Is the ABA History Again?
The Premier Basketball League announced today that the Vermont Frost Heaves and Manchester Millrats have left the American Basketball Association and will join the PBL for the 2008-2009 season. Reliable sources who spoke on the condition of anonymity have said Quebec City Kebekwa and Montreal Royals will also leave the ABA with that announcement to be made on Monday. Other sources are reporting the mass exodus will continue as the Texas Tycoons are set to leave the ABA with Tycoons owner Charles Key taking over operations of the Dallas Defenders.
These are moves that have been anticipated for many weeks as the solid ABA teams have grown weary of the leagues instability. Last year, 36 percent of the leagues games were played with 17 teams folding over the course of the season, including Halifax Rainmen who folded despite the fact they had qualified for the playoffs.
PBL President and CEO Thomas E. Doyle said in a news release, We receive a tremendous number of inquires and applications and are excited to welcome these solid organizations which will be great compliments to our current ownership groups,’
Just about everyone I have spoken with has said the instability of the ABA is going to be the reason for its downfall. Frost Heaves owner Alex Wolff said about his decision, When the season ended, we started to look at other opportunities, those being the CBA and the PBL. We needed to be with a league we could count on, and our loyal fans deserve better. Wolff also cited the Blizzard game and said he expects the level of competition to be much stronger in the PBL and there will be the revival of some old rivalries. Wolff said, We had a great run in the ABA with two titles, and we loved the tradition of the ABA, but we will also be able to continue some great rivalries with Rochester, Maryland and Wilmington.
Manchester Millrats GM Ian McCarthy said of the Millrats move to the PBL, We know what the ABA has not been able to deliver and we see this as a great opportunity for the franchise and our fans. McCarthy also responded to rumors that the PBL actively recruited the Millrats by saying, The PBL did not recruit us. At the end of the season we went to them (PBL) and the CBA because we needed to find a place that was more stable and has a better business model. The PBL has quite a few financial incentives as well where they pay for travel and officials.
In response to the departure of Vermont and Manchester, CEO Joe Newman said, We respect their decision and wish them well. Today, the ABA is bigger, stronger and more focused on the tremendous opportunity ahead. The 2008-2009 season will be a remarkable sign of growth for the ABA.
When asked how the defections of Vermont, et al will affect the ABA, in an e-mail message, ABA President and Chief Operating Officer Quinton Townsend said, The ABA is now entering its seventh year since its return. The ABA is bigger, stronger, and more focused on the tremendous opportunity ahead. The 2008-2009 season will be a remarkable sign of growth for the ABA as key adjustments are being made to solidify and secure a proper foundation that is both marketable and profitable. There will be several announcements over the next few weeks regarding new expansion teams, ABA regulations, and league scheduling.
I think the big question is whether or not the ABA can survive. The ABA has seen 185 teams (Including Manchester, Vermont, Montreal Royals and Quebec) depart the league since its rebirth in 2000-2001. There have been scandals where coaches have been fired during a timeout; the mysterious case of the Hawaii owner who sold season tickets and took off with the deposits, and who can forget the eight teams who left the league during the playoffs? Did I mention these teams had qualified for the playoffs?
The ABA needs to become more stable and they need to do it quickly. CEO Newman has previously stated new teams will be required to post a $30,000 entrance fee and prove a line of credit. On paper this is a good step, but according to sources, Newman is not collecting any of those fees and is allowing teams into the league at no cost. There have also been allegations Newman is intentionally putting teams into PBL and CBA markets to try and taint their respective leagues. These are things that have helped in ruining the reputation of the ABA.
Overall, this is a coup for the PBL and a blow to the ABA. The PBL……
Full article at http://www.usbasket.com/pbl/pbl.asp
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