Anaheim Roadrunners Fail to Meet ABA 2000 Deadline

The proposed ABA 2000 professional basketball league is preparing to move ahead with a nine-team alignment without an Anaheim franchise, league co-founder Joe Newman said Tuesday.

The Anaheim Roadrunners did not meet the league’s requirement for confirmation of a playing site at the Arrowhead Pond Tuesday after a deadline had been extended for one day, Newman said.

Mike O’Donnell, the assistant general manager of the Pond, said arena officials have not received a deposit required before a lease agreement can be signed.

However, Al Howell, the president of the proposed Anaheim team, said Tuesday he still hopes to acquire the financial support to have a team in the league. “I’m waiting for a variety of things to happen,” Howell said. He declined to elaborate.

Newman said a planned Hampton Roads, Va., franchise also might be in jeopardy because the team has not provided a full schedule of dates at its proposed playing site. “We have 17 dates from them, but none in March and April,” Newman said.

The league plans to play a 60-game schedule, beginning Dec. 26.

The nine franchises with confirmed playing sites are Los Angeles, Chicago, Detroit, Kansas City, Memphis, Tenn., Tampa, Fla., Jacksonville, Fla., San Diego and Indianapolis.