Bobcats Minority Owner Says Rebuild Is Tough, But Fans Still See Entertainment Value

Bobcats investor Andy Warlick understands that “few owners, fans, coaches or players like to purposely ‘rebuild’ a team,” but he has “heard nothing but positive feedback from the fans who do attend games, particularly in the entertainment value,” according to Richard Walker of the GASTON GAZETTE. Warlick said, “Nobody wants to hear it and it’s tough. It’s tough when you look at the marketing side. I can’t even imagine in my business doing this. I try to. It’s tough to say, ‘We’re going to take a step back,’ and then continue to be enthusiastic.” Warlick: “The quality control is good. Now the product needs to improve. And we’re going to work on that. But is it a fun event? Is it something you can bring your family to and have a good time? And I think we’re doing an exceptional job and I think our numbers would support that” (GASTON GAZETTE, 4/7).

ROUGH TIMES: In DC, Rick Maese wrote Bobcats Owner Michael Jordan is “the game’s greatest player,” but he has now “become one of its most curious owners, a fanatical competitor who can’t field a competitive team.” Former Bobcats head coach Sam Vincent said, “The work he put in to be a great player and the work you put in to be a great executive, those are different things. That additional time you spend on jump shots, running, dunking, I don’t know if he puts in that same amount of time as an executive or if he even cares to” (WASHINGTON POST, 4/8). In Charlotte, Scott Fowler noted he watched the Bobcats “in person for the first time in a few weeks Saturday night,” and was "struck by how far, far, far away the Bobcats are from being a legitimately good NBA team” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/9).