Charlotte Bobcats Love You You Long Time 5 Dora
Bobcats phone book number leads to adult chat line
Phone call for tickets gives caller something altogether different
CELESTE SMITH
Staff Writer
Charlotte Bobcats and BellSouth officials are trying to figure out how an incorrect telephone number -- which refers callers to an adult chat line rather than information on buying tickets -- wound up in local phone books.
The correct number, (800) 4NBA-TIX, is an official NBA number started by the league three years ago, according to NBA spokesman Tim Frank. Callers in any city can use it to purchase single-game tickets.
It's the same number that ran in the 2002-03 BellSouth White Pages, back when the city had the Charlotte Hornets.
But the number in this year's BellSouth book released in September -- as well as last year's 2003-04 book -- lists a toll-free number that's different from the official NBA one.
BellSouth and Bobcats officials said they learned of the glitch Thursday.
"We certainly apologize to any of our fans who have been inconvenienced by this," said Chris Weiller, Charlotte Bobcats executive vice president of corporate affairs.
Weiller said the organization would like to work with the carrier of the incorrect number, and have that number rerouted to the Bobcats' direct line for tickets and other information: (704) BOBCATS.
It's unclear what happened. Clifton Metcalf, a BellSouth spokesman, said the company followed its usual procedures with the Bobcats. Customers with ad listings are contacted each year and asked if they want to rerun an ad. BellSouth also reminds customers to look at the ad -- giving them the page number -- in case they want to make changes, Metcalf said.
The Bobcats "choose what number to put in an ad," Metcalf said.
"We're trying to work with them on our end to see what happened and see if there's anything we can assist in addressing this," Metcalf said.
Weiller said the Bobcats didn't review the ad for this year's phone book, but said "there's some question as to the approval in which they received on the ad."
Weiller didn't elaborate.
Weiller also said the wrong number could have gone unnoticed until now because of personnel changes over the past year.
Phone call for tickets gives caller something altogether different
CELESTE SMITH
Staff Writer
Charlotte Bobcats and BellSouth officials are trying to figure out how an incorrect telephone number -- which refers callers to an adult chat line rather than information on buying tickets -- wound up in local phone books.
The correct number, (800) 4NBA-TIX, is an official NBA number started by the league three years ago, according to NBA spokesman Tim Frank. Callers in any city can use it to purchase single-game tickets.
It's the same number that ran in the 2002-03 BellSouth White Pages, back when the city had the Charlotte Hornets.
But the number in this year's BellSouth book released in September -- as well as last year's 2003-04 book -- lists a toll-free number that's different from the official NBA one.
BellSouth and Bobcats officials said they learned of the glitch Thursday.
"We certainly apologize to any of our fans who have been inconvenienced by this," said Chris Weiller, Charlotte Bobcats executive vice president of corporate affairs.
Weiller said the organization would like to work with the carrier of the incorrect number, and have that number rerouted to the Bobcats' direct line for tickets and other information: (704) BOBCATS.
It's unclear what happened. Clifton Metcalf, a BellSouth spokesman, said the company followed its usual procedures with the Bobcats. Customers with ad listings are contacted each year and asked if they want to rerun an ad. BellSouth also reminds customers to look at the ad -- giving them the page number -- in case they want to make changes, Metcalf said.
The Bobcats "choose what number to put in an ad," Metcalf said.
"We're trying to work with them on our end to see what happened and see if there's anything we can assist in addressing this," Metcalf said.
Weiller said the Bobcats didn't review the ad for this year's phone book, but said "there's some question as to the approval in which they received on the ad."
Weiller didn't elaborate.
Weiller also said the wrong number could have gone unnoticed until now because of personnel changes over the past year.