Only 3 years left......

[Alphabet Man]

http://abalive.com/news/releases/?newsid=2006091806006

They want 100 teams within 3 years, then women's league possibly

My question: Why bother?

Does anyone rock up to this league with a really crap identity?

My bet is that they'll collapse way before then

[Discrim]

I wouldn't put it past em. Get 100 teams or die trying...heh, I think the engine's gonna blow before then.

[HailToTheVictors]

Good grief this league is insane

[Mac the Knife]

They'll make it 3 more years. I don't know about 100 teams, but they'll survive 3 more years.

The reason? There are still a ton of suckers out there willing to part with $20K and have dreams of being the owner of a pro sports franchise.

[bullsfan4life]

The day the ABA folds= A happy day in sports history.

[DG_ThenNowForever]

The day the ABA folds= A happy day in sports history.

I don't get that attitude. Why root for the ABA to fail? Have you ever seen an ABA game live? Did the players spit on you? Is there an ABA owner who hit your mother or something?

The ABA provides many, many people the opportunity to get involved with professional basketball -- players, interns, scoreboard operators, PA announcers, etc. There are at least 100 minor league baseball teams in the country with equally stupid names and uniforms, but no one is calling for their dissolution.

I'm glad the ABA exists. There are a bunch of former college players that weren't good enough for the NBA or overseas that are getting a second chance at pro ball. Too frequently, just look at D-1 graduation statistics, they're pushed through school without ever getting an education in anything but basketball. Luckily, they've got a chance to make a living with the skills they developed in school. How is that bad?

This makes me think about Maurice Clarett. Don't you think he would have been better off if he had checked out the CFL, Arena, or any of the number of indoor football leagues? How many more potential Maurice Claretts does the ABA help to avoid?

[bullsfan4life]

The day the ABA folds= A happy day in sports history.

I don't get that attitude. Why root for the ABA to fail? Have you ever seen an ABA game live? Did the players spit on you? Is there an ABA owner who hit your mother or something?

The ABA provides many, many people the opportunity to get involved with professional basketball -- players, interns, scoreboard operators, PA announcers, etc. There are at least 100 minor league baseball teams in the country with equally stupid names and uniforms, but no one is calling for their dissolution.

I'm glad the ABA exists. There are a bunch of former college players that weren't good enough for the NBA or overseas that are getting a second chance at pro ball. Too frequently, just look at D-1 graduation statistics, they're pushed through school without ever getting an education in anything but basketball. Luckily, they've got a chance to make a living with the skills they developed in school. How is that bad?

This makes me think about Maurice Clarett. Don't you think he would have been better off if he had checked out the CFL, Arena, or any of the number of indoor football leagues? How many more potential Maurice Claretts does the ABA help to avoid?

Sorry, I meant to say I was kidding.

[rams80]

The day the ABA folds= A happy day in sports history.

I don't get that attitude. Why root for the ABA to fail? Have you ever seen an ABA game live? Did the players spit on you? Is there an ABA owner who hit your mother or something?

The ABA provides many, many people the opportunity to get involved with professional basketball -- players, interns, scoreboard operators, PA announcers, etc. There are at least 100 minor league baseball teams in the country with equally stupid names and uniforms, but no one is calling for their dissolution.

I'm glad the ABA exists. There are a bunch of former college players that weren't good enough for the NBA or overseas that are getting a second chance at pro ball. Too frequently, just look at D-1 graduation statistics, they're pushed through school without ever getting an education in anything but basketball. Luckily, they've got a chance to make a living with the skills they developed in school. How is that bad?

This makes me think about Maurice Clarett. Don't you think he would have been better off if he had checked out the CFL, Arena, or any of the number of indoor football leagues? How many more potential Maurice Claretts does the ABA help to avoid?

Yes, but the way the ABA is run completely destroys the credibility of minor league basketball. You could arguably say the ABA is the worst thing to happen to minor league basketball since Isaiah Thomas.

Lets put it this way, the ABA loses more teams by midseason than affiliated baseball has since...I dunno, the 1970s.

Many of the people these derelict franchises provide jobs for go unpaid and otherwise uncompensated.

As for Maurice Clarett-reportedly he was looking at joining an indoor football league (granted it is debatable that the league is going to get off the ground right now, but he did look at that as an option.)

