Major League sports in the United States are a pretty solid investment. The last time a franchise in the Big Four (NFL, NBA, NHL and Major League Baseball) went out of business was in 1978.* F!*#&n’ 1978! Try to think of another industry that hasn’t lost a single participating business across four decades of relentless technology change and disruption.
But the minor leagues and oddball concepts like indoor soccer, box lacrosse, lingerie football and basketball leagues for short men are a whole different story. The lunatic fringe of the pro sports industry is a land of hustlers and marks, grand delusions and shoestring budgets, guerilla marketing and Ponzi schemes, of humble beginnings and even humbler endings. There are literally thousands of such teams that have come and gone from the North American pro sports landscape. Some played for decades. Some folded without ever making it to the field or court.
Many of them, whatever their other failings, were a hell of a lot of fun.
We try our best to keep track of them all here.
*If you knew it was the Cleveland Barons of the National Hockey League, you are really going to like it here.
About Andrew Crossley
Andrew Crossley created Fun While It Lasted in February 2011 while staring down the barrel of defunct-itude as General Manager of the Boston Breakers of Women’s Professional Soccer. He worked as a front office executive in various sports & entertainment properties for the better part of fifteen years including the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, the United Soccer Leagues, the Atlantic League of Professional Baseball, and the Can-Am League (Baseball).
Andrew lives with his wife and kids near Boston, Massachusetts. He has taught courses in sports management at the University of Massachusetts-Lowell and Endicott College.
How To Search Fun While It Lasted
We love the SearchWP plug-in for WordPress. You can use the Search Form in the upper right corner of each page to search by Team Name, Player Name, League, City, Venue, etc.
Amazon Affiliate
We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
Many of our “Shop” sub-sections on our team pages contain affiliate marketing promotions for Amazon or other suppliers we like, such as the guys at OldSchoolShirts.com and 503 Sports.
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34 Responses
Maybe you can help me. Some time in the mid 80s, I briefly worked for a fledgling basketball league. I can’t remember if they were supposed to be a minor league thing or competition to the NBA. The Long Island team was to play at Hofstra University. I thought it was called the UBL, but that’s another league entirely. I wish my memory was better. Do you have any idea what I’m talking about?
Hi Michele,
It played in the spring/summer time right? That was the United States Basketball League (USBL) and they had a couple of teams on Long Island over the years. Definitely a minor league league. The league hung in there for more than two decades, finally shutting down after the 2007 season.
Stumbled across your website just recently. Great in depth blog on some defunct teams.
Wondering if you have read the book “Sports Hall of Oblivion”. I got that book on inter-library loan from, I believe, the Windsor Public Library some time ago.
Fantastic Site! I look forward to your future posts. Being a fan of women’s sports you will unfortunately have unlimited material. Looking forward to it!
Mr. Crossley,
I’d like to nominate a team for the “Crime & Punishment” tag. The 2010 Baltimore Mariners of the American Indoor Football Association went 16-0 and won the league championship, then weeks later were shut down when the owners were arrested for embezzlement. Months later, the rest of the league collapsed.
In fact, I’m hoping you’ll get to indoor football soon, because the old-timers at oursportscentral.com know about a lot of screwed-up franchises, including some other arrested owners. The four non-Arena leagues are still good for a few hilarious catastrophes between them per season. The story of the seeming success and shocking expulsion of the Northern Kentucky River Monsters looks to still have a few hidden wrinkles, probably hidden under the flab of its general manager-turned starting QB, 300 lb NFL veteran Jared Lorenzen.
I just discovered your website today and have to say I really enjoy it. Since I was a kid I have always had a fascination with minor league sports. I especially enjoyed the two posts you did on Roller Hockey International franchises. Please post more on the RHI and the many teams that came and went during its short 6 season history.
Hi Andy,
Here is an obscure league that you may wish to include in your blog:
LIBERTY BASKETBALL ASSOCIATION 1991
[Played one exhibition game on 10th February 1991 before disbanding]
Founded by Jim Drucker, a former Continental Basketball Association commissioner, the LBA tried gimmicks such as 9′ 2″ high baskets, a 25″
circumference basketball and skin-tight unitards for its players. The league only survived one game as the Detroit Dazzlers defeated LBA All-Stars at the Palace of Auburn Hills in front of 10,753 spectators
on ESPN.
