AAPBL is done...

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

New hoops league shuts down operations
By MIKE ZIMMER
Of The Gazette Staff

AAPBL, we hardly knew you.

Three months before the inaugural season of the All-American Professional Basketball League was scheduled to open at MetraPark Arena, the league folded on Monday.

League president and CEO Worth Christie announced in a prepared statement Monday that the league is "immediately cutting all outgoing financial obligations. Therefore we have to terminate all employees immediately."

In a reply to an e-mail sent to Christie Monday by Matt Starr, the general manager of the Lincoln (Neb.) Generals, Christie had this to say in response to Starr's question about delinquent paychecks: "I can't answer anything at this time. I will know more in a few days. Right now our immediate concern is to stop all expenses from continuing to mount."

"It's disappointing … very disappointing," said Cliff Levingston, a former NBA player who was to be the Billings Rims' coach, during a phone interview with The Gazette Monday night. "I just found out today … Worth called and told me and he's going to be in Billings (today) to meet with me."

Rims general manager Mike Marcum said he spoke briefly to Christie on Monday, and that Christie basically repeated what he said in the prepared statement.

"I think it was just an over-ambitious dream that was under-funded," said Marcum.

Levingston said he got the same sentiment in his brief conversation with Christie on Monday.

"He just said he wasn't getting the financial support he needed to keep the thing going," said Levingston. "That's all I know right now. I guess I'll hear the whole story (today)."

Christie, a 62-year-old retired insurance broker from Casper, Wyo., did not return calls to The Gazette on Monday.

The league held its inaugural AAPBL Summer League last month at MetraPark Arena. The two-week tryout camp drew 128 players who paid $1,000 each for the right to take part in the camp.

It is not known whether the players will be refunded their $1,000 fee.

The league was to have 10 teams in the 2005-06 season, which was scheduled to begin in early November. Billings, Great Falls, Butte, Casper, Wyo., Minot, N.D., Mankato, Minn., Lincoln, Neb., Wichita, Kan., Topeka, Kan., and Hutchinson, Kan., were to have teams this season.

Just days before the Summer League, proposed teams in Pueblo, Colo., and Cedar Rapids, Iowa, were shut down and replaced by Minot and Hutchinson.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

You know, if these teams have $10K lying around, Joe will take them in with open arms. After all, is a deadline really a deadline if it is never enforced??

"They would fit very well into our divisional alignment, where we try to add as many teams as possible, hoping that at least a few last for the whole season..."

[BasketballCoach]

Well where does one begin on this thread? Do you bash Worth for stealing more players dreams?

Well lets start with the first one. Worth, you're an idiot. We had a conversation two months ago about having me coach one of your teams, remember? When I was told, 'we are going to put the ABA out of business and you can be a part of it. You will even get looks from coaching staffs in the NBA!', I knew you were an idiot and full of sh*t.

You have officially placed the minor-minor leagues on death row. Thanks.

[minorleagueball]

wow that was quick. I do really feel bad for the players who forked over $1000 to a crook. This guy had no plan at all for the league to suceed. My guess is he wanted the SL and then planned to bail out anyway.

[Tha Man*]

Well, I hate to say it but I called this along time ago...

Hey BP maybe you can fill us in on the reasoning behind this since you have been a big supported of the AAPBL.

[SK Fan]

Well, I hate to say it but I called this along time ago...

Hey BP maybe you can fill us in on the reasoning behind this since you have been a big supported of the AAPBL.


BP is Brad Pick, who was employed by the AAPBL. I bet he's singing a different tune today. :roll:

[SK Fan]

wow that was quick. I do really feel bad for the players who forked over $1000 to a crook. This guy had no plan at all for the league to suceed. My guess is he wanted the SL and then planned to bail out anyway.


Worth got $128,000 in cash and spent as little as possible of it on the Summer League. At least the AAPBL gave the summer league players one life lesson, there is always someone willing to take a suckers money. :shock:

Too bad other people will lose money. I bet Mr. Christie walks away not losing a dollar.

