USBL in 2006

[HAC]

Will the USBL return in 2006? Just curious what some of you might think.

League went from 11 to 8 teams this season, and two teams are being run by the league (Oklahoma and Pennsylvania).

I read that Pennsylvania had 150 for its opener, and Kansas' numbers are down. The walkup for a Saturday game was less than 200, and I doubt it was much better for the other two home games.

Talent level is definitely down across the board. That will likely improve somewhat as the season goes, but the opening rosters are the weakest I've seen.

[Tha Man*]

I knew that Penn & OK were league run teams, but I also thoguth Brooklyn, and NJ were also being run by the League. Also I heard a rumor that the Wildfire were up for sale due to the owner buying into a NBA franchise. If that is all true then you only have 3 teams paying dues and helping run the League. If thats the case I would say 2006 would be a stretch and and getting through 2005 will be interesting also, especially since the USBL tournament has not been awarded yet.

[not so fast]

The only way any of these leagues are going to stay a float is to regionalize there entire season, eliminate all of these travel costs, pay the players enough and let them get there own housing, which is what minorleague baseball does, and get rid of that headache for the teams.

The USBL should be run in a region of about four states, so all travel is done by bus or mini vans. Same for the WBA, and the IBL. otherwise, I can't see them surviving.

[wncsport.com]

Seriously, are there any viable semipro basketball leagues out there?

I have been an advocate for a semipro league that plays 4 man basketball (www.4manbasketball.com) and if it was wildly successful for a few years, THEN work on making in "minor league" level.

The NAFL is feast or famine for sure with its teams, but it is by far the best semipro football league out there.

I have looked before and see no such organization for semi-pro basketball leagues.

Seems to me that it would be a better effort to have regionalized, well-run semipro basketball leagues, especially in the summer.

[HAC]

I knew that Penn & OK were league run teams, but I also thoguth Brooklyn, and NJ were also being run by the League. Also I heard a rumor that the Wildfire were up for sale due to the owner buying into a NBA franchise. If that is all true then you only have 3 teams paying dues and helping run the League. If thats the case I would say 2006 would be a stretch and and getting through 2005 will be interesting also, especially since the USBL tournament has not been awarded yet.

I've heard Westchester is campaigning for the USBL tournament, so you would think if they're trying to sell the team the last headache they'd want is the tournament.

I'm pretty sure Brooklyn is OK, supposedly Curtis Martin (Jets) puts up some money for the team and many of their players live at home.

My guess is that NJ is one and done, no matter who's footing the bills right now.

[wazzie]

I know this is going to sound bad, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the USBL disband and the teams left (DC, Kearney, Westchester) are put in either ABA or AAPBL (if that even lasts). It could be a difficult off-season for the league.

[HAC]

I know this is going to sound bad, but I wouldn't be surprised to see the USBL disband and the teams left (DC, Kearney, Westchester) are put in either ABA or AAPBL (if that even lasts). It could be a difficult off-season for the league.

If the league disbands, I'm guessing the teams wouldn't go anywhere.

Some owners would breathe a huge sigh of relief. They could just say "the league folded" and bow out gracefully.

[toad8098]

Well if the USBL does fold after this season, it's possible that none of the teams will join a different league.

Why?

Brooklyn - poor ownership and is lucky to attract 100 people.
Oklahoma City, Pennsylvania, New Jersey - all run by the USBL, if league folds so do these teams.
Westchester - up for sale.
Kansas - just changed ownership and I doubt they'd move to a different league.
Nebraksa - new ownership, may just take what they have and fold.
Dodge City - strongest ownership, but in a small town. Not sure if another league would want them.
Brevard - rumored to return in 2006. The NBDL & ABA have teams in that area. CBA is mostly midwest & northwest.


I don't think the USBL will fold. Brevard should be returning next year plus one or two expansion teams. Add Dodge City, Kansas, Nebraska & Brooklyn. Those four currently have owners. That would make 7 teams. The USBL would take ownership of another team to keep the league at 8. The USBL will still be here come 2006.

[HAC]

1) Kansas has not recently changed ownership.

2) And none of these teams would be silly enough to move to another league because they're only in this one because the games are in the summer. Salina tried the winter ball route and it was a disaster.



Well if the USBL does fold after this season, it's possible that none of the teams will join a different league.

Why?

Brooklyn - poor ownership and is lucky to attract 100 people.
Oklahoma City, Pennsylvania, New Jersey - all run by the USBL, if league folds so do these teams.
Westchester - up for sale.
Kansas - just changed ownership and I doubt they'd move to a different league.
Nebraksa - new ownership, may just take what they have and fold.
Dodge City - strongest ownership, but in a small town. Not sure if another league would want them.
Brevard - rumored to return in 2006. The NBDL & ABA have teams in that area. CBA is mostly midwest & northwest.


