San Diego Wildcats
 |
|
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 1999 |
| Motto | "More than just a game" |
| Countries | United States |
| Continent | North America |
| Most recent champion(s) |
Jacksonville Giants (2016-17) |
| Most titles | Shreveport-Bossier Mavericks (4) Jacksonville Giants (4) |
| Official website | www.abaliveaction.com |
The American Basketball Association (ABA) is an American semi-professional men's basketball minor league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA bears no relation to the original American Basketball Association that was considered a "major league" and partially merged with the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976.
The current ABA was started up by Joe Newman and Richard Tinkham. Tinkham was an executive with the Indiana Pacers when they were in the original ABA. They licensed the ABA name from the NBA.
The league began play in 2000 with eight teams. During its initial years of operation, the league focused mainly on teams in larger cities. To attract fans, the ABA encouraged its members to fill rosters with former NBA players and past college basketball stars with local ties.
In 2002–03, the league suspended operations for reorganization. The league resumed play for the 2003–2004 season, but its focus had changed from a few teams in large cities to numerous teams in both large and medium-sized cities. Franchise fees were lowered from $50,000 to $10,000 and the bond requirement was removed in order to attract new teams. The subsequent reduction in initial operating costs allowed the formation of several teams that might otherwise not be possible. However, it also resulted in some under-financed ownership groups. Since 2004, several new teams have failed to complete even their inaugural season due to financial insolvency.
Additionally, teams were organized into regional groups to facilitate interest and reduce travel costs starting with the 2003–2004 season.
The 2004–05 season was the first under this new format, with 37 teams playing that season. Subsequent seasons brought drastic expansion, with some teams proving successful in their early years and others that did not complete their initial seasons. At times, the ABA had 50+ teams playing in a season. Some of the more successful expansion franchises during this era included the Arkansas RimRockers in 2004 and the Rochester Razorsharks in 2005, with each winning the ABA title during the team's first season in the league.
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