Our minor league basketball team here in Owensboro, Kentucky (Kentucky Bisons) is through after just two seasons.

Kentucky Bison’s owner Jay Sills announced on the Kentucky Bison’s website that the America Basketball Association franchise would be suspending operations after two seasons in Owensboro. In a message on the website, Sills blamed lack of community support for the decision.

“We deserved better support than we got from many, even from the city,” Sills said. According to Sills, the team had a difficult time making money during home games at the Sports Center, and couldn’t travel because of a lack of advertising money.

Apparently the ABA has been working with him to move The Bisons to another city.

“I love Owensboro, but apparently only a few of our loyal fans feel the same way about our effort, and to you we sincerely apologize,” said Sills.

Ironically, The Kentucky Bisons were a huge success on the court. The team won a championship in 2009, and made the ABA finals again last season.

As someone that calls Owensboro home, I have to say that there’s plenty of blame to go around. I don’t think it’s fair to level it entirely at anyone in particular.  For what it’s worth, here’s how I see the blame’s distribution:

• First of all, there’s a little thing we like to call the economy.  Over the past two years, it stink, stank, stunk.  When most families are doing well to put food on the table, pay the bills, and keep the car running – luxuries like sporting events fall to the wayside.
• There was absolutely zero (or next to zero) effort to develop a relationship with the community. In fact, I’d say that half the people in Owensboro couldn’t tell you anything about The Bisons.  It would have been pretty cool to see the players/coaches involved in community events – putting their faces and names “out there.”
• Advertising? Again, I’m not sure where the blame would fall on this one, but there was very little (very, very, very, very little) advertising.  People can’t jump on board when they aren’t aware there’s even a train!
• Most of us were under the impression that the Bison’s were only temporarily calling Owensboro home.  In all fairness, who wants to get involved in supporting a team that only has one foot in your city limits?

I regret that the team is having to pull out of Owensboro. This is a wonderful town and the people are great. I’ve always wanted the town to have a minor league team – a baseball team would be pretty great.  It probably would have helped our chances if the arrangement with The Bisons hadn’t ended in… well… extinction.

I hope that the Kentucky Bison’s next “home” is a permanent one.  I hope the players and coaches reach out to the very community who’s support they expect and  want. I also hope that fate will bring us such a team in Owensboro. It could be a lot of fun. Just because this arrangement was a bust doesn’t mean the next one would be for either side.  Live and learn, right?

Best of luck to an exceptional team.  I feel like I hardly even knew you.  Guess that’s the problem.