Chicago Slammers [Chicago, IL] 1991
Detroit Dazzlers [Auburn Hills, MI] 1991
LBA All-Stars 1991
Los Angeles Lancers [Los Angeles, CA] 1991
New York Blasters [New York, NY] 1991
Philadelphia Freedoms [Philadelphia, PA] 1991
http://www.apbr.org/women.html
Dear Andy,
This is an excellent weblog with some interesting, entertaining and informative submissions.
As Graham aforementioned the LBA was a unique approach to the game. The idea behind the rule adaptations were based on research analysis revealing that Women’s basketball players are 92% the size of Men’s basketball players. Hence the 9’2″ goal height and 25″ ball size. I actually made the league roster; moreover the season folded right after the half-time NBA exhibition game. We did however practice on the 9’2″ goals for several months. I even have video footage of all of us dunking at will.
Many of the players that would have played in the LBA, had it been launched, played in the WBA. The WBA league also started with an All-Star Game in 1992 and then played three full seasons from 1993-95. The founder of the WBA, Lightning Mitchell, has a movie in production that will tell the story of the first professional Women’s basketball summer league. I am sure this will be an entertaining film chronicling the highlights and mishaps of one of the foremost pioneers of Women’s professional basketball.
I will pass on this weblog to my former teammates and opponents in the league in hopes that they will share their stories.
Dr. Robelyn Garcia
https://www.facebook.com/WomensBasketballAssociation
Hi Andy,
I’ve a good deal of information on the 1976 ASL Championship winning LA Skyhawks, as my father, Brian, played in goal for them.
I’ve commented on the programs you have for the Skyhawks for the ’76 season, but if you want any additional information, drop me a line via email.
Graham Parkinson
Another former long-time ALPB staffer, about to make what might be a last pilgrimage to Bridgeport as the Fish are on the ropes. The city is making noise like they will turn Harbor Yard into a concert venue, stay tuned. Loved those early years, where the Bears seemed to play the Pats every other afternoon at Bport to dozens of adoring fans and guys ended up living in a campground by midseason one year. Good times.
Cheers,
John
Cool blog … you may be interested to know the Albany Patroons have been revived as part of the brand-new North American Premier Basketball league, and are back playing in the old Armory as of this month. Your blog title says it all – I attended many Pats games in the ’80s, and it was a great time. Thanks for the memories!
In the mid-70s, there was a professional track & field league. This was at a time where track athletes were only paid until the table, if at all. I went to meets at Madison Square Garden & at Nassau Coliseum
Hello,
Thanks for the great info. I’m trying to find out what number Joe Morgan was when he played for the 1963 Modesto Colts. Do you have a program with this info or another source.
Hi Mike,
You probably will need to track down a 1963 Colts program to find that info. Wish I had a better answer for you, but my advice would be e-Bay … and patience.
Drew
Andy–here’s one I never knew about, stumbled upon while doing some lax research. I even did a little write up you are free to crib:
https://www.facebook.com/672280521/posts/10156951266035522/
On the American Football Association page:
https://funwhileitlasted.net/american-football-association-1977-1983/
You list “Charlotte Storm” and this is incorrect. It was the Carolina Storm I played on both the Carolina Chargers and Carolina Storm teams as the center. I have a copy of our roster if you would like to see it. I have several years worth of programs, newspaper articles etc.
Enjoyed reading the Memphis Chicks presentation. I had forgottten they were the Expos Farm Team. I was unaware of Bo Jackson debuing.
Would anyone know about the Matchbooks sponsored by Miller High Life put out by the team?
This was a set of 8 matchbooks. Each had a series of questions and pictured a ball player from the team. The only one that I have seen identified is #5 Ross Grimsley and his son.
