1946structural
BAA Founded
The Rule Change
The Basketball Association of America was founded by arena owners looking to fill dates between hockey games. The BAA would merge with the National Basketball League in 1949 to form the NBA, establishing professional basketball as a major American sport.
Statistical Impact
Created the organizational framework for professional basketball. The BAA's arena-first model — teams were attached to venues, not cities — gave the league an immediate infrastructure advantage over rival leagues and set the template for modern sports franchise economics.