New Orleans Pelicans Will Reportedly Name Arena 'Smoothie King Center'
 

http://blackandgold.com/images/pixel.gifThirsty and living in Louisiana? The New Orleans Pelicans have the answer.

According to NBC New Orleans' Fletcher Mackel, the Pelicans' home court, New Orleans arena, is headed for a name change:

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More details were provided by WWLTV.com:

The Pelicans have called a press conference for Thursday morning. Several sources say it's to announce a naming rights sponsor for the arena.

Sources say that naming rights sponsor is believed to be Smoothie King, the Jefferson Parish company which now has more than 600 locations nationwide.

It would be the second name change surrounding the Pelicans in as many years, as the team changed its name from the Hornets last offseason.

The arena has a capacity of 18,000 people, and it was one of the few that didn't have a sponsored name. Now it's the most-interestingly named arena out there—better than the Pepsi Center in Denver, Sleep Train Arena in Sacramento and Chesapeake Energy Arena in Oklahoma City.

This latest alteration comes after the Pelicans changed their name from the "Hornets" this season. The thinking was a new name could represent a fresh start, a clean slate.

A new era of New Orleans basketball.

The Brown Pelican is also the Louisiana state bird.

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"The Pelican is a symbol for our city and region, and we're excited to start a new era in Louisiana basketball history," team owner Tom Benson said at the time, per ESPN.com. "This offseason is going to be a special time for the Pelicans."

He wasn't kidding, and another special change appears to be on the way.

Smoothie King Center just rolls off the tongue, doesn't it? Far more catchy than having to call it The Louisiana Seafood Arena Spiced by Zatarain’s.

The name also implies the Pelicans will be generously stocked with smooth yet thick, thirst-quenching blends of fruit and yogurt and sometimes ice cream from here on out.

May Anthony Davis never be parched or without slurp-able nutrition again.

Read more New Orleans Pelicans news on BleacherReport.com



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