PBA and LPBA 2022 Goes Year Round – waives cost of franchise for Winter league for returning teams

The Pro Basketball Association is excited to announce plans for 2022 to include a Summer and Winter season. The PBA and LPBA will have a Summer league beginning May 1st, 2022 thru September featuring teams from Coast to Coast in 6 divisions: Northeast, Midwest, Northwest, Southwest, South, and Southeast. Rather than a schedule that only featured opponents in division as was the case in 2021, the PBA will allow teams to schedule games with other regions of the Country at their choosing. The 16 game season, with a maximum 4 games against a given opponent (2 home, 2 away) can feature cross-Country match-ups should the clubs decide to travel outside of their region, they’ll now have the ability to do so. The league will shift to a power rankings formula and strength of schedule will be taken into account.

Both the PBA and LPBA will also have a Winter league beginning November 1st, 2022 thru March. Franchise fees are one time and are $1995 in the PBA and LPBA! All existing teams are able to return for each season at no additional fee other than game fees. As the cost to join the league increases over time, those existing markets reap the benefits of an increased value for their franchise allowing clubs to build an asset that grows with them.

Organizations that prefer the 8 month break can continue to do so. Those that want to keep the momentum going have a no cost franchise fee for PBA and LPBA Winter. Another big change is each division will have 6 teams that qualify for the playoffs. This will give more clubs an opportunity to play on the biggest stage and take their organization to the next level. Each season for Men and Women will crown their own champion. The Pro Basketball Association has formed a non-profit organization called “PBA Family” that will leverage their NPO status to help their member organizations financially to play year round with a Men’s and Women’s pro team by covering franchise fees for both PBA and LPBA teams that play year round.

“We’ve overwhelmingly heard back from the members of the Association the need for the year round approach. Eight months is a long time off away from fans and sponsors. Many chose to play in other leagues during the Winter season and have expressed that everyone in their organization can see an obvious difference in what they received in the way of organization, professionalism, marketing, promotion, complete box scores home and away from every game, televised games. There really is no other league on our level at a similar price point. What we’ve determined is the other leagues typically fall into one or more of three categories: Regional, Recreational, or not Financially viable. The PBA fits that sweet spot for the owners we’ve spoke with; the highest level of the sport after the NBA and G-League but still affordable. Creating a structure where $100,000-$150,000 is needed to fund a 4 month season just isn’t sustainable. Even teams in the NBA G-League aren’t averaging the 3000-5000 fans a game it would take to make that make sense. On the other end of the spectrum, there is just too many leagues that aren’t as professional as they have come to expect from the PBA. We know there are clubs that do it right, expect complete box score statistics every game, a professional appearance online and on social media, televise all their games, promote their players and coaches for overseas opportunities but aren’t getting that from leagues that have had decades to get it right. We feel like we’ve passed them in our first year and will continue to make the gap in quality obvious in year 2. To be able to do it all for $229 a game. That’s the best of both worlds – top level quality at affordable prices. We want more of an organizations revenue to fall to the bottom line for them so we’re decreasing costs and increasing their profitability and offering profit sharing by way of advertising revenue. Nearly a quarter Million people watch PBATV every month and we’re leveraging that following to give back to the member clubs of the Association” – PBA Commissioner Chris Terrell

Game fees $229 a game includes:

*3 Pro level referees

*Editing video to add score/time/logos widget

*Adding sponsors advertisements (in-game overlay and commercials) directing revenue back to the club

*Televising all games (Roku, Amazon Fire, YouTube)

*PBA app (all games on IOS and Android with notifications)

*Viewership on TV of One Million people and access to 2 billion homes Worldwide on PBATV

*16 category box scores for every game played

*Marketing and promotion – The PBA social media platforms have engagement in the hundreds of thousands per month

*A respected level of play – over 70 players who signed pro contracts abroad since last season

*Professionalism and accountability

National look by Division

The Northeast Division is one of the best in the league. The New York Generals went all the way to the PBA Championship game and along with the MidCoast Sternmen, and Rochester Razorsharks make up three of the founding members of the Association. Great markets include a yet to be announced franchise coming to New Jersey and Massachusetts as well as a top franchise joining in New York and Pennsylvania. Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks.

