Bobcats and Hurricanes may swap arenas for a day

According to the Raleigh News & Observer's Chip Williams, the Bobcats and the Carolina Hurricanes are in serious discussions to trade cities for a day to drum up more interest in both franchises by reaching different parts of the state.

Though nothing is finalized yet, the plans would be this:

In an effort to generate more interest for the two teams in the state's two biggest markets, the Hurricanes would play the Atlanta Thrashers at Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte and the Bobcats would play the Miami Heat at the RBC Center.

The tentative dates are Sept. 25 for the NHL game in Charlotte and Oct. 19 for the NBA game in Raleigh. But uncertainty surrounding the NBA's collective bargaining agreement, which expires June 30, and the Thrashers' ownership could become a factor in the two games being played.

This may sound familiar, no?

That's probably because Rufus on Fire's own David Arnott advocated this very idea on multiple occasions.

Personally, I too think it's a great idea. The Bobcats need to try to tap other markets in the state. Though they've traveled to other cities in the Carolinas for preseason exhibition games, it's never been in cities as big as this. Last year, the Bobcats played in Fayetteville, NC and in Columbia, SC.

And though I don't pay nearly as much attention to the Hurricanes (I wish I did), I'm sure they'd like to branch out and try to grab at least some viewers from Charlotte, especially with a decent hockey fanbase coming around with the Charlotte Checkers in the AHL playoffs.

This should be interesting to watch, with plans not finalized due to CBA unknowns, but I don't know why the NBA wouldn't want this to happen. I just wish the team was better so that they'd bring in more people in Raleigh.