Chris Stevens
01-14-2008, 06:01 PM
Back in 2000, The ABA ma have been able to change the landscape of minor league basketball. In 1999, the International Basketball League (IBL, not to be confused with the IBL Summer League which is now established) began. It made a mistake in overpaying for players/rent on large arenas/operations, etc. But the ball was really good. It was established to compete with Isaiah and the CBA and to be based in large cities like the NBA. When the ABA came along the following year, it too, started in major cities with large arenas and big dreams. The IBL had to adjust costs and it lost teams after that first year. With the teams that the IBL and ABA had, it seemed like a nice fit to merge together...and so they did.
After they agreed to merge all kinds of press releases were made. There was a conference call to finalize the little things like playing rules, budgets and operations, etc. The IBL just came off a year of experience the hard way of what would not work. The ABA reportedly would not listen. The IBL was trying to train coaches, players, GMs, game officials, trainers, etc. to get to the next level. They wanted to use the NBA rules with some FIBA additions but the ABA (with reportedly Tom Chichester on the line refused saying that fans like college basketball better). The NBA and foreign countries want players who can step right in and play for them during the season--not calling up a college player who doesn't understand the system the IBL said...still the ABA said no. The IBL said you can't afford to pay the salaries you're talking about or pay the rent of those venues...still the ABA held their ground. The IBL, infuriated, backed out of the merger.
The two seasons started. The IBL's fan base was down from the year before, but operations were strong. Teams were strong. The play was strong. The ABA had some strong players as well. But the operations were weak and unorganized and underfunded. Many teams didn't even pay their dues to pay the league's front office, operating expenses, referees, etc. Most teams were unable to pay their players and they started to bolt. The season had to be halted early and a one and done playoff system kicked off in two cities.
The IBL had their share of problems as well, needing loan(s) to complete the season from at least one team owner.
But the most troubling league of all was the CBA. Isaiah had collected all of the revenue from all of the teams, but had no money to pay during the season. Finally, the league had to shut down in the middle of the season. Several teams jumped to the IBL in-season. The IBL schedule was redone. A few other teams did not join the IBL in-season but left open the possibility of coming back the following year.
After the season, the IBL applied for a bank loan for the following year. They were denied. In fact, if the loan had been approved, the CBA would have been dead. Instead, several former CBA owners got together and went to bankruptcy court to buy back the league and teams and the rights to all stats. Thus, the CBA was reformed. The IBA, who lost some of their weaker teams also needed a league to play in. Some of the CBA teams elected to wait at least a year before coming back to gauge the stability of the league. Some teams decided not to risk it to return at all.
Meanwhile, the ABA was mired in red ink to be nice. It was in shambles. Most teams weren't around and the ones that were cancelled many games.
So this leads me to the title. The ABA could have changed the landscape of minor league basketball had they been able to listen at what the people of the IBL were trying to tell them. You don't have to agree to everything, but the IBL had just limped out of a year like the ABA was heading. Furthermore, many IBL front office personnel had great experience with minor league basketball. In the background, the NBA didn't even have a minor league now. They hurried to throw together 8 teams in the southeast (where football is king) andthey failed miserably--but they had the money to do whatever they wanted. They probably would have had to BUY the ABA and throw millions and millions at Joe Newman and his cohorts.
Let's take a look at the teams who could have made up the Midwest today had that ABA and IBL merger gone through...
Cincinnatti--IBL
St. Louis--IBL
Indianapolis--ABA
Ft. Wayne--CBA
Gary--CBA
Detroit--ABA
Flint/Great Lakes--CBA Expansion
Grand Rapids
Muskegon--CBA Expansion
Chicago--ABA
Rockford--CBA
Quad City--CBA
Kansas City--ABA
La Crosse--CBA
Dakota--IBA
Sioux Falls--CBA
Fargo-Morehead--IBA
---------------------
Then you add other markets that could have made it or were added at some point and didn't make it and even if some of the teams listed ahead failed, there were still easily 30 solid teams when you add in all the cities the D-League has now and some other teams from the CBA or the ABA had at some point.
