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Although the recruitment campaign was not without its problems (including the death of Nick
Johnson, co-founder of the marketing firm behind the league), the NWBL enrolled four teams by November and held its first championship series in December 1997. The first four teams enrolled were the San Diego
175:
league for women. The NWBL was founded in 1997, in the shadow of both the ABL and the WNBA. The league is considered to be the brainchild of
Patrick Alexander and Kevin Szotkowski, who saw the rapid growth of women's athletics of the time and decided to go into the business of promoting women
176:
athletes. With the assistance of former college basketball players and NWBL co-founders Jolynn
Schneider and Jeanine Michealsen, Alexander and Szotkowski launched an aggressive marketing campaign in the Fall of 1997 to recruit players and teams.
180:
Waves (considered to be the first NWBL team), the
Columbus Lady Blazers, the Washington DC Defenders and the Long Beach Lightning. By the end of 2000, the league grew to encompass 600 players in 15 states and 26 cities.
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27:
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183:
The 2001 season was the first season for the NWBL Pro League, which now serves as the primary organization for the NWBL. The first four teams in the newly formed league were the
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151:. The league was founded in 1997 and began play in the Fall of that year. The league held its season during the off-season of the
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199:. The league managed to finish its first season in April 2001 when the Atlanta Justice won the 1st NWBL Pro Cup.
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155:. During the WNBA off-season, some WNBA players would play in the NWBL. The league ceased operations in 2007.
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293:(2006, Dallas Fury 2004-05, Tennessee Fury 2003, Kansas City Legacy 2001-02)
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366:
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911:
171:, and the WNBA before it, the NWBL was founded to govern a competitive
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have been the only Women's
Professional leagues in the United States.
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Since 2001, the NWBL Pro League has played host to such WNBA stars as
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793:
207:
86:
433:
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218:. The league folded in 2007, and since then the WNBA and
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Defunct professional sports leagues in the United States
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Defunct women's basketball leagues in the United States
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485:Major women's sport leagues in North America
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143:, was an organization governing professional
16:American women's basketball league, 1997–2007
1283:2007 disestablishments in the United States
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462:
20:National Women's Basketball League (NWBL)
1278:1997 establishments in the United States
449:Professional women's basketball research
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404:Women's National Basketball Association
394:Women's American Basketball Association
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409:Women's Professional Basketball League
1273:Sports leagues disestablished in 2007
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13:
1268:Sports leagues established in 1997
137:National Women's Basketball League
14:
1294:
427:
444:Professional basketball research
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399:Women's Basketball Association
1:
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230:
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7:
382:
139:, often abbreviated to the
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389:American Basketball League
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423:. Retrieved Feb 21, 2005.
147:leagues for women in the
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106:
93:
78:
70:
62:
54:
46:
36:
24:
784:(beginning play in 2025)
1223:Outdoor track and field
1170:Outdoor track and field
1218:Indoor track and field
1165:Indoor track and field
782:Northern Super League
261:Grand Rapids Blizzard
226:NWBL Pro League teams
291:San Francisco Legacy
1208:Swimming and diving
1155:Swimming and diving
439:NWBL sports Almanac
434:Official NWBL stats
421:History of the NWBL
163:In contrast to the
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1023:Athletes Unlimited
802:Athletes Unlimited
525:Athletes Unlimited
309:Springfield Spirit
197:Kansas City Legacy
19:
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1244:
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1092:
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628:NCAA Division III
590:NCAA Division III
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1115:Beach volleyball
1103:
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686:USL Super League
585:NCAA Division II
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497:
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455:
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327:Birmingham Power
303:San Jose Spiders
243:Birmingham Power
212:Tamika Catchings
189:Birmingham Power
122:Official website
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580:NCAA Division I
530:American League
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377:San Diego Siege
343:Houston Stealth
333:Houston Stealth
323:Atlanta Justice
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297:San Diego Siege
267:Houston Stealth
237:Atlanta Justice
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185:Atlanta Justice
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117:(2 titles each)
115:Houston Stealth
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193:Mobile Majesty
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129:(archive link)
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337:Chicago Blaze
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149:United States
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83:FIBA Americas
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74:United States
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1130:Field hockey
1079:Roller derby
1061:Other sports
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216:Becky Hammon
201:
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136:
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126:www.NWBL.com
63:No. of teams
977:Rugby union
540:WABA (1984)
367:Dallas Fury
353:Dallas Fury
107:Most titles
102:(2nd title)
96:champion(s)
1252:Categories
1228:Volleyball
1180:Water polo
1175:Volleyball
1140:Gymnastics
1033:Volleyball
912:LFL Canada
771:USL (1995)
756:WPSL Elite
610:Ice hockey
502:Basketball
415:References
231:Past teams
145:basketball
41:Basketball
316:Champions
311:(2002–04)
305:(2005–06)
269:(2002–04)
257:(2004–06)
251:(2002–05)
245:(2001–05)
239:(2001–02)
79:Continent
31:Logo NWBL
1233:Lacrosse
1145:Lacrosse
1074:Ringette
995:Lacrosse
849:football
847:Gridiron
794:Softball
721:U Sports
633:U Sports
600:U Sports
494:by sport
383:See also
208:Sue Bird
195:and the
87:Americas
1120:Bowling
1097:Leagues
1017:defunct
1007:defunct
966:defunct
956:defunct
946:defunct
936:defunct
926:defunct
916:defunct
906:defunct
896:defunct
886:defunct
836:defunct
775:defunct
760:defunct
750:defunct
740:defunct
730:defunct
706:LIMEFFE
701:Liga MX
662:defunct
652:defunct
642:defunct
574:defunct
564:defunct
554:defunct
544:defunct
534:defunct
492:Leagues
173:amateur
159:History
71:Country
47:Founded
1213:Tennis
1160:Tennis
1150:Rowing
673:Soccer
375:78-71
365:77-70
355:73-69
345:95-76
335:68-59
325:90-75
299:(2006)
287:(2001)
281:(2005)
275:(2004)
263:(2003)
191:, the
187:, the
55:Ceased
877:WWCFL
867:USWFL
371:2006
361:2005
351:2004
341:2003
331:2002
321:2001
37:Sport
1203:Golf
1190:NAIA
1135:Golf
1107:NCAA
1069:Golf
1046:LOVB
1013:WPLL
1003:UWLX
962:WPFL
932:WAFL
922:NWFA
892:IWFL
882:AFWL
872:MWFL
857:WNFC
827:NAIA
821:WCWS
736:WUSA
716:NAIA
691:WPSL
681:NWSL
648:WWHL
638:CWHL
618:PWHL
595:NAIA
560:NWBL
520:WBDA
515:WABA
510:WNBA
220:WABA
214:and
153:WNBA
141:NWBL
135:The
94:Last
58:2007
50:1997
1051:PVF
985:WPL
952:WFL
942:WFA
902:LFL
862:WFA
832:NPF
812:WPF
807:AFP
766:USL
746:WLS
726:WPS
696:UWS
658:PHF
570:WBL
550:WBA
169:WBA
165:ABL
1254::
1041:AU
210:,
206:,
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