SPORTS TEAM HISTORY

Sports Team HistorySports Logo History
  • Home
  • Sports History
    • Baseball History
    • Basketball History
    • College History
    • Football History
    • Hockey History
    • Soccer History
  • Greatest Player Polls
  • More…
    • STH News
    • Team History Forum
    • Sports Team History Products
STH #3 Home Header 1440x650

Charlotte Bobcats Team History

Sports Forum Banner
STH Clash of Logos NBA - Banner
Sports News History Banner
Sports Market History Banner #4
Charlotte Bobcats




  • 2002
  • 2005
  • 2010
  • 2011
  • 2013
  • Charlotte Bobcats 2002

    Expansion in Charlotte

    When the original Charlotte Hornets relocated to New Orleans in 2002, the NBA promised Charlotte leaders that the city would be granted an NBA expansion team for the 2004 – 2005 season. On December 18, 2002, a group led by Black Entertainment Television founder Robert L. Johnson was awarded the franchise, allowing him to become the first majority African American ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • TWCA - Charlotte, North Carolina

    Time Warner Cable Arena

    A new arena to host the Bobcats at uptown Charlotte began its construction in July 2003, and the team would play its home games at the Coliseum until the new building was ready. Despite failed attempts at the ballot box to fully fund the arena, city politicians decided to implement a hotel and leisure tax in Charlotte to help pay ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • Michael Jordan Owner Charlotte Bobcats

    Michael Jordan’s Acquisition of the Franchise

    In February 2010, it was reported that Jordan was seeking majority ownership of the Bobcats. As February wore on, it emerged that the leading contenders for the team were Jordan and former Houston Rockets president George Postolos. On February 27, the Bobcats announced that Johnson had reached an agreement with Jordan and his group, MJ Basketball Holdings, to buy the ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • 7 Teams That Lost to Charlotte

    Worst Record in NBA History

    In the lockout-shortened season, the Bobcats struggled and posted an NBA worst record of 7-59, losing their last 23 games of the season. In a nationally televised game against the New York Knicks, the Bobcats recorded yet another loss as their win percentage dropped to .106, setting a new record for the worst season by an NBA team in history. ...
    Read More
    See Full Story
  • Bobcats-fans-show-support-at-a-May-2013-announcement-about-changing-the-teams

    The Hornets Return

    All of the Carolina was a buzz, as the Charlotte Hornets were back. A decade after the birth of the Charlotte Bobcats, and much negotiation, things were back to normal as the franchise reclaimed the Hornets’ history and colors from New Orleans who became the Pelicans. Coming off a playoff appearance, their second since 2004’s expansion team to the court ...
    Read More
    See Full Story

Bobcats Primary Logo
Bobcats Alternate Logo
Bobcats Wordmark Logo

History of the Bobcats

The Charlotte Bobcats have a long and storied history in the NBA. From their inception in 2004 to their rebranding as the Hornets in 2014, they have been an integral part of basketball culture in North Carolina.

When Michael Jordan purchased majority ownership of the team from founder Robert L. Johnson, he brought with him a wealth of experience as both an owner and player – something that was invaluable to building up the franchise from scratch into one that could compete at its highest level. With his influence, Jordan quickly assembled a talented roster led by All-Star guard Gerald Wallace and center Emeka Okafor who helped lead them to two playoff appearances during their first four years under his direction (2007 & 2010).

Despite those successes on the court though, it wasn’t enough for fans or players alike who felt like they were lacking identity within such an established league; this eventually resulted in Charlotte being awarded another expansion franchise (the second time since 1988) which became known as The Hornets when it began to play again starting with 2014-15 season onward. Since then, Charlotte has seen great success off the court too - having won multiple awards for community outreach programs while also seeing attendance numbers rise significantly over the past few seasons thanks largely due to a new fan base created by the name change.

Overall, Charlotte Bobcats are now firmly entrenched amongst other teams across the country; not only do they boast rich history but also a bright future ahead filled with potential if the right steps are taken along the way. It's safe to say that whether you're a longtime supporter or just getting to know the team, there are plenty of reasons why should root for them!





Established
2004

City
Charlotte

League History
2004 - Present / National Basketball Association

Team History
2014 - Present / Charlotte Hornets
2004 - 2013 / Charlotte Bobcats

Nickname
Bobcats - The Charlotte Bobcats are one of the most iconic teams in the NBA, and their nickname is steeped in history. Fans chose the name during a contest held by then-owner Robert Johnson in 2004 when the team was first established.

When deciding on a new moniker for his team, Johnson wanted something representing North Carolina’s proud basketball heritage and vibrant culture. After much deliberation, he decided to go with “Bobcats” – an homage to the state's wild bobcat population thriving since colonial times.

