The Charlotte Hornets - Name Change effective 5-20-2014

[JDR720]

It would have been interesting if the crowd would have boo'd the new logo.

thats what i was afraid of, glad they liked it

[Robot Rock]

I love it. Fantastic logos.

[mrknowitall215]

[vorbis]

i guess i will step a little outside of the apparent consensus and say i actually love the cartoony nature of the original logo. perhaps its part nostalgia but i thought that was part of its charm and timelessness. that said, the new logo is not bad, albeit kind of generic FIERCE 2000's SPORTS TEAM style. could have been a LOT worse, though. if the fans get behind it then ultimately that's all that matters.

edit: and now i see that updating the old logo was one of the conditions of being able to return the brand to charlotte. i guess that makes sense. in that vein, i suppose the update is about as good as can be expected.

[BigSlam]

I like the 3rd down on the right too.

The bottom left one is pretty cool too.

[Kilo]

Second down on the right is my preference - I'm a less is more kinda guy. It would look great alone on merchandise. Bottom middle should be used like the Bat Symbol - the big spotlights of it on the clouds on game nights...

[thruthefire]

Bottom middle is the Queen Bee.

[JDR720]

cant wait to see the court and uniforms, hope we have a black jersey alternate like the Lakers

[mrknowitall215]

Hornets' logo unveiled in Charlotte By Darren Rovell | ESPN.com

Look out: The new Charlotte Hornets logo is more likely to sting you.

Gone are the big wings, the beady eyes, the puffy hands and shoes. In comes a more shapely hornet with focused eyes and a long, sharp stinger.

The logo, which team officials say was a collaboration with the NBA and officials with Nike's Jordan brand, was unveiled on Saturday night by Bobcats owner Michael Jordan at halftime of the team's game against the Utah Jazz.

"You guys asked and we delivered," said Jordan, who also introduced the Hornets' word mark, as well as eight alternatives.

"Tonight is a special night."

The Bobcats officially become the Hornets the day after their final game this season.

"When we were doing our research, we looked closely into a hornet's DNA," team president and chief operating officer Fred Whitfield said. "We came back with swarming, attacking and protective."

The costs to change from the Bobcats to the Hornets have been tabbed at around $4 million, with 250 major points throughout the arena that need to be rebranded, according to team executive vice president and chief marketing officer Pete Guelli.

While the Bobcats, who have been in the bottom quartile of merchandise sales throughout their history, are expected to make a huge leap, a large percentage of the royalties -- everything outside of team owned and arena sales -- will be split equally among the league's teams.

But Guelli said the name change already has paid major dividends, citing the team's 90 percent season ticket renewal rate coming off a 21-win season last season, with the equivalent of another 2,000 season tickets sold in the offseason. Guelli also said he attributes the name change to scoring two new national sponsors, Mercedes-Benz and McDonald's.

Merchandise with the new logo on it will debut on Jan. 18, while the uniforms will be unveiled in the summer. Team officials also say they will bring back their old mascot "Hugo," which will get an update but will likely look a bit more kid-friendly.

"The players were beloved as was the mascot," Whitfield said. "So we're all thrilled to bring Hugo back."

When the New Orleans Hornets announced last year that they'd ditch the nickname for the Pelicans, initial polls taken by the team, in the city, indicated that at least 80 percent of fans wanted the name back.

In July, the NBA Board of Governors approved changing the team name back to the Hornets for the 2014-15 season, with two provisions: The team had to change its logo in some way that would make it different from the past, and it was responsible for liquidating product with the old Bobcats name. The team didn't have to pay the league to get back the Hornets name, but Whitfield said that the team did make a donation to the New Orleans Pelicans charities as a notion of their gratitude for willing to give up the name.

Saturday night's unveiling in Charlotte featured Muggsy Bogues, Rex Chapman, Dell Curry and Kelly Tripucka, all former players for the Hornets in Charlotte, as well as a video display with the new logo.

On the video presentation at halftime, the voiceover began by saying, "What once was lost has been willed by you to be found. The legend is our new legacy. Get ready for the buzz to return. Our city. Our colors. Our name. We're all coming home."

No matter what it is called, Charlotte could use some success on the court. In their first nine seasons, the Bobcats only have made the playoffs once and have been in the bottom third of league attendance. Since becoming majority owner in March 2010, Michael Jordan's record is 85-188.

[freakon0mics]

Hugo is returning. Also the Lady Cats will be renamed to the Honey Bees.

I too was at the game. I had chills when the lights went out and everyone was holding their teal glow sticks. That 5-10 minutes was one of the best moments I felt at the arena in quite sometime.

[Eoghan]

I wish this could've received some kind of recognition.

As creator of that logo, I definitely agree. Wouldn't even need a mascot, Al Jefferson already moves and looks like a sloth.

I'm not really crazy about the new logo, I was hoping they'd just tweak the old one to make it updated but as long as people like it I can deal with it.

[JDR720]

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBCo6LKAK2Y&fb_source=message[/youtube]

halftime logo reveal in case you missed it

[Fred Williamson]

not sure if I'm ready for this. I'm gonna miss the lolcats.

[mrknowitall215]

It appears that the majority of the nation has taken a liking/loving to the new re-branded logo of the Charlotte Hornets franchise. Good job MJ!

[lmcguir5]

I was also at that game last night. I haven't felt an atmosphere in that building like that in a really long time. You got the genuine feel that people are pumped to have the Hornets back. I myself was kinda disappointed when they announced we were ditching the Bobcats, just because I felt like they were quitting. Now, I am ecstatic to have them back and I couldn't be any happier with the new logo

[ZackB23]

I was there too. Besides us losing, that was the best game I've ever been too! I would have done the glow stick thing, but I couldn't open it and threw it on the ground in disgust lmao. GO HORNETS!

[JDR720]

yea the vast majority of people like the logo (Bleacher Report)

[countryboi]

so who wants to make me a charlotte hornets sig? i can retire this "beat orlando" and tyrus thomas forever..ha

[catch20two]

I need a hoodie, a coat, a jacket or something. I guess I have to wait til late January.

[Bassman]

Love the new logo, and thanks to those who posted the reveal video via YouTube.

I liken the redesign to the one done with the Camaro. Carries some of the original character but makes it a modern interpretation with attitude!