Is there any way to get a copy of the media guide or roster from the 1973 and 1974 Knox Sox team? My husband played for them and I’d like to get this for him since he doesn’t have any memorabilia from that time in his life.
Hello, I’m writing a book about the Astrodome, being from Houston and all, and would like to reprint one of your articles. Can you advise about permission?
Hi Chris,
I’ll email you to learn more about your project. Thanks!
Drew
Drew – you did an amazing job on the piece featuring my Dad, Bill Terlecky. That was very well done and I appreciate your work honoring him. We miss him so much and it was nice to read. It reminds us just how amazing and smart he was with his craft. Thank you very much.
Tyler Terlecky
Hi Andrew,
Great writeup on the Pittsburgh Miners. Scotty Foley was my father. I was at the Cincinnati game where he took the team off of the field.
One minor point of correction, William Renton was the team president but not the owner. He was the president of International Carbon Mineral (ICM) and they owned the team. He was also my dad’s first cousin.
You might enjoy this video. A local television station aired a segment in which the Flint Generals won the IHL’s Turner Cup championship in 1984.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SPV-hUt119o
Gary,
That is terrific quality video! I added it to the Flint Generals’ page. Thanks for sharing.
Hi, I’m trying to find out which Toronto Blizzard player wore no.18 around 1988 or 89? Can’t find any matchday programmes so hoping you guys might have the answer!? Thanks, Si
Hmmm. Don’t think we have any info on that. Would probably need to find a CSL program from the era featuring the Blizzard, as you’ve already figured out.
Drew
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/46369746/orlando-broncos/
I didn’t see any information on the Southern Professional Football League, The Orlando Bronco’s I believe was Orlando’s first Pro team Did I miss it on the list the only SFL I saw was the one from Oversea’s
Mr. Crossley: I worked for the Boston Bolts in 1975, the first year of the National Lacrosse League. I don’t think I have memorabilia, but I certainly have vivid memories of that season. Happy to share them if you think they’d be of interest. Thanks,
Malcolm
Hi Andy,
I just recently discovered your wonderful website while searching for information on some now-extinct St. Louis teams in different sports. I remembered a lot of team names and players but didn’t know much history or anything abut the leagues they played in. Thanks for all the info!
One team name I remember because my dad used to talk about them was the St. Louis Bombers basketball team, which played in the old Basketball Association of American in the late ’40s and then for one more season in 1949-50 when the BAA merged with the NBL to form the NBA. The Bombers are mainly remembered in St. Louis for being the first pro team for our native St. Louisan Ed McCauley, who went on to have a great career with the Celtics and then back here with the Hawks.
Anyway, I just wanted to bring the Bombers and the BAA to your attention. Thanks for all the work you have done!
https://www.basketball-reference.com/teams/STB/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Louis_Bombers
https://www.sportslogos.net/logos/list_by_team/1125/St._Louis_Bombers/
Love your site. I noticed you don’t have a page for the Spring Football League that played in 2000. I was the DFO for the San Antonio Matadors. I have lots of items that could be used for the page.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spring_Football_League
I currently have four 1970’s IVA team stickers for sale on Ebay. If interested let me know and we can make arrangements. I was the Director of Operations for the Tucson teams in 1975 and 1976.
My late husband was friends with Edd Becker who owned the Fresno Flames in the WBL of 1988. I have a poster from the 1st annual WBL All Star game in Calgary on July 7,1988. It’s a little weathered on the edges, but kind of cool with a drawing of a player in a cowboy hat. Please let me know if you know anyone who may be interested in it. I could send a photo.
Andrew and fans of the old pro American Soccer League, come on over and join our new facebk group on the old ASL.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/705234821141303.
I also have a facebk group on the old pro Eastern Basketball League.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/1518986951756310.
We welcome new members to both groups.
Come on over and join the conversation, upload photos, share your memories.
Thank you!
Stay well.
Ed.
Hi, I am trying to find out the jersey number of my late cousin. He played kicker and punter for the 1971 Hartford Knights. His name was Kevin Watts. I am hoping someone has a ACFL media guide or a Knights vs Neptunes, Buckskins, or Jets program.