A Look Around The Leagues--Top Stories of 2004
by Walter L. Johnson II
Published on January 1, 2005 under American Basketball Association (ABA)
2004 has ended, and 2005 has arrived! Time to look back on some of the top stories that made headlines in minor and independent league professional sports in 2004. So, without further ado, let's go!
10. "STORMING" TO A WNBA TITLE! The Seattle Storm brought the first professional basketball championship to Seattle since 1979 (when the NBA Supersonics took home a title) by defeating the Connecticut Sun in three games for the WNBA crown.
9. FLAME ON! The National Basketball Development League saw one of its original franchises change addresses, as the former Charleston (S.C.) Lowgators moved to Fort Myers, Fla., and resurfacing as the Florida Flame. There is also talk NBA Commissioner David Stern may expand the NBDL to at least 15 teams, and forming a farm system similar to baseball.
8. SPHL DEBUTS: The Southern Professional Hockey League was formed during the spring and summer, all but stabilizing minor league professional ice hockey in the Southeast. The renewal of the rivalry between two Georgia cities (Columbus and Macon) helps the SPHL somewhat in the credibility department, as the Columbus Cottonmouths and the former Macon Whoopee (now Trax) once played in the Central Hockey during the late 1990's.
7. NIFL/IFL MERGER: The Texas based Intense Football League lasts just one season, as the franchises in the league join forces with the National Indoor Football League. Speaking of the NIFL, the league goes on an extensive expansion blitz, with multiple franchises in Florida, and even one in Georgia comes on board for the 2005 season.
6. KATS MEOW! The Nashville Kats return to the Arena Football League in time for kickoff in late January 2005. However, several other franchises choose not to return for the AFL's 19th season, as the Carolina Cobras, Detroit Fury, and the Indiana Firebirds folded after the 2004 season. Also, Atlanta Falcons owner Arthur Blank joined Kats owner Bud Adams as NFL owners also running AFL franchises, as the Georgia Force will return to playing its home games at Philips Arena in downtown Atlanta after playing the last two years in suburban Gwinnett County, Ga.
5. UNITED INDOOR FOOTBALL: At least a dozen of the strongest arena/indoor football franchises in the U.S., including the Ohio Valley Greyhounds, Peoria Pirates and Tennessee Valley Vipers, defect from the af2 and NIFL to form the United Indoor Football Association.
4. af2 CHANGES: The arenafootball2 league finishes its fifth season with the Florida Firecats winning their first-ever title. But the closing of several franchises, including the Columbus (Ga.) Wardogs and the Hawaiian Islanders, as well as defections to other leagues, left the af2 with 20 teams for 2005. Also, the Cape Fear Wildcats of Fayetteville, N.C. left for Albany, Ga. during the off-season, and have since been re-named the South Georgia Wildcats. Football fans for Fayetteville didn't mourn the loss of the Wildcats too long, though, as the NIFL placed a franchise there.
3. WBA DEBUTS: The World Basketball Association played its inaugural season in the spring and early summer of 2004, with the Southern Crescent Lightning, a franchise based in the southern suburbs of Atlanta, winning that league's first-ever title. The WBA since added expansion franchises located as far away as Racine, Wis.
2. NHL LOCKOUT: Labor woes in the National Hockey League forced its current work stoppage. Meanwhile, the lockout forces many players into the minor leagues, not only increasing the quality of play, but also increasing attendance for most franchises.
And the top story in minor league sports for 2004 is:
1. ABA EXPANSION EXPLOSION! With just seven franchises in operation by the end of the 2003-2004 season, the American Basketball Association went on a fast and furious expansion spree that saw the number of teams shoot up to more than 30 in time for the 2004-2005 season. But the rapid expansion has also caused some serious problems, with numerous franchises/owners coming on board, only to have many of them fold before even having a training camp, much less playing a game. The ABA continues its expansion blitz well into 2005, as many more franchises have jumped on the bandwagon for the 2005-2006 season.
Well, that's all for this column. Have a Happy New Year, and continue to log on to OSC for the best coverage of minor league sports in 2005.
Note: OurSports Central no longer actively covers the American Basketball Association (ABA) as a professional league due in part to its inability to publish and play a schedule and the transitory nature of many of its teams. For information on professional minor leagues, please see OSC's basketball section.
American Basketball Association Stories from January 1, 2005
- A Look Around The Leagues--Top Stories of 2004 - OSC Original by Walter L. Johnson II
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The opinions expressed in this article are those of the writer(s), and do not necessarily reflect the thoughts or opinions of OurSports Central or its staff.
