Paying homage to the city of Charlotte's last NBA franchise that left for New Orleans, the Bobcats announced on Tuesday that they will rename the team to the Hornets in 2014.
Charlotte Bobcats to change name to Hornets in 2014
The newest NBA franchise, the Charlotte Bobcats, will take on the name of the city’s former team.
USA TODAY Sports
The former Hornets franchise, the New Orleans Hornets, itself underwent a transformation following the 2012-13 season by renaming the team to the New Orleans Pelicans. With the Hornets moniker free, Charlotte reverts back to the name that some fans have been clamoring for since the Bobcats joined the league in 2004. Jordan on Tuesday said that the support in favor of the name change has been "overwhelming."
Back to buzz
Bobcats fans react to the name change The team also started a website campaign to help with the rebrand at BackBuzzCity.com.
The Bobcats were named because the animal is indigenous to the Carolina region, but it was also speculated the name also was related to owner Robert “Bob” Johnson.
The Hornets namesake has a long history in Charlotte, one beyond the initial naming of the first franchise’s inception into the NBA in 1988. In the Revolutionary War, British commander Charles Cornwallis called Charlotte “a veritable nest of hornets,” according to the Gaston Gazette. Several other pro franchises in the city have been named the Hornets.
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