Business Leaders Look to Boost Hornets Ticket Sales

Money is being raised by a group calling itself the Hornets’ Business Council to buy tickets for National Basketball Association (NBA) side the New Orleans Hornets and encouraged local businesses to do the same.

The efforts are being made in an attempt to prevent the team from moving outside of New Orleans after majority owner George Shinn revealed that he was selling the team to the league. This has sparked fears that the team could be shipped out of New Orleans by prospective buyers.

Michael Hecht, president of Greater New Orleans Inc. stated: “The Hornets franchise is important to economic development, the team is also important to our civic pride and quality of life.”

The group has raised US$250,000 in 48 hours to be used to purchase tickets and boost attendance at games. The ticket sales boost is an attempt to stop the rates falling below an average attendance 14,735 which would spark a clause in the teams lease at the New Orleans Arena that would allow them to leave after this season.

The effort to boost ticket sales began last week when Gov. Bobby Jinidal and Mayor Mitch Landrieu solicited community support to pack the arena and support the team.