Promotion/Relegation Summary
Premier League
Promoted:
- Oklahoma City: The Stampede did the unthinkable — back-to-back promotions from Founders Cup to Premier. 57–9 in the Championship. They’re not just happy to be here.
- Baltimore: The Ravens followed right behind OKC, going 52–14 in the Championship. Balanced, disciplined, and ready for the big stage.
- Indiana: Doug Moe’s run-and-gun attack won the promotion tournament. The Pacers are back in the Premier after one year away.
Relegated:
- Houston: The Malone-Murphy experiment produced 23 wins. They’re headed to the Championship to figure out what went wrong.
- Buffalo: Walton and McAdoo never clicked. 19 wins. Back to the drawing board in the Championship.
- Los Angeles: Kareem Abdul-Jabbar had no help. 14–52. The Lakers are in the second tier for the first time in ABF history.
Championship
Promoted from Founders Cup:
- Salt Lake: 17–3 in the Founders Cup. LaDell Andersen has them playing like a Championship team already.
- Mid Atlantic: Won the Founders mini-tournament. The barnstormers are moving up.
Relegated to Founders Cup:
- Atlanta: 20–46 in the Championship. Cotton Fitzsimmons needs to rebuild.
- Memphis: 16–50. The Cinderella story is over — for now.
Founders Cup
Promoted to Championship:
- Salt Lake
- Mid Atlantic
Relegated from Championship:
- Atlanta
- Memphis
What This Means
The pyramid has shifted. Three Premier teams — Houston, Buffalo, and Los Angeles — now find themselves in the Championship, each with a different set of problems. Kareem, Walton, and Malone are all playing in the second tier next season. That’s not just a storyline — it’s a crisis for those franchises.
Meanwhile, Oklahoma City and Baltimore have done something no team has ever done: back-to-back promotions. They’re the new standard for how to build a winner in the ABF.
And then there’s Detroit. 0–20 in the Founders Cup. That’s not a rebuild — that’s an exhumation.
Coaching, Roster, and Front Office Implications
Premier League
Oklahoma City (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Back-to-back promotions. Legend status.
- Front Office: Expansion mode – Premier revenue means more scouts, analytics, and staff
- Key Roster Question: Can they keep their core together, or do they need to add veterans to survive?
Baltimore (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Dominated the Championship. Earned the right.
- Front Office: Growth – Time to build a Premier-level front office
- Key Roster Question: Can they find a second star to pair with Rocky Risien?
Indiana (↑ Promoted)
- Coach: Safe – Doug Moe won the promotion tournament. He’s earned his shot.
- Front Office: Upgrading – Premier demands a deeper scouting network
- Key Roster Question: Will their run-and-gun style translate to the Premier?
Houston (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Warm – 23 wins with Moses Malone and Calvin Murphy. Someone has to answer for that.
- Front Office: Downsizing – Premier-level staff on Championship budget
- Key Roster Question: Do they trade Moses Malone or build around him in the Championship?
Buffalo (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Hot – 19 wins with Walton and McAdoo. That’s a disaster.
- Front Office: Restructuring – New GM? New direction?
- Key Roster Question: Do they trade Walton or McAdoo, or try to make it work one more year?
Los Angeles (↓ Relegated)
- Coach: Hot – 14 wins with Kareem Abdul-Jabbar. That’s inexcusable.
- Front Office: Overhaul likely – The Lakers need a complete reset
- Key Roster Question: Does Kareem demand a trade, or does he stay to lead the Lakers back?
Championship
Salt Lake (↑ Promoted from Founders)
- Coach: Safe – 17–3 in the Founders Cup. LaDell Andersen has them ready.
- Front Office: Expansion – First real front office build
- Key Roster Question: Do they add veterans or trust their Founders Cup core?
Mid Atlantic (↑ Promoted from Founders)
- Coach: Safe – Won the Founders mini-tournament. Earned the promotion.
- Front Office: Growth – Time to hire a dedicated GM
- Key Roster Question: Can they find a second scorer to pair with their balanced attack?
Atlanta (↓ Relegated to Founders)
- Coach: Hot – 20 wins in the Championship. Cotton Fitzsimmons is on thin ice.
- Front Office: Downsizing – Championship-level staff on Founders budget
- Key Roster Question: Do they rebuild around young talent or try to bounce back immediately?
Memphis (↓ Relegated to Founders)
- Coach: Warm – The Cinderella story ended in relegation. The coach is safe for now, but the roster needs work.
- Front Office: Retooling – Time to figure out how to climb back
- Key Roster Question: Do they keep the core together or start fresh?
Founders Cup
Detroit (0–20)
- Coach: Ice cold – 0–20 in the Founders Cup. No one is safe.
- Front Office: Complete reset – New GM, new coach, new roster
- Key Roster Question: Who’s the first building block? They need to start from scratch.
St. Louis (12–8)
- Coach: Safe – Hubie Brown has them competitive. They just need to get over the hump.
- Front Office: Stable – No major changes expected
- Key Roster Question: Can they find a star to lead them to promotion?
Tampa Bay (12–8)
- Coach: Safe – Zelmo Beaty has them in the mix. They just need to finish the job.
- Front Office: Stable – No major changes expected
- Key Roster Question: Can they add a piece to push them over the top?
Portland (7–13)
- Coach: Warm – Jack Ramsay has talent, but 7–13 isn’t good enough.
- Front Office: Pressure – The Blazers need to show improvement
- Key Roster Question: Is Rickey Green the future, or do they need another star?