Charlotte Bobcats Tickets

The basketball-crazed state of North Carolina lived without professional hoops long enough. It was not about to sit on the sidelines again after losing the Charlotte Hornets to New Orleans in 2002.In December of that year, Robert Johnson, the billionaire founder of Black Entertainment Television, was awarded the rights to the NBA's 30th franchise for $300 million. The new Charlotte Bobcats Tickets club debuts in 2004-05. In beating out a Boston-based group that included Hall of Fame Larry Bird, Johnson became the first African-American majority owner of an NBA club. His team is a good bet to win over a town that supported the Hornets whole-heartedly in their early years. A rift between Hornets owner George Shinn and the city created ill-will among supporters of the team, though many felt Shinn was eyeing New Orleans only for better bargaining position with Charlotte Bobcats Tickets. They were wrong. So when the Hornets packed their bags, Johnson went to work. "Bobcats" was chosen among 1,000-plus suggested nicknames for the new team, and merchandise has already flown off the shelves. Charlotte Bobcats Tickets also announced plans to launch a regional sports television network to broadcast the team's games.

2001-02 The Hornets announce they are moving from Charlotte to New Orleans after the season, leaving Tobacco Road without an NBA team for the first time since 1988.
2002 December: Expansion committee unanimously recommends that the NBA Board of Governors approve Charlotte Bobcats for an expansion franchise.
2003 January: With Ed Tapscott hired as the club's executive vice president/CEO under owner Robert L. Johnson, the NBA Board of Governors on January 10 unanimously grants approval for an expansion team in Charlotte, to begin play in 2004-05.
June: The name Bobcat Charlotte NBA is chosen, over Dragons and Flight, and the team logo is introduced at a downtown street festival that draws some 7,000 fans.
July: Ground is broken for the new Uptown Charlotte Bobcats Tickets Arena. October: Bernie Bickerstaff is hired as the team's first head coach and general manager. One week later, Dell Curry comes on board as director of basketball relations.
November: The NBA announces its realignment plans, which will put Charlotte Bobcats in the Southeast Division with Atlanta, Miami, Orlando and Washington. December: "Rufus" is chosen as the mascot's name.
2004 June: After stocking their roster with 19 nondescript players in the expansion draft, Charlotte Bobcats Tickets makes big noise in the 2004 NBA Draft. The Charlotte Bobcats engineer a trade for the No. 2 overall selection and use it on Connecticut big man Emeka Okafor. They draft Michigan forward Bernard Robinson in the second round.
2004-05  The Charlotte Bobcats debut.