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| A Brief History of Professional Basketball in Rapid City, SD or in other words, "How Not to Treat Your Fans!" |
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| From 1987 to 1995 the community of Rapid City situated near the Black Hills of South Dakota were home to one of the most successful professional basketball team in the Continental Basketball Association (CBA). For many years the Thrillers held the record for highest average attendance in the league and produced two championship attending teams. Tragically through a terrible ownership decision the team was thrown away from Rapid City, SD and moved to West Palm Beach, FL, where the organization ultimately folded after the next season. |
| The Thrillers were all but history, however in the Summer of 1995 sprouted a new league which was inspired by situation that occured in Rapid City, it was the International Basketball Association (IBA). Thriller fans rejoiced that a new team was being formed. Once again fans came from near and far to cheer on their new home team, the Black Hills Posse. In true Rapid City form, the Posse excelled, not only through successful seasons, but also through league attendance. Rapid City was once again a league leader in fan population. Excitement turned to grief as poor management and ownership once again plagued Rapid City. However, before the new season was to begin Rapid City found new life in a new owner who came in to make some radical changes... |
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| He was a businessman who was part owner in the original Thrillers of the CBA. He renamed the team, what else?, the Rapid City Thrillers! At this point in time some of the old feelings from the CBA Thrillers started to become born, but it was at this time that the town and many of the fans from Rapid City started to grow tired of the team and always felt a sense of betrayal from any person or name related to the "old" Thrillers. Sadly, The Thrillers of the IBA only lasted one season before being sent packing and finally into oblivion as the so called saviour could not find a new home for an already sucessful, as far as attendance, team. |
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| Before the new season was to begin in 2000 Rapid City professional basketball fans were drawn new hope by a new management team who moved their team from Wisconsin (Blast) to Rapid City and became the Black Hills Gold. The team had a successful season, however by this time the damage was done. The people of Rapid City were tired of the back and forth in and out teams. The Gold were terrible at advertising and had a major lack of half time entertainment. Overall poor management lead to the team folding after moving for one year to Mitchell, SD. |
| So what now???....Well five years have past with no professional basketball team in the Black Hills. I'm sure Rapid City is ready for a new and entertaining professional basketball team that is dedicated to the community and knows how to entertain. Rapid City's ticket to a new basketball team is either through the ABA or the CBA. Investors need to seriously consider starting a new basketball team in Rapid City. I can be contacted at [email protected]. If you want a new team in Rapid City or just want to talk about the "good old" days of the CBA give me an email. :-) |
| 1987 - 1995 RAPID CITY THRILLERS of the CBA |
| 1995 - 1997 BLACK HILLS POSSE of the IBA |
| 1998 - 1999 RAPID CITY THRILLERS of the IBA |
| 1999 - 2001 BLACK HILLS GOLD of the IBA |