The ABA returns to Buffalo in November
There was a lot of buzz and excitement back in 2005 when the ABA Buffalo Rapids debuted here in Buffalo, giving the city its first pro hoops team since the NBA Braves departed in 1978.
But that excitement quickly disappeared as the team became enmeshed in cash flow and other operational problems, none more glaring than the team’s inability to secure a permanent venue to call home. The team moved from the Burt Flickinger Center to the Park School, Niagara Catholic, Buff State Sports Arena, Hilbert College and even the Gow School. Disgruntled fans, unable to find where to go from game to game, quickly bailed on the team. The owners left, new owners took over, the team was renamed the Silverbacks, and naysayers then threw ridiculous charges of racism against the team, citing the franchise logo bearing the image of a black gorilla.
This past season the franchise was inactive, but now the ABA is back, with a new nickname, new ownership, and returning is their former coach Rich Jacob, who held the team together through its darkest days and actually fielded a respectable squad despite all the off the court chaos and distractions. This time they are promising to make it work.
“We’re very excited” said Coach Jacob, who was on hand tonight as the “Buffalo Sharks” held a kick off party at Club Infinity in Clarence to welcome their supporters and start up season ticket sales.
The Sharks will play their home games at the Koessler Center on the Canisius College campus, and, as if to prove that there will be no repeat of the venue hopping which marred the franchise’s inaugural season, there was a certified letter on Canisius letterhead laminated and on display at the season ticket table, validating the secured agreement between the franchise and the college to host the home games of the Sharks. Officials from the College were also on hand tonight to welcome supporters and make themselves available for questions.
Owner Vincent Lesh has been a long time music and concert promoter here in Buffalo, and for him this is his first foray into sports management. “One thing I know how to do is put people into seats, and we’re going to promote the heck out of this team and bring basketball fans out to see this team” promised Lesh. Sharks season tickets run from $225 for courtside seats down to $75 for general admission, based on an 18 game home schedule. Lesh also stated that once up and running, tickets will be available at ticketmaster outlets and online at ticketmaster.com.
Lesh admitted that the Rapids/Silverbacks business model was a disaster from the get go. “I have no bad feelings towards the Nice’s or the Weir’s (former team owners) but their way of doing business is out the window. We’re going to run things differently to make things work.” Jacob added, “We have the experience now and know what worked and what didn’t so hopefully the benefit of that experience will pay dividends.”
The Sharks will have competition for the WNY pro hoops audience. Three weeks ago a competing ownership group unveiled the debut of the Buffalo Dragons, who will join the Premier Basketball League and play its games at the Flickinger Center downtown. The Dragons have come up with a unique business plan, intending to field a team of Chinese players and video stream its games into China.
We asked both Lesh and Jacob if this city can support two minor league basketball teams. Both chose their words carefully in their reply. “They are going to have their thing and we are going to have ours” said Lesh. “We have already signed up major sponsors, including Labatt and Met Life, who believe in our product and know we can develop and grow a fan base.” Jacob was proudly showing off some of his newly recruited players at tonight’s event. “These are young men who will have a connection to the community.”
So how did the “Sharks” nickname come to be? Lesh laughed and replied. “We had a sponsorship deal in place that involved the name and that fell through. But we liked the nickname and it stuck.”
The team has a web site, that for now is nothing more than their snazzy logo.
Remember that night back in 2005 when close to 4000 fans packed the Flickinger Center for the inaugural game of the ABA Rapids? The game was delayed for over an hour as fans stood in a massive line outside the venue to check in through one available metal detector. “Those fans are still out there in the community, and we want to win them back” said Jacob.
The 2008-09 Sharks season begins in mid November, with the schedule to be announced later this summer.
-Andrew Kulyk
twoeightnine Says:May 9th, 2008 at 10:22 pm
They do know that Rochester has the Razorsharks right? I just find that strange.
basketballfan Says:May 9th, 2008 at 10:46 pm
The ABA is a mess. Their two best teams just left the league today for the PBL, the league the other team, the Dragons play in. They also played less than 40% of their games this past season, while the PBL played all of its games…
But, good luck to the Sharks, at least they have a nice venue and some large sponsors, but they are still in the ABA, where games get cancelled frequently and the league is run very poorly. Maybe they can make it work…The ABA just needs to get their act together.
