Most of the playoff places are now decided but there are still a few available as the Franchise teams are fighting it out to get the final places in the playoff picture and to grip onto their dreams of reaching the Championship Finals. As the franchises battle it out for the places in the playoffs many of the Franchise teams have a battle with their own financial structure, with the players wage bill and contract arrangements ever growing most of the Franchise teams find it tough to make a profit in the present financial difficulties. In this written piece we will have look into the New Orleans Hornets, a team with a short history but huge fan interest across the area. Quite a few of the present Franchise teams are originated with huge financial backing when the Franchise For Sale opportunity was obtainable to prospective investors. This has turn out to be more significant in the present financial market as the Franchise For Sale opportunity are much more tough to negotiate and find in the sporting field. Many of the dependable investors are keeping hold of their investments during this financial time and are waiting for an upturn in the global markets. Throughout this time investors will be handling their Franchise teams as a Home Based Franchise, which tells us that they are cutting down costs and only using what they need to make a profit. A Home Based Franchise takes huge pride in not having a large amount of expenditure and so using the Franchise teams expertise to make a major profit. The present Franchise teams are using this tactic, as they do not want a Franchise For Sale sign put up at their home stadium. Throughout many of the Franchise teams stories there has been major amendments, in investors, squad players and finances as this New Orleans Hornets article will illustrate.

Hopes and emotions were tall for the New Orleans Hornets as the franchise started its first season in New Orleans, selected among the favourites going into training camp to compete for the Eastern Conference title.

Opening night at the New Orleans Arena was a fairy-tale opener to the season. The Hornets played the former New Orleans professional franchise, the Utah Jazz, and won 100-75. That win sparked the New Orleans Hornets 11-0 opening at home, the best in team history. But once again the injury bug stung the Hornets through the season.

Jamal Mashburn came back to good health and had a career-year after a campaign beset with injury and illness. He played in all 82 regular-season games and was picked to the All-Star squad, both firsts for his career. He also led the New Orleans Hornets in scoring (21.6 ppg) and was second in assists (5.6 apg).

The New Orleans Hornets concluded the regular season as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference and tackled Allen Iverson and the fourth-seeded Philadelphia 76ers in the first-round of the playoffs. It was a hard battle for the two club but the Hornets ultimately fell in six games, ending their playoff run.

In the 2004 New Orleans Hornets campaign the injury bug came back, although the team secured the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference for the second year in a row. Only time will tell what rewards will be reaped for the hard work the Hornets have put in this year.