I grew up just outside of Charlotte and for years, we didn’t have any major sports teams. So, a lot of people latched on to neighboring teams like the Redskins or even just teams with a winning reputation like the Cowboys and Steelers. In the NBA, it was usually the Bulls because of Michael Jordan and his ties to North Carolina.
I remember when Charlotte was awarded the Hornets. I was very young, but I still remember it. It was a very big deal at the time and I remember people being so proud of it.