Support in Charlotte

[Grandmama]

I read this article http://www.hoopsworld.com/article_23050.shtml stating that it is time for Charlotte to embrace the Bobcats and it got me thinking. Obviously it goes with out saying that all the members of this message board community, like and support the Bobcats and more likely than not would not waver in support regardless of the situation, but I wonder if this will be the year that the city of Charlotte as a whole really embraces the team.

What is it going to take for Charlotte to re-embrace the NBA and why do you think it is such an afterthought. I remember when the Hornets ticket was the hottest ticket in town.

I know the obvious reasons 1) Shinn and the Hornets depature soured everyone on the NBA; but he's been gone a long time, people can't hold a grudge against the new organization based on the old one can they? 2) No one wanted the arena and it was shoved down the city's throat; but that too has been here for a while, also it wasn't really as big a tax issue as people made it out to be, and shit its pro basketball, thats a good thing 3) the NBA is a league of prima donnas and thugs that middle class america can't relate with; however, i think the Cats are one of the few teams in the league where the players play hard every night and don't do stupid shit off the court (except May's nightly drunk-dancing on his rehabbing knees) so i dont think that generalization applies to our specific team.

I really don't think those three apply. So the only things I can give credence to is 1) ticket prices are still to high 2) the team hasn't been very good, which we all think is going to change and 3) the most problematic: the white majority in charlotte has a subconcious/concious disdain for Bob Johnson/Michael Jordon and their majority black run organization (I ws going to run the carpetbagging angle but since half of Charlotte is transplants i really don't think it applies).

I hope the third is not an issue and even if it was i think it could be masked by the rectification of the first 2, but i think the fact that the prices/poor performance give people the excuse which is exacerbated by the racial issue.

I don't know I didn't intend to spring a indepth sociology examination of Charlotte so early in the morning but there is nothing I hate more than the scores of people in this city that seem to hate the Cats for no resaon (first 3).

Also I was just curious to see everyone elses take too.

Not mentioned but also dumb: North Carolina is a college basketball area, dumb for obvious reasons... they are not mutually exclusive.


Sorry for the long winded post, especially if it is something that has been discussed in the past, i was just curious to get other people's thoughts on this.

[Muttley]

I get the sense that people have a short memory. My impression is that the general population has forgotten just how popular the Hornets were, and so now have the sentiment that "Professional basketball will never make it in NC." (Which, for the reasons Grandmama expressed, is absurd.)
So, people begin hearing that an NBA team will not work in Charlotte. Most people believe everything they hear and then repeat it at the water cooler. In the same line of thought, in the absence of the Hornets, a growing mentality has emerged that the NBA is nothing but a bunch of Prima-Donnas, Thugs and Hoodlums, where players don't even try, don't play defense and games boil down to shoot-outs. Combine these two mentalities and you have a situation where people write off the NBA before it even comes to town.
Furthermore, when the Bobcats do show-up, and being an expansion team, don't have a winning record, people feel they can pat themselves on the back that they were right without even watching a game.
On top of that, our own media outlets are not supportive at all.
It's a cycle of "I shouldn't care because no one cares." People look for excuses not support the team, because they view it as the trendy thing to do.
However, as anyone on this board can attest, all of these reasons Grandmama and I have listed are unfounded. People who watch the 'cats play are drawn in as fans. It's contagious. Simply by continuing to be fans, we will help the fan-base grow, when people realize that their reasons for being actively non-supportive are, well, stupid.

Sorry if this is a little preachy, but I've been in too many situations where people see my Bobcats hat and either say, "Is that a Thundercats hat?" or "The Bobcats? What makes you like the Bobcats?" in a snide way. I really think it's just a trend, and trends die. Charlotte will be a true NBA city again, especially after we start kicking tail this season.

While I'm here, I'd like to thank the creators of this board. It was a relief for me to know that there are quite a few fans out there all over the globe. (And they're not all just UNC fans, either. Another stereotype of Bobcats fans.)

[civileng68]

Well, I've had this debate with MANY of my friends and my father.

I'm originally from Charlotte and now live in SW Florida. I'm still a HUGE Panthers and Bobcats fan. I'm dedicated by getting the NBA TV package and watching each game. I come to Charlotte to see at least one or two games per year and go to see them when they come to Miami.

That being said..............here's my thoughts:

The Shinn thing can no longer apply. It's clear that this team is not the Hornets and the owners are not the same.

