that the bandwagon Charlotte fans ( there are alot of them ) will begin attending games and get behind this team..we currently have around 8-9 k season ticket holders and from what i have read we have added around 2k additional season ticket holders since the start of the season ...which is very impressive

If us fans who love the Bobcats could all afford season tickets then i think an attendance of 16-17k Bobcats fans would fill the arena on a regular basis...but thats just not the case right now...i Think the Bobcats and the front office and MJ have really done alot of things to reconnect with the community..as much as the Panthers do things in the community i honestly think the Bobcats do alot more and do alot of charity work and give 100% at connecting with the community and from what i have seen its really paying off

I understand what Steph was saying after the game and it really frustrates me how when we play big time teams how many fans of the other team are in attendance and how they chear loud when the other team scores....its really embarrasing as a fan and i can only imagine how the players feel...there have been several players who have pointed this problem out and i think it really has an effect on our ability to keep our own players and sign free agents...who wants to play for a team who is barely supported by their own fans ..its just like the Panthers when we play Dallas / Atlanta / Peyton ect....there are way too many fans chearing for the other team and its just embarassing

Its very simple how we cure this problem..and its not changing the name....its all about winning games and becoming a playoff contender...i was there when we played the Magic in the playoffs and that arean was completely packed and extremely loud...and 90 was for the Cats....we start winning games and the fans will come...its really that simple...and i think we are on the right track which is proven by the 2k additional season ticket buyers we have had since the season started...and this is just by minimal success.....so lets keep winning and keep adding quality players and in a cpl years we will pack that arena with mostly Bobcat fans

[Mustachio]

I used to get mad at this. Like insane mad. I'm not even a Panther fan and I got into a fight outside BOA because some douchebag transplant from Boston was gloating after a pre-season win. I hated it. Then I realized its like getting mad at your younger brother for liking one direction, he's just following the crowd. (for the record my brother doesn't like them, he wouldn't be alive if he did). If the Steelers are good and the Panthers are bad, someone who spent 8 minutes in Pittsburgh once will use that as a chance to cling onto something positive happening. Its a reflection on the people, not the city. Its a young franchise in a growing diverse area... its not gonna be easy to build a legacy and fan base... but once its built it will be worth it.

Like Styles said, during that game there were plenty of loud Bobcats fans. In fact I'd say the crowd was 60-40 pro Bobcats. Thats a massive improvement over previous years. #itgetsbetter

[Stylesg1234]

thats exactly right mustachio....trust me ..when i was watching the game i definately heard the noise when the Knicks scored...but when the Bobcats were playing great and went on several runs i noticed the noise for the Bobcats way more then the noise for the Knicks ( with the exception of the game winning shot by Smith )

Either way it was nice to see the arena basically 80 % full on a wednesday game....which are usually nights just like Monday games , when the arena is extremely empty....and as much as i hate seeing fans of other teams there the other benifit is that it kind of becomes a battle among fans....meaning that the fans of each team somewhat compete on who can be louder when their team scores / goes on runs...i have noticed this not only from watching but from the games i have attended...even when we were horrible...it still became a competition between fans of both teams..it makes for a very loud arena and a very exciting experience...

Just watching on TV last night i could tell how electric it was and it was a nice change of pace bc we usually only see those types of atmoshperes on weekend games...of course it would be nice to have 19k of Bobcat fans but i have been a part of and noticed on TV that even if its 8 -9 k Bobcat fans in attendance that those fans that are there seem to take pride in outcheering any1 there for the opposing team and they become alot louder then a typical game of another team with 8-9k there..even players and coaches have pointed this out over the past several years ..as we continue to improve and as we win more games this will for sure change...dont get me wrong it will always be there in some form ..(we are not the only arena with this problem) but im confident that as time progresses the amount of opposing fans will continue to decrease as we win games and become a consistent playoff team

[joerrad]

i thought her comments were a bit much. has she never been to games the past couple of years? when ny, boston, etc. come to town the stands are filled with away teams fans. as far as i am concerned...their money is just as good as bobcats fans money. and until the twc arena is filled with all bobcats fans (ala the hive back in the day), paying customers of others teams fans are still that....paying customers.

[Ghost Kat]

charlotte is a "new south" (god i hate that libby yankee term) city

I bet you have a confederate flag on your pick up truck. New south seems to be working out better than old racist secession south

But I missed the Knicks game, So didn't see Ms.Ready plead for respect. With this little skid we been on lately I don't expect much from local fans. But honestly....We dont win....So can you really hate on people for dreaming of the lost Hornets days. I'm just happy to not be the worst team in the league

[Stylesg1234]

@ joerrad..of course she has been to those games...she is the announcer...i know u were being sarcastic but....as for her comments i think they were right on target....yes this has happened for several years ( with fans of other teams taking over TWC arena) and it happens just as much at Panther games ...but for as long as it has happened i think her point is that back then we were absolutely horrible and it wasnt such a big deal..bc just having fans in the building was a plus....but then u have this year where we have a much improved team who is competetive and gives 100% every game ( especially at home ) and is actually winning games i just think she is becoming frustrated with the way that sooo many fans of other teams are taking over our arena....and i think she speaks for alot of fans....its really embarrasing as a fan and it just feels like the majority of Charlotte is not only fickle but just cant appreciate an up and coming team who is trying their best and who is actually extremely entertaining to watch

[spectre]

For a multitude of reasons the bulk (heh!) of Charlotte doesn't deserve the franchise...present company excepted of course. When a lot of us go from my parts we have to spend 7 freaking hours in the car on top of spending the 150-200 or so bucks...and let me tell you that 3 1/2 hr ride back after we lose SUCKS. I don't particularly like hockey but I go to 'Canes games because it's our freaking team. Before they won the cup it was always a loud ass crowd and I can't ever remember the other side out-yelling us. Hell, even at the preseason game vs. the Heat here in Raleigh it was probably about equal...which did surprise me. I felt sure it'd be packed with 80& of the LBJ dick suckers.

I feel Steph's pain and and I feel the pain of everyone who does go and does support the team.

[Stylesg1234]

damn spectre thats diehard for u travel that far....as for what u spend on tix...its very easy to spend the bare minimum on tix and move down after half....im sure u know that...i have been attending games since the Hornets in 88 ...obviously i was young and went with my dad then...but since i was old enough to attend games with friends , which was around the 96 season of the Hornets i have been going to 20 or so games a year...and i tell u what..i never spend more then 15-20 bucks on a ticket ( unless its a big time game and i buy long in advance ) ...but we always watch maybe the first quarter in our seats and then either move down to front row up top....or down low in the corners...its very simple and every1 does it....like i said im sure ur prob aware of it but its a very easy way to save alot of $$...why pay big bucks for tix when the place is usually 50-60% full

[Bama]

It really gets me mad too. It makes me sick to be honest, I grew up in Charlotte.. Seeing my hometown turn into an absolute JOKE, not the team, but the community... is just sad. That's why that Knicks loss was one of the worst in recent times for me, I wanted the Cats' to beat them so bad infront of all of those Knicks fans.

[cltblkhscoach]

I was at the game so I didn't hear her comments, but this isn't anything new at all. I think it has gotten better over the years, but New York and Boston are the two worst games for this kind of atmosphere. And like some of you guys have said, there are plenty of transplants down here who will pay good money to see their hometown team once or twice a year.

Because it was a great game and came down to the end sure you can magnify it, but this happens in other cities too, people are always going to follow winners and tradition. We have to make our own, plain and simple. Rival fans are better than the apathy we had last season.