With the NBA team’s return to its original Hornets name—and return to Charlotte following a 12 year run as the New Orleans Bobcats—retail sales of licensed merchandise for the team are up 77% so far this year over last, the team’s Peter Guelli tells The New York Times.
At Fanatics, which manages most league and team website merchandise sales, Hornets merchandise is up fivefold over last year’s Bobcats goods.