As much as I've defended that it isnt (and I wish it wasnt), Charlotte is a fair-weather city. Banwagon fans. I know I know, it's not what you want to hear, and I've actually argued against that out of sheer pride. I hate admitting it because I'M NOT a fairweather fan, BUT overall in the city, people are.

Proof is seeing a rainy game for the Panthers and the stadium is only 50% full.

I think a MAJOR factor is that Charlotte is a transient city. MANY people who live in the area are not from Charlotte. If you go to Pittsburgh, where fans are ravenous, those fans grew up on the Steelers. In Charlotte, fans grew up on the Giants, Steelers, Eagles, Jets, and Browns. Those fans go to games when the weather is good and when the team is very good. However, when the team is NOT good, they sit home and see what their team from childhood is doing. Basically many fans are dual fans, and the Panthers are secondary to their childhood team.

Secondly on that note, before the Panthers, many people in the Charlotte area were Redskins fans. Today many still are and the Panthers are secondary or almost even in the dual-fan position.

Many people slam Charlotte for this but it's really not fair. Miami is the same way. I think most people in Miami are from New York or Boston. When the Jets come to town against the Dolphins, the stadium is about 50% Jets fans and fights are everywhere.

I went to the 2003 World Series with the Marlins vs. Yankees. I'd say 50% of the fans there were Yankees fans, and I'd bet that most of them lived in the Miami area.

So basically I think Charlotte being such a transient city is part of the problem. The fans support them when they're really good but suppor their other teams when they're not. Right now, nobody is taking the Bobcats seriously because of the expectations. Sure they may make the playoffs this year but only true fans care about that. The "bandwagon fans" only care if they have a shot to win it all, thus the fans are not truly supporting the team.

Overall I think the problem is the Bobcats lack TRUE fans and instead have lots of fair-weather fans.

CHarlotte fans love BIG NAMES, so I think the ownership needs to do something to get a big name in there, even if a veteran. Example: 2 years ago I went to see the Bulls @ Bobcats and the place was only about 50% full. This pastyear I saw the Lakers @ Bobcats and the place was PACKED (Sell-Out) to see Kobe.

[civileng68]

I get the sense that people have a short memory. My impression is that the general population has forgotten just how popular the Hornets were, and so now have the sentiment that "Professional basketball will never make it in NC." (Which, for the reasons Grandmama expressed, is absurd.)
So, people begin hearing that an NBA team will not work in Charlotte. Most people believe everything they hear and then repeat it at the water cooler. In the same line of thought, in the absence of the Hornets, a growing mentality has emerged that the NBA is nothing but a bunch of Prima-Donnas, Thugs and Hoodlums, where players don't even try, don't play defense and games boil down to shoot-outs. Combine these two mentalities and you have a situation where people write off the NBA before it even comes to town.
Furthermore, when the Bobcats do show-up, and being an expansion team, don't have a winning record, people feel they can pat themselves on the back that they were right without even watching a game.
On top of that, our own media outlets are not supportive at all.
It's a cycle of "I shouldn't care because no one cares." People look for excuses not support the team, because they view it as the trendy thing to do.
However, as anyone on this board can attest, all of these reasons Grandmama and I have listed are unfounded. People who watch the 'cats play are drawn in as fans. It's contagious. Simply by continuing to be fans, we will help the fan-base grow, when people realize that their reasons for being actively non-supportive are, well, stupid.

Sorry if this is a little preachy, but I've been in too many situations where people see my Bobcats hat and either say, "Is that a Thundercats hat?" or "The Bobcats? What makes you like the Bobcats?" in a snide way. I really think it's just a trend, and trends die. Charlotte will be a true NBA city again, especially after we start kicking tail this season.

While I'm here, I'd like to thank the creators of this board. It was a relief for me to know that there are quite a few fans out there all over the globe. (And they're not all just UNC fans, either. Another stereotype of Bobcats fans.)

I agree, except I believe part of that was due to the NBA being new to Charlotte as well. The NBA is not new to Charlotte now and now people just want to win. Remember that back when the Hornets first started, there was no NFL team either. This was the first true major sports franchise in Charlotte. Today, it's not as exciting. Back then, fans went just to get in the experience, and really didnt care if the team lost. Today, fans want a winner.

One thing is for sure, Bob Johnson is going to HAVE to be willing to spend some money if he wants to bring fans in. I think he's trying to say he wants to see the fans before he spends money but, it doesnt work like that, and I've read that Jordan has preached to him to spend first and the fans will then come. I think he's starting to do that. I think they surpassed a major milestone in resigning Gerald Wallace. Remember the Hornets first EVER resigning of a free agent was Jamaal Mashburn.

