ABA and other minor basketball leagues

[localsportsfan]

I am from St. Catharines Ontario and have just found out that St. Catharines Niagara has been awarded an ABA expansion franchise. I don't really follow Minor Pro Basketball too much and have a few questions:

1) What is the avg ABA attendance per game and what size of crowd is needed to break even?

2) Do most teams play in HS gyms, college gyms, or arenas? The team in Niagara is playing in an old 2800 seat arena which still has the old wooden bench style seats (but they do have backs on them) and has little parking. The arena does have a good PA system and is bright, warm and clean. Also because the arena is used for Hockey, a basketball floor will need to be installed for each game. Does this seem to fit the profile of other ABA teams.

3) I know the minor hockey and Baseball class system well (AAA, AA, A, rookie etc.) How do each of the minor basketball leagues rate. What league would be AAA, AA, and A. Where does the ABA fit in. I've heard one person say the ABA is like the American Hockey League or Triple A League of basketball, is this true?

Thanks for any help

[tony-o]

Well there is no classing system in basketball because there is only one league associated with the NBA, the NBA D-League. The ABA would definately not be AAA if there were a classing system. Probably A, maybe AA.

[minorleagueball]

Minor league basketball isn't organized like minor league baseball. The only minor league system with an affiliation with the NBA is the D League. The other leagues are independently operated with little or not affilation to the NBA. Keep in mind as well that many of the minor basketball leagues are also feeder systems for overseas teams.

I would say the majority of minor league basketball teams average well under a 1,000 fans per game. I have no clue why it isn't successful as minor league baseball where a rookie league team can constantly draw 2k+ fans any given night.

Many of the minor league teams play in smaller sized venues, such as juco's, local colleges, and high-schools. I think the IBL is one of the only leagues where the majority of their teams play in high school gyms, which is pretty interesting.

I know there was a thread on this earlier but if I were to rank the leagues similar to baseball's farm system it would be (Based on talent, i.e., number of players who played DI ball):

AAA-NBADL, CBA
AA- ABA, IBL, USBL
A-WBA

[minorleagueball]

anyone, anyone? Damn, hard to get any replies here unless its about slamming the ABA or talking smack about Worth Christie.

[meyes]

I spent nine years at a sports writer/editor, and 30+ as a photojournalist. I have covered most sports including basketball at all levels. That doesn't necessarily make me an expert, that just gives some background for my opinion.
I don't find the NBA game very interesting. I have never gone to an NBA game that I wasn't paid to go to. I have never found college basketball particularly interesting. I do like basketball. I have played and officiated the game.
I enjoy watching high school basketball and very much enjoy watching ABA games.
I really like defense and ABA rules reward defense and you are more likely to see good individual and team defense at ABA games.
The ABA has the 3-D rule which rewards a team which scores after making a steal in the opponent's backcourt by adding an extra point to the value of a shot made during the possession resulting from the steal.
The original league also make the 3-point shot popular. That opens up the game. Before the NBA finally adopted the trey, defenses usually just clogged the lane and didn't worry about outside shots.
I also like tha fact that ABA players play like every game is a playoff game, because, in a way, it is. Some of the ABA players are trying to show that they have the ability to play in and should get a chance to play in the NBA. Some ABA players are just trying to end their playing days by showing they still can play well. Others are just happy to be able to play a game they love and get paid to play.
These are just my opinions and I have no doubt many who might post here would disagree.
I believe ABA tickets in Canada will be about $10. Not bad to go to a game or two and see if you get value for your dollar. If that is $10 Canadian, even better.

[Pounder]

I like defense as much as the next guy. I just think 3-D is manufactured and hard to officiate. I could also argue (only on a theoretical basis, mind you) that rewarding running over skill is a long-term danger (especially on an international basis), though the NBA is already inheriting this from the colleges in spades... part of the reason IMO that the high school kids jumping in actually look better.

There's something to be said about the "playing hard" part, but I could more easily relate that to the length of the schedule than to how the league is structured. Meyes, I wonder how we'd react if league games in Europe were broadcast here, since those schedules are structured differently.

OK, back towards topic.

Baseball can define their structure the way they do for two main reasons: (1) having enough money to run 4-6 levels of player rosters, and (2) the anti-trust exemption. In reality, no other sport can match this because the government is far more likely to strip baseball's exemption than to extend the concept to other sports.

Baseball's number of home games, affiliates not being burdened with player salaries, and "tradition" means that they can afford the marketing, and know where to target it. Minor league basketball doesn't have 100 years of consistent history, and little to no REAL NBA backing (I include the D-League in this analysis), partially because the NBA has fewer incentives to do so. Heck, there's ample evidence that the NBA used the D-League to try to get control of building revenues as much as it was for actual player development, which tells me how much they really regarded the basketball. Still, the D-League is far closer to being AAA than the ABA is.