As Seen By Louisiana Eyes

[Doug Loudenback]

While it's exciting that Okc will be the temporary home of the Hornets, I've noticed this article from The Times-Picqyune at http://www.nola.com/newslogs/tpsport...005_09_21.html

John DeShazier: Hornets aren't playing enough games in Louisiana

Wednesday, 4 p.m.

By John DeShazier
Sports columnist

It was bad when the Saints and the NFL only found room to play four Saints games at Tiger Stadium in Baton Rouge, just one more than the three games that were awarded to San Antonio and the Alamodome.

It’s worse that the Hornets and the NBA only found room to play six Hornets games at the Pete Maravich Assembly Center in Baton Rouge, 29 fewer than the 35 games awarded to the Ford Center in Oklahoma City.

Saints fans who felt slighted at the prospect of only having a realistic chance of seeing their team in person for half of its allotted home games now appear to have landed a windfall, compared to Hornets fans who will see their team play about 15 percent of its available home dates in Louisiana.

“If the games can’t be played in Louisiana for whatever reason, I’m anxious for Oklahoma City to have a chance to prove that it’s a major league market,” Oklahoma City mayor Mick Cornett told the Associated Press last week.

Well, the games can’t be played at New Orleans Arena, and we know the reason. But, still, even with the league needing to nail down dates in order for opposing teams to be able to map out travel plans, the league and franchise could have done better by Hornets fans, just as the NFL and Saints could have done better by Saints fans.

Instead, today, the pledge/vow by Hornets owner George Shinn to remain the “New Orleans Hornets” doesn’t look like much. Not when the team will be called the “New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets” this season, the home jerseys will spell out “Hornets” instead of “New Orleans” and the road jerseys will feature an Oklahoma City patch.

That won’t look like a team attempting to repay a favor. It’ll look like one searching for, and having found, a place to land if or when the New Orleans economy doesn’t rebound to the liking of the league and franchise.

This season, the people who want to see the Hornets in person the most will see them so little, the franchise best will be described by the title of an old Phil Collins album – “Hello, I Must Be Going” - than regarded as the team that fans faithfully, if not overwhelmingly, supported during last season, the worst (18-64) in franchise history.

The money concern is understood. Every fan understands that operating a franchise is a business, employees must be paid, goods and services aren’t free.
It’s understood that the opportunity to make money and play in an NBA-type facility best is presented by playing in Oklahoma City, at a 19,675-seat facility that has more than 3,000 club seats and nearly 50 private suites, rather than in a 13,000-seat college arena which has a lack of premium club seats and box suites.

There aren’t any date conflicts to play at the Ford Center, whereas LSU’s weeknight home games overwhelmingly are played on Wednesday nights, which is the same night the Hornets play many of their weeknight home games.

And Oklahoma City is providing money to help pay for the Hornets’ relocation and providing cash guarantees in case the team’s revenues dip.

But even with all those pluses tilted in one direction and the negatives galloping toward the other, and the fact that it’ll be 10 times the hassle to play at the PMAC than at the Ford Center, the franchise still should have fought like hell to play as often as possible in Baton Rouge, to show more allegiance, to reward the fans from the city that have embraced it.

More than ever, its fans need the team, not speculation or name-sharing. The displaced still will need to feel an attachment to something when the New Orleans Hornets begin playing, just as they do now.

And for those who were working their rear ends off in an effort to transform New Orleans into basketball country and to sell the Hornets as a viable entertainment option, who weathered last season and were looking forward to this one, the almost complete and total move to Oklahoma City is insult to their injury.

None of us want to be inconvenienced, but those who “have” certainly are inconvenienced to a lesser degree than most, and are in better position to absorb the sacrifice that now must be made.

Six games isn’t a sacrifice. It isn’t even much of an inconvenience.

It’s almost nothing, which is what the season will feel like for Hornets fans that were hoping - against hope, we now know - for the franchise to provide for them a needed escape.

It’ll seem like a lost worse than nothing if it turns out that it’s the franchise that’s looking for an escape.

[scotplum]

I visit a N.O. Hornets board and this article pretty much to a "T" sums up what they are all saying. I can't imagine why they are all freaking out due to a patch on the jerseys, but other than that, I can definitely understand their frustrations.

[BDP]

Yeah, I knew the name sharing wouldn't be a big hit.

It seems that everyone understands OKC's role and the intelligent ones blame the NBA for their frustrations. As the article pointed it, it would have been a sacrifice to play a significant amount of games in LA. I can understand what they're feeling, though, and I can understand their feeling entitled to a greater sacrifice.

[John]

to reward the fans from the city that have embraced it.

