American Basketball League (1996–98)

The American Basketball League ( ABL) was an existing 1996-1998 Women's professional basketball league in North America.

The ABL was established almost simultaneously with the Women's National Basketball Association ( WNBA). Reason for this establishment was the great demand for women's professional basketball league since winning the gold medal of the women's basketball team at the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta.

Men

ABL versus WNBA

The ABL began their first professional season almost a year before the WNBA. Furthermore, the ABL was able to secure a large part of the U.S. women 's basketball teams of the 1996 Olympic Games. Most young players decided due to the higher salaries for the ABL instead of the WNBA. This allowed the ABL also have a higher level than the WNBA.

The ABL had indeed seen sporting an advantage over the WNBA, but the WNBA was founded by the NBA and supported so that they had a clear financial and commercial advantage over the ABL. The ABL had to stop due to lack of funding the operation of gambling after only two seasons back.

After the league was disbanded, most of the players changed in the WNBA, which is now regarded as by far the strongest and most popular women 's basketball league in the world.

• Basketball League
• Women's basketball
• Women's Association
• Basketball competition in the United States