Broomfield’s Wiens Frew Management Group has purchased a Continental Basketball Association franchise to go along with its Central Hockey League team.
Both minor-league expansion clubs tentatively are scheduled to begin play at the proposed Broomfield events center in fall 2006.
The CBA is the primary developmental basketball league in the United States, one level below the NBA. More than 500 CBA players have been called up to the NBA, including Nuggets Earl Boykins and Voshon Lenard.
Co-owner Tim Wiens said average ticket prices for adults would be less than $15 for basketball and $20 for hockey.
“Fans are going to see great entertainment at the Broomfield arena for what it’s going to cost to park elsewhere,” Wiens said.
“We feel very, very good about it,” Wiens’ partner, John Frew, said of the arena’s second anchor tenant. “There’s sort of a hometown connection here because Gary Hunter, the CBA commissioner, is a former Nuggets executive who lives in Fort Collins.”
Hunter’s league currently is made up of eight teams playing 24-game home schedules. It will begin its 60th season in the fall.
The proposed 6,000-seat, city-owned Broomfield events center needs the approval of the city council, or the franchise deals likely would fall apart. The $45 million arena would be paid for with property taxes collected in the Wiens-owned Arista development where the arena will be located.
“The city and county of Broomfield and Wiens Frew Management Group share a common vision of making the Broomfield events center one of the most outstanding sports and entertainment venues in the Rocky Mountain region,” George DiCiero, manager of the city of Broomfield, said in a release.
Frew said the goal is for the arena to host 130 events a year.
“We were obligated to bring an anchor tenant, and now we have two,” he said. “Between hockey and basketball, we’re going to lock in about 60 games a year – not counting preseason and playoffs. That’s a good start.”
Fans can inquire about tickets beginning Thursday by visiting broomfieldhoops.com or broomfieldice.com. These websites are not yet active.
Mike Chambers can be reached at 303-820-5453 or mchambers@denverpost.com.