[minorleagueball]

wow that was quick. I do really feel bad for the players who forked over $1000 to a crook. This guy had no plan at all for the league to suceed. My guess is he wanted the SL and then planned to bail out anyway.


Worth got $128,000 in cash and spent as little as possible of it on the Summer League. At least the AAPBL gave the summer league players one life lesson, there is always someone willing to take a suckers money. :shock:

Too bad other people will lose money. I bet Mr. Christie walks away not losing a dollar.

I wouldn't really call the players "suckers" they are chasing a lifes dream of trying to play ball for a living. They probably didn't know the background of this guy, and there were some credible names employed by the League. Hopefully, someone will step up for the hardships Worth caused by all of this and civilly sue his ass. Worth better not have made a dime out of this.

[Bill]

He should absolutely have to refund the money to the players who forked out $1000 for this... problem is.. It's deeper than just those $$$ for some players.

In a telephone conversation on a local station..

The Wichita coach said many players had contracts to play overseas.
BUT... With the money the AAPBL was claiming they were gonna pay.. They stayed here to play in the AAPBL... Now they're out $1000... AND according the the coach it was too late to decide to play overseas this season... I don't know if that has to do with rostering rules etc etc etc...

I feel bad for the players..
As far as no pro basketball in Wichita... Who cares
We've got the Shockers and I might just be able to latch on to a ticket and go see the Jayhawks in Lawrence...

[nksports]

Somebody needs to open a criminal investigation. The nearest federal prosecutor to the AAPBL's headquarters needs to get a grand jury together before someone is on his way out of the country with about $120,000 to go stick in an off-shore bank account.

[TEN]

I talked with Mr. Christie last week...

He told me that in year one, corporate sponsorship wasn't a priority...that he was planning on 5000 fans a night to generate enough revenue to keep the league going...

Considering how many minor league teams have averaged 3000 a game (not all paid) I thought it was a longshot to say the least!

I feel bad for my friends who took jobs with the league...

[bp]

SK, you're right I am Brad Pick, and I did work for the league. I left the league in May, however. As for singing a different tune, no I'm not. The plan was good, it needed some adjustements but the problem with the plan is obvious from reading the various newspapers

And by the way, SK, since you're so quick to point out names how about you post your name?

[SK Fan]

SK, you're right I am Brad Pick, and I did work for the league. I left the league in May, however. As for singing a different tune, no I'm not. The plan was good, it needed some adjustements but the problem with the plan is obvious from reading the various newspapers

And by the way, SK, since you're so quick to point out names how about you post your name?

Brad,

If I was affiliated with a team or a league I would. But since I am not, and never pretended to be anything other than a fan, why should I? I did however, attempt to talk to you by calling the AAPBL office after one of your posts and could only get a hold of a recording. If you wish to talk to me send me a private message to let me know how to get a hold of you.

I'm happy for you that you got out before the league folded. It is too bad that others did not see the writing on the wall. Obviously here in Cedar Rapids the problem was not Koolbeck or Klucas. They obviously saw the same things you did and left the AAPBL. Minor league basketball in CR will always be a struggle because of the city's past history with it.

It is too bad that the players have probably not only lost their $1,000, but also a chance to play in other leagues since they committed to trying to play in the AAPBL.

[wncsport.com]

I talked to some friends in the WBA who were shocked that there even was a $1,000 tryout fee. Desperate players do desperate things I guess.

For the record, the WBA never charged anything close to that for tryouts. Also, the D-League only charged no higher than $175 for a tryout in Asheville.

This had red flags all over it.

I hope the players and coaches with serious game gives other, more stable leagues a serious look.

