The Hornets returned to New Orleans on Wednesday.
How’d it go?
Check out my video commentary or read here:
I want to believe that the Hornets will work in New Orleans.
After all that city has been through, it deserves to have something go well. The Hornets have a stout squad, a team that has all the earmarks of a playoff team. I hope that the Big Easy has a chance to experience that fun and that excitement this season.
I want the best for the Hornets there.
But after Wednesday night, I’m worried about their chances.
Wednesday was opening night for the Hornets. They tipped off the 2007-08 season in New Orleans, their first full season back in the Big Easy since Hurricane Katrina blew them all the way to Oklahoma City.
The opener was on Oklahoma City cable television, just as another 24 games will be this season. I tuned in about mid-way through the second quarter.
The first thing that struck me was how much it looked at first glance like Oklahoma City. The floor is the same, save the name of the city along the baseline. The uniforms are the same, save the city on the front.
But that first-blush reaction was quickly replaced by another.
“There’s no one there,” I said out loud to the television.
OK, so there were probably 10 or 12 thousand folks there, and Hornets owner George Shinn said during a halftime interview that the game was a near sellout. There were lots of empty seats, though. Shinn attributed that to Halloween parties, no doubt a big deal in a city that never passes on a chance to party.
Still, the no-shows were concerning. The sections behind the benches looked more empty than full. The crowds in the upper deck looked sparse as well.
That is not a good sign on opening night. That is one of those nights that almost every team packs the arena.
Not the Hornets.
Maybe Shinn was right. Maybe the answer was as easy as the Halloween holiday. Maybe the crowds will come for the other 40 games the Hornets have at home.
For their sake, I hope so.
But the truth is, the Hornets are facing an uphill battle. The rebuilding in New Orleans continues, and that includes being able to support an NBA team. It isn’t the most important thing happening there. Not even close. Schools and houses and security are paramount.
Thing is if the Hornets can survive in New Orleans, it would be a great sign of how far the city has come and how healthy the area is. It will take time, but for the sake of the city and the team, I hope that opening night is just the beginning, not a sign of things to come.