Top 20 Moments in New Orleans Pelicans History

19. The Hornets become the Pelicans

by Nathan Heck

Something about the New Orleans Hornets never seemed quite right. From the colors to the mascot, nothing seemed to fit the city of New Orleans, which pumps culture through every alley, side street and major thoroughfare like the human body pumps blood through every singular vein. In a town that prided itself on marching to a different beat, the Hornets were something inexcusable…they were boring.

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When Tom Benson bought the team on April 13th, 2012, he vowed to rebrand the team as something uniquely local. The reaction of fans ranged from displeasure (quite a few fans liked the Hornets) to jubilation. Most of the negative responses centered on a simple theme: New Orleans could not get the Jazz name back, and nothing else would represent the city nearly as well. The Benson organization set out to prove them wrong.

Even with an owner completely dedicated to the idea of a nickname change, it still took the better part of a year for the new name to be announced. In the meantime, fans speculated endlessly about possibilities and picked their favorites, such as the Big Easy Brass, the Swamp Dogs, the Mosquitos, the Bull Sharks and the Rougarou (a mythical beast that is very similar to a werewolf, for all the non-locals out there).

In January of 2013, the organization settled on the Pelicans, which is not only the state bird of Louisiana but also an icon of the southeast region of the state. Most fans were pleased by the choice and its ability to be both mainstream enough for the rest of the world to recognize it and iconic enough locally to please the fiercely independent New Orleanians. The name change and rebranding represented more than just an appealing brand to locals; it came to represent hope and stability.
These key moments, the purchase of the team by Tom Benson and the subsequent rebranding, has allowed local fans to truly emotionally invest in the team. No longer feeling like the team is borrowed from another city and culture. Locals can wear Pelicans gear with pride, and the stability with Benson as the owner has made it so two fans can discuss the future of the team without the depressing cloud of relocation looming large.

The Pelicans, the fans and basketball are here to stay in New Orleans.

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