In early-1970s, the CBS television network aired American Basketball Association (ABA) games, specifically league's annual All-Star Game/selected playoff games. Pat Summerall served as the CBS analyst on some ABA games alongside Don Criqui on play-by-play. Game 5 of the 1970 ABA Finals (Indiana vs. Los Angeles) was nationally televised by CBS on Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m Eastern Time. The broadcast, however, was blacked out within the state of Indiana. After that league's 1972-73 season, CBS lost its TV airing rights as they started airing National Basketball Association (NBA) games in its 1973-74 season onward.
The 1973 ABA All-Star Game was a syndicated telecast with Andy Musser and Alex Hannum providing the play–by–play and color commentary respectively.
For the 1973–74 season, the ABA signed a television contract with the Hughes Television Network. The first game under Hughes' contract was the 1974 ABA All-Star Game on January 30. Ray Scott and Wilt Chamberlain provided the play–by–play and color commentary for the All-Star Game respectively.
Had there been a seventh game of the 1975-76 season's championship playoff series, it would havve been televised by NBC because that network signed a contract to air a potential seventh game on Sunday, which would have been on May 16, 1976. However, since the final ABA Finals the league ever did ultimately ended in six games, with the New York Nets triumphing over the Denver Nuggets in what would become the ABA's final game of its nine year existence, NBC's contract was ultimately considered voided by that time.
1960s 1967–68 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersAnaheimKEZY KTTV 11 Dick SchadDallasKRLD (AM)Terry StembridgeDenver KTLNDick CarlsonKWGN 2HoustonKXYZ Gary DeLaune Indiana WIRE Jerry Baker WLWI 13 Brian MaddenKentucky WAVEWLKY 32Charlie MastinMinnesota WLOL Rod TrongardNew Jersey WJRZ Spencer RossNew Orleans WDSUWWOM 26(game 7 championship series only)Oakland KPAT Chuck Hinkle and Rick Barry Pittsburgh WEEP Jack Fleming
When the American Basketball Association began play in 1967, Terry Stembridge broadcast the Dallas Chaparrals games on radio. Stembridge continued as the team's announcer after it became the San Antonio Spurs and when the Spurs moved into the NBA as part of the ABA-NBA merger. Stembridge broadcast 1,252 consecutive Chaparrals/Spurs games and served as their announcer for fifteen years.
1968–69 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersDallas KRLD Terry Stembridge KDTV 39 Frank FilesiDenver KTLN Bob Martin and Dick CarlsonHouston Indiana WIRE Jerry Baker WLWI 13 Brian MaddenKentucky WHAS WLKY-TV 32 Ed KallayLos Angeles KBIGBob Rhodes KTTV 11 Chuck BenedictMiami WOCN Dick KumbleMinnesota KSTP Rod TrongardWTCN 11 Ray Scott New York WBAB Spencer Ross New Orleans WDSUWYES 8(opener only)WWOM 26 Bruce Miller and Lynn ColeOaklandKEEN(playoffs only)KEMO 20 Hal Peterson
1969–70 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersCarolina WSOC Bill Currie and Bob LameyDallas KRLD Terry StembridgeDenver KOA Bob Martin and Dick CarlsonKOA 4Indiana WIRE Jerry Baker WLWI 13 Don HeinKentucky WAVE Ed Kallay and Joe KnightWLKY-TV 32(away games in semifinals) Los Angeles XERB Sam BalterLos Angeles Stars Team Memories at RememberTheABA.comMiami WGBS Bob MartinNew Orleans WDSUBruce Miller and Lynn ColeNew YorkWGBBSpencer RossPittsburgh Washington WTTG 5(opening day only)Maury Povich and Sam Jones
WGBS broadcast the Miami Floridians of the American Basketball Association for three of their four seasons of existence, taking over from WOCN (1450 AM) in 1969.
During the New York Nets' ABA years, announcers included Marty Glickman, Marv Albert's brothers Al Albert and Steve Albert, baseball Hall of Fame pitcher Bob Gibson, Bob Goldsholl, as well as John Sterling and Mike DiTomasso. The latter two joined the club's move into the NBA.