I don't know how valid this statement is...

[Karried]

I feel very badly for this state and the losses they have suffered. Unfortunately, many of the fans are displaced and aren't even in Louisiana anyhow. I wonder how many people who are jobless and spending so much money trying to rebuild would actually even consider paying to attend a game?

Before the hurricane, the team wasn't even supported. I wonder if the people complaining even attended any games?

I'll bet OK will be out in full force to support this team. This might be the best thing to happen to this young team. Oklahomans are known for loving sports and really supporting teams.

But, if there were any way to do this, I think the NBA should charter a bus/plane for the residents that held tickets and are reasonably close to OKC and offer to let them see the Hornets play. Of course, I know that won't happen but I wish there was some way to let these people know that we do feel badly for their loss and wish we could make it better.

Look, I understand the frustrations of the people in Louisiana - they have just about lost everything. I'm hoping we can provide a temporary home to the Hornets... that's all.

[Doug Loudenback]

I agree with what you said, Karrie. New Orleans, unlike Charlotte, hadn't really embraced the Hornets, at least judging by attendance. I also agree with what others have said in other threads that our Mayor, Mick Cornett, has approached this whole thing with grace and in ways that should cause Okc to be justly proud of not only him, but of our community.

I wasn't able to watch the press conference yesterday, but for those of you with broadband connections (dial up could be done, but would be not very satisfactory) who might want to see most or all of it, you can do that:

At KFOR: http://www.kfor.com/ look for the video links ... very long and good coverage.

At KWTV: http://newsok.com/sports/main/ ... not as complete coverage of the news conference, but still good

In addition to the news conference, additional related video clips and stories are present at both.

[scotplum]

Actually, I'd have to say that I do not agree, at least not completely, with saying that N.O. did not embrace the team. The poor attendance from last year, I would assume, has far more to do with how poor the Hornets were (worst record ever in the NBA?) as opposed to New Orleans not supporting the team. Getting 14,000+ per game to a team that starts out 2-29 (or whatever it was) is not all that bad, truth be told.

[Doug Loudenback]

Actually, I'd have to say that I do not agree, at least not completely, with saying that N.O. did not embrace the team. The poor attendance from last year, I would assume, has far more to do with how poor the Hornets were (worst record ever in the NBA?) as opposed to New Orleans not supporting the team. Getting 14,000+ per game to a team that starts out 2-29 (or whatever it was) is not all that bad, truth be told.

Maybe so, maybe not.

For example, given what I think (and we'll find out soon enough), I'm guessing that even with a 2-29 team (or whatever it was), that there will be no shortage of people willing to buy tickets to see the top-flight NBA teams come to play in our fair city, just for the sheer pleasure of it all. But, as I said, time will tell.

In any event, it would be hard to say that New Orleans supported the Hornets as well as Charlottesville did, regardless of record. Of course, Charlottesville, like Okc, had only one top-league sport, unlike New Orleans. It was the only "game" in town at that level ... as is at least true for Okc on a temporary basis.

Time will tell.

[scotplum]

Maybe so, maybe not.

For example, given what I think (and we'll find out soon enough), I'm guessing that even with a 2-29 team (or whatever it was), that there will be no shortage of people willing to buy tickets to see the top-flight NBA teams come to play in our fair city, just for the sheer pleasure of it all. But, as I said, time will tell.

In any event, it would be hard to say that New Orleans supported the Hornets as well as Charlottesville did, regardless of record. Of course, Charlottesville, like Okc, had only one top-league sport, unlike New Orleans. It was the only "game" in town at that level ... as is at least true for Okc on a temporary basis.

Time will tell.

I think OKC would still support a 2-29 team extremely well this year but that's because we've never had a professional franchise in our city. The true question, that none of us can know, is say we had an NBA team for 4 or so years and they then started out that poorly, how would we support it?

Oh, by the way, it Charlotte not Charlottesville.

[Doug Loudenback]

Thanks for the "Charlottesville" correction. I've never been there. Dumb me.

As to to rest, we are all crystal ball gazing ... I've got a bunch of them in my office decor, for 2 reasons: (1) crystal balls are pretty, but (2) they serve as reminder to me that I should trust none of them ... they don't work.

Again, I say, we shall see.

[scotplum]

Thanks for the "Charlottesville" correction. I've never been there. Dumb me.

As to to rest, we are all crystal ball gazing ... I've got a bunch of them in my office decor, for 2 reasons: (1) crystal balls are pretty, but (2) they serve as reminder to me that I should trust none of them ... they don't work.

Again, I say, we shall see.

LOL, fair enough.