ABA expanding to MINOT???

[JAKMAN]

From the ABA Web Site:

GET YOUR COATS, HATS AND GLOVES.
ABA ANNOUNCES 10TH EXPANSION TEAM - MINOT, ND

Indianapolis, IN. (March 22) Joe Newman, ABA Co-Founder, today announced the 10th expansion team for the rapidly growing professional basketball league - the Minot City Freeze - in Minot, North Dakota. According to Newman, "Quite frankly, we deliberated whether we should add a team in Minot; it is kind of remote from our other teams and it is very cold there. But, after talking with the ownership group and city leaders, and seeing their genuine excitement and enthusiasm - and their unique business plan - we felt that this could be an outstanding member of the ABA. We are thrilled and proud to have the Minot City Freeze in the league."

Timmy Gibbs, former GM and Head Coach of the ABA's Tijuana Diablos, will be teaming with Universal Sports Group, LLC, a Minot-based company, as majority owners. Gibbs stated, "I've fulfilled my dreams as a GM, Head Coach and player. Now I'm looking forward to the task of team owner. The ABA is a great league and we're excited about the opportunity to be a part of something so promising. We think the city of Minot will enjoy the high-flying fast-paced style the ABA brings."

Gibbs graduated from Weber State University in Ogden, UT and played professional basketball for 16 years in Europe and South America. He will be assisted by Otis Hailey who worked with him in Tijuana. The team colors will be Royal Blue and Gray; the team will play in the Minot Auditorium with a seating capacity of 4000. Gibbs added, "And we'll fill those 4000 seats - people are already very excited and the news hasn't even been released."

For more information, contact:
Timmy Gibbs
Minot City Freeze
(801) 920-3000
(701) 720-9480
Email: Tgibbsaba@yahoo.com

People are excited and the NEWS HASN'T BEEN RELEASED YET?

I can't believe this. I am just in absolute shock, and that, much like this ABA XPansion, is not a good thing.

Somebody has got to stop this, before somebody gets hurt.

[JAKMAN]

Sorry, just saw this too:

http://www.minotdailynews.com/daily/FMPro?-DB=page.one.a.fp5&-lay=main&-Format=detail4.html&story_four.fix=3/23/2004-4&week=13&-Max=1&-Find

By: Jason Feldman

Posted at


- Professional basketball appears on its way back to the Magic City ... again.

The American Basketball Association issued a press release Monday announcing Minot has been awarded an expansion franchise for the 2004-05 season.

Timmy Gibbs, a former coach of the Bismarck-based Dakota Wizards, said he is heading an ownership group that intends to bring a team back to the Minot Municipal Auditorium. Gibbs is a former General Manager and head coach of the ABA's Tijuana Diablos. He said that he plans to visit Minot next week and hopes to finalize an arrangement with the Minot Municipal Auditorium at that time.

Gibbs coached the Dakota Wizards in the now-defunct International Basketball Association in 2000, when Minot's Magic City Snowbears were their main rivals.

"I know what the fan support is like up there," Gibbs said. "I saw a lot of things that went on (in the ABA) last year that I think I could help the league with and do a better job."

The ABA currently has teams based in Fresno, Calif.; Trenton, N.J.; Juarez, Mexico; Kansas City; Las Vegas; Long Beach, Calif. and Tijuana, Mexico.

According to the ABA web site, the Minot team is the 10th expansion team announced by the league this off-season. Others include: Detroit; Gwinnett, Ga.; Little Rock, Ark.; Louisville, Ky.; Nashville, Tenn.; Pittsburgh; Portland, Ore.; Reno, Nev.; and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.

This would be Minot's third try at professional basketball in the past decade. The Magic City Snowbears had a successful run in the IBA from 1996-2001. The Snowbears were revived in early 2003 in the Xtreme Basketball Association. The XBA folded just weeks after its season began and became the Midwest Basketball Association. The MBA season ended in February of last year and the league subsequently folded.

Gibbs said he will be assisted by Otis Hailey, who coached the Buffalo City Thunder (Jamestown) of the Xtreme/Midwest Basketball Association last year.
[ ]

[WIZ Kid]

According to the ABA web site, the Minot team is the 10th expansion team announced by the league this off-season. Others include:
Detroit;
Gwinnett, Ga.;
Little Rock, Ark.;
Louisville, Ky.;
Nashville, Tenn.;
Pittsburgh;
Portland, Ore.;
Reno, Nev.;
and Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
All of a population base in the Hundreds of thousands. !!!!!!!!!

