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The Hornets' mascot and other team reps are "cruising around the Charlotte area in branded vans on the lookout for homes with basketball hoops in their driveways, and will hand out about 1,000" purple nets, according to Andrew Adam Newman of the N.Y. TIMES. Those who "attach the nets to their hoops, and who post a photo of it to social media using the hashtag #BuzzCity, will be eligible to win prizes including tickets to games." Charlotte-based BooneOakley is behind the campaign, which "includes television, radio and newspaper advertising." A new TV commercial "equates the return of the Hornets name to a major comeback on the court." The ad concludes with the campaign's slogan, "The home team is finally home," which also is "emblazoned on buses that will be fully wrapped in the team’s colors, and on billboards." Hornets Exec VP and Chief Sales & Marketing Manager Pete Guelli said that fan response to the team's rebranding "had been profound." He added that merchandise sales are up 77% over this time last year, and that
sales of new season tickets "were second in the NBA"
to the Cavaliers. Newman notes the Hornets have added 30 new corporate sponsors, "including Mercedes-Benz and McDonald’s." Fanatics President of Merchandising Jack Boyle said that sales of Hornets merchandise this year "had increased fivefold over sales of Bobcats merchandise last year" (N.Y. TIMES, 11/4).
