Utah Eagles cease operations
January 23, 2007 - Continental Basketball Association 1 (CBA 1) News Release
ALBANY, NY (January 23, 2007) - The Continental Basketball Association announced today that the Utah Eagles will cease operations effective Thursday, January 25. The CBA schedule will remain, with the outstanding Utah games being played by the remaining seven franchises. The updated schedule and the results of a dispersal draft will be announced on Thursday, January 25.
"This is an unfortunate turn of events for the Utah Eagles and the CBA as a whole," said Apex Sportstainment CEO Joe Clark. "We came into this situation only seven days before the start of the season, when the previous owner had family obligations that forced him to return the franchise to the league, with the thought of finding a buyer at a later date. That date has come and we have not been able to find a buyer and it leaves us no other choice but to cease operations in Utah. We have made every effort to do the right thing in Utah and we are saddened that it has come to this. We still maintain the rights to the Utah franchise and we will be moving the franchise to a new location for the 2007-08 season. This announcement will be upcoming in the near future."
"It is regrettable that the Utah franchise has to cease operations," stated Albany Patroons general Manager Jim Coyne. "I know that Joe Clark and Apex Sportstainment have done everything in their power to continue the season. We have seven strong remaining franchises and a number of interested cities for the future. This has happened before in the CBA and we have gone on to grow and flourish, I am sure that history will repeat itself."
"I was disappointed that the Utah Eagles have to discontinue playing this season," said Ralph Sampson, Chairman of the Overall Economic Committee of the Yakama Nation, owner of the CBA defending champion Yakama Sun Kings. "The Utah Eagles situation was a precarious one from the start and Apex Sportstainment has done an admirable job to get them this far. While it is too bad that they have to fold, the CBA will continue and will strive to do what is best for the fans now and in the future."
"Apex Sportstainment has been approved to operate a fourth franchise in the CBA for next season (as originally planned), to compliment the three existing franchise owned by the group. Joe has invested considerable amount of time and money in the Utah franchise, at the expense of Butte, Great Falls, and Minot; but it was extremely difficult to continue without having local ownership, management and presence in Utah," stated Ricardo Richardson CBA Properties CEO. "The CBA will continue to grow and expand league presence, as we are in negotiations with leagues in Europe and the Caribbean. The CBA family stands behind Apex Sportstainment and its decision to focus on its remaining CBA ball clubs."
Recognized as the world's oldest professional basketball league the CBA moves ahead with the goal of moving into larger media markets in the United States and incorporating international competition as early as next season, the CBA already has firm commitments from expansion franchises in Atlanta, Vancouver, Miami and Southern California for the upcoming season with additional commitments from several overseas clubs pending.
The CBA continues to be regarded among the world's premier developmental leagues and has produced many of basketball's most recognizable names including current NBA head coaches Rick Carlisle, Maurice Cheeks, Phil Jackson, George Karl and Flip Saunders along with notable players such as Mark Blount, Bruce Bowen, Stephen Jackson, Mike James, Bo Outlaw and David Wesley.
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