[DG_ThenNowForever]

Good points. Neither of us were very specific, but I could see how a start-up franchise could run on good will and not actually pay anyone.

It's too bad that the ABA and CBA are all we have right now. It's a shame that, really, if you don't make it in college, you're not going to make it at all. Rafer Alston is a rare example. I hope the ABA can provide more, eventually.

[Alphabet Man]

Good points. Neither of us were very specific, but I could see how a start-up franchise could run on good will and not actually pay anyone.

It's too bad that the ABA and CBA are all we have right now. It's a shame that, really, if you don't make it in college, you're not going to make it at all. Rafer Alston is a rare example. I hope the ABA can provide more, eventually.

so its actually pro, as in they pay players??

Alot of College players that don't make the NBA, come over here and play NBL, our major bball league, players like Kavossy Franklin, Dave Thomas, Rashad Tucker, and they are all stars over here. Yeh my South Dragons managed to get Todd Fuller (is his first name Todd?) and is coached by Mark Price (CAvs fans will know who he is). But what i'm getting at here is that they could play ina league with good reputation by coming over here, and making an easy living by playing once a week in our summer.

What the ABA has done wrong is that they are aiming way too high, and expanding way too fast. Remember how the Roman Empire collapsed, expanded fast and too much and came crumbling in from the inside. Samething with the ABA. IMO there is no good sound business structure there.

[rams80]

Good points.  Neither of us were very specific, but I could see how a start-up franchise could run on good will and not actually pay anyone. 

It's too bad that the ABA and CBA are all we have right now.  It's a shame that, really, if you don't make it in college, you're not going to make it at all.  Rafer Alston is a rare example.  I hope the ABA can provide more, eventually.

so its actually pro, as in they pay players??

Alot of College players that don't make the NBA, come over here and play NBL, our major bball league, players like Kavossy Franklin, Dave Thomas, Rashad Tucker, and they are all stars over here. Yeh my South Dragons managed to get Todd Fuller (is his first name Todd?) and is coached by Mark Price (CAvs fans will know who he is). But what i'm getting at here is that they could play ina league with good reputation by coming over here, and making an easy living by playing once a week in our summer.

What the ABA has done wrong is that they are aiming way too high, and expanding way too fast. Remember how the Roman Empire collapsed, expanded fast and too much and came crumbling in from the inside. Samething with the ABA. IMO there is no good sound business structure there.

Rome as a "state" lasted for 2 millenia (counting the time in Byzantium). In regards to territorial size, it held together over much of Europe for a couple of centuries. In fact, you could argue that the seeds for the Empire's destruction were sown when they stopped expanding (when your economy is heavily based on acquired plunder, its good to conquer.)

So in other words, don't compare the ABA to Rome.

And yes, the players in theory are paid.

[yh]

Good points.  Neither of us were very specific, but I could see how a start-up franchise could run on good will and not actually pay anyone. 

It's too bad that the ABA and CBA are all we have right now.  It's a shame that, really, if you don't make it in college, you're not going to make it at all.  Rafer Alston is a rare example.  I hope the ABA can provide more, eventually.

so its actually pro, as in they pay players??

Alot of College players that don't make the NBA, come over here and play NBL, our major bball league, players like Kavossy Franklin, Dave Thomas, Rashad Tucker, and they are all stars over here. Yeh my South Dragons managed to get Todd Fuller (is his first name Todd?) and is coached by Mark Price (CAvs fans will know who he is). But what i'm getting at here is that they could play ina league with good reputation by coming over here, and making an easy living by playing once a week in our summer.

What the ABA has done wrong is that they are aiming way too high, and expanding way too fast. Remember how the Roman Empire collapsed, expanded fast and too much and came crumbling in from the inside. Samething with the ABA. IMO there is no good sound business structure there.

Rome as a "state" lasted for 2 millenia (counting the time in Byzantium). In regards to territorial size, it held together over much of Europe for a couple of centuries. In fact, you could argue that the seeds for the Empire's destruction were sown when they stopped expanding (when your economy is heavily based on acquired plunder, its good to conquer.)

So in other words, don't compare the ABA to Rome.

And yes, the players in theory are paid.

Easy now, I think he made a typo. He typed "Roman Empire" when he meant to type "USFL."