Nba » The ABA returns to Buffalo in November Says:May 9th, 2008 at 11:57 pm
[…] Andrew Kulyk wrote an interesting post today on The ABA returns to Buffalo in NovemberHere’s a quick excerptThere was a lot of buzz and excitement back in 2005 when the ABA Buffalo Rapids debuted here in Buffalo, giving Buffalo its first pro hoops team since the NBA Buffalo Braves departed in 1978. But that excitement quickly disappeared as … […]
Peter Farrell Says:May 10th, 2008 at 8:47 am
289, the name sharks was originally part of some corporate naming deal with Shark energy drink. Ownership told us that fell through for nowbut they’re keeping the name.
Minor_League_Man Says:May 10th, 2008 at 8:48 am
In response to the previous posts:
The Rochester Razorsharks are in the PBL now, they left the ABA. They just won the PBL championship with almost 10k on hand. The ABA championship was held in Quebec where Vermont won, with less than 1k on hand.
The 2 teams that left were Vermont and Manchester. Vermont has won the ABA Championship the last 2 years(07 and 08) and they have left. Manchester was the top team next to Vermont last season in the ABA, their GM got executive of the year, and now they have left. It is also rumored that Quebec City and Montreal are leaving on Monday, 2 more of the few decent teams left in the ABA. They started last season with almost 40 teams, and finished with about 12 active. It was a disaster of a season. Both Vermont and Manchester in the PRs about joining the PBL both mentioned that they needed more stability, wanted better competition, and a better run league. They’re sick of 140-80 games over teams that show up with 6 or 7 players, with the coach as one of them, and mis-matched jerseys.
The Sharks sound like they have a good plan, and good intentions, but it would be a shame if they had no one to play. Hopefully the ABA can place teams in the N.East to make up for the heartbreaking losses. If the ABA can get up to par with a team like the Sharks, maybe they can do alright, but we will see…
I did my homework, and have been following minor league basketball for quite a few years. Just thought I would post my 2 cents, and contribute to the other comments on a more detailed level. Again, best of luck to the Sharks eventhough they will have competition with the Buffalo Dragons of the PBL, who also sound like they have great credentials and a great plan. It will be interesting for pro hoops in Buffalo this upcomming season.
Screw this, I’m talking Ticket Schedulers » Blog Archive » Quick scan of the net - ticket scheduler Says:May 10th, 2008 at 12:20 pm
[…] http://thesportsroadtrip.wnymedia.net/blogs/2008/05/09/the-aba-returns-to-buffalo-in-november/Sharks season tickets run from $225 for courtside seats down to $75 for general admission, based on a 15 game home schedule. Lesh also stated that once up and running, tickets will be available at ticketmaster outlets and online at … […]
Jon Splett Says:May 10th, 2008 at 2:40 pm
I don’t think the Dragons are fielding an all Chinese team. If I read that press release right, I think they’re just broadcasting all the games over there, not recruiting players.
Minor_League_Man Says:May 10th, 2008 at 3:15 pm
Jon,
From what I’ve read and heard, the Dragons are going to field a few Chinese players and have Americans as well. It will be a blend of players. I’ve heard they can field up to like 6 Chinese players and then filling the rest of the roster with Americans. So it would be like 6 Asian and 6-8 American. The market is China is huge. The NBA China initiative is worth $2.3 billion dollars. ESPN has invested $253 million. NexxNow plans to broadcast Dragons’ games to China, and owns media rights to 2 leagues to do the same, the PBL and CBA. (Found all of this info on their website, www.nexxnow.com) The All-Chinese ABA, Beijing Aoshen team broadcasts games, makes 5-7 million per season and averages almost 20 million viewers per game, in an 18 game season.
Personally, I think it would be cool to see a unique team like that, its deffinately not the ordinary pro basketball team, and international players bring a whole new style of play to the game, a very fundamentally based game. And it helps the Dragons that they are in a very stable league with solid teams, the ABA is a big question mark now that its top teams have left, and they just happened to be in the North East.
Minor_League_Man Says:May 10th, 2008 at 3:18 pm
And they left to the Dragons league, the PBL, how ironic.
twoeightnine Says:May 10th, 2008 at 11:36 pm
Had never heard of Shark Energy Drink but I’m wondering if that Buffalo Sharks logo is going to change… http://www.sharkenergy.com/ I’m guessing yes.
I just think it’s a bad idea for a team to use the same name, Razorsharks gets shortened all the time, as a team from the same region that’s in a league that is one of your main competitors. Especially when the name has absolutely nothing to do with either city.
Minor_League_Man Says:May 21st, 2008 at 1:51 pm
- Update -
Detroit and Quebec have left the ABA now! Along with another franchise the PBL has introduced in Montreal.
The ABA is pretty much done; They’re lucky to have 8 active teams left! Lets see if the Sharks sink with no one left to play…
Yours Truly,
M.L.M.