WDCA 20 continued to promote itself as a sports station, with plans to air 10 games of the Washington Caps of the American Basketball Association in the 1969–70 season and serving as the originating station for Baltimore Bullets basketball even though the team had not yet moved to Washington. However, that contract would be terminated before Christmas.
The Carolina Cougars announced ambitious plans to broadcast games across the state, but abandoned that plan after repeated technical difficulties at the originating station in Charlotte forced the issue.
1970s 1970-71 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersCarolina WSOC WSJS 12 WTVD 11 WRET 36Bill Currie and Bob LameyDenver KOA Bob Martin, Dick Carlson, and Bob RubinFloridians WGBSWAJA 23 WTOG 44Bob MartinIndiana WIRE Jerry BakerWLWI 13Kentucky WHAS Cawood Ledford and Van Vance WLKY 32 Larry GoodridgeMemphisWRECDick PalmerNew YorkWGBB WGLIWPIX 11Marty GlickmanPittsburghTexas KRLD Terry StembridgeUtah KALLBill HowardKUTV 2 Bill HowardVirginia WTARWAVY 10 Marty Brennaman
WHAS was the original radio home to locally produced coverage of American Basketball Association games involving the Kentucky Colonels during that league's 1967–1976 existence.
Van Vance appeared on WHAS radio as the announcer for the Kentucky Colonels of the American Basketball Association, often with Cawood Ledford. After the Colonels folded as part of the ABA-NBA merger in June 1976, Vance was best known for broadcasting University of Louisville basketball games (including the 1986 NCAA National Championship Team) on the same station. Vance worked on the air for WHAS from 1957 through 1999.
1971–72 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersCarolinaWSOCBob Lamey and Bones McKinneyWSJS 12Gene OverbyDallas WRR Terry Stembridge KDTV 39 Terry Stembridge and Brad ShamDenver KOA Bob Martin, Bob Rubin and Larry Zimmer KOA 4 Bob RubinFloridians WGBSWCIX 6Sammy SmithIndiana WIRE Jerry Baker WLWI 13 Don HeinKentucky WHAS Van Vance WLKY 32 Howard Hoffman, Alex Groza and Bud OlsenMemphis WREC Dick Palmer WMC 5 Terry Lee New York WHN Al Albert WPIX 11 Teleprompter Cable(home games championship series)Marty Glickman and Bob Gibson Bob Lawrence Pittsburgh WEEP Dick OverdorfUtah KALL Bill Howard KUTV 2 Bill MarcroftVirginia WTAR Marty Brennaman WAVY 10 Bud Kaatz
Marty Glickman joined the radio station WHN in 1939 and was its sports director by 1943. Glickman was also the first announcer for the New York Nets before the ABA-NBA merger, when they played in their first home, the Island Garden in Nassau County. Many feel he became the voice of the New York Nets as a favor to Lou Carnesecca, who left a successful stint as the basketball coach of St. John's University to be the first coach of the New York Nets.
