Grand Rapids Hoops

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

The Grand Rapids Hoops was a basketball team that played in the Continental Basketball Association, based in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Their first season was in 1989, and their final season was in 2003. Now defunct, professional basketball has been replaced in Grand Rapids by the Grand Rapids Flight.

[edit] League History

The team started and played in the Continental Basketball Association until the league folded in 2001. They joined the International Basketball League for one season before returning to a resurrected CBA the following year where they stayed until their demise.

[edit] Name History

The team first played in 1989 as the Grand Rapids Hoops. When the team was sold in 1995 to the people who ran the Gus Macker 3-on-3, the nickname changed to the Grand Rapids Mackers. The team was sold again a year later and the name reverted to the Grand Rapids Hoops.

[edit] Home Court History

The Grand Rapids Hoops began their play in Welsh Auditorium in 1989. When the Van Andel Arena opened in the mid 1996, the Hoops moved there joining the Grand Rapids Griffins as tenants. As attendance fell, the team moved to the DeltaPlex, a smaller arena located out of the downtown area. The team disbanded in 2003. The franchise was purchased and moved to nearby Muskegon's LC Walker Arena and renamed the Michigan Mayhem in 2004, which has now been disbanded as well.