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ThunderDawgs will not play upcoming season

© St. Petersburg Times,
published October 2, 2001

When the American Basketball Association 2000 tips off next month, the Tampa Bay ThunderDawgs will not be in action.

The ThunderDawgs, who played the league's inaugural season at the Bayfront Center, will be placed on hold this season and could return next year, league president and co-founder Joe Newman said.

The move comes after the 'Dawgs went 15-26 and averaged about 250 fans per game last season. Coach Darryl Dawkins was fired after eight games, and the team was sold midway through the season.

The team was plagued by poor marketing and forced to set up payment plans in order to clear many of its debts.

Owner Art Blackwell III had been hedging keeping the team in St. Petersburg or moving it. He and Newman discussed the possibilities all summer, but time ran out this weekend with training camps set to open this month.

"There was very strong interest in keeping it in St. Pete this season," Newman said. "I thought right up until the weekend we were going to be able to make it work."

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