History
2008: Franchise acquisition and sale
Todd Wier had previously co-owned the Buffalo Silverbacks franchise of the American Basketball Association with Dan Robbie from 2005 to 2007. They sold that team to local concert promoter Vincent Lesh in September 2007, having lost $700,000 in their two seasons of ownership.[1]
In Wier's final season of ownership, the Silverbacks were eliminated from the 2006–07 ABA playoffs by the Beijing Aoshen Olympians, a traveling team from China who played their games at Felix Events Center in Azusa, California.[1] He was intrigued by the Olympians, as their games were broadcast live on CCTV-5 in China and watched by an average of 15 million people.[1][2]
Wier sought to duplicate the success of the Olympians with the Buffalo Dragons, a team which would be based in Buffalo, New York and feature predominantly Chinese players.[3] The team, also referred to as the NexxNow Dragons, was unveiled in April 2008 as an expansion franchise of the Premier Basketball League that would play at Burt Flickinger Center for the 2009 season.[3] However, Wier was unable to secure a television contract with the Chinese government through his NexxNow shell corporation, and the project became financially unsustainable.[4]
Vincent Lesh abandoned his plans to relaunch the Silverbacks as the Buffalo Sharks, and instead purchased the Dragons franchise from Wier in September 2008, renaming it the Buffalo Stampede.[5] The staff and players Lesh had recruited for the Sharks were brought over to the Stampede, including Richard Jacob as both head coach and general manager.[6] Roosevelt Bouie was announced as assistant coach in October 2008.[7]
2009: Inaugural season and instability
Head coach and general manager Richard Jacob resigned two weeks prior to the inaugural season, along with assistant coach Bob Bateson.[8] John Fitzpatrick was hired to replace Jacob as head coach, with Roosevelt Bouie promoted to general manager.[9]
The team played the 2009 PBL season in the Eastern Division, with home games at Koessler Athletic Center.[10] Their inaugural game was a 98–95 home victory over the Wilmington Sea Dawgs in front of 650 fans on January 3, 2009.[11]
Players and coaches reported problems with Vincent Lesh making payroll, resulting in a high turnover rate.[12]
Fitzpatrick was fired in March 2009 after the team started 1–16, with assistant coach Aaron Clark promoted to interim head coach for the remainder of the season.[13] The team finished with a 1–19 record and failed to make the playoffs.[10]
Tyrone Rayson was named to the 2009 All-PBL Team after leading the club in scoring and rebounding.[10][12]
2010: Second season and dismissal from PBL
Jim Condill was hired as the team's new head coach for their second season.[14] Local players were signed in an effort to increase home attendance at Koessler Athletic Center, including Damone Brown and Frank Turner.[15]
Derick Payne was named PBL Player of the Week after scoring 25 points to end the team's 22 game losing streak in their 124–114 victory over the Maryland GreenHawks on January 16, 2010.[16]
After falling ill during a team road trip to play the Puerto Rico Capitanes, Jim Condill resigned as head coach in February 2010.[17] Vern Hall was promoted from assistant coach as his replacement for the remainder of the season, with assistant coach Jordan Ellis filling in for Hall when needed.[17][18]
The team finished with a 3–17 record and failed to make the playoffs.[19] Kenneth Massey ranked the team 7th overall out of 9 teams in his final PBL ratings of the season.[20]
Corey Herring and Kevin Ross were named to the 2010 PBL All-Star Team after Herring led the club in scoring, and Ross led the club in rebounding.[19][21] Herring was also named to the 2010 All-PBL team for his performance during the season.[19]
The Premier Basketball League removed the team in May 2010, citing its failure to meet the league's operational standards.[22]
2010–2011: Final season in ACPBL
The team joined the Atlantic Coast Professional Basketball League for their third season in August 2010.[23] Herb Richmond was hired as the team's new head coach in October 2010.[24]
Daemen College was chosen as the team's new venue, and their season opener was a 132–114 home victory against the Hudson Valley Kingz on December 4, 2010. [25]
At mid-point of the 2010–11 season, the Stampede were tied for first place with a 5–2 record.[26] However, the team lost five of their last seven games, finishing with a 7–7 record and failing to make the playoffs.[27]
Charles Walker, Greg Gamble and Marcus Hall were named to the 2011 ACPBL All-Star Team and the 2011 All-ACPBL Team.[27]
The Stampede ceased operations and was replaced in the ACPBL by the Buffalo Warriors, a team that folded midway through the 2011–12 season.[28] Warriors owner Franklin Jackson would go on to found the Buffalo Blue Hawks.