But why did Johnson decide to use this particular animal as his mascot? He said it was because of its fierce spirit and tenacity on defense – two qualities he felt were essential for any successful basketball team! He also liked how it could be used as an acronym (Basketball Of Champions Always Triumphs), further cementing its place among other top sports nicknames like Lakers or Bulls.

In addition to representing North Carolina’s rich wildlife heritage and solid athletic tradition, using “Bobcats” also allowed them to stand out from other teams who had already taken up classic names such as Heat or Spurs - making Charlotte unique within professional sports circles! As time went on, more people began recognizing this fact, too, eventually leading many experts today referring them simply as "the Cats."

Championship
NBA Championships 0

Arena
2017 - Present / Spectrum Center
2008 - 2016 / Time Warner Cable Arena
2005 - 2008 / Charlotte Bobcats Arena
2004 - 2005 / Charlotte Coliseum

Owner
2010 - Present / Michael Jordan
2004 - 2010 / Robert L. Johnson

Who is the greatest Charlotte Bobcats?
  • Add your greatest player

To qualify as the greatest player for this team, the player must have played one season for this team. If not, we will remove the player.
* verifies that player has played for this team as an added player by a fan.

Retired Number
13 / Bobby Phills

*Blue is this team’s history

Sports News History

Sports News Worth Knowing

RSS NBA Headline News

  • ‘I’m still expected to do my job at a high level’
  • Clippers tab Redden as new GM, promote Hughes
  • NBA Finals: Heat’s 3-point shooting — especially by undrafted players — is buoying postseason run
  • Knicks All-Star Randle has surgery on left ankle
  • San Antonio Spurs DRAFT Bilal Coulibaly & Victor Wembanyama!?

Sports Market History

Sports Team Marketplace of Champions!

NBA Logo Battle

NBA Greatest Player

STH Product Sale

NBA Teams
Menu
  • Atlanta Hawks
    • St. Louis Hawks
    • Milwaukee Hawks
    • Tri-City Blackhawks
  • Boston Celtics
  • Brooklyn Nets
    • New Jersey Nets
    • New York Nets
    • New Jersey Americans
  • Charlotte Hornets
    • Charlotte Bobcats
  • Chicago Bulls
  • Cleveland Cavaliers
  • Dallas Mavericks
  • Denver Nuggets
    • Denver Rockets
  • Detroit Pistons
    • Fort Wayne Pistons
    • Fort Wayne Zollner Pistons
  • Golden State Warriors
    • San Francisco Warriors
    • Philadelphia Warriors
  • Houston Rockets
    • San Diego Rockets
  • Indiana Pacers
  • Los Angeles Clippers
    • San Diego Clippers
    • Buffalo Braves
  • Los Angeles Lakers
    • Minneapolis Lakers
  • Memphis Grizzlies
    • Vancouver Grizzlies
  • Miami Heat
  • Milwaukee Bucks
  • Minnesota Timberwolves
  • New Orleans Pelicans
    • New Orleans Hornets
    • Charlotte Hornets
  • New York Knickerbockers
  • Oklahoma City Thunder
    • Seattle Supersonics
  • Orlando Magic
  • Philadelphia 76ers
    • Syracuse Nationals
  • Phoenix Suns
  • Portland Trailblazers
  • Sacramento Kings
    • Kansas City Kings
    • Cincinnati Royals
    • Rochester Royals
  • San Antonio Spurs
    • Texas Chaparrals
    • Dallas Chaparrals
  • Toronto Raptors
  • Utah Jazz
    • New Orleans Jazz
  • Washington Wizards
    • Washington Bullets
    • Capital Bullets
    • Baltimore Bullets
    • Chicago Zephyrs
    • Chicago Packers
  • Past Teams
    • Baltimore Bullets 1949
    • Chicago Stags
    • Cleveland Rebels
    • Denver Nuggets 1948
    • Detroit Falcons
    • Pittsburgh Ironmen
    • Providence Steamrollers
    • St. Louis Bombers
    • Toronto Huskies
    • Washington Capitols

STH News

Latest Sports Team History News

The Life and Times of Pat Riley

June 5, 2023

From Toronto Arenas To Maple Leafs A Complete History

June 1, 2023

Unforgettable Rivalries in NBA History

May 31, 2023

The Three-Peat History of Georgia Bulldogs Football

May 31, 2023

Generic selectors
Exact matches only
Search in title
Search in content
Post Type Selectors
Search in posts
Search in pages
Sports Logo History
Sports News History
Sports Market History
  • About
  • Contact
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy Policy

Sports Team History
© 2013 - 2023 Sports History Group LLC - All Rights Reserved
  • Home
  • Sports History
    • Baseball History
    • Basketball History
    • College History
    • Football History
    • Hockey History
    • Soccer History
  • Greatest Player Polls
  • More…
    • STH News
    • Team History Forum
    • Sports Team History Products