1972–73 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersCarolina WSOC Bob Lamey WSJS 12 Gene Overby and Bob LameyDallas WRRTerry StembridgeKDTV 39 Terry Stembridge and Verne LundquistDenver KOA Larry ZimmerIndiana WIBC Joe McConnell WLWI 13 Don Hein KentuckyWHAS Van Vance and Cawood Ledford WLKY 32 Howard Hoffman Memphis WREC Dick PalmerNew York WHN Al Albert and Bill MazerWOR 9 Al AlbertSan Diego KOGOFrank SimsUtah KALL Bill Howard KUTV 2 Bill MarcroftVirginia WTARWTAR 3Marty Brennaman
1973–74 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersCarolina WSOC WBIG WPTFBob LameyWCCB 18 WXII-TV 12 WRAL 5Dave Stockton and Mike LewisDenver KOA (AM)Larry Zimmer KWGN 2Indiana WIBCJoe McConnellWLWI 13KentuckyWHASVan VanceWLKY 32Dave Conrad and John DromoMemphis WRECDick PalmerNew York WHNAl Albert and Bill Mazer WOR-TV 9Andy Musser and Bob GoldshollSan AntonioKKYXTerry StembridgeWOAI-TV 4Terry Stembridge and Brad ShamSan Diego KOGOFrank SimsUtah KALLBill HowardKUTV 2Virginia WTARWAVY 10
1974–75 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersDenverKHOW Mike WolfeIndiana WIBC Joe McConnell WTTV 4Jerry BakerKentucky WHASVan VanceWHAS 32Van VanceMemphis WLOK Dick PalmerNew York WMCA Dom Valentino and Mike DiTomasso WOR 9Al Albert and Bob GoldshollSt. Louis KMOX Bob Costas and Bill Wilkinson (home games)KPLR 11San Antonio KKYX Terry Stembridge and Gary DeLaune WOAI 4 Terry Stembridge and Steve GradSan Diego KOGO Frank SimsUtah KALL Bill HowardVirginia WTAR Warner Fusselle WAVY 10 Dave Sullivan and Bobi Boecker
WTTV served as the television flagship for the Indiana Pacers from the team's days in the original American Basketball Association (except in 1984–85, when those rights were held by present-day sister station WXIN due to Pacers owner Melvin Simon's part-ownership of the station) to 2006. WTTV lost the rights to the Pacers telecasts after the 2005–06 season, when the NBA team moved their local game telecasts to Fox Sports Indiana.
After leaving school in 1974, Bob Costas joined KMOX radio in St. Louis. He covered games of the American Basketball Association (ABA). Costas would call Missouri Tigers basketball and co-host KMOX's Open Line call-in program.
1975-76 Team Radio station Radio announcers Television station Television announcersDenver KOA Al Albert and Bob MartinKWGN 2 Al Albert and Tom JorgensenIndiana WIBC Joe McConnell WTTV 4 Jerry BakerKentucky WHASVan VanceWHAS 11 Van VanceNew York WMCAJohn Sterling and Mike DiTomasso WOR 9 Steve Albert and Bob Goldsholl St. Louis WIL Bob Costas KPLR 11Bob Costas and Arlene Wellman San Antonio WOAI Terry Stembridge and Gary DeLaune KMOL 4 Terry Stembridge and Steve GradSan Diego KSDO Ralph LawlerUtah KALL Jack BriggsAssociated Press site page with Jack Briggs biography KSL 5 Jack BriggsVirginia WTARWarner FussellePluto, Terry, Loose Balls: The Short, Wild Life of the American Basketball Association (Simon & Schuster, 1990), , pp.403–417
During the mid-1970s, HBO aired several basketball games from the National Basketball Association and the American Basketball Association (notably, the last ABA Finals game in 1976, prior to the latter league's merger with the NBA, between the New York Nets and the Denver Nuggets).
In 1976, CBS sought to establish a postseason playoff between the ABA and NBA, and to win the rights to broadcast those games.CBS's Super Ball, New York Magazine, May 3, 1976, p.65
Following the ABA–NBA merger In June 1976, the remaining ABA owners agreed to a merger with the National Basketball Association, in return for the Spirits of St. Louis folding, to pay the St. Louis owners $2.2 million in cash up front in addition to a 1/7 share of the four remaining teams' television revenues in perpetuity. As the NBA's popularity exploded in the 1980s and 1990s, the league's television rights were sold to CBS and then NBC, and additional deals were struck with the TNT and TBS cable networks; league television revenue soared into the hundreds of millions of dollars. Ozzie and Daniel Silna continued to receive millions of dollars in television revenue from the NBA until reaching a revised agreement in April 2014, which included a $500 million payment to the Silnas from the four former ABA teams.
The NBA imposed one of the following terms on the four ABA refugees—the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets and San Antonio Spurs: The four ABA teams would receive no television money at all during their first three seasons in the NBA (1976–1979), and were to pay one seventh of their annual television revenues after that to the owners of the defunct Spirits of St. Louis in perpetuity.