In early-1970s, the CBS television network aired American Basketball Association (ABA) games, specifically league's annual All-Star Game [1] [2] [3] [4] [5] /selected playoff games. [6] [7] Pat Summerall [8] [9] served as the CBS analyst on some ABA games alongside Don Criqui [10] on play-by-play. Game 5 of the 1970 ABA Finals (Indiana vs. Los Angeles) was nationally televised by CBS [11] on Saturday, May 23 at 3 p.m Eastern Time. The broadcast was however, blacked out in 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.
Had there been a seventh game of the 1975-76 season's championship playoff series it would've been televised by NBC, [12] because that network signed contract to a potential seventh game on Sunday, May 16, 1976. Since the ABA Finals 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 void.
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Anaheim | KTTV 11 [13] | Dick Schad [14] [15] | ||
Dallas | ||||
Denver | Dick Carlson [16] | |||
Houston | KNUZ [17] | Gary DeLaune [18] | ||
Indiana | WIRE | Jerry Baker [19] | WLWI 13 | Brian Madden |
Kentucky | ||||
Minnesota | WLOL | Rod Trongard [20] | ||
New Jersey | WJRZ | Spencer Ross [21] | ||
New Orleans | ||||
Oakland | KPAT | Chuck Hinkle [22] and Rick Barry | ||
Pittsburgh | WEEP | Jack Fleming [23] |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Dallas | KRLD | Terry Stembridge | KDTV 39 | Frank Filesi |
Denver | KTLN | Bob Martin and Dick Carlson | ||
Houston | ||||
Indiana | WIRE | Jerry Baker | WLWI 13 | Brian Madden |
Kentucky | WHAS [24] [25] [26] | WAVE | Ed Kallay [27] | |
Los Angeles | KBIG | Bob Rhodes | KTTV 11 | Chuck Benedict [28] |
Miami | WOCN [29] | Dick Kumble | ||
Minnesota | KSTP | Rod Trongard | WTCN 11 | Ray Scott |
New York | WBAB | Spencer Ross | ||
New Orleans | WDSU 6 | Bruce Miller and Lynn Cole | ||
Oakland | KEMO 20 [30] | Hal Peterson |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Carolina | WSOC | Bill Currie and Bob Lamey | ||
Dallas | KRLD [31] | Terry Stembridge | ||
Denver | KOA | Bob Martin and Dick Carlson | ||
Indiana | WIRE | Jerry Baker | WLWI 13 | Don Hein |
Kentucky | WAVE | Ed Kallay | ||
Los Angeles | XERB [32] | Sam Balter [33] | ||
Miami | WGBS | Bob Martin [34] | ||
New Orleans | Bruce Miller and Lynn Cole | WDSU 6 | ||
New York | ||||
Pittsburgh | ||||
Washington | WDCA 20 | John Sterling |
During the New York Nets ABA years, announcers included Marty Glickman, [35] 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.
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Carolina | WSOC | WSJS 12 | Bill Currie [36] and Bob Lamey | |
Denver | KOA | Bob Martin, Dick Carlson, and Bob Rubin | ||
Floridians | WGBS | WAJA 23 | Bob Martin | |
Indiana | WIRE | Jerry Baker | ||
Kentucky | WHAS | Cawood Ledford and Van Vance [37] | WLKY | Larry Goodridge |
Memphis | ||||
New York | ||||
Pittsburgh | ||||
Texas | KRLD | Terry Stembridge | ||
Utah | KUTV 2 | Bill Howard | ||
Virginia | WTAR | WAVY | Marty Brennaman [38] |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Carolina | WSOC | Bob Lamey and Bones McKinney | WSJS 12 | Gene Overby |
Dallas | WRR | Terry Stembridge | KDTV 39 | Terry Stembridge and Brad Sham |
Denver | KOA [39] | Bob Martin, Bob Rubin and Larry Zimmer | KOA 4 | Bob Rubin |
Floridians | WGBS | WCIX 6 | Sammy Smith | |
Indiana | WIRE | Jerry Baker | WLWI 13 | Don Hein [40] |
Kentucky | WHAS | Van Vance | WLKY 32 | Howard Hoffman, Alex Groza and Bud Olsen |
Memphis | WREC | Dick Palmer | WMC 5 | Terry Lee |
New York | WHN | Al Albert | WPIX 11 [41] | Marty Glickman and Bob Gibson [42] |
Pittsburgh | WEEP | Dick Overdorf | ||
Utah | KALL | Bill Howard | KUTV 2 | Bill Marcroft [43] |
Virginia | WTAR | Marty Brennaman | WAVY 10 | Bud Kaatz |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Carolina | WSOC | Bob Lamey | WSJS 12 | Gene Overby and Bob Lamey |
