hoopsjr
07-06-2004, 12:28 PM
it looks like they are actually going to have a team...
Basketball: Pittsburgh Hardhats settle on a home at convention center
Friday, July 02, 2004
By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If the Pittsburgh Hardhats, as anticipated, play their home games next season inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, at least the venue might allow former Steelers cornerback Dwayne Woodruff a close-to-home chance to watch the Charlotte Thunder, which he co-owns.
Woodruff, an attorney from Shadyside (less than four miles from the Downtown convention center), invested in the burgeoning American Basketball Association after natives Ken Powell and Charles Fenstersheib bought the Pittsburgh entry, and after his hometown Louisville got a franchise.
Woodruff said his partner, former Cranberry musician Tony Priscaro, "lives in North Carolina, and, other than Louisville, I think North Carolina is one of the best places for basketball."
Woodruff, a Steeler from 1979-85 and 1987-90 and the founding partner of Woodruff, Flaherty & Fardo, believes the Thunder, because of the ABA's differing rules and low prices, will attract an audience separate from the expansion NBA Charlotte Bobcats. Thunder officials are in negotiations to play in the 4,500-seat Cabarrus Arena in Concord, N.C., 20 miles northeast of Charlotte.
"And we're looking for a few more investors to finalize things for this season, but we're moving along fairly well.
"This is a lot of work. Very involved. We're starting from scratch: finding players, an arena, uniforms, transportation, hotels. ... It's unbelievable what we need to get done."
While Woodruff's ABA expansion team already has had tryouts and signed a former NBA player -- Chris Robinson, who played at Western Kentucky for former Pitt coach Ralph Willard -- the Hardhats still are trying to complete work on their home court, among many other details, before announcing their ticket prices and beginning public operations in the next few weeks or so.
Hardhats officials have talked about potentially playing a few games elsewhere in Pittsburgh besides the remodeled convention center, but nothing is finalized, said team executive consultant Steve Greenberg.
Today is the deadline for ABA teams to submit venues and dates to play starting in November, and the Hardhats were expected to submit the convention center as their Pittsburgh home.
"That's what we're preparing to move forward on," Greenberg said. "But nothing is ruled out."
Added Mark Leahy, general manager of the convention center: "They're working around the schedules and the conventions that we have. We're holding some dates for them, but ... we'll see what they want to do."
The seven returning ABA teams played between 26 and 32 games apiece last season, but the 2004-05 schedules are expected to include 36 or 40 games because of expansion .
Leahy said his facility could hold between 3,500 and 4,000 seats for basketball, a sport the convention center easily could accommodate for 18 or 20 home games in a Hall A (on the Strip District side) with almost 100 feet of ceiling clearance.
"Some of the general functions we do here require tiered seating," added Leahy, whose center has been host to Piratefest, boxing cards, trade shows and the United Methodist conference.
"That is the beauty of the space we have. It can be flexible for anything, including, if they want, to squeeze in a basketball court.
"What we don't own -- and what the team would have to take care of, if they choose to come down here -- is ... the [retractable] court and the scoreboard."
It's possible the team might occasionally stage games on college gym floors in conjunction with WPIAL playoff dates, partly because of a crowded January-February schedule at the convention center.
The ABA had league meetings Monday and Tuesday in Indianapolis, with delegations from 41 teams, including expansion classes for this season and next.
The Hardhats will play in the North Central Division with Detroit, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Kansas City -- the only pre-existing team of the group.
Basketball: Pittsburgh Hardhats settle on a home at convention center
Friday, July 02, 2004
By Chuck Finder, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
If the Pittsburgh Hardhats, as anticipated, play their home games next season inside the David L. Lawrence Convention Center, at least the venue might allow former Steelers cornerback Dwayne Woodruff a close-to-home chance to watch the Charlotte Thunder, which he co-owns.
Woodruff, an attorney from Shadyside (less than four miles from the Downtown convention center), invested in the burgeoning American Basketball Association after natives Ken Powell and Charles Fenstersheib bought the Pittsburgh entry, and after his hometown Louisville got a franchise.
Woodruff said his partner, former Cranberry musician Tony Priscaro, "lives in North Carolina, and, other than Louisville, I think North Carolina is one of the best places for basketball."
Woodruff, a Steeler from 1979-85 and 1987-90 and the founding partner of Woodruff, Flaherty & Fardo, believes the Thunder, because of the ABA's differing rules and low prices, will attract an audience separate from the expansion NBA Charlotte Bobcats. Thunder officials are in negotiations to play in the 4,500-seat Cabarrus Arena in Concord, N.C., 20 miles northeast of Charlotte.
"And we're looking for a few more investors to finalize things for this season, but we're moving along fairly well.
"This is a lot of work. Very involved. We're starting from scratch: finding players, an arena, uniforms, transportation, hotels. ... It's unbelievable what we need to get done."
While Woodruff's ABA expansion team already has had tryouts and signed a former NBA player -- Chris Robinson, who played at Western Kentucky for former Pitt coach Ralph Willard -- the Hardhats still are trying to complete work on their home court, among many other details, before announcing their ticket prices and beginning public operations in the next few weeks or so.
Hardhats officials have talked about potentially playing a few games elsewhere in Pittsburgh besides the remodeled convention center, but nothing is finalized, said team executive consultant Steve Greenberg.
Today is the deadline for ABA teams to submit venues and dates to play starting in November, and the Hardhats were expected to submit the convention center as their Pittsburgh home.
"That's what we're preparing to move forward on," Greenberg said. "But nothing is ruled out."
Added Mark Leahy, general manager of the convention center: "They're working around the schedules and the conventions that we have. We're holding some dates for them, but ... we'll see what they want to do."
The seven returning ABA teams played between 26 and 32 games apiece last season, but the 2004-05 schedules are expected to include 36 or 40 games because of expansion .
Leahy said his facility could hold between 3,500 and 4,000 seats for basketball, a sport the convention center easily could accommodate for 18 or 20 home games in a Hall A (on the Strip District side) with almost 100 feet of ceiling clearance.
"Some of the general functions we do here require tiered seating," added Leahy, whose center has been host to Piratefest, boxing cards, trade shows and the United Methodist conference.
"That is the beauty of the space we have. It can be flexible for anything, including, if they want, to squeeze in a basketball court.
"What we don't own -- and what the team would have to take care of, if they choose to come down here -- is ... the [retractable] court and the scoreboard."
It's possible the team might occasionally stage games on college gym floors in conjunction with WPIAL playoff dates, partly because of a crowded January-February schedule at the convention center.
The ABA had league meetings Monday and Tuesday in Indianapolis, with delegations from 41 teams, including expansion classes for this season and next.
The Hardhats will play in the North Central Division with Detroit, Cincinnati, Louisville, St. Louis and Kansas City -- the only pre-existing team of the group.