International Basketball League (1999-2000)
Tombstone
Born: 1999 – IBL founding franchise
Folded: November 15, 2000
First Game: November 26, 1999 (L 107-95 vs. Trenton Shooting Stars)
Last Game:
IBL Championships: None
Arena
Baltimore Arena (13,000)
Opened: 1962
Branding
Team Colors: Silver, Dark Green, Royal Blue, Dark Blue & Black
Dance Team: The BayLadyz
Mascot: Bayzl (the Sea Monster)
Ownership
Owner: International Basketball League & Cal Ripken, Jr.
Background
The Baltimore BayRunners were one of eight founding franchises in the International Basketball League in the fall of 1999. The IBL was a nationwide minor league. It was similar in nature to the rival Continental Basketball Association, with whom the IBL would merge after both leagues encountered financial problems in early 2001. But by that time the BayRunners franchise would already be in the ground.
The IBL itself was headquartered in Baltimore, but the BayRunners were one of two franchises (along with the Las Vegas Silver Bandits) for whom the league could not find independent ownership. In October 1999, Baltimore Orioles legend Cal Ripken Jr. agreed to a 10% stake in the team. The league owned the other 90%.
Building the BayRunners
Former Detroit Pistons coach Herb Brown signed on to coach the team. Notable players included former Louisville star and Golden State Warriors 1st round draft bust Clifford Rozier and NBA veteran and New York City playground legend Lloyd Daniels. Brown released Rozier just three games into the season due to poor attitude. Brown himself was let go at midseason after the BayRunners lost 20 of their first 30 games. Things only got worse after Brown’s departure and Baltimore finished the 1999-00 season with a league-worst 17-47 record.
Two native Baltimoreans played key roles on the team. 5′ 4″ point guard Shawnta Rogers, a product of Lake Clifton High School, was a rookie out of George Washington University, where he was the 1999 Atlantic 10 Player of the Year. Forward Rodney Elliott (Dunbar High, University of Maryland) averaged 14.6 points and 6.2 rebounds and was named the BayRunners team MVP.
Demise
Following the season, the IBL believed it had a handshake deal with Cal Ripken to purchase controlling interest in the team. The agreement required the league to secure additional investment partners. The league was unable to do so and the deal collapsed. This led to the dissolution of the BayRunners in the fall of 2000, shortly before the IBL’s second and final season got underway.
The BayRunners averaged approximately 3,800 fans per game in 1999-00 according to rough estimates provided by the IBL to Sports Business Journal.
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Links
International Basketball League Media Guides
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One Response
Didn’t Rock Newman own part of this team?
I actually have an IBL story that I’ll tell you sometime.