So when is BCRantzilla gonna have a page on this on rantzilla.com? 8)

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

AAPBL players waiting for news, counting on agents Worth Christie said players would not receive any refund

(PRWEB) August 11, 2005 -- Players who paid to play at the All American Professional Basketball League's inaugural summer league last month say they'll let their agents handle the question of whether they'll receive refunds if the league never comes to fruition.

Majestic Mapp, a former McDonald's All-American who tried out for the Topeka Tornado and received an invitation to its training camp, said he would defer to his agent, Barry Benzing, on the refund matter. Benzing said he had fronted Mapp the money to try out in Billings.

"Basically, he's going to be responsible for trying to salvage everything that's going on in this whole process," Mapp said.

Prospective players were supposed to pay $1,000 to try out at the summer league in Billings, Mont. Near the end of the league, each of the AAPBL's 10 teams selected players to invite to their October training camps. Players who made an opening day roster for the start of regular season play in November were supposed to earn a refund.

But last week, AAPBL founder and president Worth Christie fired every league employee by e-mail to "cut all outgoing financial expenses." Though speculation spread that the league had folded, Christie said last week that wasn't the case.

Christie said if the league did fold, he wouldn't refund players their summer league money. He said players "got everything that they contracted for," including coaching and classroom time, room and board and 11 games of league play.

Christie also said that some players hadn't paid their $1,000 fee.

"I just think the way business is being handled is kind of sad," Mapp said. "Just because, for 150 kids to come to camp and pay their money to go, and then a week after the camp is over they say the league is folded, or it may fold, or he fires people, that's not right."

Former Kansas State forward/center Travis Canby, who also tried out for the Tornado and received a training camp invite, said he was one of those who didn't pay the entire fee.

"I paid a little bit," he said. "I told the coaches there that I'm not full of money, I don't have all the money in the world to spend to get there, and they helped me out a little bit. So, the money factor for me is extremely different from other people."

Canby hasn't signed with an agent yet, but he's in talks with one based in San Francisco. He says his eventual agent will make the decision on whether to pursue a refund.

But Canby disagreed with Christie's assertion that the players got everything they contracted for.

"There was no classroom time, there was no individual time, we did no film work," he said. "I was guaranteed film work, classroom time, the whole works. I didn't receive any of it. Which is fine -- I mean, I was already tired enough, so I guess it worked out for the better.

"But some other guys that paid a thousand dollars for a camp, they didn't even get air conditioning in their rooms, which is kind of rough."

Canby said of Christie, "I can imagine people are just furious, and I'm sure he's under an extreme amount of pressure. He's going to have to make a move sooner or later, one way or another, let people know what's going on.

"I wish the best for him, and I hope he makes the right decision. He is very passionate about making this league one of the better leagues. He told us he wanted this to be the next best league under the NBA. So I hope that he can do it."

[TEN]

Referring to the above story and Majestic Mapp's agent...

I don't feel too sorry for him if he doesn't get his money back from the AAPBL...Any agent who would do any homework at all on that league would have been smart enough to not waste the time and money.

Now... What the league did is horrible. Basically taking money from people who probably couldn't afford it...

When I ran a free agent camp in the USBL ($125-$150 fee) I made sure the coaching staff identified at least four or five guys to invite to vet camp (even if the talent level might not have been there). Going to a training camp looks good on a resume and a couple of years ago we were able to get some of our guys onto rosters in the old Carolina League. Some guys worked out well for us and made the roster and are still playing pro basketball.

Worth Christie told me three days before he shut down the league that corporate sponsorship wasn't important in year one because he was expecting 5000 fans a night to show up.

Take that as you will...

[minorleagueball]

Worth Christie told me three days before he shut down the league that corporate sponsorship wasn't important in year one because he was expecting 5000 fans a night to show up.

Take that as you will...

Good point, I do feel bad for the players who got stuck paying the $1,000 summer league dues, but for anyone else who bit into the plan that the AAPBL could survive without corporate sponsorships because the plan was to draw an average 5K fans a night is just crazy.