The Floridians
ABA franchise that moved from Minnesota and was later disbanded.
The Floridians, originally the Miami Floridians, were a professional basketball franchise in the original American Basketball Association (ABA). The team began as the Minnesota Muskies, a charter ABA franchise, before relocating to Miami. They are notable for their unusual color schemes and for being disbanded as part of the ABA's contraction before the league's merger with the NBA.
Quick Facts
- Division
- Eastern Division
- Founded
- 1967
- History
- Minnesota Muskies; 1967–1968; Miami Floridians; 1968–1970; The Floridians; 1970–1972
- City
- Miami, Florida
- Tampa, Florida (1970–1972)
- St. Petersburg, Florida (1970–1972)
- Jacksonville, Florida (1970–1972)
- Coach
- Jim Pollard; 1968–1969; Jim Pollard & Harold Blitman; 1969–1970
- Manager
- Dennis Murphy
- Owner
- L.P. Shields & Fred Jefferson; 1968–1969; Ned Doyle; 1970–1972
Facts from the source article.
Move to Miami
The Floridians made the playoffs in three of their four seasons, but they never drew big crowds, even with promotions like ballgirls in white bikinis and go-go boots. They started out playing at the Miami Beach Convention Center and its annex. Under former Minneapolis Lakers star Jim Pollard, the 1968–69 team went 43–35, beat the defending champion Minnesota Pipers 4–3 in the Eastern Division semifinals, then fell to the Pacers 4–1. The next season was a disaster. The team split games between Dinner Key Auditorium, a sweltering former aircraft hangar with no air conditioning, and Miami-Dade Junior College’s North Campus gym. Pollard was fired midseason and replaced by Hal Blitman. Minority owners traded players without telling Blitman, leading to a 23–61 record and no playoff berth. The original owners sold the team after that season.
The Floridians
New owner Ned Doyle dropped 'Miami' from the team's name and made it a regional franchise, scheduling games in Miami, Tampa Bay, Jacksonville, and West Palm Beach. Doyle fired the entire team before the new season, trading or releasing all players, but kept the coach. The team replaced Blitman after an 18–30 start with Bob Bass. Bass turned the team around, and the Floridians finished fourth in the Eastern Division with a 37–47 record.
They made the playoffs but lost to the Kentucky Colonels 4–2. For the 1971–72 season, the Floridians split home games between Miami and Tampa, again finishing fourth with a 36–48 record. They made the playoffs but lost to the Virginia Squires 4–0. The Floridians used Dade County Junior College's gym for two playoff games because the Convention Center had booked other events.
Dreadful attendance for those games convinced Doyle the team could not be viable in South Florida. After a deal to relocate to Cincinnati fell through, attempts to move to Albuquerque, San Diego, Montreal, and Omaha also failed. By June 1972, merger rumors between the ABA and NBA left the Floridians listed among weak franchises. On June 13, 1972, Commissioner Jack Dolph announced the Floridians and Pittsburgh Condors would be disbanded. The San Diego Conquistadors later became an ABA expansion team, essentially replacing both franchises.
Frequently Asked Questions
When was The Floridians founded?
The Floridians was founded in 1967.
Where is The Floridians based?
The Floridians is based in Miami, Florida; Tampa, Florida (1970–1972); St. Petersburg, Florida (1970–1972); Jacksonville, Florida (1970–1972).
More in American Basketball Association Teams
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