I don't think the USBL will fold. Brevard should be returning next year plus one or two expansion teams. Add Dodge City, Kansas, Nebraska & Brooklyn. Those four currently have owners. That would make 7 teams. The USBL would take ownership of another team to keep the league at 8. The USBL will still be here come 2006.

[hoop1]

First, I don't see the USBL folding. The league has been through much, but somehow manages to tip-off every year. And unlike the ABA and other leagues it manages to finish the season intact.

8 to 12 teams is a good sized USBL. With competition from the IBL and WBA, the USBL should market itself to the midwest and northeast. I am not sure that the WBA will survive past this season, and the IBL should be interesting to see how they do this year.

As for the teams joining another league during the traditional season, forget it. In the midwest-OK, Dodge, KS, and NB-they are all HS and small college basketball areas. Plus, Kearney has the minor league hockey. There is no track record for the AABPL. And the ABA has been a disaster waiting to happen each and every season since it's reincarnation.

[Houston Caldwell]

Seems to have the most teams doing well out of the spring leagues; this may be what the ABA could have been with a lot better screening of ownership groups; a nice , ungrandiose minor league focused on keeping cost down and playing a high-possession brand of basketball. There are a bunch of IBL cities where the approach seems to be working.
The WBA seems to be trying to be a lower-case NBDL, and seems to have SLIPPED from last year, where it had a Rimrocker-style marquee franchise in Jackson,MS that is now gone. They are also expanding using groups that have "shown their stuff" in the ABA- and that's not a positive. The best reported crowd for a WBA home opener was 1500 in Biloxi, and there's some 300-350 opener crowds in there.
The USBL can afford to own a bunch of teams because their fees are like confiscatory tax rates. But you've still got to get fans.
The IBL may have playing rosters with the weakest college pedigrees, but I think the fast-paced style and low budgets are working for them.

[wazzie]

Hoop1,

I think you have good points except for one. I really think that if the USBL did disband, I think the DC and OKlahoma teams would be ok to go to anopther league. In fact, I think they would do better, especially if they play in the winter.

[HAC]

Hoop1,

I think you have good points except for one. I really think that if the USBL did disband, I think the DC and OKlahoma teams would be ok to go to anopther league. In fact, I think they would do better, especially if they play in the winter.

With solid college teams at Oklahoma, OSU and Tulsa isn't bad, I just don't think a minor league team would fly in OK during the traditional basketball season.

IMO, part of the attraction of the USBL for fans is that the weather is nice, which also allows the Midwest teams to drive to their division games. Throw some crappy weather into the mix and fans are hesitant to leave and if some team was unable to make it to a game and had to forfeit or postpone, that's not a good deal.

[Tha Man*]

It wouldn't be any different than the old IBA. They use to drive to all of there game during the traditional season in the winter months. But I would have to agree the turn out may not be ideal.

[wazzie]

Ok, I agree with the OK teams but in DC, they have HS and JuCo and that is it. I think it wouldn't be bad at all and attendance would be up IMO

[SK Fan]

Will the USBL return in 2006? Just curious what some of you might think.

League went from 11 to 8 teams this season, and two teams are being run by the league (Oklahoma and Pennsylvania).

I read that Pennsylvania had 150 for its opener, and Kansas' numbers are down. The walkup for a Saturday game was less than 200, and I doubt it was much better for the other two home games.

Talent level is definitely down across the board. That will likely improve somewhat as the season goes, but the opening rosters are the weakest I've seen.


HAC,

If you listen to Krinsky the USBL is going to expand and will have four divisions next year, or in the very near future. He says he has a stack of applications for expansion, plus he states he has papers signed with Cedar Rapids to return in 2006.

Now, want to hear what's real? Four teams are being financed by the league, while Kansas hangs on by a thread. That leaves three teams in decent shape. One of those, Kearney, still has the wool over their eyes, so when the USBL screws them they will hit the road. Those stacks of applications for expansion are really bills piling up. Talent is down. Everyone involved will admit that. Cedar Rapids will NOT return in 2006, or ever to the USBL. Krinsky can say he has something signed, but those of us here in CR know never to believe anything the USBL officials say. The USBL announced a financial settlement between St Louis and CR. That was a LIE. They also announced St. Louis coach Irons was suspended for the season. We all know it ended up being two games.

The USBL will continue to survive, only because they keep finding suckers to buy a franchise. Swampland has better value than the USBL.