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American Basketball AssociationThe American Basketball Association refers to two distinct professional basketball leagues. The first ABA was founded in 1967 and eventually merged with the National Basketball Association. The new ABA was founded in the late 1990s and is currently in a period of expansion. Original ABA The original ABA was founded in 1967, competing with the more established, rival National Basketball Association until reaching an agreement of merger in 1976. Ultimately four ABA teams were absorbed into the older league: the New York Nets, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs. Two other clubs, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis were disbanded upon the merger. A third, the Virginia Squires, had folded less than a month earlier, missing out on the opportunities a merger might provide. The ABA distinguished itself from its older counterpart with a more wide-open style of offensive play as well as differences in rules (a 30-second shot clock as opposed to the NBA's 24, use of a 3-point basket, etc.) Also, the ABA used a colorful red, white and blue ball instead of the NBA's brown ball. The freewheeling style of the ABA eventually caught on with fans, but the lack of a national television contract and protracted financial losses would spell doom for the ABA as an independent circuit. List of ABA teams ABA Championship Series results The New ABA (2000-2002, 2003-present) A new American Basketball Association was formed in the late 1990s and played from 2000 to 2002. The league suspended operations after the 2002 season, but resumed play in 2003-2004. The league undertook a new business model upon its return, resulting in an ambitious expansion program beginning with its 2004-2005 season. Virtually anyone willing to pay the league's expansion fee ($ 10,000 or $ 20,000, depending on when you "applied") was awarded an ABA franchise. The expansion has had chaotic results, with many teams failing to meet its financial obligations and folding during the course of the season, others being forced to cancel games and curtail their schedules, and the playoff format being revised several times because teams that qualified were failing to appear for games. Despite these problems, a new round of expansion for 2005-2006 has gone on, with over 30 new teams planned for the season. ABA Teams For 2004-2005 Season Red Division White Division Blue Division 2005-2006 Expansion Cities with 2005-2006 teams - Bakersfield, California
- Baltimore, Maryland
- Buffalo, New York
- Birmingham, Alabama
- Chattanooga, Tennessee
- Cleveland, Ohio
- Columbus, Ohio
- Everett, Washington
- Long Island, New York
- Montreal, Canada
- Norfolk, Virginia
- Orlando, Florida
- Scranton/Wilkes Barre, Pennsylvania
- Vancouver, Canada
Defunct ABA teams ABA Championship Series results External links - http://www.abalive.com - Official website of the American Basketball Association
- http://www.remembertheaba.com
- http://sports.groups.yahoo.com/group/ABABasketball/ Largest ABA Group on the Planet
See also: List of defunct sports leagues, List of developmental and minor sports leagues
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