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Charlotte Hornets to host NBA All-Star Game in 2019

By Jerry Stephens

Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chairman, Charlotte Hornets Michael Jordan (R) holds a jersey as Chairman of the board, MLSE Larry Tanenbaum (L) looks on during a stoppage in play in the second half during the NBA All Star Game between the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 14, 2016; Toronto, Ontario, CAN; Chairman, Charlotte Hornets Michael Jordan (R) holds a jersey as Chairman of the board, MLSE Larry Tanenbaum (L) looks on during a stoppage in play in the second half during the NBA All Star Game between the Western Conference and the Eastern Conference at Air Canada Centre. Mandatory Credit: Peter Llewellyn-USA TODAY Sports /
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After losing the NBA All-Star Game in 2017, the Charlotte Hornets are getting a second chance as they are set to host the game in 2019.

The NBA has announced that the Queen City and the Charlotte Hornets will host the 2019 NBA All-Star Game. Rick Bonnell of the Charlotte Observer originally broke the news and also reported that All-Star Weekend will take place from February 15th to February 17th. After what has now been a couple years of negotiations, Adam Silver and the league has deemed Charlotte as a viable host.

The 2017 event was moved because of the controversial HB2 law. The NBA commissioner recently said that “we believe the recent legislation eliminates the most egregious aspects of the prior law.” The league has worked tirelessly with the city of Charlotte to find a resolution that would allow All-Star Weekend to take place in the Queen City. It took a while but it seems as if both sides are now satisfied.

The Hornets and the city of Charlotte will host the NBA All-Star Game for the first time since 1991. After a 28-year absence, the organization will have the opportunity and honor to host the prestigious event.

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Since the 1991 game in the Queen City, multiple cities have hosted the All-Star game more than once including Orlando (2), Phoenix (2), New York (2), Los Angeles (3), Houston (2) and New Orleans (3). In reality, the ASG coming back to Charlotte is probably long overdue. To put into perspective, the last time the game was in Charlotte, Kendall Gill was in his rookie season with the Hornets.

Once the 2017 game was moved to New Orleans, it was always a possibility that the NBA would award the 2019 game back to Charlotte. Although, the league was going to make sure that a few necessary steps were taken before doing so. With this announcement, it looks like the NBA’s needs were met.

Hornets’ owner, Michael Jordan, said that “We are thrilled the league has awarded NBA All-Star 2019 to the city of Charlotte.” He also mentioned that “We look forward to serving as hosts for NBA All-Star 2019 and welcoming all visitors to Spectrum Center.” (Twitter/ @Hornets)

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This will be a great opportunity for not only Charlotte but also for the Hornets as this should be a huge boost to their brand. The team has made significant improvements to their arena over the past couple of years in preparation for the All-Star event. The Queen City has also made strides in transportation and other renovations in uptown over the last few years which should only help make the experience better for fans.

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