The Hurricanes "have approached" the Hornets regarding
a future TV and marketing alliance, according to Rick
Bonnell of the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, who writes that the
Hurricanes "are dissatisfied" with their current TV deal and
"want an alternative" to FSN South (FSNS) and Home Team
Sports (HTS). Dean Jordan, President of the Hurricanes'
parent company, Gale Force Holdings, said that the team has
"been talking with the Hornets for several months." Jordan,
on the team's TV deals which calls for 40 televised games
per season: "Obviously from our perspective, we've got a
pretty lousy TV arrangement." Jordan, on joining the
Hornets on an RSN: "If you look at the North Carolina
market, that's over 3 million cable homes. You'd think
that's a pretty good opportunity. Our regional sports
programming comes out of Washington or Atlanta. You'd think
you could survive on your own." Bonnell adds that while the
Hornets have "flirted" with the RSN idea, they are "tied" to
two long-term TV deals, and "say they're happy with their
partners" FSNS and WAXN-Pax (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/20).
