Backfires | The NBA-ABA Merger

Published: July 30, 2019, 7 a.m.

In 1976, The National Basketball Association (NBA) merged with its rival, the American Basketball Association (ABA). This move transitioned 4 successful franchises, the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, Ner York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs into a single league and began to fill the void in areas not served by the 10-city NBA. The NBA used the ABA’s ability to market players and created a more fast-paced entertaining game. Little did they know they would be paying a price for this deal over the next 30+ years.