Salem Sabres Added to ABA PAC/NW Division

(INDIANOPOLIS, IN) - The American Basketball Association (ABA) www.abalive.com today announced that the Salem Sabres from Salem, Oregon has been added to its Pacific/Northwest Division. “We’ve had excellent growth in the division for next season,” stated Joe Newman, ABA CEO. “And we’re pleased to add our first team in Oregon. The Sabres will begin with an abbreviated schedule in their first season and will compete with the Seattle Mountaineers, Kitsap Admirals, Olympia Rise, Lakewood Panthers and Washington Raptors.”

The Sabres are owned by C. Neiman Sports, Inc., a local non-profit organization. CEO Rhonda Alexander, who previously owned the Willamette Bistro in Salem got the idea of team ownership from another ABA team owner and said, “I am very excited about the upcoming season and want the organization to take things slow. We are now diligently working on building our coaching staff, securing a venue and selecting our players who will be representing Oregon’s Capital City. We recognize we are a new organization so we want to take the time to build solid community relationships. Our goal is to create affordable, fun, exciting family and youth entertainment here in Salem.”

The ABA is symbolized by the red, white and blue ball and was a pioneer basketball league in the United States which ran for about 10 years back in the late 1960s.

There are only two professional basketball leagues in the history of the United States that people recognize. They are the NBA and the ABA. The ABA has a rich history dating back to 1967. The original ABA, competed with the well established National Basketball Association NBA, until the ABA-NBA merger in 1976. The ABA had legendary players such as Julius ("Dr. J") Erving, Connie Hawkins, George ("Ice") Gerving, David Thompson, George McGinnis, Artist Gilmore, Moses Malone, and Rick Berry. Ultimately, four ABA teams were merged into the NBA: the New York Nicks, Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, and San Antonio Spurs.

In the year 2000, the rights to the ABA was acquired back from the NBA by one of its original founders, Atty. Dick Tinkham and named Joe Newman as its CEO. There are currently over 90 ABA professional basketball teams throughout the United States.The ABA re-started with 9 teams and after 12 years, is now the 2nd largest professional basketball league in the United States.

City of Salem councilwoman Sheryl Thomas said, “A professional basketball team would be a great asset to the city and would give our youth and families in the community another positive outlet and hopefully help boost the local economy. I am ready to see the Salem Sabres play.”

The Sabres will be hosting 2-3 tryouts in July and August with the dates and locations to be announced.

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darrylc1 May 28, 2012 7:29 pm (Pacific time)

Get ready for an ABA ride like so many before. Here is what you will get: cancelled games becuase the away teams normally do not show-up,local rec teams filling in at the last moment, teams that do show will have very few players, of which a few will be picked up from the local ymca before game-time, sponsers hosed because games will be cancelled. It still is amazing how many newpapers do not do enough research about this "league". Do you realize that 300 teams since the year 2000 have failed in this 10K entry fee league? Most teams do not even last 1 year ! Google: ABA AJ Walling These are the facts and they haven't changed since 2000.

Editor: Darryl, I know some of the organizers of this team and I am personally excited about it. I don't need to say that this statement of yours may be accurate in terms of the historical facts you cite, but what possible good are you accomplishing? Are you actually against seeing the games take place? I just don't know what you personally receive from stating such gloom and doom. I say go team, let's get this going and hope for their success. Salem without question is lacking in terms of sports representation, this is a great opportunity to put our city on the map. We really can't blame an enthusiastic group for trying can we? Also, there is a sports team in Keizer that actually refused to allow our photographer to attend games without buying a ticket! We told them we would never cover their games in the future and years later we haven't. So when an enthusiastic new sports team forms in this town, we remain optimistic that they have a real chance at making it, and they understand the value of media, good for them, they are contemporary thinkers, which is what we lack in Salem, go Sabres!

Rhonda May 27, 2012 7:54 pm (Pacific time)

Thank you Tim and Bonnie for the article. We look forward to seeing you at our Game opener!!

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