bluenoser
01-29-2007, 06:56 PM
Does anyone know about this new American Baskeball Association team? The Rainmen. I only heard about this in a roundabout way - obviously related to the ABA All-Star game being held in Halifax over the weekend (there were 2500 in attendance for the game on Sunday and 3000 for a concert/slam dunk competition on Saturday).
So the franchise is formed and they're scheduled to start play in the '07-'08 season. They only detail left is where they'll play, which will likely be the Metro Centre. A fellow named Andre Levingston is the owner.
I'm not entirely sure what's going on with the league. They have around 50 teams now with a lot more slated for expansion and a lot that are defunct. Apparently there used to be a team in Calgary, there are currently teams in Montreal and Quebec, and Mississauga and Ottawa are also on the expansion list.
They might not be of the highest caliber (some teams play in school gymnasiums - probably big American ones, though!) but it would be cool to match up against a lot of different American teams (with respect to the NHL discussion, I would contend that per-capita, Canada has a lot more interest in basketball than the southern U.S.A. has interest in hockey).
Apparently the ABA was originally formed back in the 1960s and was later merged with the NBA. Now the new ABA was formed in 1999 as a completely separate league. Although, some of the teams have moved on to join higher leagues like the NBA so they must be serious enough.
In any case, power to them. I hope the best for the team, especially in generating more focus on professional sports in the city.
Daily News - ABA Weekend A Slam Dunk: Fans (http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=7238&sc=92)
Chronicle Herald - Weekend Shows ABA Potential (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555838.html)
Chronicle Herald - ABA Officials Thrilled By All-Star Game Reception (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555848.html)
Chronicle Herald - ABA Takes Flight (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555666.html)
So the franchise is formed and they're scheduled to start play in the '07-'08 season. They only detail left is where they'll play, which will likely be the Metro Centre. A fellow named Andre Levingston is the owner.
I'm not entirely sure what's going on with the league. They have around 50 teams now with a lot more slated for expansion and a lot that are defunct. Apparently there used to be a team in Calgary, there are currently teams in Montreal and Quebec, and Mississauga and Ottawa are also on the expansion list.
They might not be of the highest caliber (some teams play in school gymnasiums - probably big American ones, though!) but it would be cool to match up against a lot of different American teams (with respect to the NHL discussion, I would contend that per-capita, Canada has a lot more interest in basketball than the southern U.S.A. has interest in hockey).
Apparently the ABA was originally formed back in the 1960s and was later merged with the NBA. Now the new ABA was formed in 1999 as a completely separate league. Although, some of the teams have moved on to join higher leagues like the NBA so they must be serious enough.
In any case, power to them. I hope the best for the team, especially in generating more focus on professional sports in the city.
Daily News - ABA Weekend A Slam Dunk: Fans (http://www.hfxnews.ca/index.cfm?sid=7238&sc=92)
Chronicle Herald - Weekend Shows ABA Potential (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555838.html)
Chronicle Herald - ABA Officials Thrilled By All-Star Game Reception (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555848.html)
Chronicle Herald - ABA Takes Flight (http://thechronicleherald.ca/Sports/555666.html)