JUST WHERE DOES THIS IDIOT OWNER THINK HE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE !?
And the other factor is the " CAVE " !!!!!
There is no way, NO WAY Minot will " NOT " Fold after 1 month, let alone one season.
I'm sorry if I am upsetting anyone in Minot. I don't mean to rain on your parade. But Lets get realistic.
Granted. The ABA is a step down from the CBA, ( maybe 2 steps ) But these are much larger cities and much larger arenas.
Thats not saying Minot will not bring in more Fans or revenue. ( MAYBE )
But where would you rather play ? Reno ? Portland ? Nashville ? ,..........OR MINOT ND !!!?

Maybe I'm in shock just like the rest. Maybe I jus need to sit down.
In all honesty,. I hope Minot Makes it happen and they win some games.
Just Being skeptical.

SORRY

[rice_web]

Why the hell can't we get a CBA team?

Oh yeah, because the CBA requires crudentials. There had been rumors of a new team, but this is pathetic.

I'll try to embrace it, but this WILL NOT WORK. Travel expenses will grip the team, fans will not take in the third team in four years, and they certainly won't be interested in seeing Pittsburg.

[rice_web]

Actually, fans might love to see Pittsburg. But will the team's bank account like traveling to Pittsburg?

Surely travel to those cities will require flight travel, and Minot only has one airline, which will make for some interesting scheduling requirements.

On a side note, can Minot possibly build the corporate sponsorship level required for an operation like this? I could perhaps understand CBA working in Minot, but with a travel-budget like this, I severely doubt success.

[CBAfan]

Does the ABA grant expansions to anyone in any city? Granted I know that Minot is a good city with great fans for a minor league team, but they seem to be the odd team out in the ABA. Actually, I think the ABA has about the same level of talent as the CBA (possibly even more) but this league is a joke.... I agree that the CBA should have looked at Minot. It would help teams travel budget because they could stop in Minot right before or after they stop in Bismarck. Plus it would give the Wizards a rivalry that they haven't really had yet in the CBA. Well maybe Minot could join the CBA after the ABA folds in a few months.

[CMc]

Why is Minot a bad move? The arena seats 4,000. If they get 2,500 per game, they should do just fine. None of the current ABA teams averaged that many this season.

A young player will play anywhere he can, and get paid. It will not matter if he is in Long Beach, KC or Minot.

Travel may not be a big issue. At this rate, the ABA may have 20 or so teams for the 2004-05 season. They should regionalize games to keep travel down. Minot will have just ONE west coast trip. I bet a majority of their games will be against Louisville, Nashville, Detroit, Little Rock, KC. if they just play a 2 & 2 series against these teams, that will take care of 20 games of a 36 game season. Not that bad of a travel zone. ANd could improve if more expansion teams ae added to the general region.

Yes, the ABA has a bad record, but I believe that Jim Clark is doing a better jon than NEWMAN did. Getting the number of teams up and playing regionally will help the owners save money. The #1 thing the ABA needs to do is Promote the teams in each market. This is the ONE thing that has really hurt this league.

If I wasn't a sports geek, I would never have know about the Indiana Legends when they were in the league. They had no PR and advertising. Everyone I knew that loved basketball, didn't know the team or the league was around. The ABA should mandate a certin amount of money that MUST be spent advertising to promote a franchise.

Also, be on the lookout for more expansion teams that will be close to Minot. An ABA with 20-24 teams may actually be a good thing... if done right. Of course the "right thing" has usually escaped the ABA in the past

[rice_web]

I just talked to a most sincere Mr. Gibbs.

He's on his way up to North Dakota next week, and he's already scheduling appointments with investors and, now, me (I already got my foot in the door as a possible website manager).

I must say I'm already more impressed with the team, the fact that I was able to talk directly with Mr. Gibbs, and that he was open to a phone call. Really, I got excited about the possibility right away.

I don't know, I really want to see this work, and I wish him well.

[Pounder]

Anyone want to bet that Minot is the only legitimate ABA expansion prospect out of the 10+ listed?

[meyes]

I expect most, probably all, the announced expansion teams will play next season. I am very confident about Nashville and Pittsburgh and fully expect Little Rock, Louisville, Vancouver, Portland, Detroit and Gwinette to be good operations.
I would not be surprised if Fresno and Tijuana do not return.

[Sam Hill]

Everything's perfect in meyes' world. The ABA is doing wonderfully.

(yawn)

[WIZ Kid]

I have been doing some research and have come to this conclusion.
Yeah it kinda hurt to sit there and think for that long period of time, but it was fun.
Ticket prices are considerably lower than they were when Minot was an IBA team. I have no doubts that Minot will fill the " CAVE " or " IGLOO " or what ever thay call it this next season.
Back to back games on road trips will save money and there will be "long" road trips. Pittsburgh, KC, Gwinnet, and so on. So there will be long periods of inactivity in Minot. As well as other cities.
So that as well as some other insugnificant other tid bits of financial duties may not be as rough as once thought.
If they can keep the cost down, I see no reason as to why The " Freeze " won't flurrish. Hope everything works out. Congrats again Minot and Mr. Gibbs.