Of course then you're assuming the league wouldn't have been run into the ground or some other mess...but when you look at it...look at the potential for a solid minor league that many many people could get to in order to watch a game. The ABA foolishly though that it could compete with the NBA instead of "settling" to be a minor league. In the end, none of the leagues were strong enough w/o each other and the way things have turned out, other league are going to struggle until the NBA has their 30 minor league teams. Then who knows if there will be enough markets close enough to make it worth it?
After they agreed to merge all kinds of press releases were made. There was a conference call to finalize the little things like playing rules, budgets and operations, etc. The IBL just came off a year of experience the hard way of what would not work. The ABA reportedly would not listen. The IBL was trying to train coaches, players, GMs, game officials, trainers, etc. to get to the next level. They wanted to use the NBA rules with some FIBA additions but the ABA (with reportedly Tom Chichester on the line refused saying that fans like college basketball better). The NBA and foreign countries want players who can step right in and play for them during the season--not calling up a college player who doesn't understand the system the IBL said...still the ABA said no. The IBL said you can't afford to pay the salaries you're talking about or pay the rent of those venues...still the ABA held their ground. The IBL, infuriated, backed out of the merger.
The two seasons started. The IBL's fan base was down from the year before, but operations were strong. Teams were strong. The play was strong. The ABA had some strong players as well. But the operations were weak and unorganized and underfunded. Many teams didn't even pay their dues to pay the league's front office, operating expenses, referees, etc. Most teams were unable to pay their players and they started to bolt. The season had to be halted early and a one and done playoff system kicked off in two cities.
The IBL had their share of problems as well, needing loan(s) to complete the season from at least one team owner.
But the most troubling league of all was the CBA. Isaiah had collected all of the revenue from all of the teams, but had no money to pay during the season. Finally, the league had to shut down in the middle of the season. Several teams jumped to the IBL in-season. The IBL schedule was redone. A few other teams did not join the IBL in-season but left open the possibility of coming back the following year.
After the season, the IBL applied for a bank loan for the following year. They were denied. In fact, if the loan had been approved, the CBA would have been dead. Instead, several former CBA owners got together and went to bankruptcy court to buy back the league and teams and the rights to all stats. Thus, the CBA was reformed. The IBA, who lost some of their weaker teams also needed a league to play in. Some of the CBA teams elected to wait at least a year before coming back to gauge the stability of the league. Some teams decided not to risk it to return at all.
Meanwhile, the ABA was mired in red ink to be nice. It was in shambles. Most teams weren't around and the ones that were cancelled many games.
So this leads me to the title. The ABA could have changed the landscape of minor league basketball had they been able to listen at what the people of the IBL were trying to tell them. You don't have to agree to everything, but the IBL had just limped out of a year like the ABA was heading. Furthermore, many IBL front office personnel had great experience with minor league basketball. In the background, the NBA didn't even have a minor league now. They hurried to throw together 8 teams in the southeast (where football is king) andthey failed miserably--but they had the money to do whatever they wanted. They probably would have had to BUY the ABA and throw millions and millions at Joe Newman and his cohorts.
Let's take a look at the teams who could have made up the Midwest today had that ABA and IBL merger gone through...
Cincinnatti--IBL
St. Louis--IBL
Indianapolis--ABA
Ft. Wayne--CBA
Gary--CBA
Detroit--ABA
Flint/Great Lakes--CBA Expansion
Grand Rapids
Muskegon--CBA Expansion
Chicago--ABA
Rockford--CBA
Quad City--CBA
Kansas City--ABA
La Crosse--CBA
Dakota--IBA
Sioux Falls--CBA
Fargo-Morehead--IBA
---------------------
Then you add other markets that could have made it or were added at some point and didn't make it and even if some of the teams listed ahead failed, there were still easily 30 solid teams when you add in all the cities the D-League has now and some other teams from the CBA or the ABA had at some point.
Of course then you're assuming the league wouldn't have been run into the ground or some other mess...but when you look at it...look at the potential for a solid minor league that many many people could get to in order to watch a game. The ABA foolishly though that it could compete with the NBA instead of "settling" to be a minor league. In the end, none of the leagues were strong enough w/o each other and the way things have turned out, other league are going to struggle until the NBA has their 30 minor league teams. Then who knows if there will be enough markets close enough to make it worth it?