ABA Basketball not covered by local newspapers

The reigning champs of the ABA (American Basketball Association) have established several records including the "Highest Score in the History of Basketball" as reported by Sports Illustrated. In 2011, they were recognized by the State Department of Education as one of only three companies in North Florida to have excelled in the field of education by aiding public schools.

The sports editor of the local newspaper refuses to give the team the time of day.

My question to you is: Is this warranted? And, what can be done to get some attention short of causing a riot.

All of the home games are played in a 12,000 seat arena. The last attendance figures were 4000.

 

Uh-huh.

 

I can't figure out how the ABA is still operating.

 

It hasn't operated since 1976. The current incarnation is just college dropouts who don't want to work at the grocery store.

 

Welcome to sportsjournalists.com Joe Newman, owner of the ABA. I have $10,000 burning a hole in my pocket, can I buy a franchise?

 

Buy an ad in the newspaper.

 

Also, have a league where every team that begins the season ends that same season while paying all of the bills and players and other things that a basketball team creates in the process.
Also, don't bring to the court a product that looks like rec league jerseys that has masking tape for numbers, that's not professional.
Also, don't drive out your good owners to start a competing league that turns out to be just as corrupt as your own.

Sorry about that rant, bitter minor league basketball guy over here who has had to cover one too many debts that didn't get paid or games that didn't get played.

 

I once ran a brief about the local ABA team holding open tryouts. No problem. Our community calendar was all first-come, first-serve.

The following week, the "owner" asked my SE to recommend some vacant office space that he could look into renting.

Then he invited one of our reporters to dance team tryouts. Not to cover it — to try out. OK, big guy, I think we're done here.

 

Been down that long winding road with the ABA, CBA, PBL, NBADL and all the rest of the alphabet soup that makes you want to throw up. None of it is really legit except the D-League and that's only legit because it carries the NBA name, they are just as bad financially as the rest of the minor league basketball owners.
They are trying to make a go of something in Canada, and it seems to be holding somewhat strong, but we will see. They have Michael Ray Richardson coaching a team, so at least it's entertaining.

 

The only way the SE and newspaper is going to be motivated to cover the team is if the readership pushes for the coverage. Having someone affiliated with the team/league chirp about what a big deal it is and how great it is will not move the needle. Be honest with yourself - is it something the community is clamoring to read about and see coverage of? And is it more important and more valuable than the things that won't get covered if the paper moves resources around to give the team coverage?

I may be alone on this island, but the "aiding public schools in education" angle does zero to make this worthy of coverage as a sport/league in my eyes.

Finally, if it's being passed off as a "pro" basketball league, it better be professional in every sense of the word, from media relations and access, to coach and player availability, and all that (including accurate attendance numbers). If you tell me crowds average 4,000, and I go out and see no more than 600 butts in seats whenever I am at a game, you're going to have a credibility problem in my eyes.

 

Nice history lesson for a league that has no relation to the current wreck.

http://abalive.com/history/

 

We're talking Jacksonville, Fla., here, to be specific, and I think that puts the attendance issue into some perspective.

If we, in NE Mississippi, had an indoor football team that drew a for-real 4,000 a night, that would be a big deal.
Instead, they'd draw 2,000 the first night and never that many again, and you'd come to realize that maybe hald those tickets were gimmies.

Drawing 4,000 to a 12,000-seat arena in a city of more than 800,000 doesn't suggest much in terms of enduring popularity.

If I'm the SE there and it's feasible, I'd probably try to cover the "champs" opening night (with a stringer) and that's about it.