DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Erie to get NBDL team (Cavs D League Team)

http://www.goerie.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008803140366

Erie to get NBDL team

BY DUANE RANKIN
duane.rankin@timesnews.com [more details]



Published: March 14. 2008 6:00AM


NBA superstar LeBron James isn't coming to Erie, but the Cleveland Cavaliers are.

Well, their NBDL team is.

A news conference is scheduled for Tuesday afternoon to announce that Cleveland will have a National Basketball Development League team playing in Erie starting next season.

The Erie Downtown Improvement District sent an invitation to area businesses to attend a private meeting at the Erie Bayfront Convention Center. A news conference is scheduled to follow the meeting.

The invitation states that Cleveland general manager Danny Ferry and executives from the Cavaliers and Erie County Convention Center Authority are scheduled to be present at the announcement.

Web Link
For more information about the NBDL, visit www.nba.com/nbdl

Ferry declined comment in an e-mail exchange Wednesday. "Any message from me would be at the press conference," he wrote.

Erie will become the easternmost team in the D-League. Erie has not had a pro basketball team since the Erie Wave of the World Basketball League folded in 1992.

The Erie Times-News first reported Dec. 28 that the Cavaliers would place a development league team in Erie. Games will be played at Tullio Arena, which can seat 7,000 people.

The Erie Otters major junior hockey team and Erie RiverRats indoor football team also play at Tullio Arena. The basketball, hockey and indoor football seasons will overlap.

The NBDL started its 2007-08 season Nov. 15 with preseason games. The regular season began Nov. 23 and is scheduled to end April 12. Playoffs will follow.


The Otters' regular season started in September and ends Saturday. The RiverRats opened their season Sunday.

The NBDL serves a purpose similar to minor league baseball or hockey. A pro team is able to call up a player from a D-League to the NBA.

At the same time, an NBA team can send a player down to play in the D-League to work on his game.

Earlier this NBA season, the Cavaliers sent their 2006 first-round pick, former Michigan State star guard Shannon Brown, to play for their current D-League affiliate, the Rio Grande Valley Vipers in McAllen, Texas.

The Cavaliers are one of three NBA teams now affiliated with Rio Grande Valley. Houston and New Orleans are the others.


The additions of Erie and Reno, Nev., as expansion teams will push league membership to 16 teams heading into next season.

The NBA has a goal to have all 30 of its team have their own NBDL squads. Only the Los Angeles Lakers and San Antonio Spurs presently have single-team affiliation agreements.

This will be the third team in Erie associated with a major sports league. The Erie SeaWolves are associated with Major League Baseball as the Class AA affiliate of the Detroit Tigers, while the Otters are in the Ontario Hockey League, whose alumni stock NHL rosters.


DUANE RANKIN can be reached at 878-2210 or by e-mail.

Thats good for you guys. It only makes sense since Erie is only what an hour and half drive roughly?

http://www.nba.com/dleague/erie/

Erie and Reno, NV to Begin Play in 2008-09
NBA Development League Expands to Erie, Pennsylvania

Email tickets@nbaerie.com or call
814-790-5600 to reserve your seats!

TICKET INFORMATION AND ARENA MAP
MAKE A TICKET DEPOSIT ONLINE
SEASON TICKET ORDER FORM

Erie, PA, March 18, 2008 – Erie, Pennsylvania has been awarded an NBA Development League franchise, it was announced today at a press conference at Bayfront Convention Center in Erie. The team will join Reno, NV -- which was awarded a D-League franchise on Feb. 29 -- for their inaugural seasons in 2008-09.

“When we decided to pursue the opportunity to acquire and start-up an NBA D-League franchise, we immediately knew Erie would be a fantastic location. Erie is clearly a ‘basketball town’ and the entire community -- led by the various city officials -- opened their arms and welcomed the new opportunity,” said Steve Demetriou on behalf of the Erie NBA D-League ownership group. “We truly believe that this new team will be a successful, winning and enjoyable long-term professional sports entertainment venue for the Erie community.”

Like Reno, Erie’s NBA affiliations will not be determined until this summer. Erie will be associated with two or three NBA teams that can assign their first and second-year players to their affiliate a maximum of three times per season. This season the NBA has assigned over 30 players to the D-League, giving young players a chance to further develop through valuable playing time.

“Our league is growing every day - not only are we adding two new teams for the '08-09 season, but attendance is up over 20 percent, ticket sales and sponsorship revenues are up, and more and more people are tuning in online to watch our games,” said D-League President, Dan Reed. “I'm excited and proud to welcome Erie into the NBA and D-League family, and anticipate that the community will embrace our elite NBA-caliber brand of basketball, enjoy our entertaining and affordable fan experience, and welcome the positive impact our players and staff will have in the community.”

Tickets for Erie D-League games are on sale and can be purchased via their website at www.nbaerie.com or by calling 814-790-5600. Games will be played at Louis J. Tullio Arena.

About the D-League:

The NBA Development League is the NBA's official minor league, and the first-ever basketball league with direct affiliations to NBA teams. Now in its seventh season the D-League’s goals are to provide affordable, NBA-caliber entertainment to fans of its 14 teams, as well as continue to develop players, coaches, referees and front-office personnel for the NBA. As the single source for in-season player "call-ups" to the NBA, fans of the D-League enjoy the highest caliber of basketball played outside the NBA. In fact, former D-League players represented 10 percent of NBA players on 2007-08 opening day rosters, numbering 44 in total. In addition, the D-League has produced 25 percent of current NBA referees and 17 current NBA coaches, including head coach Sam Vincent with the Charlotte Bobcats. The D-League is an innovative and rapidly growing sports property that also serves as an experimental testing ground for new initiatives like the live web-streaming of all games available free to fans at d-league.com. The League also provides continuing education and professional development resources for its players, and is committed to serving its local communities through D-LEAGUE CARES and grassroots efforts.