re: Attendance: 17246

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partially true, but the only time the Hornets had good fan support was during the final 15-20 games of the 2008 season and then the very next season after that in 08-09.

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And had the team not gone essentially into the shitter, that momentum would have continued. Yes, they made the playoffs, but by the time they got there in '09, they had become pathetic (witness the Denver series). shite, I was pissed at myself for even going to that last Denver game. It was boring and embarrassing.

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still a playoff team in 2010-11 and had a top 5 (arguably top 3 player in the NBA) in Chris Paul on the team and still barely cracked the 14,700ish attendance benchmark with about 15,000 per game

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Fragile market. No one saw the team as a contender and the smell of the 09 debacle was in the air. Here is what will make this market work:

1. Winning and actually contending.

2. Smart operating and business practices by management.

3. Good promotions and marketing by management.

4. Winning and actually contending.

5. Winning and actually contending.

Three to five years of consistency in those areas will build a sufficient fanbase. This may never be a rabid basketball market, but it can be good enough.