Colorado Xplosion

Status:  Defunct
Sport:  Basketball
City:  Denver
Venues:  McNichols Arena and Denver Coliseum
Seasons:  3 - 1996-97 to 1998
League:  American Basketball League
Owner:  Unknown
Head Coaches:  Sheryl Estes - 1996-97 to 1997-98)
      Linda Hargrove (1998)

A Brief History

In October 1996, the state’s first women’s professional sports franchise tipped off when the Colorado Xplosion of the American Basketball League played its season-opening game. That season, the team won the Western Conference championship. 

The Xplosion's popularity peaked in 1998 when the team was picked to host a nationally televised home game. Pressure mounted from league owners to sell out the building and Lark Birdsong, the Xplosion’s general manager, spent the team’s entire $40,000 marketing budget on that one game to drum up local interest. Her plan worked, as more than 13,000 fans showed up at McNichols Arena.

The ABL folded mid-season in 1998 amid lagging attendance, financial concerns, and the emergence of the Women's National Basketball Association.

Season Won Lost Finish
1996-97   25   15 1st in Western Conference; Western Conference Champions
1997-98   20   23 4th in Western Conference
1998   5   8 American Basketball League folds midseason

American Basketball League logo

Suggestions and comments are welcome!
Nathan@ColoradoProTeams.com