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April 1978 |
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Ed
Meyerson announces that the Buffalo Braves of
the National Basketball Association plan to move
and Birmingham is a city being considered as
their new home. Currently, Dallas is the only
other city in competition for the team. Meyerson,
a local attorney representing Birmingham Mayor
David Vann, and other local leaders met with
Norm Sonju, President and General Manager of the
Braves. "They're pretty serious about
Birmingham," Meyerson said. John Y. Brown, the
Braves owner, wants to relocate the team due to
sagging attendance. The Braves have played in
Buffalo's Memorial Auditorium since their
inception in 1970. A clause in their agreement
would allow the Braves to legally break their
contract if season tickets sales fall below
4,500. Last year, the Braves sold only 2,200
season tickets. Brown contends the team must
sell 8,000 season tickets to break even. Buffalo
averaged 6,000 fans last season and had the
second worst record in the NBA.
Dallas is building an arena, but it won't be
ready for two years. If the Braves moved there,
they'd have to erect temporary bleachers in an
exhibition hall.
Meyerson went on to say that the Braves
originally were considering 6 or 7 cities and
Birmingham was not one of them. He asked Mayor
Vann if the city would back him in an effort to
bring and NBA team to Birmingham and the Mayor
agreed. Meyerson contacted Brown, and Brown sent
Sonju to visit the city. Meyerson says Brown
isn't interested in finding local investors for
the team. Earlier this week, Brown turned down
an offer from an Toronto attorney to sell the
team. |
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May 1978 |
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The Braves exercise their option to break their
contract with Memorial Auditorium. Sonju
announces that he is assessing potential
relocation sites that include Dallas,
Louisville, Hollywood (FL) and Birmingham.
"There is no city that looms as a city the
Buffalo Braves might lean to. John is deathly
afraid of Dallas as a market. He's also afraid
of Louisville. He's from there, but my analysis
rated it very poorly," Sonju said. He had also
recommended the owners forget the Florida site
because of arena access problems and other
factors. He also noted that he had not yet made
a study of Birmingham. Sonju said the owners
would have to make a decision before the next
Board of Governor's meeting to be held the
middle of June in San Diego. He said that
Birmingham had made the best ticket sales offer,
a guarantee of 8,000 season tickets, but that
the television market would be the prime
consideration. "With that, you're now looking at
a Toronto," Sonju said. |
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Officials of the Buffalo Braves arrive in
Birmingham to meet with civic leaders and take a
look at the city. Meyerson said, "This is it. If
we can convince them on this trip, I think we've
got it. They're coming here from Dallas, and
Dallas had laid out the red carpet for them."
An Associated Press story quoted Sonju as
stating Birmingham had guaranteed 8,000 season
tickets, but Meyerson said that was incorrect,
"The only guarantee has been 100 percent support
from the Chamber of Commerce." Brown stated that
Birmingham's assets were the 17,000 seat Civic
Center Coliseum, aggressive leadership and the
potential to be another Portland, where their
NBA team is their focus. However, Birmingham is
a small television market. While the Los Angeles
Lakers made $1.7 million off of television last
year, Birmingham would have only made $80,000.
Brown indicated he would make a decision within
three weeks. |
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Sonju announces the Braves will have a new name
and a new home for the upcoming season. The club
would like to become the Dallas Express if the
NBA's Board of Governors approve the move. Sonju
said, "I've taken a hard, hard look at this
question. With the numbers, the growth
projections and civic enthusiasm, it looks to me
like that's the decision." Addressing
Birmingham's bid for the team Sonju said, "Even
if Birmingham doesn't get a franchise this time
around, their civic leaders might make an
impression. I could do nothing but commend in a
positive way their enthusiasm." |
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June 1978 |
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Brown announces that San Diego and Minneapolis
are the two finalists. Brown said he was bowled
over by the interest demonstrated in San Diego
during his visit there last week. Brown said,
"I'm sitting in the Governor's office and (arena
manager) Phil Quinn walked in and said they
wanted to get in the running. I said, 'There's
nothing you can do, I've got more than I can say
Grace over right now.' But they wanted to take
the chance." Brown, who hates bad weather,
insists he hasn't made the decision already.
"Minneapolis has the most community-minded
spirit of any place we've visited," Brown said. |
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Brown announces that he wishes to swap
franchises with Irving Levin, owner of the
Boston Celtics, pending approval by the NBA's
Board of Governors. If the swap is approved,
Brown states that he will move to San Diego. The
city has been without an NBA team since 1971,
when the Houston Rockets moved after playing 4
seasons in San Diego. Brown said, "We've made a
very fair agreement with the Sports Arena in San
Diego. That city is growing by leaps and bounds
and the enthusiasm is just tremendous." Brown
also expressed the desire to become the first
owner to win championships in two basketball
leagues. He and his former wife, Ellie, ran the
American Basketball Association's champion
Kentucky Colonels. |
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July 1978 |
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The NBA's Board of Governors overwhelmingly
approved the Buffalo and Boston franchise swap
as well as Brown's idea of moving his team to
San Diego.
In a related vote, the Board also voted to
shift the new San Diego franchise to the Pacific
Division while moving the current NBA champion,
Washington, from the Central Division to the
Atlantic Division. |
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