New Orleans Pelicans Former Names Charlotte Hornets

The hornets have been in new orleans since moving from charlotte for the 2002 03 season although they were relocated temporarily to oklahoma city from 2005 2007 due to hurricane katrina.

Benson owns the rights to the name pelicans which was the nickname for a former minor league baseball team that played in new orleans for more than 70 years. The new orleans pelicans are a professional basketball team in the national basketball association nba. Shinn then sold the hornets to the nba in 2010. The hornets moved to new orleans from charlotte in 2002 and when benson bought the team earlier this year he said he would like to change the name to something more fitting of louisiana.

The hornets name came with the franchise when former owner george shinn relocated the team to new orleans in 2002 after 14 years in charlotte. The name change came along with the purchase of the team by its new owner tom benson. The hornets will now own and have access to all of the historical elements from not only the bobcats era 2004 2014 but also the original hornets era in charlotte 1988 2002. Until the conclusion of the 2012 13 season the team was named the new orleans hornets.

The pelicans will.