The Midwest division is a powerhouse in the PBA. Cincinnati Crush made it all the way to the Final 4. the Lancaster Thunder is one of the best organizations in the Nation, on and off the court. MSP Pride is relocating to Minneapolis from Indianapolis. Tennessee has 3 clubs in Music City Kings, TTE, and Chattanooga which are all in close proximity to the region, and Kansas (Tri-State 66ers) are uniquely positioned to schedule games with the South, Southeast and Midwest alike. Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks.

The Northwest Division is one of the most exciting in the league. PNW Vets proved to be a championship caliber club winning the division in 2021. Franchises in the Northwest include returning 2021 PBA Northwest Champion PNW Vets, Seattle Reign, Hill Street Bullies, and add Bellevue Strategy into the mix and wow! The PBA expansion into Canada is only delayed by news of restrictions to travel due to the virus. Now, getting a couple years down the road from the outbreak of 2020, things are continuing to open up and we’ll have more news on that front shortly. In the meantime, there is a very strong group of contenders in the Northwest. Will PNW repeat? Will Seattle Reign? Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks.

The Southwest Division has a lot of star power. The New Mexico Blue Tails are a very professional organization that has all their games on All their games heard over Albuquerque sports radio, and have started the 2022 season on a roll, San Diego Surf join the Silver State Mustangs and Las Vegas Royals in Nevada. Hermosillo is the first announced team joining the PBA from Mexico and San Gabriel Valley will be the Southern California home to the Coyotes. Pending/Proposed markets include San Diego/Tijuana, Coachella Valley, Phoenix, Tucson, Colorado, Utah, Reno, Los Angeles and the Bay area. Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks.

The South Division was home to the 2021 PBA Champion Fort Worth F.I.R.M. Also 2021 teams in Texas included DFW Just Hoops, North Texas Prowlers, Louisiana Kingdom Riders, Oklahoma Kings and Metroplex Lightning. As talented as any group of teams in any division Nationwide, the South will transition out of the bubble and into their own facilities like the rest of the Country this Summer. Joining those clubs in the South this year include the former TBL Waco Royals ownership grounp, rebranding as the Texas Roughriders, set for play in the Austin area. San Antonio Powerhouse and Plainview Knights are two expansion teams that mean business this season. Covid and restrictions made the bubble, in 2021, a safe environment but teams now here in 2022 want to have their own revenue from attendance and sponsors at their own facilities needed to take their organizations to the next level. Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks. Houston and El Paso are both on the radar for both PBA and LPBA teams. Acquire within by using the contact us page or call 214-HOOPS-01
The Southeatern Division is as strong as any in the league. Columbus Blackhawks rebranded in the PBA as the Georgia Vipers in 2022 represented the region in the 2021 PBA Final 4 but there are numerous high quality organizations like Music City Kings, TTE, Montgomery Knights, Mississippi Hawks, and Southwest Florida Blazers, that are set to take on clubs in Chattanooga Spades, and Dothan Snipers. Dothan (Alabama) has already been a huge success trending on IG and Snapchat with industry insiders like Overtime and Ball is Life helping the view count rise into the hundreds of thousands overnight. Pending and proposed markets include New Orleans, Coastal Mississippi, South Carolina, Miami, Tampa, and Jacksonville. LPBA franchises are currently in many of the same markets as sister organizations to their PBA counterpart offering double headers for their fans with a women’s and men’s pro game for all the family. Market reservations are currently being accepted and will be announced over the next few weeks. Use the contact us form from the naviagation menu, write direct to [email protected] or call at 214-HOOPS-01 This is next level pro basketball that is affordable and family friendly.