Tombstone
Formed: 1995
Disbanded: December 22, 1998
First Game: October 18, 1996
Last Game: December 20, 1998
Seasons: 2.5
Franchises: 11
States: 11
(CA, CO, CT, GA, IL, OH, OR, PA, TN, VA, WA)
Leadership
Co-Founders: Gary Cavalli, Anne Cribbs & Steve Hams
Chief Executive Officer:
- December 1996 – December 1998: Gary Cavalli
Attendance
Sources:
- 1997-98 American Basketball League Media Guide (1996-97 Figures)
- 1998-99 San Jose Lasers Media Guide (1997-98 Figures)
- Fun While It Lasted box score analysis of all 63 1998-99 ABL games from NewspapersArchives.com. (1998-99 figures)
Trophy Case
American Basketball League Most Valuable Player
| YEAR | PLAYER | POSITION | TEAM |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996-97 | Nikki McCray | Forward | Columbus Quest |
| 1997-98 | Natalie Williams | Center | Portland Power |
| 1998-99 | Season Cancelled |
Background
The American Basketball League (ABL) was a women’s professional league which launched in 1996 and competed with the NBA-backed Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA). The ABL initially attracted better talent than the WNBA, thanks to better salaries and benefits. But the league was unable to compete for coveted sponsorships and television contracts. The ABL folded on December 22, 1998 only two months into its third season of play.
American Basketball League Franchise List
| FRANCHISE | YEARS ACTIVE | ABL CHAMPIONS |
|---|---|---|
| Atlanta Glory | 1996-1998 | Never |
| Chicago Condors | 1998 | Never |
| Colorado Xplosion | 1996-1998 | Never |
| Columbus Quest | 1996-1998 | 1997 & 1998 |
| Long Beach Stingrays | 1997-1998 | Never |
| Nashville Noise | 1998 | Never |
| New England Blizzard | 1996-1998 | Never |
| Philadelphia Rage | 1997-1998 | Never |
| Portland Power | 1996-1998 | Never |
| Richmond Rage | 1996-1997 | Never |
| San Jose Lasers | 1996-1998 | Never |
| Seattle Reign | 1996-1998 | Never |
Downloads
1997-98 American Basketball League Human Resources Manual
1997-98 American Basketball League Human Resources Manual
American Basketball League Shop
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One Response
Greetings from the No 1 Rage Fan. It truly was fun while it lasted. I still have my sneakers from Nike and the Vibe Magazine which featured me in it’s article about the ABL. No more sloppy cartwheels and splits. Too old for that!
January 2, 2014