When Did the NBA and ABA Merge?
Contents
On June 1, 1976, the NBA and ABA completed their merger, creating a single league with 30 teams. The NBA had 22 teams, while the ABA had 8.
Introduction
In 1976, the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged, creating a stronger and more stable professional basketball league. The merger had been in the works for several years, but it wasn’t until after the 1975-76 season that the two leagues officially came together.
The NBA had been struggling in the early 1970s, with attendance and TV ratings down. The ABA, on the other hand, was doing quite well, with strong TV ratings and a growing fan base. The ABA was also attracting some of the best young talent in the country, including Julius Erving (aka “Dr. J”), George Gervin, Moses Malone, and Artis Gilmore.
The NBA knew it needed to make a change if it wanted to stay competitive, so it began talks with the ABA about a possible merger. After several months of negotiation, they finally came to an agreement: four ABA teams would join the NBA (the Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets), while three NBA teams would join the ABA (the Kentucky Colonels, Spirits of St. Louis, and Virginia Squires).
The merger was a win-win for both leagues: it gave the NBA some much-needed star power and helped to legitimize the ABA. It also led to some changes in the way professional basketball was played: most notably, the addition of the three-point shot (which was originally introduced by the ABA).
Today, the NBA is stronger than ever, thanks in part to that fateful merger 40 years ago.
What is the NBA?
The National Basketball Association (NBA) is the preeminent men’s professional basketball league in North America, and is widely considered to be the premier men’s professional basketball league in the world. It was founded in 1946 as the Basketball Association of America (BAA). The NBA adopted its current name at the start of the 1949–50 season when it merged with the rival National Basketball League (NBL). The league currently consists of 30 teams – 29 in the United States and 1 in Canada.
The NBA is an active member of USA Basketball (USAB), which is recognized by FIBA (also known as the International Basketball Federation) as the national governing body for basketball in the United States. USAB is also responsible for appointing the coaching staff for each of the men’s and women’s national teams. The head coach of each national team participates in selecting his or her own coaching staff.
What is the ABA?
The ABA was a professional basketball league that was founded in 1967. The ABA initially comprised of eleven teams, but quickly expanded to include a total of seventeen teams by the time it merged with the NBA in 1976. Some of the most notable ABA teams included the Indiana Pacers, the New York Nets, and the Kentucky Colonels. The ABA is also well-known for introducing several innovations to the game of basketball, such as the three-point shot and the slam dunk contest.
The Merger
The National Basketball Association (NBA) and the American Basketball Association (ABA) merged in 1976. The NBA was founded in 1946, while the ABA was founded in 1967. The two leagues had been in talks of merging since 1970, but it wasn’t until 1976 that the two finally agreed to merge. The NBA absorbed four ABA teams-the Denver Nuggets, the San Antonio Spurs, the Indiana Pacers, and the New York Nets.
What Happened to the ABA After the Merger?
The ABA ceased to exist after the 1976 NBA-ABA merger. The Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, San Antonio Spurs, and Denver Nuggets were the four ABA teams that were absorbed into the NBA in the merger. The other two ABA teams, the Kentucky Colonels and the Spirits of St. Louis, were not included in the merger and disbanded.
Conclusion
The NBA and ABA officially merged in 1976, with four ABA teams joining the NBA for the 1976-77 season. The NBA has been composed of 30 teams since 2004, when the Charlotte Bobcats (now the Charlotte Hornets) joined the league.
