ABA sets new standards and requirements at league meeting
Published on April 23, 2005 under American Basketball Association (ABA) News Release
Indianapolis, IN. The owners of 52 ABA teams and league officials met last week in Indianapolis at the ABA League Owners Meeting. Included were teams from last season and expansion teams confirmed to play next season. The agenda included setting new standards and requirements for teams as well as presenting a variety of new plans and programs.
According to Joe Newman, ABA CEO, "We recognize that we had problems last season in several areas that affected the whole league negatively. The objective of this meeting was to provide safeguards so that these problems would be eliminated and that we could concentrate on providing exciting professional basketball at affordable prices. The results should make for a great league."
New standards and requirements covered such things as financial responsibility and capital requirements, mandatory stat system, 3-D lights, websites, staffing, venues, hotels, travel, marketing/business plans, insurance, community involvement, division representation, referees, tryout camps, league in-market visits, national sponsor responsibilities, public relations. The standards and requirements were the result of valuable input from the team owners and team officials and were unanimously approved. Gil Morgan, Las Vegas Rattlers co-owner said, "This was the best ABA meeting I've attended. The new standards and requirements give us great comfort." Michael Tuckman, Bellevue Blackhawks owner stated, "Last year was a difficult season. We knew some changes had to be made and they were. While we won't be problem free, we should eliminate 90% of the problems and have a great season." Morris Britton, Mississippi Stingers owner, added, "Great meeting. They covered everything. And we are very excited about the next season already."
In addition to the 52 Confirmed teams, there are 23 additional teams in the process of completing their applications with the new standards and requirements in order to begin play in November. Newman added, "We will announce the final roster of teams shortly so that we can finalize the divisions. Hopefully many of the 23 Possible teams can meet the requirements. One of our goals is to decrease travel time and create more regional rivalries - and of course, to employ more players, coaches and referees - and to bring our exciting brand of affordable professional basketball to more fans."
Other agenda items included the presentation of the new national Ticketmaster.com ticket program, the new national Cosmos Sports ticket program, the ABA international initiatives, re-introduction of national sponsors Pit Bull Energy Drinks and Life 02 Oxygenated Water, ABA Entertainment plans, and ABA future plans. For more information, visit www.abalive.com.
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.
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