[CBAfan]

Anyone thing there is a chance of a Dakota Wizards-Minot Freeze exhibition game before the season starts. I realize it would be a long shot, but it would be fun to bring back some old rivalries.

[rice_web]

I would think it vital, a way to give some legitimacy back to Minot, who watched the IBA slowly crumble to pieces and the X/MBA provide a low-value product. If Minot-Bismarck can be revived at least twice a year, interest would certainly swell in Minot.

[Pounder]

I appreciate meyes' wide-eyed enthusiasm.

As a Portland native, I can tell you right now that Portland's a joke. The thread way down below describes the "ownership," and I wonder where they're going to play "cheaply", as Oregon Arena Corporation (Rose Garden, Memorial Coliseum) filed Chapter 11 to get out of debt (translation: rent will not be inexpensive, even though the Chpt. 11 is more about getting out from under investors' noses rather than actual losses incurred). MC, for that matter, is not long for the world in its current format, with city leaders discussing whether to go with big box retailer or a massive recreation center on the current site, making this a short-term option at best. That leaves, well, where else to play? Hmmm? Not that the owner has even talked to a facility manager or anything...

[CBAfan]

What do you guys think about Minot trying to sign some local/state wide players to try and get some interest. I realize that they don’t want to look like they just sign any guy playing at the local YMCA, but I think there are some big names out there that they might have a chance at signing. These are just some of the names I can think of off the top of my head that might be a good idea for Minot to sign to gain a fan base, but sill be able compete in the ABA.

- Jeff Boschee, former Kansas and Valley City High School star. He might be tough to sign
-Kenny Younger, former Minot High Star. I know he has CBA experience and he might want to play in his hometown??
-Russ Archambault, played for Saskatoon in the CBA a few years ago and he is a legend among native Americans in ND. He would really bring some fans in (I think)
-Jeff Brandt, former Mr.Basketball and Minot High and State Star. I’m not sure if he could play in the ABA, but he would bring in some interest
-Brandon Wilkens, he is a kid from a small town (center, nd), who really blossomed at Jamestown College, where he was just named the NAIA player of the year
-Kurt Swamp, he's played a few games for the Dakota Wizards and is from UMary. I think he is still around Bismarck, too.
Do you guys think Minot will go after signing any of these guys?

[WIZ Kid]

If you remember the Wizards 1st year in Bismarck ? They tried the same thing. Some guy out of U of Mary. Great NAIA BBALL Player. But could'nt hang with Div 1 players. It was pathetic. Not to say the Wiz were the best that year. I think they only won 8 games. But It was bad when they put him in.
I can't remember his name NOW !!

[rice_web]

In the larger cities, you can typically find a wealth of talent, with many players actually able to play minor league basketball. However, in a town the size of Minot, you'll find nothing.

Nothing.

[CBAfan]

In the larger cities, you can typically find a wealth of talent, with many players actually able to play minor league basketball. However, in a town the size of Minot, you'll find nothing.

Nothing.

How can you say Jeff Boschee, Kenny Younger, or Russ Archambault can't play in the ABA. Boschee is starting in the USBL this summer. Younger is playing overseas, but last season(02-03) he started for a lot of the season for Rockford(CBA), and Archambault averaged almost 10ppg for Saskatoon(CBA) in 01-02... If these guys are willing to play in the ABA they would be excelent pickups for Minot. All of them can play and they should draw interest from the bball fans in ND.

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

According to the ABA web site, the Minot team is the 10th expansion team...

JUST WHERE DOES THIS IDIOT OWNER THINK HE WILL BE ABLE TO COMPETE !?
And the other factor is the " CAVE " !!!!!
There is no way, NO WAY Minot will " NOT " Fold after 1 month, let alone one season.


WIZ kid,
Very perceptive! If I were a gambling person, I'd have you place bets for me at Trump's Casino here in Gary.

The problem with these people (also known as new ABA team owners) is that they are not doing their homework. You can't just announce that a new franchise is coming to town without first clearing it with that town's governing body. It's disrepectful. Therefore, you won't get the level of cooperation you might expect from the locals.

I wonder if this person thought to clear things in Utah before moving operations there.


Gary, home of the 2005 CBA All*Star game.

[CMc]

The ABA has changed Minot to Utah. Not a good sign.
Pehaps the placement of expansion teams was still too far (travel wise) for the market/franchise to handle.