WE NEED YOUR HELP!!!
“Charlotte Hornets, 2.0” is a documentary that Rusty Sheridan began filming almost 3 years ago. At its core it’s a film about the grassroots fan movement to change the name of the NBA Charlotte Bobcats to the Charlotte Hornets. But it’s not simply a sports documentary– it’s a story about the spirit of the Charlotte-Mecklenburg region and its people. Since the Revolutionary War Charlotte has been known as The Hornets Nest. The early settlers of this region were tenacious, strong-willed individuals who set out to do things their way, and that fighting independent spirit in the face of adversity continues to this day. In 1780 Charlotteans fought off General Cornwallis and 4,000 troops. Cornwallis described Charlotte as “A hornets nest of rebellion”. The name stuck. The Hornets Nest icon is seen on the city and county seals. It’s seen in parks, schools, and monuments throughout Mecklenburg county. And from 1988-2002, it was seen in the form of an NBA team, the Charlotte Hornets. But in time that team left Charlotte, and was eventually replaced with a new NBA franchise with the name Charlotte “Bobcats”.
Fast forward to 2010, and a new group of grassroots Charlotteans emerged to follow in the footsteps of our ancestors and take back what was rightfully ours. Fans began lobbying to change the name of the Bobcats back to the Hornets. They petitioned. They implored the team and its owner. Using social media they organized demonstrations and celebrated Hornets history at Bobcats games. For 2 years the Hornets Nest swarmed again, and finally the fans were able to reclaim that symbol of our city’s identity. With the fans and citizens leading the way, now there is a new Charlotte Hornets team in the city of the Hornets Nest. Charlotte Hornets, 2.0.
Through interviews with fans, grassroots leaders, historians, journalists, and Hornets players past and present, this film tells the continuing story of the revolutionary spirit of this city.
Bring Back the Buzz 
I think this is awesome. The guy that said it would be a mistake to give away the heritage that the Hornet’s name holds for Charlotte, along with the head of the Historical Association, were spot on with their reasoning. That is a very cool bit of history, and it would be a shame if that history could not be celebrated and shared through the team. The Hornets’ name is meaningful and specific to Charlotte, and there are too many generic names already. Trading a unique and regional narrative for a cheap, false one would be disrespectful to the city’s history.