ABA and ABA2, a proposal............

[Paul S]

I'm writing this under the following assumptions, which I believe..............

- Joe Newman is not a moron, in fact he is an intelligent and savy businessman

- Joe Newman wants this venture, the ABA, to succeed.

- Joe Newman has done what a lot of people have not, actually gone out and done it, started a league, seen it grow, got it off the ground.


The above being said, what about solutions to the ABA's issues. I think in Joe's mind he says "I'll give anyone a chance to fail/succeed in the ABA provided you have the 10K". Thats a fair way to run a business where you are franchising out your business to others. What a franchise buys is the name of the business, the overall business acumen of the franchise to assist and the opportunity to succeed.

One of the (number of) problems is the ABA isn't a normal franchisee/franchisor style of business. I honestly think this is where Joe stumbles. The state of the current franchisee's is to a large part dependant on the success of the future franchisee's. You are expecting another team to actually show up and honor the schedule.

A proposal for the ABA might be 2 different leagues. An ABA, where teams who have actually demonstrated good business acumen and a solid footing play (read Vermont) play and an ABA2 where the new guys with the 10K checks in their hot little hands play. After two years of playing your schedule, honoring your commitments and building a bit of a base in ABA2, then you graduate to the ABA. Travels an issue no question but its not insurmountable, the ECHL has teams from Alaska and British Columbia to Florida and New Jersey.

If Joe could even hit 'em up for a second franchise fee to make the jump and also use it as an incentive on the front side. You prove yourself in ABA2, then we will let you jump to the ABA, which might evolve into an actual viable minor league.

Again, I'll give Joe full credit. He's put a lot of his time into this already, he has actually done what few have and build a minor league, he does give everyone a chance to succeed. I mean, we bash Joe for the Denise fiasco, but who's to say a single mom of an 11 year old child can't make it as a minor league sports owner, ya Joe cashed her check, but she could have the next Vermont Frost Heaves too.

We all (myself included) bash this league for some relatively simple issues that for reasons unknown haven't been fixed. Brad Hester is 100 percent correct, you can't give the people the reason to leave.

[jamesaba]

I'm writing this under the following assumptions, which I believe..............

- Joe Newman is not a moron, in fact he is an intelligent and savy businessman

- Joe Newman wants this venture, the ABA, to succeed.

- Joe Newman has done what a lot of people have not, actually gone out and done it, started a league, seen it grow, got it off the ground.


The above being said, what about solutions to the ABA's issues. I think in Joe's mind he says "I'll give anyone a chance to fail/succeed in the ABA provided you have the 10K". Thats a fair way to run a business where you are franchising out your business to others. What a franchise buys is the name of the business, the overall business acumen of the franchise to assist and the opportunity to succeed.

One of the (number of) problems is the ABA isn't a normal franchisee/franchisor style of business. I honestly think this is where Joe stumbles. The state of the current franchisee's is to a large part dependant on the success of the future franchisee's. You are expecting another team to actually show up and honor the schedule.

A proposal for the ABA might be 2 different leagues. An ABA, where teams who have actually demonstrated good business acumen and a solid footing play (read Vermont) play and an ABA2 where the new guys with the 10K checks in their hot little hands play. After two years of playing your schedule, honoring your commitments and building a bit of a base in ABA2, then you graduate to the ABA. Travels an issue no question but its not insurmountable, the ECHL has teams from Alaska and British Columbia to Florida and New Jersey.

If Joe could even hit 'em up for a second franchise fee to make the jump and also use it as an incentive on the front side. You prove yourself in ABA2, then we will let you jump to the ABA, which might evolve into an actual viable minor league.

Again, I'll give Joe full credit. He's put a lot of his time into this already, he has actually done what few have and build a minor league, he does give everyone a chance to succeed. I mean, we bash Joe for the Denise fiasco, but who's to say a single mom of an 11 year old child can't make it as a minor league sports owner, ya Joe cashed her check, but she could have the next Vermont Frost Heaves too.

We all (myself included) bash this league for some relatively simple issues that for reasons unknown haven't been fixed. Brad Hester is 100 percent correct, you can't give the people the reason to leave.

Travel would be the whole issue with that idea. The NE is the most stable because all the teams are 1-6 hrs away (except for Halifax)...in the south and west some teams are 16+ hrs away and then they fold or miss games and it ripples thru the region.

It would be better if the league actually put even a basic test to a prospective ownership before letting them play...(fine take their 10 or 20k and if they never pass, never let em play and keep their money)...but the real problem is allowing in teams who have no venue, no money, and think
its all about the basketball. I also think they should require new owners to take a 3 day class on how to run the business side of a team.

[WHAFAN]

Graduate to the ABA? Are you kidding? Graduating to the ABA is like being the tallest midget, or being the Valedictorian of your summer school class.

If the ABA is such a train wreck, thinking about the ABA2 makes my head ready to explode!!

[skippy]

Interestingly enough, something similiar to this idea was proposed by Larry Crain of the Arkansas Rimrockers, prior to leaving the ABA for the NBDL.

