How the Mighty have fallen

[sportsfan27]

The former managing partner of the Calgary Drillers, owner of the St. Catharines DareDevils and ABA employee Al Howell who fled Canada ahead of supposed warrents for his arrest, now resides in the bowels of the almost closed Miami Arena in a converted locker room. If there was ever a guy who got what he deserved. AHHHHHHH sweet revenge! Now if three or four more previous owners of various sports joined him in his new found glory I would truly beleive in Karma. :grin:

[justbballin]

That is a shame, but it is time that the owners get a taste of what us players go through. I can give you countless examples of how the ABA league treated us. It is the players that make the league!

[bectond]

On the surface it seems as if the ABA is a league where former HS, JC, D2 and D3 guys can try out for a local team, develop a reputation and then hopefully move on to the CBA but with the same pay scale as the CBA. Besides what we all know are problems the ABA has-that some owners run out of money before the season ends and they can't pay players salaries and some don't provide worker comp and disablity insurance how are the players treated worst in the ABA then any of the other respected leagues (CBA, USBL)

[nksports]

the ABA has-that some owners run out of money before the season ends and they can't pay players salaries

Run out of money before the season ends? They have owners run out of money before the season begins.

[justbballin]

Money is not a pre-requisite for a team in the ABA, some of the team owners get their franchises for free. There is no parity, just what Joe wants to do. Some pay and some don't.

[sportsfan27]

There are countless cases of "owners" thinking that they can drop a team in any location with a basketball floor run it on a shoestring budget, and when the gate begins to produce a windfall, sell the team to the next guy for a fortune.
The problem with this thinking.......well there are countless things wrong with this thinking, but the top 5 thing are:


The team needs the greatest marketing and PR push from the moment the team arrives throughout the season. The problem is there are no revenues generated until the team begins play, and sometimes even after that the dollars are scarse.

Every dollar brought in needs to be reinvested into the product

Corporate dollars dont come in until the 2nd season when you've established that you have an entity that will support attendance and shows a benifit to the sponsors.

You get what you pay for in an employee. Minor league sports teams are the greatest employeer of new graduates. Hire some seasoned sales people who have ties in the community ,who know the corporate decission makers who could put some dollers into the team.

Have an owner who isn't working on someone elses dime.

[justbballin]

You would make an excellent GM in the ABA. You are right on target. But everyone is chasing a dream. No experience necessary, no money necessary, just be a minority and you get a team.

[sportsfan27]

Been there done that. I said what i said out of experience. I worked for 3 minor league sport franchises and was privy to the inner workings of about a dozen others. Everything, with very few exceptions, is built with smoke and mirrors, all these big shot "owners" try to build this pie in the sky ideal with other peoples money and when things get difficult they run off to another city or sport leaving the real hard workers; the players, the staff, the vendors and the venues to scratch their heads wondering what happened. While somewhere else the the "owner" is trying the same crap in another unsuspecting town. If you are familier with the NIFL and the problems that HP Patterson has been causing would it suprise you to know that he had been granted 6 ABA franchises?!? (According to him directly.)

Support your team, enjoy the sport, embrace the players, but never, never, never trust an owner with a long term commitment of your money!!!!!!!! Never buy season tickets. Buy one game at a time. Never pay for merchandise with a promise of a later delivery, Never commit your business with dollers or expectations of later payments. Never expect the team to be a long term commitment. Its not worth the hassle.

I could tell you stories that would make you scratch your head in bemusement.

[WHAFAN]

Scott. I have had enough of you to last me a lifetime. You are a miserable person.
Do me a favor. Write to David Stern and ask him to send you a list of all of the NBA teams and their insurance plans. Then, ask him about any single person in the NBA.

And, do you know what his answer will be? None. Because he will know you are an absolute jerk. And unlike me, he's smart enough to ignore you. There are no members of my family on the ABA payroll. And just like everything else you write - it is fabricated nonsense. Punk.
Joe Newman
ABA CEO


Real professional of him huh?? Any time I ask a question concerning the operations of the ABA, he calls me names, and avoids answering me at all cost. Just like the teams in his "league" avoid paying their bills !

[bectond]

You would make an excellent GM in the ABA. You are right on target. But everyone is chasing a dream. No experience necessary, no money necessary, just be a minority and you get a team.

Funny you say that, the CBA is 100% minority now and i'm pulling for all those owners to make it as they take on the robber baron NBA, even if I disagree with their post isiah approach to doing business.

[justbballin]

Funny you say that, the CBA is 100% minority now and i'm pulling for all those owners to make it as they take on the robber baron NBA, even if I disagree with their post isiah approach to doing business.

I agree with you. I am pulling for the minorities that are professionals. And the CBA will give them that opportunity. It is a real professional league. That league never seems to want to quit. It will probably be better than ever.

I meant be an "unsuspecting" minority in the ABA, and you get a team. You don't need money. The Commissioner can state as he did with Hammond: "Anyone can on a team, even if you grew up in the projects".

[albert]

Sportsfan27 (shawn thornberg) Interesting you speak with such authority! you were a part of three failed franchises and fired for selling stolen comp tickets outside the teams building.

[bectond]

Sportsfan27 (shawn thornberg) Interesting you speak with such authority! you were a part of three failed franchises and fired for selling stolen comp tickets outside the teams building.

Albert, when you post you always come out swinging.

[sportsfan27]

I think you need to get your facts right before you throw mud.

1. Was not fired for selling comps, in fact was not fired at all.

2. Two of the three teams I worked for are still around and have been successful in both standings and attendance

3. Not trying to sound authoritative. Just stating opinion.

4. you spelled the name wrong.