The International Basketball League (IBL), a new men's
pro league, will debut in November '99 and play a 64-game
schedule. The Baltimore-based league will consist of eight
franchises, located in Albuquerque, Baltimore, Cincinnati,
Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Richmond, San Diego and Tampa Bay.
Expansion plans for the league aim for 20 cities throughout
the world over the next five years. The IBL will feature a
modified single-entity structure. Each 12-man roster must
contain one player from outside the U.S. The league's front
office includes Founder & CEO Art Cipriani; VP & General
Counsel Paul Martha, and President Thaxter Trafton. The
IBL's consultants include Paul Garofolo, Dr. Richard
Lapchick, Neal Pilson and Jon Spoelstra. TV and sponsor
relationships will be announced at a later date. Plans are
for the league office to be operational by December. The
IBL's Web site is www.iblhoops.com (IBL).
DETAILS: In Baltimore, Christian Ewell writes that IBL
organizers "believe they can woo would-be pros with a more
lucrative package" than the CBA, with starters earning in
the low six-figures (Baltimore SUN, 8/12). But Neal Pilson
called the league's player salaries "modest." Pilson:
"We're not talking about six figures here" (BLOOMBERG,
8/12). Cipriani "expects [TV] coverage from local and
regional networks and some national TV" (Valerie Lister, USA
TODAY, 8/12). He also put the average ticket at $12-15.
Cipriani: "We aren't trying to be a minor league. We simply
want to be a new men's basketball league that features great
basketball at affordable prices" (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/12). The
IBL will hold its first draft next June, and will "accept
applications from college players who wish to forego the
remainder of their eligibility," as well as players who fail
to achieve NCAA eligibility (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 8/12).
TEAM OWNERSHIP: Though the league will run as a single-
entity, each team will have a local owner. In Jacksonville,
Michael DiRocco reports that the city's team will be owned
by a local group led by Jacksonville Sports Development
Authority member Rodney Gregory, who said the team is in
talks to play at the Jacksonville Coliseum (FL TIMES-UNION,
8/12). In Las Vegas, Steve Carp noted that Sega Gaming CEO
Doug Sanderson "is the point man" for a potential ownership
group (LAS VEGAS SUN, 8/11). Also in Las Vegas, Kevin Iole
reports that IBL officials will meet tomorrow with Fresno
State coach (and former UNLV coach) Jerry Tarkanian about
becoming involved with the Las Vegas team, possibly as GM
(REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/12). In Richmond, Jeff White reports
that local couple Charles and Wanda Gill "will probably" own
that franchise (TIMES-DISPATCH, 8/12). Baltimore's team
will be led by an ownership group headed by Baltimore
Development Corp. Senior VP Larry Smith. Ewell reports that
the IBL franchise fees range from $350,000 to $800,000,
"depending upon if the owners buy equity in the league"
(Baltimore SUN, 8/12). The Tampa team will be run by USBL
team Owner Richard Avis (TAMPA TRIBUNE, 8/12).
