Why dont the Bobcats draw better crowds? (Charlotte, Cleveland: 2010, layoffs)

[NCbyChoice]

Originally Posted by Stripes17

We don't go to Bobcat games either. We went once last season. My boss let us use the corporate box. It still cost me over $150 to provide hot dogs, chicken wings and sodas to the four kids I brought to the game (minimum servings). The NBA and Bobcats in particular are not a good way for me to spend my time and money.

I'd much rather go watch the Checkers or go to a concert/play at Blumenthal.

Was the expensive junk food necessary for the kids to enjoy the game? Probably not.

Are the food prices any different for the checkers games? No, it's the same company.

Cheapest ticket to a Checkers game? $10 Cheapest ticket to a Bobcats game? $10

I actually prefer the Checkers....but I'm just saying....

[Nativechief]

Another thing that turned me off to the Bobcats was the high buck sky boxes. They were made for cronies and big buck bank ceos and cost millions extra . The downtown elite wanted them and the old arena didnt have them. Alot of our tax money was spent on just this one item and then I saw where Johnson had spent over a million dollers building a "mock up" skybox to be put on display in New Yourk...More wasted money. Bob Johnson to me is "just like the negro carpetbaggers who came south after the Civil War and made deals with their money that took advantage of the poor locals" < this isnt a racial comment but a comparision of real events. So dont go there.

[swingaway]

Originally Posted by NCbyChoice

Was the expensive junk food necessary for the kids to enjoy the game? Probably not.

Are the food prices any different for the checkers games? No, it's the same company.

Cheapest ticket to a Checkers game? $10 Cheapest ticket to a Bobcats game? $10

I actually prefer the Checkers....but I'm just saying....

A $10.00 Checkers ticket is close enough to see a goal scored. A $10.00 Bobcats ticket is close enough to watch the game on the jumbotron.

I'll take the Checkers ticket also.

[lumbollo]

Originally Posted by baybook

......
As far as Charlotte is concerned, you voice your opinion by staying home, not buying tickets or merchandise, supporting some other event, voting in elections. I find booing and hissing to be classless and inappropriate in any venue. Booing/hissing lacks basic common courtesy. My opinion. ...

Indeed. Robert Johnson's team is playing in a venue that was paid for and still owned by the people so they have a right to express their opinion in public and even in said venue. Johnson, by taking the public hand out, has directly opened himself up to the criticism of the people who had rather high expectations about this franchise set by Johnson, the NBA and the local politicians who cooked up this $300M taxpayer financed deal. Without exception they said "trust us, your money is well spent, it will do great things for Charlotte". Of course the rhetoric didn't match the results and the people, who are paying the bill for this place, are unhappy. It isn't too much to expect that Johnson might have done better than he has with the Bobcats especially given the promises made.

OK I admit this speaks to a sophistication that probably doesn't exist given that we are talking about NBA fans who simply think the team and the owners suck, but the point remains. The people can protest this at his games, it's their right, and your rational for saying otherwise is simply that you don't like it. This is your opinion of course and you have this right, but if I were you, I would re-read the sentence of yours that I quoted here. i.e. If you don't like the booing and hissing, then stay at home. They had booing and hissing in the Roman Coliseum 2000 years ago. It's not a new thing.

[CouponJack]

Here is the record of the team over the past 5 yrs...'09 doesn't look too much better.....just pathetic.

BOBCATS YEAR-BY-YEAR
Season Record Pct.
2004-05 18-64 .220
2005-06 26-56 .317
2006-07 33-49 .402
2007-08 32-50 .390
2008-09 35-47 .427
All-time 144-266 .351

[anifani821]

Just want to take exception with the statement earlier that folks typically only support their local teams when they are winning.

ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE. I am sure I don't even need to list the franchises across this country - in many different sports - who have fans who are loyal, year in and out. I was in KCMO and the town literally turned out every game - wearing red on game days in offices all over the city - all in the name of team spirit. Losers or not - we loved the Chiefs. They were OUR TEAM.

And look at how we support our collegiate teams! So I disagree with that.

Also, I still think it is interesting that the folks who seem to be supporting this team with the most enthusiasm are NOT long time residents of Charlotte. The history of the team has definitely turned off a lot of folks to the whole deal we got with the Bobcats. Of course, there are many reasons, as many of us have outlined, as to why folks may not be attending games - or feel negatively towards this team. But I still say - for those of you who are newcomers and think you have the right to be disparaging to those of us who have been ante-ing up money to pay for this stuff a lot longer than you have . . . please. We are all entitled to our opinions but putting folks down b/c they are not enthusiastic about this team seems misinformed, to say the least.

[baybook]

Oh please!

[CouponJack]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Just want to take exception with the statement earlier that folks typically only support their local teams when they are winning.

ABSOLUTELY UNTRUE. I am sure I don't even need to list the franchises across this country - in many different sports - who have fans who are loyal, year in and out. I was in KCMO and the town literally turned out every game - wearing red on game days in offices all over the city - all in the name of team spirit. Losers or not - we loved the Chiefs. They were OUR TEAM.

And look at how we support our collegiate teams! So I disagree with that.

Also, I still think it is interesting that the folks who seem to be supporting this team with the most enthusiasm are NOT long time residents of Charlotte. The history of the team has definitely turned off a lot of folks to the whole deal we got with the Bobcats. Of course, there are many reasons, as many of us have outlined, as to why folks may not be attending games - or feel negatively towards this team. But I still say - for those of you who are newcomers and think you have the right to be disparaging to those of us who have been ante-ing up money to pay for this stuff a lot longer than you have . . . please. We are all entitled to our opinions but putting folks down b/c they are not enthusiastic about this team seems misinformed, to say the least.

I agree with much of this. I will add that different parts of the country feel differently about sports. For instance, college BB is much more popular than Pro Basketball here, where its the total reverse in the Northeast. Pro Sports are dominant over college athletics. Also, look at LA. They goto a baseball game and leave in the 7th inning all the time because they are more laid back and its just a different culture out there. You would NEVER see that in Boston or NY (just like how passionate Tarheel and Duke fans are....)

KC your old hometown I would suspect has a long history w/the chiefs (going back to Dawson and Hank Stram). They are passionate about Pro Football and Baseball in the midwest (ie Packers, & Cardinals..) Pittsburgh will always be a Steeler town....just some things you cannot change.

Alot of it has to do w/what part of the country your in too....

[spankys bbq]

I'm not a fan of the Bobcats. I have not gone to a game and I will not. I don't dislike the players that form the playing team. I don't necessarily dislike the people who run the day-to-day of the Bobcats. I do dislike the arena and what it cost the city. I hate the fact that we can't have a Final Four here (something we could have on Tyvola). I dislike the arena for the fact that it was voted down and built anyway. I dislike Bob Johnson as an owner, Micheal Jordan as well.

And what's to love about a .351 franchise record? Give me Tarheel basketball any day.

[NCN]

Originally Posted by TominLasVegas

I watched tonights game and the arena was pretty much empty!I thought NC was a basketball hotbed.Are you fans still bitter with the NBA about how the Hornets left town??

No that is not the problem. Our colleges give us a better more interesting game than any professional team. Beside the college teams, the pros are just plain boring.