does all this really matter anywhay?

[WHAFAN]

After reading all of the points for this team, and against that team, you guys are missing ther real point. Several teams have already disappeared for the upcoming season. Tampa, South Georgia, one team from Houston ( Havoc ), so I think the bigger picture is being overlooked. If there was an owner with millions, the greatest 12 players in history, and an average of 15,000 fans per game, what's the difference? This entire league is so loosely controlled and underfunded, if every team in the millionaires division folds, where does that leave him? I need someone to explain something to me. How do people refer to the ABA as the " historical league?". All these guys are doing is using the name. There is absolutely no comparison to the original ABA. This league has no stats, no player records, no attendance records, so how are they a league to promote players to the next level? Based on what? How do teams show up from nowhere 4 weeks before a season begins and are considered a professional team? Everyone is busy with dance teams, saluting this and saluting that. Why not find owners that can pay bills, afford uniforms, afford to travel more than 12 miles, play somewhere other than high school gyms and stay in business for more than 3 months.

The ABA is nothing but a bunch of used car salesman. Kiss your ass while your looking, then wipe their hands of you when you have trouble. League fee checks are cashed one after the other. How does Newman and company put this money back into the league? What expenses does the ABA actually have? A website? Comparing this ABA to the original is like comparing the Bucktooth Nebraska Dodgers to the original Brooklyn Dodgers. Its only a name. The original is gone forever. And even that was nothing to be proud of. No fans, teams moving all over the place in the middle of the night. The old ABA had teams move, the new ABA has teams disappear into thin air every 2 weeks. Will any teams play the same amount of games this year? Will 12 teams disappear beofre December? How does the ABA bigshots help ailing franchises? Cash the check and wish them luck I guess. Apparently, if you've ever touched a basketball, and have $10,000 in your pocket, your an owner all of a sudden. Please set me straight if I'm wrong.

[psbf]

Say what you want about the league. In my view, the ABA gives cities(or otherwise) a chance at owning and rooting for a team that you could not get because of the big bucks of the NBA. I admit that mistakes are made, but I look at that as being on the owners who fail to use good judgement.
As far as Houston, they still have a team. Though they changed their name to the Undertakers(!?) instead of the Havoc.

[Fells]

I still wonder how many teams will be added the day before the season starts.

[sportsguy12]

I would like to agree that the ABA gives small communities a reason for optimim in having professional sports. However, I can't.

I think it gives them a sense of false hope. I think communities get excited about the team coming to town, support it by buying tickets and advertising then get their guts ripped out when it never comes to fruition.

Look at the Hammond Rollers in IN, their owner left Louisville with a trail of unpaid bills and who knows what else. She hadn't signed an arena lease until last week (days before the season starts) and cries about no one supporting her in Hammond. She blasts them and says she will bring in her fans from Chicago to fill the seats. Gee, I wonder if that team is going to last for more than 1 year.

How many of the ABA teams have any kind of longevity? The Philadelphia team played in the suburbs not far from me and never even finished the season.

Sure, it's cheaper to play in small towns than the big city for owners. Fans are more apt to spend their hard-earned money on something that's more affordable than the ridiculously high-priced big four sports (MLB, NBA, NHL and NFL). But all they get in return for their $$$ when the ABA folds up shop is a trail of unpaid bills and false hope.

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

My ABA preview:

http://adamblogsabout.blogspot.com/

[Sam Hill]

Look at the Hammond Rollers in IN, their owner left Louisville with a trail of unpaid bills and who knows what else.

Different owner, I think.

Stephanie Roach was the owner in Louisville. Denise Pulphus is the owner in Hammond. Roach wound up in South Georgia and what do you know? Her team isn't ready to play.

She hadn't signed an arena lease until last week (days before the season starts) and cries about no one supporting her in Hammond. She blasts them and says she will bring in her fans from Chicago to fill the seats. Gee, I wonder if that team is going to last for more than 1 year.

I think they'll last two seasons.





Fall and winter. :)

[Marshall Benjamin]

There's teams already being create for next-season, Joe's already collecting money for next-season

[BasketballUSA]

On reliable sources and as an indepedent sports writer, I dare to write that there is change in the air for the ABA. Apparently there is some big money getting involved in the league with strings attached. One string is to bring in new management and remove the old, the other string is to cut teams NOW.
Maybe, just maybe the right thing will happen. If my sources in California are correct, I and y'all will soon find out.