Why Do Hornets Fans Not Hear From Michael Jordan?
In recent years, fans have become accustomed to an eerie silence from their owner Michael Jordan. I've scoured the internet and can't records of him speaking to the media specifically about the Hornets since 2014. It hasn't always been this way. In the past, Jordan would be a present figurehead, appearing in press conferences and on local TV discussing the Hornets. You could go ahead and pencil in one or two media appearances per year, about as much as the average fan would expect an owner to. So what has happened that led to a sudden stop in media appearances over the last eight years? Some suggest Jordan is embarrassed, others think he's not interested, but I have my own theory.
In 2014 social media took off. With Michael Jordan being who he is, EVERY. SINGLE. THING. he said or did suddenly became a news story. Remember when Jordan hit Malik Monk in the head? Remember when he left a game early? These two clips by themselves accrued over 8 million views on YouTube. At some point, Jordan likely realized being visible in public around the team brought more chance for negative media coverage than if he stayed in the background.
Jordan came out in 2020 in an interview with Marvin R. Shanken outlining his displeasure with social media.
“I don’t know if I could’ve survived in this Twitter [era], where you don’t have the privacy that you’d want and what seems to be very innocent can always be misinterpreted.”
Can you blame him? Remember 2017 when attending a UNC game and he misspoke with the infamous "The ceiling is the roof" quote? The majority of people (myself included) found it funny, and that saying still lives on today in the basketball world as a tongue in cheek joke. But what that did trigger was an outpouring of "Jordan Crying" memes and more headlines, neither of which Jordan asked for. No matter what Jordan does, he’s a news story and there's absolutely nothing he can do about it. Jordan's sceptical relationship with the media has been there since he was a player, and with how the news cycle has changed in 2022 it's understandable Jordan has decided to step even further back from the spotlight.
Fans should be careful to interpret Jordan's lack of public outings as being absent from the team. Owners like Mark Cuban clearly enjoy the public attention, he wants fans to see him living and breathing every minute, just like them. However, although cheering from the sideline looks great, it tells you very little about the impact of that person behind the scenes.
Jordan is still present at key events such as the NBA Draft and Free Agency, and according to Mitch Kupchak was involved in recruiting a new head coach this off-season. Off the court Jordan has made his presence felt, he was a key influencer during the "Bubble Playoffs" when the players were discussing striking over George Floyd's murder. He was also involved in the negotiation with the city for the new training facility which was approved this past summer. As Jordan has gained experience as an owner, he has likely realised this is where he can make real impact, not talking to the cameras.
The success or failure of Jordan's input can be debated, but can you imagine the scrutiny and press coverage over the past eight years if Jordan was front and present? I know some fans will want the owner to step forward to face the music, answer the hard questions. That's understandable, but that would likely also come with segments on ESPN First Take likely dragging the Franchise's name through the mud. Would that be worth it? Despite what some might say, Michael Jordan has not abandoned this franchise, he's realised his public presence only hinders and doesn't help.
During a challenging past six months filled with controversy, fans are pleading and begging for direct. However, hopefully you can now understand despite the unpopular nature of the silent treatment, it some instances it’s the best choice.
