New "ABL" American Basketball League to compete against the ABA

[iLoveTheNBA]

The buzz throughout the ABA is that a new minor league basketball league called the ABL American Basketball League has formed to compete against the ABA. Rumor says there are several current ABA teams that are set to break away from the ABA to join this new league. The ABL website is at http://abl-hoops.com . What do you guys think? Does this new basketball league have a chance? What does this mean for the current ABA? Should all the ABA teams jump over to this new league?

[Minor League Man]

I don't know...all I do know is that whenever a team leaves the ABA, it extends its lifespan...

[TEN]

ABL...watch out what you hope for....

A big reason why the USBL died was the infusion of ABA teams (NEPA, Delaware, etc.) that came into the league and blew off games...and road trips, etc.

The USBL was doing pretty well until we let the former ABA teams in...then the snowball started rolling downhill....

[Paul S]

If you want a bunch of underfunded and underperforming owners then the ABA is the best place to start. This league operates in another level of ineptitude. I'd personally be very wary collalating a group of ABA owners and hope to run a successful business venture. It's kind of like taking the 10 best performing inmates in the state penn and trying to turn them into a police force.

It's simply counter intuitive.

[panchess]

I am sure the structure will need adjustment, but having a Texas conference and a Florida conference, with minimal travel, makes sense.

Ulimtately you have to grow the top line, though.

[Mr. New Era Basketball]

I think the ABL league will have a chance just because of there regional play schedule and also because they have some good people involved with the league. I would suggest not bringing in any ABA teams since the Florida Division always folds except if you bringing in the Jacksonville Giants they seem to have a good ran team.

[Evad]

One of the teams listed on the ABL website is the Panama City Dream. Is this the same team not allowed into the FBA?

[nikki]

OMG, a NEW minor league pro basketball league??? WTF, whats that make it, 50 in the past 10 years??? They will come in with NO ^%$# MONEY, NO SPONSOR SUPPORT, look to finance their pathetic little operation with franchise fees, pay themselves a commission and salaries, then say to themselves..."WHAT NOW??"

Enough with the %$## leagues!!! All they do is rip off small companies who have no idea they are being conned into some sponsor scam (and it is a scam because the sponsors NEVER get what they are promised), the players get scammed from the "try-outs", the ticket holders get scammed from games getting cancelled, and these rotting carcuses of leagues fold up, change the alphabet in their title, come up with a NEW "concept" for a league and try again.

ENOUGH YOU &^%% AHOLES! ENUFF!! If the NBA is no succeeding at minor league hoops, NEITHER WILL YOU! Take your %%$$ ideas and go home and quit scamming people!

[Mr. New Era Basketball]

@ Nikki Im interested in knowing why you say the leagues are scams I dont think its fair for you to say that. There are some leagues in the states that do help players out IBL,PBL,IBA, is leagues that im familiar with that players get the chance to get either paid or video to help them locate scouts or agents to help them get them in the D league or Overseas. My cousin played in the IBL and he is now in israel making 50k a month. So to say that I dont think thats a correct statement. There are some good ran franchises that give sponsors what they promised and there fans get a good basketball atmosphere. I think the ABL will be a good league for the Southern United States since the IBL is on the west coast the IBA is the midwest and the PBL is Northeast the ABL will be the dominant league in the South. Just like college is heading toward superconferences I think Minor League Basketball is heading that way with the IBL,IBA,PBL,ABL..

[Ken, Steelheads fan]

I don't know about scams, but nikki is pretty spot-on from where I sit. Lots of underfunded teams.

...and no, I don't think minor league basketball is headed toward super conferences. It's just headed toward more underfunded teams.