Finally, the Charlotte Bobcats may have a taker in a naming right saga three years in the making. The Charlotte Business Journal is reporting that the Bobcats and Time Warner cable are close to a deal. Of course part of the deal would help get the Bobcats out from under possibly the worst TV contract in the history of pro sports, the hangover from the C-SET screw-up that cost the team as much $20 million.
When you also figure that the Cats have punted at least $10 million so far in lost naming rights money and are likely going to practically give the rights away to Time Warner, we are creeping up on a $35 million blunder for Mr. Cable TV Bigshot, Bob Johnson. Still, the Bobcats would benefit from moving their games to Fox Sports Network South, giving the potential for a much larger viewership.
And should the deal get done soon, Time Warner has a shot to have its name on the building — and on-air — for both the ACC basketball tourney and for NCAA East Regional Finals. That is big time exposure.
