Premier Basketball League
 | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2007 |
| No. of teams | 14 |
| Country |  United States Canada |
| Most recent champion(s) | Rochester Razorsharks |
| Official website | http://www.pblproball.com/ |
The Premier Basketball League (PBL) is a professional basketball league that began play in January 2008. The league had ten teams for the 2008 season.
History
Birth
The PBL was born out of frustrations several former member teams of the modern American Basketball Association (ABA) had with that league.[1] Eight of the initial ten teams either played in or were slated to play in the ABA.
Original Ten Teams
East Division |
West Division |
* -ABA team
ABA Controversies
In early 2007, Joe Newman was voted out of his position as CEO of the ABA by the board of directors, which included Maryland Nighthawks owner and then-ABA COO Tom Doyle, due to dissatisfaction with how Newman executed his duties as CEO. Newman responded by using his and other shares that formed a controlling interest to remove the entire board of directors.[2]
Newman then refused to reschedule a weather-delayed playoff game between the Rochester Razorsharks and Wilmington Sea Dawgs although the two teams agreed to a make up date, wanting instead to force Rochester to accept a forfeit.[3]
It was on the heels of these two incidents that the Nighthawks and Razorsharks ownership groups combined forces to create the PBL.
Current PBL Teams with ABA Pasts
* - Slated to play in ABA but never played
Commissioner
Former Houston Rockets point guard and current NBA on TNT analyst Kenny Smith is the league's first commissioner. [1][4]
Second year defections from other leagues
During the 2008 off season, six more former ABA teams decided to move to the PBL. First, on May 9, the Manchester Millrats and the 2006-2007 and 2007-2008 ABA champion Vermont Frost Heaves moved.[5] Then on May 20, the inactive Detroit Panthers re-activated and joined the league.[6] And on May 21, the Quebec Kebs joined.[7] On June 5 another team with an ABA history, the Augusta Groove, joined the league, but from the Continental Basketball Association.[8] On June 23, the Halifax Rainmen, announced they were also joining. [9] The first International Basketball League defection came on July 31 when the Battle Creek Knights joined the league.[10]
Teams
2008-09 Teams [11]
- Augusta Groove
- Battle Creek Knights
- Buffalo Dragons
- Chicago Throwbacks
- Detroit Panthers
- Halifax Rainmen
- Manchester Millrats
- Maryland Nighthawks
- Montreal Sasquatch
- Quad City Riverhawks
- Quebec Kebs
- Reading Railers
- Rochester Razorsharks
- Vermont Frost Heaves
- Wilmington Sea Dawgs
Defunct Teams/Failed Expansion
- Arkansas Impact
- Bridgeport, Connecticut
- Chicago Aztecas - will be PBL representative travel team
- Dallas Defenders - ownership revoked midseason, replaced by league-run replacement, folded when no outside owner could be found
- Jacksonville JAM - expelled by league, searching for other options
- Jacksonville SLAM - league-run replacement for JAM, folded when no outside owner could be found
- Minnesota Ripknees - returned to ABA, folded shortly afterwards
- Rockford Fury - Folded when the PBL instituted a "one team per owner" rule [12]
- Southeast Asian All-Stars - Previously announced by PBL, have not been heard from since and not on official website's team roster.
- Toronto Lazers - Previously announced by PBL, have not been heard from since and not on official website's team roster.
Awards
MVP
- 2008: Jeremy Bell, Arkansas Impact
Playoffs MVP
- 2008: Keith Friel, Rochester Razorsharks
Coach of the Year
- 2008: Rod Baker, Rochester Razorsharks
Championship Game results
- 2008: Rochester Razorsharks defeated Arkansas Impact, 142-112 (Blue Cross Arena)
See also
References
- ^ a b Rao, Chay (2008-01-02). "Nighthawks prep for New Year, new league". Gazette.Net. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ^ "United States Securities And Exchange Commission Form 8-K". 2007-01-31. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ^ George, Rachel (2007-03-24). "Sea Dawgs are unlikely hosts". Wilmington Star News. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ^ "NBA Legend Kenny Smith Named PBL Commissioner". Premier Basketball League. 2007-12-06. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
- ^ "Premier Basketball League Welcomes Vermont Frost Heaves And Manchester Millrats". Our Sports Central. 2008-05-09. Retrieved 2008-05-09.
- ^ "Detroit Panthers Join Premier Basketball League". Our Sports Central. 2008-05-20. Retrieved 2008-05-20.
- ^ "Quebec Kebs Join Premier Basketball League". Our Sports Central. 2008-05-21. Retrieved 2008-05-21.
- ^ "Premier Basketball League Welcomes Augusta Groove". Our Sports Central. 2008-06-05. Retrieved 2008-06-05.
- ^ "Rainmen to join Premier Basketball League". Halifax Metro.Ca. 2008-06-23. Retrieved 2008-06-23.
- ^ "Premier Basketball League Welcomes Battle Creek Knights". Our Sports Central. 2008-07-31. Retrieved 2008-07-31.
- ^ 2008-09 PBL Team Websites
- ^ "Fury Finished". MyStateline.com. 2008-08-08. Retrieved 2008-08-12.
External links
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