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Head Tycoon getting franchise ready in Texas

by Mac Claire, www.ABAsite.tk
September 17, 2004 - American Basketball Association (ABA)
Texas Tycoons


Fort Worth, TX – One of the best things about this reincarnated version of the American Basketball Association is the different backgrounds of the owners.

Charles Key's unique background led him to (among other successes) ownership of the ABA expansion Texas Tycoons.

Key was a fifteen year old junior in high school while he was also a freshman in college.

He danced to the beat of his own drum too. Key joined the military at seventeen despite his four academic scholarships. He served in Desert Shield and Desert Storm during the Gulf War. He had a successful term, going from an E-1 to an E-5 ranking in a two year period. As Key said proudly this past summer by phone from Fort Worth without sounding boastful, "That means you have lots of people under you, and you are in charge. I had people under me at 19!"

At 23 the energetic Key started a tire store in Virginia Beach. He made over 1 million dollars in nine months. He also worked in real estate.

There was still this void in his life. "I was making money, lots of it," he said. "I wanted to have fun though, while making the money."

When he saw the revised ABA business model, he was hooked. But knowing that a successful businessman like Larry Crain (Arkansas RimRockers, several local car dealerships and radio stations) is in the league was a factor in his decision to join the ABA. "He impressed me," Key said.

According to Key, the franchise is being received well by the local media and the Fort Worth community. "There will be players at high school games giving away free tickets to our games. We want to be proactive and responsive in the community."

More Key Quotes – On the 70's version of the ABA: "No, I really didn't know its history until I did some research."

On the Gulf War and Former Pres. Bush's order to retreat while troops were closing in on Saddam Hussein: That war was about money. There's no way we (United States) were worried about such a small country. With all the technology we had, we knew where Saddam was."

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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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.

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