If Hornets want to become Pelicans, Stern will expedite process

The NBA is a massive, global marketing machine. So if a team wants to change its name — or even its color and logo, as the Nets did this year — it is an entire process that includes approvals. For a name change, the other owners have to approve it. It takes years.

But if the New Orleans Hornets want to become the New Orleans Pelicans — which is the report out there — David Stern is good with that. He’ll even help speed process along.

That’s what he said to the media in New Orleans Wednesday, as reported by Hoopsworld.

“My guess is that there’s going to be some sort of formal application in the next couple of months and we’ll see where it goes from there. … There are lots of things that have to be filed. In fact, I do know that the Hornets filed to protect five names, trademark protection. They have to apply to us, they have to pay certain fees, there’s a timing schedule, but I think the Hornets may have a friend in the league office that may help expedite the process when they decide on a name. I don’t remember his name, but I’m pretty sure it’ll happen faster than those big old meanies at the NBA say it’ll happen.”

It is possible — frankly it would be smart — that the Pelicans name was leaked as a trial balloon, and if so the reaction has not been positive. Most of the nation was simply just confused by a team taking a menacing name and trading it for a mascot that only menaces small fish that swim near the ocean’s surface. But at least the pelican is something local and associated with New Orleans.

Except the reaction in New Orleans apparently was only slightly better, at least that’s what the Times-Picayune reports.

Based on recent Twitter activity, a high percentage of Hornets fans apparently are not in favor of Pelicans as the team’s nickname. A large percentage have suggested such names as Krewe, Brass, Jesters and Revelers. Some tweeted that it should stay the Hornets.

Krewe is the people that organize and are the dancers in the Mardi Gras parade in New Orleans.

So maybe Pelicans never makes it through. Maybe the Pelican name will be scooped up. But it sounds like whatever name owner Tom Benson and the franchise settles on, David Stern will help them speed the change along.