Looking for advise on forming a minor league basketball team

[pkass22]

So for the past 6 months, I have been looking into buying and managing a franchise for a minor league basketball team. I know what your probably saying, WHAT?! Why not just bury your money in your backyard? At least you would get it back! I'm not looking to get rich off of this nor am I looking to donate to the Joe Newman fund. I am looking for a league where the teams show up to all the games and where I can live out my childhood dream of owning a team. I have contacted many leagues out there from Newman at the ABA (after 5 minutes of talking with him I could smell a scam) to the PBL who returned my phone call once but never after that even though I was 10 minutes away from signing a franchise check for them. I have also spoken to the ABL (the new league being formed by Steve Haney) but I wanted some outside advise on what league is a good league? We are looking to play in the Boston, MA area and have substantial investments for the first 5 year seasons and like I said before we are looking to play against teams that will show up to road games and a teams that are not too far from us when we travel on the road.

Thanks!

[Anonymous Spectator]

Originally Posted by pkass22

WHAT?! Why not just bury your money in your backyard? At least you would get it back!

WHAT?! Why not just bury your money in your backyard? At least you would get it back!

[robster2001]

As far as I know, after you eliminate the ABA (good move) and PBL, there really isn't another league in New England.

That leaves you three choices.

1. Try the PBL again.
2. Start your own league.
3. Save your money.

I'd go with #3.

[JeffKuntz]

I understand where you're coming from..

Can't get sports out of my brain either.. I've worked in F1, pro soccer and pro hockey.. I was offered a GM position for a PBL team and damn near took it.. and I was --> <-- close to handing money to form a minor league basketball team as well..

So I totally "get it" that you want to do this.. and that you've caught the bug..

But like it was previously eluded to, if you're committed to basketball then there aren't any options that meet your criteria.. because teams fail to show up routinely -- although they're sometimes disguised as schedule changes..

You could maybe look in to the ACPBL I guess.. it's not a great option, but it's an option you had not mentioned..

Anyway, thanks for reminding me about the money I had buried in my back yard.. Better go dig it up..

[Paul S]

I would ask the leagues to send you the prospect package. Every entity that is selling a franchise should have a package that includes
- names of prior franchise buyers
- names of current owners
- etc

Although I have never invested in basketball it's my opinion that the ABA is not a viable league as the other owners don't take it seriously. Sort of like prison, where you are more scared of the other inmates than the warden, the other owners may let you down


Personally I'd go with the D-League but thats real investment dollars Short of that the PBL or see if NBLCanada wants a team from the US.

[Mr. New Era Basketball]

@ pkass22

I think the ABL is a good league to join only problem is the teams the 1st season is in Texas and Florida so travel will be hard. But the ABL will be going into the Northeast and from what Im hearing there is alot of interest from teams in New York, Ct, New England. I would take this year to get everything in order for your franchise and join the ABL next season. The ABAis definetly not a option they suck history speak for itself. PBL is a good league but it is costly and I dont think its worth it because they offer the same thing other leagues offer. IBA is a good league you could look there but overall I think the ABL is the better league overall. Just my opinion

[JeffKuntz]

I'd wait until the ABL actually plays a season first before you go joining that league to see how they fare.

I live in Fort Myers, where there's apparently going to be an ABL team, and I've literally heard zero out of them. And I LOOK for information about the city's teams and talk to people associated with teams in town - and none of them has even mentioned the Fort Myers Breakers.

Given their extremely aggressive plan to have so many teams so quickly, it's a given that they'll have teams folding and not showing up - which was the OP's concern.

And I'm not just being a "hater", because there's not much to hate. They have nothing going yet to hate, except their website. Which I hate.

[newiflfan]

Originally Posted by pkass22

So for the past 6 months, I have been looking into buying and managing a franchise for a minor league basketball team. I know what your probably saying, WHAT?! Why not just bury your money in your backyard? At least you would get it back! I'm not looking to get rich off of this nor am I looking to donate to the Joe Newman fund. I am looking for a league where the teams show up to all the games and where I can live out my childhood dream of owning a team. I have contacted many leagues out there from Newman at the ABA (after 5 minutes of talking with him I could smell a scam) to the PBL who returned my phone call once but never after that even though I was 10 minutes away from signing a franchise check for them. I have also spoken to the ABL (the new league being formed by Steve Haney) but I wanted some outside advise on what league is a good league? We are looking to play in the Boston, MA area and have substantial investments for the first 5 year seasons and like I said before we are looking to play against teams that will show up to road games and a teams that are not too far from us when we travel on the road.

Thanks!

I know this is "just" a message board, but your post reads as if it was written by a teenage girl. This already tells me that your team will do great.

Join the ABA! Forget what others say, you'll be a trailblazer, show the rest of the league you can succeed in that league!

[Cincy_Monarchs_Fan]

Originally Posted by pkass22

have substantial investments for the first 5 year seasons

This sounds like promises that would come out of Paul Allsup's mouth. Please share who your investors are, I got some swamp land to sell them that is far more valuable than a minor league basketball franchise.

[Evad]

I would give the ACPBL a call. They have teams in the New England area and they have played for two complete seasons. I don't know of any canceled games, but I could be wrong. They may have what you are looking for.

http://www.acpbl.com/

There is a team in Hartford that did really well last year.

http://www.hartfordlightning.com/