The New Orleans Hornets aren’t going anywhere — for now.
Gov. Bobby Jindal and New Orleans mayor Mitch Landrieu announced Monday the Hornets met their attendance goal in the team’s lease required to keep the franchise in New Orleans for another season.
The Hornets had to average 14,735 fans per game in for the contract clause to kick in.
“Because of the tremendous outpouring of support from this area and all across the state, the Hornets will stay right here for another year,” Jindal said in a news release. “Of course, just because we reached this important mark, doesn’t mean the Hornets won’t need us anymore.”
New Orleans (30-16) is currently riding an nine-game win streak. The average attendance in its last three games before Monday’s game against Oklahoma City has been 16,390.
After the possibility of a move had been discussed, both Jindal and Landrieu issued a challenge to Hornets fans to meet the attendance benchmark.
The Hornets Business Council raised $420,000, which comes out to 16,600 tickets.
If the attendance figure had not been met, then the team had a $10 million option to opt out of its contract, leaving it eligible to move.
“Our business community and residents have answered the call once again,” Landrieu said. “As someone who was involved in bringing the Hornets to New Orleans in 2002, I remain fully committed to doing what it takes to keep the team here for good.”
The struggle is not over by any means, though. The lease stipulates if attendance goals are not met in March 2012 or 2013 the team can terminate the contract.
“We want to thank the business council and community, our fans, sponsors and political leaders for their support, but this is just the beginning, as we all have a lot of work to do to continue to build our partnership and solidify the sustainability of all our support,” said Hornets president Hugh Weber.
The Hornets have been in financial jeopardy for months, forcing the NBA to buy the team from struggling owner George Shinn. The league bought the team for about $300 million in December.
Shinn brought the team from Charlotte, N.C., in 2002. Born as an expansion franchise in 1985, the team was competitive for much of its time in Charlotte, but support in the area disintegrated, forcing Shinn and company to move.
The team currently sits in fifth place in the Western Division, 8.5 games behind the San Antonio Spurs. The Los Angeles Lakers are in second place, while Oklahoma City is in third and the Dallas Mavericks in fourth.
The Hornets beat the Thunder, 91-89, on Monday.
 
 
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