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Post by spacejammer on Oct 10, 2022 17:49:09 GMT
With October being the month of Halloween
the holiday known for being spooky and scary stories.
I thought for fun I would ask the question which is if you can resurrect one extinct BBL team to the league which franchise would you bring back and why?
Could be a recent team such as the Worcester Wolves or a team from the 80's or 90's period etc...?
I found this a tricky one but I would maybe go for Mersey Tigers as I only got to see them play one season before folding and I believe one season not long before they almost sweeped the league.
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Post by tallerman on Oct 10, 2022 20:48:53 GMT
Obviously Plymouth Raiders but if we were to bring back a team where a franchise no longer exists id go for the Edinburgh Rocks so that theres 2 teams in Scotland
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Post by baldereagle on Oct 10, 2022 21:25:15 GMT
How about Derby Storm ? I seem to remember an away Eagles match there, where one of their players sat in the audience rather than the bench when off court
, probably because the bench really was a school gym bench !
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Post by SamH on Oct 10, 2022 23:50:07 GMT
I'd have to bring back the Bears but also Thames valley pussy ca...erm, Tigers as we'd need someone to wipe our feet on like the good old days. 😀
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Post by notoriousbigz on Oct 11, 2022 7:12:54 GMT
I found this a tricky one but I would maybe go for Mersey Tigers as I only got to see them play one season before folding and I believe one season not long before they almost sweeped the league. Please dont - my knees wouldnt take it haha! |
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Post by tallerman on Oct 11, 2022 7:18:11 GMT
I'd have to bring back the Bears but also Thames valley pussy ca...erm, Tigers as we'd need someone to wipe our feet on like the good old days. 😀 Bears are back in d2 mate |
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 8:41:58 GMT
Yeah I know but it's not the same franchise or anything, they just use the name. I'd resurrect the real Bears back in the top flight!
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Post by LTfan on Oct 11, 2022 10:17:55 GMT
London Towers obviously! But I'd also like to see Birmingham Bullets and Brighton Bears resurrected as I feel they're two relatively large markets currently without BBL representation.
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 11:00:58 GMT
I should add that on the theme of the Bears name being used, I used to play for a team called the Brighton Spares  Nick Nurse actually turned up to one of our training sessions once and demolished everyone with his shooting! Good times. |
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Post by baldeagle on Oct 11, 2022 11:05:07 GMT
Bring back Doncaster Panthers!
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 11:19:50 GMT
I'd go watch Doncaster. Living in Sheffield now there's no way I could degrade myself and become a Sharks fan, but Doncaster wasn't in the league at the same time as the Bears so could be an acceptable alternative!😂
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Post by dexter on Oct 11, 2022 12:33:28 GMT
London Towers obviously! But I'd also like to see Birmingham Bullets and Brighton Bears resurrected as I feel they're two relatively large markets currently without BBL representation. A resurrected London Towers in a refurbished Crystal Palace arena. Make London Basket City with two professional basketball clubs. |
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Post by LTfan on Oct 11, 2022 13:02:37 GMT
London Towers obviously! But I'd also like to see Birmingham Bullets and Brighton Bears resurrected as I feel they're two relatively large markets currently without BBL representation. A resurrected London Towers in a refurbished Crystal Palace arena. Make London Basket City with two professional basketball clubs. Resurrect London Towers and refurbish Crystal Palace National Sports Centre? Now you're asking too much.  I was actually at the Crystal Palace National Sports Centre last weekend, it determinates every time I'm there (which is about twice a year). The olympic pool still hasn't been re-filled since the pandemic (needs repairs, which they can't afford, apparently). I love the idea though, I've got so many fond memories from there during the 1990s. Going back there for a London Lions v London City Royals game a few years back was a real kick. |
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 13:14:49 GMT
Or there was the other team, simply called Crystal Palace, who I think played there before Towers did. I seem to recall going to a road game there when they were 2nd bottom of the league and we were dead last.
Or there was some other London team wasn't there. Can't recall details... something about pornography and a keyboard warrior. Ah well, I'm sure it wasn't something anyone would care to see brought back.😇
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Post by LTfan on Oct 11, 2022 13:34:43 GMT
Or there was the other team, simply called Crystal Palace, who I think played there before Towers did. I seem to recall going to a road game there when they were 2nd bottom of the league and we were dead last. Or there was some other London team wasn't there. Can't recall details... something about pornography and a keyboard warrior. Ah well, I'm sure it wasn't something anyone would care to see brought back.😇 Yeah, Crystal Palace - the most successful basketball team in the country throughout the 70s and 80s. They played in Europe too. A huge team of the time, often seen on the Channel 4 coverage. I went to a few games in the 90s, by which point they were a shadow on their former selves, and they merged with London Towers in the late-90s. At that point they were still the most successful team in UK basketball history. That 'other' London team you refer to never had any affiliation with Crystal Palace or the Crystal Palace NSC.  |
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 13:50:23 GMT
Ah right I didn't know they merged with Towers, that's interesting. Where did Towers play before that then, when Crystal Palace occupied the Sauna?
Yeah that other team I don't think was even in London really. Details are a bit spotty though.
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Post by LTfan on Oct 11, 2022 13:55:48 GMT
Ah right I didn't know they merged with Towers, that's interesting. Where did Towers play before that then, when Crystal Palace occupied the Sauna? Yeah that other team I don't think was even in London really. Details are a bit spotty though. Before they moved to Crystal Palace permanently the London Towers split their home games between Wembley Arena and Crystal Palace, and before that just Wembley Arena (split between the main arena and the smaller exhibition halls). And yes, Crystal Palace was like a sauna (mainly thanks to the swimming pool being on the other side of the complex)! I was reminded of that when I went to see London City Royals. |
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Post by SamH on Oct 11, 2022 14:39:18 GMT
Yeah it was generally nicknamed the Sauna I seem to recall 🤣
So was there a time when both teams had home games there, if Towers were splitting their venues, or was that after the acquisition?
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Post by LTfan on Oct 11, 2022 14:44:44 GMT
Yeah it was generally nicknamed the Sauna I seem to recall 🤣 So was there a time when both teams had home games there, if Towers were splitting their venues, or was that after the acquisition? I can't remember for sure, but I think Towers move to NSC came at the time of the Crystal Palace merger, so no I don't think there was a time when both Palace and Towers played games at the NSC. And I think Towers splitting their games between Wembley and the NSC only lasted a season or two before they permanently moved to the NSC. But this was 20+ years ago so you're testing my memory a bit. |
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Post by spacejammer on Oct 11, 2022 16:59:34 GMT
If we're going 90's what about the Brighton Bears that once featured NBA legend Dennis Rodman.
It would insane to see such a character as well as an NBA hall of famer in the present BBL.
Although I like the bringing back Edinburgh for 2 Scotland teams or having a second London team again.
Perhaps the Birmingham Bullets would also be tempting given how they brought the great Fab Flournoy to the league.
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Nick Nurse actually turned up to one of our training sessions once and demolished everyone with his shooting! Good times. 
