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Setting the scene
After World War II, arena owners in major U.S. cities sought winter tenants for their buildings and saw professional basketball as a way to fill seats between hockey and boxing nights.
What happened
The Basketball Association of America was founded on June 6, 1946, in New York; it later merged with the National Basketball League and adopted the National Basketball Association name in 1949.
Why it still matters
What began as an eleven-team owners' league grew into a global league whose stars and merchandise reach every continent. Memorable detail: the first BAA game was played in Toronto, not the United States.
Background
The league merged with the NBL and adopted the NBA name in 1949.