They brought back the buzz. Now what?

The brothers are the brain power behind the “Bring Back the Buzz” campaign, a major rallying point for Charlotteans nostalgic for the city’s first big league sports program. The campaign sought to change the name of Charlotte’s NBA franchise from the Bobcats back to the Hornets. They won.

Ironically enough, neither of the two lived in Charlotte when Bring Back the Buzz began. Evan was a college student at Appalachian State. Scotty was a teacher in Greensboro.

But the success their movement had has boosted both of their careers and returned them to their hometown. Scotty landed a marketing job, and Evan is now at a sports media company.

Now they’re at a crossroads. They don’t have press credentials or any kind of exclusive access. They’re only making enough money through T-shirt sales to support their ticket giveaways, and maybe a beer here and there. They keep it going because the deeper mission hasn’t fully been addressed.

“It was started out of frustration for the lack of support the city gave it and the lack of respect the country gave it,” Scotty said. Things are better, but that’s still priority one.

Photo from Evan Kent

How it all began

Five years ago, Evan was up in Greensboro visiting his brother, and the two were watching the Bobcats in the final throes of a playoff race. The atmosphere in Time Warner Cable Arena was awful, and the brothers reminisced over the vibe at the Hive when the Hornets when in their heyday. Wouldn’t it be great, they asked, if that culture could return? And wouldn’t bringing back the Hornets name go a long way?

At the time, the Hornets name was spoken for. George Shinn had moved the team down to New Orleans a half-decade prior, bringing the logo and color scheme with him.

But things started to change, and change quickly. Shinn sold the team to the NBA. The NBA sold the team to a local owner. The new owner wanted a more authentic New Orleans name. And then the Hornets name was back on the market.

“It really went from a pipe dream to a possibility,” Evan said.

All the while, Bring Back the Buzz upped its game. Their Twitter account started to get traction, with Hornets legends like Muggsy Bogues expressing support. They organized “swarms” of fans to dress up in purple and teal, meet at a bar before the game, then go watch the Bobcats and organize “Charlotte Hornets” cheers.

At Fitzgerald’s in 2013. Facebook/Bring Back the Buzz

Facebook/Bring Back the Buzz

In summer 2013, team owner Michael Jordan announced the Bobcats would be changing their name back under the headline “The Buzz is Back.” Coincidence? No way.

Fighting for respect

They had won. But there wasn’t a specific conversation about whether to “Bring Back the Buzz” going. It was just kind of understood. Yes, the name was back, but the attitude and the enthusiasm in the city hadn’t necessarily returned.

“It would seem kind of selfish to disappear into the sunset,” Evan said.

They turned their attention to building the kind of support that the old-school Hornets once had, the kind where the team set attendance records and opening night was a black-tie affair. Evan and Scotty wanted to tap into the cultural renaissance in Charlotte of the past few years as young professionals flood in and civic pride surges.

“We want new players to come here and be shocked by how much we care,” Evan said.

Charlotte hasn’t gotten there yet, but their efforts seem to be working. On social channels, Bring Back the Buzz is growing faster now than they ever have. The Twitter account had 9,000 followers when the name change was announced. Now they’re at 16,500. They’ve become a valued source of commentary for Hornets fans and earned hundreds of followers in the minutes after new backup point guard Jeremy Lin was announced.

The brothers aren’t strictly Hornets boosters. They take a more populist view. They’re fighting a sense of complacency, both among the fan base and the team itself.

“Sucking as the Bobcats is one thing,” Scotty said. “Sucking as the Hornets is something else.”

How to get involved

This means that the tenor of events Bring Back the Buzz hosts has changed. They’ve moved from plugging the Hornets brand to focusing on the Charlotte brand at large.

The next generation of events starts Saturday with a local art showcase at Fitzgerald’s. See the Facebook event and RSVP here. Good Bottle Co. will be giving out freebies and the TVs will be tuned to the Hornets away game versus the Spurs.

Local artists in attendance:

• Andy Rocco
• Diebolt Designs (His art will be in attendance)
• OB Cornholes
• J. Brown Originals
• NeerPerfection
• 1FliArtist
• Shenice Scott

Festivities begin at 6:30 p.m.

Connect with Bring Back the Buzz

Website
Facebook
Twitter
Instagram