If I remember correctly, Crain wanted there to be an ABA Superleague featuring the best financed and talented teams, as well as a second tier for the AAU-type teams.

I don't think Joe liked the idea. {Maybe it had something to do with it being someone else's idea, and of course the whole relinquishing any ABA control thing}

[WHAFAN]

The ABA is never going to be anything more than it is right now. Muddled schedules, teams coming and going so fast you can't even print tickets for games, if they are actually played. What other league or business has ever had a 7 year grace period to fix the flaws, work out the kinks and get it going properly?

I hear there is a new team coming from Michigan. The Bay City Rollers. They will wear Tartan Plaid uniforms and only play on S-A-T-U-R-D-A-Y night !!

[ABARedWhiteBlue]

Interestingly enough, something similiar to this idea was proposed by Larry Crain of the Arkansas Rimrockers, prior to leaving the ABA for the NBDL.

If I remember correctly, Crain wanted there to be an ABA Superleague featuring the best financed and talented teams, as well as a second tier for the AAU-type teams.

I don't think Joe liked the idea. {Maybe it had something to do with it being someone else's idea, and of course the whole relinquishing any ABA control thing}

Yep - here is the Joe-spin on the idea:
ARKANSAS RIMROCKERS WILL NOT RETURN TO ABA

19-Apr-2005
Indianapolis, IN -- The American Basketball Association (ABA) announced that the defending champion Arkansas RimRockers will not return to the ABA next season. On Thursday, the ABA received notice from Larry Crain, RimRocker owner, that "...the Arkansas RimRocker team does not plan on playing in the ABA next year..."

Recently, Crain gave the professional basketball league a series of ultimatums that included, but were not limited to:

1. The league must form a national super division of 12 selected teams,

2. That the national super division play in larger venues, travel by air, and allow higher salary caps,

3. That the ABA stops its expansion at around 30 teams,

4. That Larry Crain be made Commissioner of the super division.

The ABA rejected all of these things for the followings reasons:

1. The formation of a national super division would reduce all other ABA teams to "minor status" and would de-value the non-national super division teams,

2. The formation of this division would create a situation where the best available 144 players would play in the division and hurt the caliber of play throughout the league. Increased operating expenses (salaries, travel, venues) would drive up the cost of tickets and impact the family-friendly, affordable goal of the ABA,

3. The league felt strongly that exciting ABA basketball could be played nationwide and that divisions similar to those of the NCAA could be created, creating great regional rivalries and lowering operational costs so that ticket prices could remain low,

4. The league did not feel comfortable having Larry Crain as a Commissioner. The ABA respects the Arkansas RimRockers, Larry Crain, Otis Birdsong, Joe Harge and others in their fine organization. They did an outstanding job and deserve much credit.

We are not pleased with Larry Crain's decision, but it was his to make. His vision of the ABA and the ABA's vision of the ABA are different. The goal of the ABA is to provide exciting, fan-friendly, family-friendly professional basketball at affordable prices - to provide fans with an opportunity to see the extended careers of their local high school and college players once again. We wish the Arkansas RimRockers well.

http://www.abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2005041906001

[TheStandard]

The ABA is like sloth from the goonies. tall, fat, ugly and always out of proportion

[indy legend]

This two tiered system is already in place. The well run, well funded teams in the ABA move up to the CBA, PBL, and D-League and the rest stay in this joke of a rec league were nothing ever changes.

[preeths]

Interestingly enough, something similiar to this idea was proposed by Larry Crain of the Arkansas Rimrockers, prior to leaving the ABA for the NBDL.

If I remember correctly, Crain wanted there to be an ABA Superleague featuring the best financed and talented teams, as well as a second tier for the AAU-type teams.

I don't think Joe liked the idea. {Maybe it had something to do with it being someone else's idea, and of course the whole relinquishing any ABA control thing}

I believe Tom Doyle also made a similar proposal.

[Pounder]

This discussion makes it dangerously easy for me to start a promotion/relegation discussion. You don't want that.

Fortunately for you, I don't think the ABA is worth my time to start discussing details.

[bectond]

I wrote Mr. Newman about three or four years ago with a proposal that would allow all the teams to remain in one league, however teams would be grouped into categories. Each team would have a chance to advance to the ABA tourney without having to play the same amount of regular season games.

Of course he turned that down, and for the life of me I don't know why. The smaller teams would play a non-conf. type of road schedule to start the season then with lower category teams seasons being so short, their regular season would act as a play-in tourney. The idea was the best i've ever come up with and I don't think he wants things running that smoothly.

[tops804]

This concept has been discussed more times then I can remember -- An
ABA that makes sense. But we all know too well why it won't happen.
This disaster known as the ABA is "Newmans own" -- and apparently he's
proud of it....and not about to listen to anyone...Ju$t take the check...

[notfunny]

This two tiered system is already in place. The well run, well funded teams in the ABA move up to the CBA, PBL, and D-League and the rest stay in this joke of a rec league were nothing ever changes.

LOL move UP to the PBL?

[TheStandard]

Another wack job banned. sweeet