The Hornets have unveiled their new uniforms as part of their offseason rebranding effort away from the Bobcats. The team’s new white home and purple road jerseys have teal V-neck collars with a purple stripe. Both jerseys have the word “Hornets” on the front. The team’s alternate uniform is teal with the word “Charlotte” appearing in white with a purple background and will be used for either home or road games. Team officials said the alternate jersey pays homage to the original '88 teal uniforms. Hornets Exec VP and Chief Sales & Marketing Officer Pete Guelli said, “We wanted to incorporate the history around the Hornets and also evolve the jersey into something more fitting 12 years later." The team’s new uniform design was a collaboration between the Hornets, the NBA and Nike’s Jordan Brand division. Guelli said of using Nike to design the uniform, “Because of our owner, we have access to resources that most teams would not. It was the only direction that made sense for this project” (John Lombardo, Staff Writer).
EVERYTHING OLD IS NEW AGAIN: In Charlotte, Rachel Adams-Heard notes the new Hornets logos have “plenty of fans,” but local retail store managers claim that the original design "may have an edge with shoppers.” Guelli said the team’s merchandise is “performing extremely well” almost five months after the new logos started appearing on team gear. Still, he “acknowledges the vintage design commands plenty of loyalty.” Adams-Heard writes the popularity of the old logo is “partly the retro look of the purple and teal, partly the nationwide craze for vintage athletic gear and partly nostalgia for a beloved team” (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 6/19).
