The NBA announced today that the league would be expanding by two teams for the 2011-2012 season. The new teams are the Seattle Supersonics, returning a team to a location the league never should have left in the first place, and the Manningham Moose. The Moose are owned by Manningham businessman Brian Midgley, owner of the Enzo's Pizza chain, who has been desperately seeking to bring the NBA to Manningham for years now. "Manningham was long a staple of the Federal Basketball Association, but when that league folded a couple years ago, I knew we needed to be a part of the NBA," Midgley shared at today's press conference.
Midgley also announced at the press conference that Benjamin Haug will be the team's General Manager. Haug is just 27 years old, but just as baseball has moved to younger, Ivy League-like educated GMs, he brings intelligence, commitment to statistical analysis, and a fresh approach to the position.
The team has yet to name a head coach, and that will certainly be one of Haug's first priorities on the job. Some familiar names have been rumored for the position, including Jeff Van Gundy, Byron Scott, and Sam Mitchell.
The Moose will play in MidCentral Airlines Arena, will feature the same green black, and white colors as the old FBA Moose, but with an updated logo.
The Manningham Moose logo
MidCentral Airlines Arena