New Franchises for 08-09???

[jjbballfan]

Now that it appears that there will be no more expansion franchises for 07-08 I figured we should start talking about 08-09.... Here is some cities that could POSSIBLY be expanding.

Omaha--- Have heard that a local ownership group has been formed have heard that the Omaha Racers ownership is still in tack and is looking at taking there disfunct franchise and activating it for the D-league... All here say though so I don't know.

Rapid City--- Building new arena right now and the Civic Center Board is desperate for tenent in either building... Local ownership has always been a problem with franchises in R.C. though the Thrillers led attendence in CBA in early 90's

Reno???-- I knew that they applied for D-league not shure why they were turned down..

Sioux City--- USHL and UIF have performed well in S.C. and newer Arena could mean possility

La Crosse--- If the Rim Rockers don't move there I have heard of possility of an expansion team

Casper--- Have the most successful NIFL team and could support a Dleague team...

Other cities I would like to see add D-league franchises

Billings MT
Colorado Springs CO
Gary IN
Rockford IL
Witchita KS
Grand Rapids MI
Quad Cities IA/IL


Feel free to add input on any city or to add a city... I know some of these cities didn't support CBA teams well but I think the Dleague could work.

As you have seen almost all of these cities are in the midwest, I think if the Dleague wants to work the cities they place franchises in will have to support them but the Franchises will also have to be a big deal in those cities... In midwestern cities minor league franchises recieve coverage of Big league teams.

[USBasket_EricE]

I miss the Rockford Lightning. It's too bad that they had to fold up, but they had trouble attracting fans. My guess is that it had to do with the fact that they are so close to Chicago and the more professional and exciting Bulls.

[DakotaWizardsFan]

[quote=""USBasket_EricE""]I miss the Rockford Lightning. It's too bad that they had to fold up, but they had trouble attracting fans. My guess is that it had to do with the fact that they are so close to Chicago and the more professional and exciting Bulls.[/quote]

I miss a lot of teams also:
Yakama Sun Kings (even though I DID NOT like them)
Gary Steelheads
Rockford Lightning
Fargo-Moorhead Beez (a little before my time for the most part, but I still saw them a few times)
Magic City Snowbears (same as above)
Saskatchewan Hawks (")

There's probably more too, but I cannot think of them.

EDIT: Wait, I've got one more: Des Moines Dragons

[USBasket_EricE]

The big joke teams! Great Lakes Storm and Michigan Mayhem! I liked the Storm, even though their attendance totals were laughable (238, 150, 5##), but I didn't like the Mayhem. The Mayhem was the most unorganized team that I can remember from my years of following the CBA. I seem to remember them putting all their focus on their cheesy mascot and hardly any on the players or the games. The big promo on their website was "Get your Chaos (the mascot) bobble-head now!" The webcasts never seemed to work when games were taking place there. I listened to a game on the radio while the Wizards were there and the announcers didn't seem to know what the hell was going on and as I recall, the team was fined by the CBA the next day for "game operations violations". The players never had names on their jerseys either and never seemed to wear the same number two nights in a row, which always confused me when I was writing for USBASKET, mentioning a certain player and their number.

Maybe a D-League team in Northern Minnesota would work? I want to see more teams in the midwest. And what about Wyoming? I can't think of a pro team of any kind in that state.

[logoguru]

I thought I saw Cedar Rapids mentioned at one time....

Im pretty sure Reno is dead....both the city and the team!
________
Bong

[jjbballfan]

I was just thinking that if you added Rapid City and Casper that it would then link Colorado, R.C. , Casper, Bismark and Sioux Falls.. Then if you add Omaha and Sioux City you have the I-29 Rivalry with Sioux Falls...Fargo would be a great addition if the Bison don't effect attendence. If you add Gary and Rockford with a Michagen and LaCrosse plus Iowa you then got a Great Lakes region.

Something like this is what I would like

1 Division
Broomfield (Colorado) +
Casper
Rapid City
Bismark (Dakota) +
Boisie
Colorado Springs

2 Division
Sioux Falls+
Iowa+
Omaha
Sioux City
Fargo-Moorehead
Witchita Kansas

3 Division
Gary
Rockford
Michigan Team
Ft. Wayne+
Youngstown OH
Nashville TN

My wish list I guess (+) indicates actual franchises

[LandRoverUT60]

St. George, Utah; let's get a rivalry between southern and northern Utah.

[Tombor]

Some friends of mine in Cincinnati have said that the local media has talked about getting a D-league team there. It sounds cool, but I don't think it could compete with UC or Xavier hoops.

How about Kansas City? Getting an NHL or NBA team in Sprint Center is sort of bleak right now and you'd have KC in a good location for Iowa, Dakota, SF, and a future Omaha team.

[bectond]

Youngstown
Reno
Fort Worth
Omaha

Other possibles are:
Toledo (most likely will join in 09)
Hartford (most likely will join in 09)

Fargo would also make a good expansion city, but I have not heard anything on that front.

The Mayhem would have been a model franchise in some other leaques. They drew about 1,400 per game and had an NBA call-up in Derrick Martin. But in the CBA, yeah they were the worst. And it's funny thinking back on but Chaos was their star. LOL

Butte currently has the best mascot in the CBA, he is a dancing machine. LOL
In the NBDL the Toros mascot is totally reaching San Diego Chicken like status, two years ago dude made Sports Center. LOL

[Pounder]

Reno- not the Convention Center, no?

That place actually gets business, so cost of rent is high.

Livestock Center?