What Went Wrong? The Rise and Fall Of The ABA

Become a channel member today, and get exclusive access to member's only videos! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCo3kM32Xn-0wlrPNP0JNb4w/join In this All Sports History video, we'll take a look back to the late 1960's, when the American Basketball Association launched as one of the most fascinating experiments in basketball history. Founded as a challenger to the NBA, the ABA brought a faster, more creative style of basketball to the 1970s, and introduced ideas that would eventually change the NBA forever. In this basketball history documentary, we explore the rise and fall of ABA basketball, from its beginnings in 1967 through the league’s final season in 1975–76 and its eventual merger with the NBA. The ABA featured some of basketball’s biggest stars, including Julius Erving, Rick Barry, Artis Gilmore, and many others. Teams such as the Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, Kentucky Colonels, Pittsburgh Pipers, Denver Nuggets, and Spirits of St. Louis became part of one of the wildest chapters in professional basketball. But behind the flashy slam dunk, the three-point shot, and the colorful red, white, and blue basketball was a league struggling to survive financially. We’ll look at the battles between the ABA and NBA, the player wars of the 1970s, the failed merger attempts, the collapse of several franchises, and some of the strangest deals in sports history — including the incredible television deal that allowed the owners of the Spirits of St. Louis to make millions from a team that no longer existed. And when the American Basketball Association finally disappeared in 1976, it left behind a legacy that can still be seen throughout the NBA today. What Happened To The ABA? If you enjoy basketball 1960s, basketball 1970s, NBA 70s, sports history, and stories about basketball fails, this is the story of the league that couldn't survive, but ultimately helped reshape professional basketball. If you enjoyed this video, check out my documentary on the World Hockey Association, another rival league that tried to challenge an established professional sports league. Like, subscribe, and become a channel member for more sports history documentaries! 0:00 The ABA's ambitious rise 0:33 Founding and early vision 2:58 League strategy and innovation 4:34 The battle for talent and merger 6:06 Growth, identity, and flair 7:45 Financial struggles and final days 9:20 Merger negotiations and exclusion 11:00 The Spirits of St. Louis deal 12:26 Transitioning to the NBA 13:51 Lasting legacy and reflection 15:59 Conclusion