A Look At Abe Pollin's Highlights As A Pro Sports Owner
With Wizards Owner ABE POLLIN passing away Tuesday, SBD/SBJ provides a timeline of the highlights of Pollin's 45-year tenure as a sports franchise owner in the greater DC area.
1964: With ARNOLD HEFT and EARL FOREMAN, Pollin buys the Baltimore Bullets for $1.1M, a then-record amount for an NBA franchise.
1968: Becomes the sole owner of the team and announces plan to move the team closer to DC.
1972: Pollin solicits, and ultimately receives, the support of Blackhawks co-Owners ARTHUR and WILLIAM WIRTZ in his attempt to acquire an expansion NHL franchise. The NHL subsequently awards Pollin rights to a DC franchise. Days later, Pollin backs a Wirtz-led bid to purchase the Bulls.
1973: Moves NBA team in April to DC suburb Landover, Maryland, and renames club Capital Bullets….Capital Centre opens to sellout crowd of 17,500, the then-largest ever crowd to watch a basketball game in Maryland. It is the first arena in the country with big screens for showing instant replays and has the first computerized ticket system.
1974: NBA team renamed the Washington Bullets….Capitals play their first game, losing 6-3 to the Rangers in N.Y.
1979: Pollin takes Bullets to Asia to lead the NBA’s first ever venture into China, forging the way for the NBA to become a global entity.
1980: Pollin agrees to sell the Capitals to car dealer JACQUES MOORE, but then changed his mind, according to court testimony.
1991: SUSAN O'MALLEY is named President of Washington Sports & Entertainment, the only woman to run either an NBA or an NHL club.
1993: Pollin backs out of a deal to sell both the Bullets and Capitals to a partnership that included then-MLB Rangers Owner ROLAND BETTS and former NFLer CALVIN HILL.
1994: Announces he will use private money to build a major sports complex in downtown DC.
1995: Bullets break ground on MCI Center, which opens in December ’97.
1996: Announces the Bullets will be renamed the Wizards prior to the ‘97-98 NBA season.
1997: Upstart WNBA awards Pollin an expansion team beginning in '98, which would become the Mystics.
1999: The NHL unanimously approves the sale of the Capitals to TED LEONSIS.
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| Pollin (r) Named Jordan (c) A Wizards Exec In '00 |
2000: MICHAEL JORDAN named Wizards minority Owner and President of Basketball Operations.
2002: Launches Washington Sports & Entertainment Education Fund to benefit the children who lost a parent or guardian in the September 11 Pentagon attack.
2003: Jordan is ousted by Pollin after a three-year stretch in which the team failed to make the playoffs.
2005: Sells the Mystics to Lincoln Holdings group, which includes SHEILA JOHNSON as Managing Partner.
2007: Pollin asks DC for $50M to renovate the arena's luxury suites. The request comes amid the opening of the city’s publicly financed $611M Nationals Park, plus recent talks with the Redskins and D.C. United about providing public aid for their new homes.
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