Alternate History Sports / Liberty Basketball Association

**Posted by NeoPrankster** 8/06/2020 7:06 pm

Just brainstorming some ideas for a possible basketball thread that starts in 1978-79 after the NBA and ABA both disband due to the bitter battles for talent and widespread drug scandals.

The first year or two will pretty much consist of 21 teams.

The schedule would work like this:
One teams plays the other 20 teams four times each; twice at home, twice on the road.

CONFIRMED
Division A
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Washington

Division B
Chicago
Cleveland
Detroit
Milwaukee

Division C
Denver
Houston
San Antonio

Division D
Los Angeles
Portland
San Francisco
Seattle

In the running for the remaining six spots to reach 21 teams.
- Atlanta, GA
- Buffalo, NY
- Cincinnati, OH
- Dallas, TX
- Indianapolis, IN
- Kansas City, MO
- Louisville, KY
- Minneapolis, MN
- New Orleans, LA
- Phoenix, AZ
- Pittsburgh, PA
- Salt Lake City, UT
- St. Louis, MO
- San Diego, CA

**Posted by Rugrat** 8/06/2020 8:11 pm

Phoenix, Kansas City, St Louis, Indy and Atlanta

Last edited by Rugrat (8/06/2020 9:05 pm)

**Posted by Darknes** 8/06/2020 8:47 pm

St. Louis, Louisville,San Diego, Minneapolis and New Orleans

**Posted by sportsfan7** 8/06/2020 9:12 pm

Atlanta, Kansas City, Indy, Louisville, Dallas and NYC (Even though its not listed, if you're only taking ones from the list then Utah instead).

**Posted by BlogDunk** 8/06/2020 9:47 pm

Atlanta, Louisville, Cincinnati, Dallas, Rochester, and New Orleans,

**Posted by NeoPrankster** 8/06/2020 10:02 pm

Tally so far...
Atlanta - 3
Louisville - 3
Indianapolis - 3
Kansas City - 3
New Orleans - 3
Phoenix - 2
St. Louis - 2
Dallas - 2
Pittsburgh - 1
Cincinnati - 1
Utah - 1
Rochester - 1
Minneapolis - 1
San Diego - 1

I'm gonna wait for a couple more responses before I make my picks.

**Posted by Goldengoose05** 8/07/2020 7:06 am

St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Kansas City, Buffalo, San Diego, Louisville

**Posted by Dan O'Mac** 8/07/2020 8:27 am

My 6 votes:
Atlanta, GA
Cincinnati, OH
Dallas, TX
Kansas City, MO
Minneapolis, MN
San Diego, CA

**Posted by NeoPrankster** 8/08/2020 12:30 am

The six cities as chosen in a Wheel of Names draw:

Dallas, TX
Salt Lake City, UT
New Orleans, LA
St. Louis, MO
Cincinnati, OH
Pittsburgh, PA

And thus the alignment is as follows

Pacific
Los Angeles
Portland
Salt Lake
San Francisco
Seattle

Midwest
Dallas
Denver
Houston
New Orleans (Court Jesters?)
San Antonio

Central
Chicago
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Detroit (Muscles? Grooves?)
Milwaukee
St. Louis

Atlantic
Boston
New York
Philadelphia
Pittsburgh
Washington (Federals?)

Next thing I will need are the nicknames. Maybe four or five for each market that I can put into a Wheel of Names spin.

**Posted by Dan O'Mac** 8/08/2020 9:47 am

Seattle Evergreens (I heard it as an option for NHL Seattle, and it grew on me)
Portland Owls (Owls are awesome, and under-represented in sports)
Utah Railers (The Trans-American railway was finished in Utah)
San Francisco Gatekeepers (As a play on the Golden Gate Bridge)
Los Angeles Mammoths (due to the remains found in the La Brea Tar Pits)
Dallas Flying Red Horses (due to this sign: https://theculturetrip.com/north-america/usa/texas/articles/whats-with-the-neon-pegasus-in-downtown-dallas/)
Denver Mountaineers (Mountains in Colorado)
Houston Cosmos (because NASA)
New Orleans Pirates (piracy was a thing in the area)
San Antonio Sams (a significant military presence in the city, Fort Sam is the only one within city limits)
Chicago Bulldogs (just a classic name, nothing too flashy, which fits for Chicago)
Cincinnati Hogs (a history of running hogs through the city)
Cleveland Flames (their RIVER was burning at one point)
Detroit Gorillas (a mechanic may be known as a "wrench monkey", a gorilla is a large ape)
Milwaukee Lakers (due to their location on Lake Michigan)
St. Louis Kings (Budweiser is based there, and call themselves the King of Beers)
Boston Schooners (a common wooden ship for the area when those were common)
New York Gothams (just seems to fit)
Philadelphia Independents (it's where the Declaration of Independence was drafted and signed)
Pittsburgh Ingots (a name for the workable piece of metal)
Washington Commanders (Pentagon is located here, President is the Commander-in-Chief)