<div class="quote_poster">Quote:</div><div class="quote_post">As the Hornets return to post-Katrina New Orleans after a two-year displacement to Oklahoma City, they will be on equal footing with every other NBA market in at least one sense. New Orleans, which has been the site of just nine Hornets games combined during the last two seasons, will host all 41 regular-season games next season. The Crescent City is now the smallest market in the NBA. Still, the Hornets are bound to the New Orleans Arena for the next five seasons and owner George Shinn and NBA officials say they are as committed ? if not more so ? to seeing the NBA succeed as they were when the franchise moved from Charlotte, N.C., five years ago. ?The real key is having fans in the stands,? Shinn said. ?That?s what we?re pushing for because it?s what?s needed, not only for the Hornets, but I know for NBA ? they don?t like to see empty seats at games. It will reflect poorly on the community if it happens.? The Hornets ranked near the bottom of the league in attendance during their three seasons in the Crescent City before Hurricane Katrina struck. Trying to improve on that ranking post-Katrina appears to be quite a challenge.</div> Read More...
