Hornets will accept NBA loan

**garnett_21** · 04-09-2009, 02:40 PM

NEW ORLEANS (AP)—The Hornets have decided to take advantage of an NBA loan program despite having by far their best season at the ticket office since moving to New Orleans in 2002.

“We accepted the loan that the NBA made available to all its teams to keep our options open in case these funds are needed in the future,” Hornets President Hugh Weber said in a statement sent by e-mail Thursday to The Associated Press.

The Hornets have sold out 22 games this season, smashing the previous high of 13 sellouts last season, the Hornets’ first in New Orleans full-time since Hurricane Katrina. Average attendance this season is 16,977, and the official sellout figure for the New Orleans Arena for Hornets games is 17,188.

Led by the All-Star tandem of Chris Paul and David West, the Hornets also have made the playoffs for a second-straight season, which will further enhance the club’s bottom line.

“We are experiencing unprecedented success in ticket sales and sponsorships and by no means was this loan acquired to subsidize our daily operating expenses,” Weber said.

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I know there was talk about them possibly moving away from New Orleans if they didn't average a set amount of fans per game...I believe the figure was 15,000 or so, so they have averaged that this year....hope they don't go belly-up! Hard to fathom an NBA franchise going under, but nothing is out of the realm of possibility.