Dodge City Legend Basketball Collection

The Dodge City Legend was a minor league basketball team that played for 8 seasons in the United States Basketball League.

In the late 1990’s, a group of Dodge City civic and business leaders began a discussion amongst themselves regarding their desire to bring some sort of professional sports team to Dodge City. The group thought that doing so would bring both economic and social benefits to the community by providing affordable family entertainment to a region that needed it. Several ideas were brought to the table and discussed, and a few “feelers” were put forth to several minor professional athletic leagues that were operating in the United States at the time. Eventually the group established contact and dialogue with the United States Basketball League (USBL), which was headquartered in Orange, Connecticut.

In late November of 1999, USBL President Daniel T. Meisenheimer III visited Dodge City to visit with the potential owners group and to tour the town and potential venues. Quickly, the civic and business leaders formed Dodge City Basketball, Inc. The purpose of the corporation was to own and manage a USBL franchise in Dodge City. The names of the original investors were Greg Starks, Jim Lewis, Greg Goff, Pat George, Mike Morrison, Kent Smoll, Kelly Henrichs, Kelly Cohoon, Rodger Davis, George Henrichs, Michael Stevens, Rick Reed, and Jim Coffin.

In January 2000, the USBL announced that an expansion franchise would be coming to Dodge City. The USBL conducted its season during the spring and summer months. The league billed itself as “The League of Opportunity” for up-and-coming players hoping to reach the National Basketball Association. Tom Nelson was named the General Manager of the team. The first player signed was Tywan Meadows, who had been a standout player at Dodge City Senior High School. Two weeks later, former Garden City Community College coach Kent Davison was named the Head Coach. Eventually the name “Legend” was chosen, and the colors chosen were purple, silver, and black.

In April the USBL held its first draft of potential players. The Legend was able to sign its eighth-round pick, Tyson Patterson of Appalachian State University located in Boone, North Carolina. Other athletes were vetted, some were invited to try out, and eventually the roster of 12 was assembled. On April 25, 2000, the team played their first game at home in the Civic Center. The opponent was the Florida Sea Dragons. The Legend won its first six games. The team did well throughout the season, entered the playoffs, and ended up winning the USBL championship title. Things were off to a good start. Attendance at home games was at least adequate to continue the venture.

The team competed in the USBL seasons of 2001, 2002, and 2003. They again won the league championship in 2003. Local interest and attendance at the home games remained strong. Many interested people in the community supported the team through volunteering for some needed tasks when the ownership group requested such. Local businesses formed sponsorship agreements with the team. The investors of Dodge City Basketball, Inc. conducted their activities much as a non-profit corporation would have. They were looking to break even on the cash expenses incurred by fielding a team; they wanted Dodge City to have a professional sports team that could provide family entertainment and support the local economy. They were not looking to get rich from this venture. However, there were some issues regarding the operation of the league as a whole. Financial woes befell the league. Teams folded, some before even starting the season or playing any games. On occasion a team would travel to an away game, and the home team didn’t show. At times the league as a whole became circus-like, even though some teams, like the Legend, were doing fine.

In late October of 2003, Dodge City Basketball, Inc. released a statement announcing that the team would cease operations and that there would be no season in 2004- or beyond. The owners group was unhappy with the league management staff, who had been unresponsive to the issues brought forth by several teams. The league management was unhappy with some of the teams.

On December 8, 2003, Dodge City Basketball held a news conference at the Civic Center to announce that the team was back. There was a public outcry in Dodge City lamenting the loss of the local team. The USBL made some concessions to the unhappy team owners in the league. The city government made some favorable changes regarding some of the business contracts required to keep the team viable. The corporate sponsorships were renewed and reinforced. It was now feasible for the team to continue on. And so they did.

The Legend participated in the USBL for the 2004, 2005, and 2006. They won the league championship again in 2005. Fans still came to the games, in slightly higher numbers than before. The team had developed a loyal following. Some teams in the league still struggled financially, however. The head office of the USBL was not on top of the situation. Sometimes the cash-strapped teams could fulfill their travel obligations only if the home team covered some of their travel and lodging expenses. The management of the Legend granted payment for two nights of lodging to visiting teams on several occasions. This situation was not tenable.

After the 2006 season, the Legend’s management team considered leaving the USBL and joining another league. The team ended up staying in the league for the 2007 season, but many of the problems the league had experienced continued. Things got bad enough financially that the USBL announced that there would be no 2008 season. League management hoped to hunker down for a year, address their issues, stabilize their finances and then resume play in 2008. Legend management again sought alternatives in league affiliations so that professional basketball could continue in Dodge City. The local team plus several of the more stable teams of the USBL attempted to create a new league that could keep them all viable. In the end, they could not field the minimum 6 teams they thought were necessary for success. The Legend, and the other successful teams in the USBL were not willing to continue in the current league under the present management. This scenario brought an end to the Legend.