Does anybody else find it kind of funny that when the first arena vote in Houston failed and there were concerns that the Rockets might bolt for Kentucky, that Stern was really pessimistic about Houston's chances of getting another team and kept saying that the NBA had no plans for expansion. He basically didn't care whether Houston had an NBA team or not. When Charlotte was run out of town, though, the NBA couldn't wait to get another team down there. It looks like they'll get another team in 2004. Oh well...life goes on...
Up until last season or two, Charlotte has had some of the best attendance figures. Even when they were losing alot, they still sold out the place. Cant say the same about Houston. We are a fair weather town and unless youre a football team, you dont get support, attendance wise, unless you are winning. So my guess is, Stern knows an expansion team would get support in Charlotte and was not so sure if they would get that support in Houston.
I surely don't want to defend Stern, but maybe Stern makes a distiction based upon the following. The Hornets ownership/management had a reputation of not re-signing it's own Free Agents (ERobb and Nailon for example) and other frugalities (what was the last big FA signing by the Hornets?). The ownership managed to alienate the fan base. By comparison, the Rockets ownership/management put a very good effort into building a marketable product (remember a phrase used on this BBS - "Houston isn't rebuilding...it's reloading"?). There wasn't corresponding interest from the fans. It's probably Stern putting a "businessman's spin" on things but there are other circumstances. Aside from the above, it was reported that a group of investors headed by Larry Bird and M.L. Carr had an interest in a Charlotte expansion before the Hornets played their last game there.
It's not so much the support by the city that bugs me, it's that the NBA was just so quick to give up on Houston. They showed the Rockets no support when they were in trouble. The Rockets have been down here for 30 years, so they must have been doing SOMETHING right?!?! Maybe Stern will start showing us a little respect now that we hold the key to his potential marketing blitz over in the far East. I won't make too big of a deal out of it, but it was just an observation I made...
Stern may have been just talking out of his ass to begin with also. At that time, we were only a few years removed from our two titles and he wanted to insure that we would do what it took to keep the Rockets here even if that mean lying about whether or not we would get another team. I mean seriously, with all the talent that comes to Houston during the off season, plus all the talent that lives here, Stern would have been stupid not to give us another team, attendance notwithstanding. NBA players love Houston.
JMO, but I think a large reason for the Charlotte expansion is guilt on Stern's part. It's not so much that he loves Charlotte as he feels guilty that he could not do anything to prevent the move to New Orleans. Its no secret that Stern HATES N.O. and was never a big supporter of the city having an NBA franchise. However he had no chopice but to go along with the move after Charlotte REFUSED to build a new arena. Had he forced the team to stay in Charlotte he would have set a horrible precedent when it comes to the NBA's handling of cities who refuse to build arenas. There was no way he was going to let Charlotte pull the NBA's punk card. Add that to the fact that N.O. proved it could sell the necessary number of season tickets, reach a profitable TV and Radio deal, and had a new arena with about 48 more suites than Charlotte. Anyway good luck to Charlotte with their team, now everybody is happy. N.O. got an NBA team, Charlotte will be back in the leauge, and Stern was able to save face.
