Oregon Riptide
Encyclopedia
The Oregon Riptide was the name chosen for an American Basketball Association (ABA)
franchise which was to be based in the Portland, Oregon
metropolitan area. In May, 2006, founding team owner, Jeremy "J" Brice, of Salem, Oregon
, had gained ABA approval, opened a front office in downtown Portland, and announced its staff. A May 27 free agent camp was held to recruit an initial roster of players.
Brice arranged with Warner Pacific College
for arena facilities for a summer youth basketball camp to be sponsored by the team, and for the competitive season to have begun in November, 2006.
He had even contracted with the Jupiter Hotel to house visiting team members..
Plans for the youth camp were quickly cancelled in July, 2006, following an article revealing that Brice, a Nevada native who had served as a high school and youth league coach, was a registered sex offender. Warner Pacific, a Christian college affiliated with the conservative Church of God (Anderson)
, withdrew availability of their facilities.
Brice sold the franchise to Christopher Sears less than a week later, telling a reporter for the Tribune, "I am no longer associated with the Riptide due to the negativity and black cloud over my name." The league approved the transfer, and Joe Newman, ABA CEO, stated that the team would still play in the 2006 season. When the ABA season started in November 2006, however, the Oregon Riptide was not on the schedule, and the team's official website is no longer accessible.
American Basketball Association (21st century)
The American Basketball Association, often abbreviated as ABA, is a semi-professional men's basketball league that was founded in 1999. The current ABA has no affiliation with the original American Basketball Association that merged with the National Basketball Association in 1976...
franchise which was to be based in the Portland, Oregon
Portland, Oregon
Portland is a city located in the Pacific Northwest, near the confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers in the U.S. state of Oregon. As of the 2010 Census, it had a population of 583,776, making it the 29th most populous city in the United States...
metropolitan area. In May, 2006, founding team owner, Jeremy "J" Brice, of Salem, Oregon
Salem, Oregon
Salem is the capital of the U.S. state of Oregon, and the county seat of Marion County. It is located in the center of the Willamette Valley alongside the Willamette River, which runs north through the city. The river forms the boundary between Marion and Polk counties, and the city neighborhood...
, had gained ABA approval, opened a front office in downtown Portland, and announced its staff. A May 27 free agent camp was held to recruit an initial roster of players.
Brice arranged with Warner Pacific College
Warner Pacific College
Warner Pacific College is an urban, Christian liberal arts college located in Southeast Portland, Oregon, United States. Founded in 1937, the college is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities...
for arena facilities for a summer youth basketball camp to be sponsored by the team, and for the competitive season to have begun in November, 2006.
He had even contracted with the Jupiter Hotel to house visiting team members..
Plans for the youth camp were quickly cancelled in July, 2006, following an article revealing that Brice, a Nevada native who had served as a high school and youth league coach, was a registered sex offender. Warner Pacific, a Christian college affiliated with the conservative Church of God (Anderson)
Church of God (Anderson)
The Church of God is a holiness Christian body with roots in Wesleyan pietism and also in the restorationist traditions. Founded in 1881 by Daniel Sidney Warner, the church claims 1,170,143 adherents...
, withdrew availability of their facilities.
Brice sold the franchise to Christopher Sears less than a week later, telling a reporter for the Tribune, "I am no longer associated with the Riptide due to the negativity and black cloud over my name." The league approved the transfer, and Joe Newman, ABA CEO, stated that the team would still play in the 2006 season. When the ABA season started in November 2006, however, the Oregon Riptide was not on the schedule, and the team's official website is no longer accessible.