Dallas | WRR | Terry Stembridge | KDTV 39 | Terry Stembridge and Verne Lundquist |
Denver | KOA | Larry Zimmer | ||
Indiana | WIBC | Joe McConnell | WLWI 13 | Don Hein |
Kentucky | WHAS | Van Vance and Cawood Ledford | WLKY 32 | Howard Hoffman |
Memphis | WREC | Dick Palmer | ||
New York | WHN | WOR 9 | Al Albert | |
San Diego | ||||
Utah | KALL | Bill Howard | KUTV 2 | Bill Marcroft |
Virginia | WTAR | WTAR 3 | Marty Brennaman |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Denver | KHOW | Mike Wolfe | ||
Indiana | WIBC | Joe McConnell | WTTV 4 | Jerry Baker |
Kentucky | WHAS | WHAS 32 | Van Vance | |
Memphis | WLOK | Dick Palmer | ||
New York | WMCA | Dom Valentino [44] and Mike DiTomasso | WOR 9 | Al Albert and Bob Goldsholl |
St. Louis | KMOX | Bob Costas [45] and Bill Wilkinson (home games) | KPLR 11 | |
San Antonio | KKYX | Terry Stembridge and Gary DeLaune | WOAI 4 | Terry Stembridge and Steve Grad |
San Diego | KOGO | Frank Sims | ||
Utah | KALL | Bill Howard | ||
Virginia | [WTAR]] | Warner Fusselle [46] | WAVY 10 | Dave Sullivan and Bobi Boecker |
Team | Radio station | Radio announcers | Television station | Television announcers |
Denver | KOA | Al Albert and Bob Martin | KWGN 2 | Al Albert and Tom Jorgensen [47] |
Indiana | WIBC | Joe McConnell | WTTV 4 | |
Kentucky | WHAS | WHAS 11 | Van Vance [48] | |
New York | WMCA | John Sterling [49] and Mike DiTomasso | WOR 9 | Steve Albert [50] [51] and Bob Goldsholl [52] |
St. Louis | WIL | Bob Costas | KPLR 11 | Bob Costas and Arlene Wellman |
San Antonio | WOAI | Terry Stembridge and Gary DeLaune | KMOL 4 | Terry Stembridge and Steve Grad |
San Diego | KSDO | Ralph Lawler [53] | ||
Utah | KALL [54] | Jack Briggs | KSL 5 | Jack Briggs |
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 [55] 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. [56]
During the 1976–77 season, the NBA's first after the ABA–NBA merger brought the American Basketball Association into the league, CBS held a slam dunk contest that ran during halftime of the Game of the Week telecasts. Don Criqui was the host of this particular competition. The final, which pitted Larry McNeill of the Golden State Warriors against eventual winner Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman of the Indiana Pacers, took place during Game 6 of the 1977 NBA Finals. At the time of the final, Hillman's rights had been traded to the New York Nets, but he had not yet signed a contract. Since he was not officially a member of any NBA team, instead of wearing a jersey, he competed in a plain white tank top. Then for the post-competition interview, Hillman donned a shirt with the words "Bottle Shoppe" – the name of an Indianapolis liquor store, which is still in existence, and was the sponsor of a city parks softball league team for which Hillman played left field (and the only team he was a member of at the time). [57] Other players to compete in the slam dunk tournament included Julius Erving, George Gervin, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar and Moses Malone. CBS, anxious for star power, also gave David Thompson the opportunity to be eliminated three times. [58] [59]
The American Basketball Association (ABA) was a popular men's professional basketball league from 1967 to 1976. The ABA merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) in 1976, resulting in four ABA teams joining the NBA and the introduction of the NBA 3-point shot in 1979.
The Indiana Pacers are an American professional basketball team based in Indianapolis. The Pacers compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Central Division of the Eastern Conference.
The Utah Stars were an American Basketball Association (ABA) team based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Under head coach Bill Sharman the Stars were the first major professional basketball team to use a pre-game shootaround.
