NBA Basketball Tickets
Composed of thirty teams, the National Basketball Association is North America’s professional basketball league. Twenty nine of the teams are based in America, and one in Canada. The NBA is recognised by the International Basketball Federation as the governing body for the game of basketball in America. Major League Baseball, the National Football League and the National Hockey League make up the four major professional sports league in North America.
Founded in 1946, the Basketball Association of America was the original title, but later adopted the name of the National Basketball Association following its merger with the National Basketball League.
In the Mid West United States and the North Eastern States, the owners of major ice hockey venues founded the Basketball Association of America in 1946. Following this, on the 1st November 1946, the Toronto Huskies played the New York Knickerbockers. This is generally regarded as the first ever game to be played in the league. Earlier attempts had been made to form major basketball leagues, however, the Basketball Association of America was the first league to play in large arenas. Standards in the various leagues was much the same, and there were examples of one team moving into another league and winning the title at the first attempt although this happened between all leagues.
Buy NBA Basketball Tickets
Seventeen franchises were part of a new league which was the result of an amalgamation of the two major associations to form the National Basketball Association. The franchises were situated in larger and smaller cities, and also in large and small venues. The league eventually contracted to eight teams by 1954. This process saw many of the smaller teams move to larger cities. In 1950, the National Basketball Association allowed African Americans to join the league. Technically Japanese Americans had been the first non white to play in the league in the 1947-48 season. However 1950 is generally recognised as the year when the league became integrated.
In 1954, the league introduced a twenty four second shot clock. This was to discourage players from taking too long to play the ball and encourage shooting which would make the game more exciting to watch for spectators.
The NBA continued to consolidate during the 1960s, but faced a bidding war between themselves and the American Basketball Association which saw some of the major stars change associations. The early 1970s saw the NBA expand to eighteen franchises, until in 1976, the two leagues reached an agreement and therefore the league was then expanded to twenty two teams. During the 1980s, the league saw significant interest from fans boost the profile of the game. Players like Larry Bird and Magic Johnson were helping to broaden the appeal.
Michael Jordan proved to be a massive boost to the NBA when he joined the Chicago Bulls in 1984. As a consequence, the further interest meant that another four teams would enter the NBA. In 1996, a womens’ league was introduced. In 1998, the Chicago Bulls broke up and teams from the Western Conference have continued to dominate the game in recent years, winning seven of the last ten championships. The NBA continues to throw up big name talent player such as Shaquille O’Neal and Kobe Bryant had a major influence in the popularity of the National Basketball Association.
Players from all over the world continue to be attracted to the NBA and representatives from Brazil, Italy, Spain and even Lithuania and Russia have all featured in the NBA. Yao Ming has a successful career following his entry into the league in 2002. Young players will often attend college in the United States prior to entering the NBA. The NBA continues its success as a sports entertainment industry, now being seen in over 212 countries.
The NBA currently comprises thirty teams. The process has occurred over a number of years, and has included reductions and relocation of teams to bigger cities with more support. The Boston Celtics are the most successful team with seventeen NBA final victories. These are closely followed by the Los Angeles Lakers with fourteen wins. The Chicago Bulls achieved their six championships over an eight year period. In recent years, the San Antonio Spurs have won four championships since the 1999 season.
Tickets for NBA games can be purchased directly from the home venue, however, if you are planning ahead, you may be able to make your purchase online and get a discount price. There are a number of different agencies. If booking on line, remember to ensure that the site is secure, and that it provides a contact address and phone numbers, should you have any problems.
