REPORT: Pro basketball could return to downtown Albany
It’s been eight years since the Albany Patroons played their final game at the Washington Avenue Armory, but a new professional basketball league is reportedly eying the capitol city as a site for one of its teams.
The Daily Gazette’s Michael Kelly reported Wednesday evening that Dave Magley, a former Patroon under Phil Jackson, pictures Albany in the newly formed North American Premier Basketball League. “We absolutely want a team in Albany,”
Magley, who is the league’s president and chief operating officer said that he recently visited the Armory with Derrick Rowland, a fellow former Patroon and the building spoke to him. “When you walk into that building, it’s crying out for the Patroons to come home.”
The former Cleveland Cavalier and Kansas standout said he walked the streets asking people if they remembered the Patroons. “It was remarkable how many people did [remember the team].”
There is no ownership group lined up for a possible Albany team. “But we’re not far enough along to say anything is imminent,” Magley said.
The league, which is headquartered in Chicago plans to have teams in Seattle, Vancouver, Rochester and Las Vegas. Its first season will launch in January 2018 with eight to twelve teams.
While other secondary professional leagues, like the ABA, have struggled to stay alive in recent years, North American Premier Basketball will run on sound financial grounds.
“An owner or ownership group must have a net worth of $2.5 million,” says Magley. “Whereas the current ABA has minimal franchise fees, ours is $200,000 with $50,000 to be held as a deposit and returned after two years.”
[Daily Gazette] [Fanrag]
While the Patroons are an Albany institution any attempt to just throw a re branded Patroons in a less then competitive league should be met with some caution. Albany has been plagued by failed minor league or semi pro teams. The N.Y. Penn League baseball and American Hockey League are legit minor professional leagues. The region has two DI basketball teams well established, is there a market share left? If basketball lands in Albany maybe then would the arena decide to pursue professional hockey back. Would like to see maybe the N.Y. Rangers minor league team in Albany.