The American Basketball Association 2000, a new pro
basketball league, is scheduled to begin play in January
2000. The ABA 2000 will begin play with a 40-game schedule
with target markets including N.Y. (Long Island), Chicago,
Anaheim, Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Raleigh-
Durham, New Orleans, Tidewater, (VA), Hartford, Nashville
and Memphis. Ownership groups have been identified or are
in place in each city. Many of the franchises will be owned
and operated by African-Americans. ABA co-Founder Dick
Tinkham is an original owner of the Pacers and one of the
original founders of the ABA (ABA 2000).
CPBL NO MINOR VENTURE: CPBL Founder Paul McMann writes
on the start-up of his league in the SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL:
"I believe our league could help solve the underclassmen
problem. With a slight modification of the current NBA
rules, high school superstars and collegiate underclassmen
could be drafted by NBA teams and placed in the CPBL"
(SPORTSBUSINESS JOURNAL, 6/21 issue). McMann, on the CBA:
"It has poor brand identity and it's in secondary markets.
To revive that and turn it around will take a lot of money."
McMann, on the newly-formed IBL: "It seems to me they're
positioning themselves as another CBA" (CBS SportsLine,
6/23). In Boston, Will McDonough wrote that McMann
"envisions an eight-team league, set in big markets in the
Northeast and Midwest." McMann: "We have sent letters to
all NBA owners offering an equity position in our league to
join forces with us" (BOSTON GLOBE, 6/19).
THOMAS GETS CLOSER TO CBA DEAL: USA TODAY's Greg Boeck
reports that NBC NBA analyst Isiah Thomas "is close to
buying" the CBA, with a goal to "market league broadcast
rights over the Internet" (USA TODAY, 6/23).
NBA PUTS KIBOSH ON DUNK CONTEST: The NBA said that the
league will not use high school athletes in a slam dunk
competition during the NBA Draft June 30 at the MCI Center.
NBA Senior VP/Communications Brian McIntyre said that "there
was a misunderstanding" regarding the in-arena entertainment
for fans attending the draft. McIntyre: "We never planned
on using high school athletes, and will not use high school
athletes" (Brian Carney, WASHINGTON POST, 6/23).
