The Charlotte Bobcats could get a new name. According to The Charlotte Observer, Michael Jordan, Charlotte’s new majority owner, hasn't ruled out a name change.
"Am I willing to look at that and say, 'Can we go down that road?' Yeah. If I get the understanding from the community, from the public, that we need it and it signifies change, yeah, I would do that," Jordan told the paper. "It's a $3 million to $10 million investment to do that. I'm not afraid of that, as long as at the backside of that, the public is going to be happy."
The Bobcats were named after former majority owner Bob Johnson, but Jordan will increase his marketing role now that he has a greater stake in the team, which could prompt a name change.
The Bobcats have finished below .500 in each of its their NBA seasons, but this season the team sits seventh in the Eastern Conference standings with a 36-34 record. While Charlotte fans have had little to cheer about in recent years, Jordan's goal is create a true home-court advantage by building a passionate fan base similar to the one he dealt with during his playing career with the Bulls and Wizards.
The former 14-time All-Star gave basketball fans plenty to cheer about as an NBA player, and Jordan is willing to listen to his team's fans as the NBA’s newest majority owner. If the folks in Charlotte want a new name, he will hear their suggestions.
"We'd have to go through a league process and it's a financial commitment," Jordan said. "But if I get the signal from the public that we need it to signify change? Yeah, I would do that."
