New Orleans Hornets to host the 2014 All-Star Weekend - NBA Update
NBA Chairman, David Stern announced that the city of New Orleans would be rewarded with an All-Star weekend in 2014 due to the good-will of the city`s people who helped solidify the financial problems of the team.
New Orleans played hosts to the All-Star weekend back in 2008 which took place three years after the city was completely wrecked after the hurricane, Katrina.
The Hornets team back then, had two players representing the Western Conference from their side (Chris Paul and David West) while their coach Byron Scott was the Head Coach for the West. All three, since then have left the team
and are applying their traits elsewhere.
This news comes after another major reform had taken place for the Hornets. Just three days ago, the New Orleans Saints owner, Tom Benson decided to add an NBA franchise to his properties as he agreed to buy out the New Orleans
Hornets.
Benson has agreed to buy out the Hornets franchise at a price tag of $338 million and has already paid $25 million in advance. Benson`s ownership of the Hornets will be confirmed within the time span of 45 days as it still need
to be approved by the NBA`s governors board.
With him buying the Hornets, Benson also intends to rename the organization. He feels that the team should have a name which is relevant to the area where as the ‘Hornets’ does not mean anything to the people of this City.
"We want to change the name from Hornets to something that means New Orleans and Louisiana, The Hornets don't mean anything" – Benson, said.
It is still not decided whether New Orleans will go back to their original name the ‘New Orleans Jazz’ which was the City`s first NBA franchise. However there is not much hope in that because no team would like to give up their
name.
However, Benson`s intentions do not just stop with renaming the franchise. He also intends to improve the practice facilities for the team. Hornets currently have their training facilities, right across from the Mississippi River
from where the Saints run their headquarters.
“The first thing we've got do is get a practice facility that's going to be what we ought to have to get this team ready to win a championship," - Benson said.
Doug Thornton, who is the vice president of SMG, the company that manages the facilities for the New Orleans Arena has made several suggestions on all possible locations to where the practice facilities can be shifted do. However,
he did suggest that for a high-class practice facility, Benson may have to go deeper into his pockets.
Now as Benson owns the City`s two biggest sporting franchises. The question arises as to which team will get the more attention. However, Benson went on to contemplate on the matter that him being the owner of the Saints as well,
opens a lot of new doors for the Hornets in regard to sponsorship options and this would result in the betterment for the Hornets, as they look to become a stronger force in the NBA.
Benson has also assured Stern regarding the matter of functionality of the two teams, which he intends to make completely separated from each other, as the two franchises are two different entities of two different sports.
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