Chapter 10: The ABA’s Drastic Gamble

The NBA preseason was in full swing, and the league's decision to make games free to attend had proven to be a brilliant marketing move.

Every game was packed, and the excitement surrounding the NBA was growing by the day.

Fans who had never seen five-on-five basketball at this level were mesmerized by the speed, skill, and strategy on display.

With games airing on ESPN, CBS, TNT, and other networks, the NBA was quickly becoming a household name across America.

While NBA executives and fans celebrated, another group was watching in fear.

At the ABA League Headquarters in Indianapolis, a crisis meeting was taking place.

For years, the ABA had dominated basketball as the only professional league.

But now, with the NBA's rise, the future of the ABA looked bleak.

In a high-stakes boardroom discussion, ABA President Mark Emmert looked around at his senior executives.

"Everyone here has seen the NBA preseason games. Tell me—what do you think?"

There was silence in the room.

No one wanted to be the first to speak.

After a moment, Vice President Dan Gavitt cleared his throat.

"The NBA's games are... on another level. The players' skill, team coordination, tactical awareness, and physical conditioning are all unmatched. And when you compare their luxurious arenas to ours... The gap between the ABA and NBA is enormous."

The executives nodded in agreement.

As much as they hated to admit it, Gavitt was right.

The NBA wasn't just better—it was something entirely new.

Next to speak was ABA Operations President Galloway.

His voice was serious.

"The ABA started as a three-on-three league. We thought switching to five-on-five basketball would be easy. But reality has proven otherwise. Our players, who excel in half-court basketball, struggle on a full court. They get tired quickly, and their technical skills aren't suited for a faster, more complex game. We're learning that three-on-three and five-on-five are completely different sports."

As his words sank in, the room fell into a tense silence.

For years, the ABA had been the only option for basketball fans.

Now, it was on the verge of irrelevance.

Emmert took a deep breath.

"We must find a way to survive. If we continue with our current model, we'll be finished in less than a year."

The executives exchanged nervous glances.

No one had a clear answer.

After a long pause, Dan Gavitt finally spoke up.

"If we want to survive, we need to completely restart. The ABA cannot compete with the NBA as a professional league. Instead, we need to change our identity."

Emmert's eyes lit up.

"What are you suggesting?"

Gavitt leaned forward.

"The NBA's biggest advantage is their 30 teams and 29 world-class arenas. They've outgrown us in every way. But what if we stopped trying to compete and instead focused on something different? I propose that we leave professional basketball altogether. Instead, we should become the official basketball league of the NCAA."

The room fell silent.

Emmert was stunned.

"You're saying… we should abandon professional basketball and become a college league?"

Gavitt nodded.

"Yes. Think about it—NCAA sports are already massive. Football, baseball, ice hockey, wrestling, gymnastics… But college basketball has never had an organized, nationwide league. If we join the NCAA and create a college basketball system, we won't have to fight with the NBA. We'll have our own audience, our own identity, and our own market."

The executives began murmuring amongst themselves.

For years, the ABA had been the face of basketball.

Could they really give up professional status and become a college sports league?

Gavitt continued.

"The best part? We won't have to spend a dime on player salaries. All our players will be college students. We can partner with universities—they already have gyms and stadiums. And most importantly… The NCAA has a built-in audience—millions of students, alumni, and local fans. People are deeply loyal to their colleges. Unlike professional teams, which people support based on city or state, college fans have an emotional connection to their schools. They will support their teams for life."

The mood in the room shifted.

For the first time, the future of the ABA seemed… possible.

Emmert nodded slowly.

"But won't the NBA still overshadow us? Won't people prefer watching professional basketball over college basketball?"

Gavitt smiled.

"Not necessarily. The NBA has a best-of-seven playoff format. But what if we did something completely different? Instead of series-based playoffs… We make our tournament single elimination. One loss, and you're out. This would create massive excitement and make every game feel like a do-or-die battle."

The executives sat in silence, absorbing the idea.

It was bold.

It was risky.

But it also felt… right.

Emmert leaned back in his chair, deep in thought.

Then he smiled.

"You're right. We can't compete with the NBA, but we can become something different. Let's do it. Let's transform the ABA into the official NCAA basketball league."

A wave of agreement swept through the room.

For the first time in weeks, the ABA executives felt hope.

Now, they had a plan.

The sports world was stunned when the news broke.

The ABA League had officially rebranded, pulling out of professional basketball to become the governing body for college basketball under the NCAA.

From now on, the NCAA would feature a massive national tournament, with thousands of colleges competing in a single-elimination format.

The top 64 teams would battle in March, with one team crowned national champion.

Fans across the country celebrated the move.

College students rejoiced—finally, their schools had a real shot at basketball glory.

Alumni and local communities rallied behind their teams.

Sports analysts predicted that March Madness—as it was already being called—would become one of the biggest sports events in America.

And while the NBA continued to rise, the ABA had found its own identity.

No longer rivals, the NBA and NCAA would now grow alongside each other.

For basketball fans, this was a golden era.

And for young athletes, a new dream had been born:

Play college ball, then make it to the NBA.