1984-85 Albany Patroons Program from the Continental Basketball Association

Albany Patroons (1982-1992)

Continental Basketball Association (1982-1992)

Tombstone

Born: 1982 – CBA expansion franchise
Re-Branded: October 2, 1992 (Capital Region Pontiacs)1ASSOCIATED PRESS. “Patroons now the Pontiacs”. The Banner (Bennington, VT). October 3, 1992

First Game: December 1, 1982 (W 132-116 @ Maine Lumberjacks)
Last Game
: March 17, 1992 (L 131-102 @ Birmingham Bandits)

CBA Champions: 1984 & 1988

Arenas

1982-1990: Washington Avenue Armory (3,05621983-84 Continental Basketball Association Official Guide)
Opened: 1890

1990-1992: Knickerbocker Arena (17,000)31990-91 Continental Basketball Association Official Guide
Opened: 1990

Marketing

Team Colors: Kelly Green & White41983-84 Continental Basketball Association Official Guide

Dance Team: The Patties

Ownership

Owners:

 

Background

First off – what exactly is a Patroon? Well, Patroons were 17th century feudal landholders who controlled large land estates under grants from the Dutch government in the colony of New Amsterdam, AKA modern day New York state. So now that that is out of the way…

The Albany Patroons were a popular minor league basketball club that played 10 seasons in New York’s capital city between 1982 and 1992.  The team was wildly successful on the court, winning two Continental Basketball Association titles and becoming an incubator for NBA coaching talent. Phil Jackson and George Karl both coached the Patroons before finding success in the NBA. Bill Musselman, who had previous NBA bench experience, coached the Patroons to their 1988 championship. He used the experience to springboard back to the NBA as head coach of the expansion Minnesota Timberwolves in 1989.

The Patroons were a hot ticket at the quirky Washington Avenue Armory throughout the 1980’s.  But the team’s fortunes declined rapidly after a move to the new Knickerbocker Arena in 1990.  The team’s core following of 4,000 or so fans created an intense atmosphere in the tiny Armory, but they drowned in the 15,000-seat expanse of the new building.

1989-90 Vincent Askew trading card from the Albany Patroons of the Continental Basketball Association

The End

Owners Joe O’Hara and Glenn Mazula sold naming rights of the team to the regional Pontiac car dealers group in 1992.  The Albany Patroons were re-branded as the “Capital Region Pontiacs” on the eve of the 1992-93.  This unpopular move, combined with the increased expenses of the new arena and the CBA’s increasing reliance on air travel, derailed the once dominant franchise.

The former Patroons/Pontiacs franchise moved to Hartford, Connecticut in 1993 and became known as the Hartford Hellcats.  The Hellcats went out of business in February 1995.

 

Albany Patroons Shop

 

 

Albany Patroons Video

1988 CBA Championship Series Game One. Patroons vs. Wyoming Wildcatters at the Washington Avenue Armory on ESPN.

 

Links

Continental Basketball Association Media Guides

Continental Basketball Association Programs

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