Julius Winfield Erving II, commonly known by the nickname Dr. J, is an American former professional basketball player. Erving helped legitimize the American Basketball Association (ABA), and he was the best-known player in that league when it merged into the National Basketball Association (NBA) after the 1975–1976 season.
The Kentucky Colonels were a member of the American Basketball Association (ABA) for all of the league's nine years. The name is derived from the historic Kentucky Colonels. The Colonels won the most games and had the highest winning percentage of any franchise in the league's history, but the team did not join the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the 1976 ABA–NBA merger. The downtown Louisville Convention Center was the Colonels' venue for their first three seasons before moving to Freedom Hall for the remaining seasons, beginning with the 1970–71 schedule.
Melvin Joe Daniels was an American professional basketball player. He played in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the Minnesota Muskies, Indiana Pacers, and Memphis Sounds, and in the National Basketball Association for the New York Nets. Daniels was a two-time ABA Most Valuable Player, three-time ABA Champion and a seven-time ABA All-Star. Daniels was the All-time ABA rebounding leader, and in 1997 was named a unanimous selection to the ABA All-Time Team. Daniels was enshrined into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame in 2012.
William Edward Paultz is an American former professional basketball player who played in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and in the now defunct American Basketball Association (ABA). Nicknamed "the Whopper", He was a 4-time ABA All-Star and led the ABA in blocks in 1976.
Darnell "Dr. Dunk" Hillman is a former professional basketball player.
The NBA on CBS is the branding that is used for weekly broadcasts of National Basketball Association (NBA) games produced by CBS Sports, the sports division of the CBS television network in the United States. CBS aired NBA games from the 1973–74 NBA season until the 1989–90 NBA season.
Robert Netolicky is a retired American basketball player. A 6'9" power forward/center, he played professionally in the now–defunct American Basketball Association (ABA) from 1967 to 1976. Netolicky was a four–time ABA All–Star and two–time ABA Champion.
The 1976 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1975–76 season. The tournament concluded with the New York Nets defeating the Denver Nuggets four games to two in the ABA Finals.
The 1975 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1974–75 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels defeating the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers, four games to one in the ABA Finals.
The 1974 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1973-1974 season. The tournament concluded with the Eastern Division champion New York Nets defeating the Western Division champion Utah Stars, four games to one in the ABA Finals.
The 1972 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1971–1972 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Indiana Pacers defeating the Eastern Division champion New York Nets, four games to two in the 1972 ABA Finals.
The 1971 ABA Playoffs was the postseason tournament of the American Basketball Association's 1970-1971 season. The tournament concluded with the Western Division champion Utah Stars defeating the Eastern Division champion Kentucky Colonels, four games to three in the ABA finals.
The 1976 ABA All Star Game was the ninth and final American Basketball Association All-Star Game, played at McNichols Arena in Denver, Colorado, on January 27, 1976. This time, the league abandoned the usual East vs. West format it used from the 1967-68 season onward and instead had the league's first-place team at the All Star break face off against a team of ABA All Stars. The change was decided given the league's reduction from ten to seven teams and from two divisions to only one. At the All-Star break, the Denver Nuggets were in first place, which was convenient as the Nuggets had also been selected to host the game in McNichols Arena. Kevin Loughery of the New York Nets coached the All-Stars while Larry Brown led the Denver Nuggets. This was the second year in a row that Loughery and Brown coached against each other in the ABA All-Star Game.
The ABA–NBA merger was a major pro sports business maneuver in 1976 when the American Basketball Association (ABA) combined with the National Basketball Association (NBA), after multiple attempts over several years. The NBA and ABA had entered merger talks as early as 1970, but an antitrust suit filed by the head of the NBA players union, Robertson v. National Basketball Ass'n, blocked the merger until 1976.
The 1974–75 ABA season was the eighth season of the American Basketball Association. The Kentucky Colonels won the 1975 ABA Championship after winning the Eastern Division; the Denver Nuggets won the Western Division. Julius Erving and George McGinnis shared the league's MVP award.
ABC gained the NBA in 1964, the network aired its first NBA game on January 3, 1965, but lost the broadcast rights to CBS after the 1972–73 season with the initial tenure ending on May 10, 1973. As the national broadcaster of the NBA, CBS aired NBA games from the 1973-74 until the 1989–90 season, during which the early 1980s is notoriously known as the tape delay playoff era.
{{cite book}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link){{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)