LAKELAND -- Citing what they call a world-class facility in The Lakeland Center as well as the location of the city, officials from the new Lakeland entry in the United States Basketball League believe the league can succeed in Polk County.
Although a league schedule has not been released, the professional minor league basketball team will begin its 30-game regular season the last week in April. The Blue Ducks' home games will be played at The Lakeland Center.
"From our previous experiences, people in smaller market
franchises normally support what they have,"said Blue Duck co-majority owner Jay Harris, who is known nationally for his theatrical productions.
"Lakeland is an ideal area to bring a team to," he said. "We
won't be competing against an NBA team. The
minor league baseball team (Lakeland Tigers) will be in mid-season when we
are at the climactic point of our season. Also, the product isn't going to
be an overkill, since there are only a few games."
Jones Jr.Harris and world boxing light heavyweight champion Roy Jones Jr. are the majority owners of the Blue Ducks.
Jones, who is a guard for the Blue Ducks, was not in attendance because he is training for his title defense on Feb. 24 against
However, Blue Ducks Coach Rex Morgan - formerly of Jacksonville University and several NBA teams -- said Jones plans to live and train in Lakeland during the USBL season.
The name Blue Ducks was chosen by team officials after consulting with a marketing firm.
Lakeland is not an expansion franchise, actually relocating from Sarasota, where the team was the Gulf Coast Sun Dogs.
The franchise has a one-year deal with The Lakeland Center with an option of up to two years after that.
"We would be foolish to use this city as a token stop," Harris said. "We have an established franchise with the hope the city of Lakeland will be our home for a long time."
LAKELAND - Tuesday with the announcement of a United States Basketball League team making The Lakeland Center its home.
``I can't say how pleased we are to have these folks in here,'' Lakeland Mayor Buddy Fletcher said. ``We want to show them what kind of sports town Lakeland is.''
The USBL Sarasota franchise will relocate to Lakeland for the 2001 season and the team will be called the Lakeland Blue Ducks. The franchise is owned by majority owners Jay Harris and Roy Jones Jr., who is reigning light heavyweight world boxing champion.
The USBL is an 11-franchise league with a 30-game season that
The Blue Ducks head coach is Rex Morgan, a former guard for the Boston Celtics (1970-72), who has been with this franchise since its inception (1988).