I think the NBA does have a bad reputation but I dont think that really hurts the Bobcats considering how classy their team is.

[Mustachio]

simpliest answer is winning.

like brandon said, the newness wore off... and the darling Panthers made it to the superbowl. which now means the city wants a winner.

theres a lot of things wrong with the sports scene in Charlotte... lazy fans, college fans, transplated fans...

But i try to just ignore it, be a real fan... love and support the team and hopefully the rest of the city sees what we do and follows suit once the team wins.

[walkerl]

The reason that "some" fans in Charlotte don't like the Bobcats is because the owner is black. If you every read the Charlotte Observer, a lot of the posters call the team the blackcats, and complain that most of the Executives for the bobcats are black, They even call Bob Johnson Racist. which is amazing, considering how little diversity there is in the various financial companies in Charlotte. It's sad. but it's true

[dav7z]

Im local and i hear the reasons .
1 . Being black has NOTHING to do with it . Jordan has helped but it does piss some people off me being one to pay my good money and never see his face . He needs to be seen MORE, and embrace Charlotte . Let us know hes not better than us.
2. SHINN is still in a lot of peoples minds . Including me Ziggy and others even though we dont realize it . We have been waiting to see if Bob really wants to win by spending money. Hes proved that this off season, See i still see Shin as a big crook and people in Charlotte is NOT going to pay money to get shafted again. So The team has to prove its self which it has done so far . I look to see the fans build daily now.
3. Local media has been very slow to give us any cradit at all in fear of offending the people whos against the arena and Shinn.That pisses me off . But after EVER Bobcat right up all you ever read about the ariical is how much the arena cost the city and how big of a crook Shinn is.People want let it go.
4. Winning as the answer . Things are turning i see it more each day.

[Edrow]

This is a really cool subject, and it's probably one of the easiest to debate because there are so many different theories and answers as to why the support isn't there yet.

So, in addition to what everybody else has said (With exception to one or two of the theories mentioned previously), I think that the team isn't marketed that well.

It just seems like the marketing for the Bobcats is on the same level as a minor league team or something of that nature.

I fully understand that they are trying, and I'm not a marketing expert by any means, but when you have a professional sports team in your city, you should see said team's merchandise, paraphernalia, and other trinkets all over the place.

I've hardly seen any Bobcats presence around the area. Even if you go to a local Champs sports store, they are very limited in their Bobcats merchandise.

I don't think that the product is being pushed hard enough, and it's a shame because the Charlotte Bobcats are a great product.

Again, I'm not intentionally trying to dog the Bobcats' marketing department. It's easy to be the Monday Morning Quarterback. It's just what I've noticed I guess.

-Edrow

[Grandmama]

Great point Edrow, I think the marketing is huge aspect of this (ticket prices included), especially the TV deal. They have botched the visability of the team from the start, and still apparently do so outside the Charlotte market.

C-Set blew goats and even now you have to flip through 2-3 channels to see if you can find the game.

Wasn't this one of marketing and entertainment supposed to be Bob's strength.

I think they blew the oppertunity of creating a buzz in the lame duck season in the old arena. They should have been giving those tickets away to generate a following. However when you win 18 (22?) games in a season and then you jack up prices 50-100% come on thats going to turn off the casual fan.

I don't think the racial issue can be dismissed so flippantly, but it may be more of a racial issue to the NBA-casual fan rather than towards this singular organization. Nevertheless, as walkerl stated if you read the comments to observer stories, a lot of them are extremely embarassing. Who knows?

[new2bobs]

As a Cavs fan, I know about your team not being supported, EVEN IF they're winning.

Really though, I think the NBA as a whole has lost a lot of support in the last decade. People feel like it's moved away from being about the game and the guys are only interested now in endorsements and being celebrities. Maybe some of that is true. And some cities are just underrated, no matter what they do. Even though Cleveland has started winning, they get NO respect from the media. And in some cities, where the focus is more on football, or more on a college sport, the NBA team falls into the background. And, arguably, the Bobs don't have that "superstar" like LBJ or Kobe or Duncan etc etc etc. If someone huge came to the team, you'd be noticed a little bit more, but it takes time to build teams to that level, and while one team gets better, another team goes to the toilet. Chicago is building up, the Celtics are building up, the Pistons are falling, etc.

But now that I'M in the area, don't worry, the national recognition and local support will follow. I'm just that influential. (I joke)