Birmingham Squadron
The Birmingham Squadron is a basketball team in the NBA G League which plays at Birmingham's Legacy Arena as a minor-league affiliate of the NBA's New Orleans Pelicans.
The Pelicans announced they would sponsor a G League team in Birmingham on October 24, 2018, but plans were delayed in order to complete a planned renovation of the Arena. In the interim, the Pelicans' affiliate for the 2019–2020 and 2020–2021 seasons was the Erie BayHawks in Erie, Pennsylvania, previously affiliated with the Atlanta Hawks. That team relocated to Birmingham to start the 2021–2022 season in November.
The Pelicans owners announced a naming contest in December 2020 and hired David Lane as general manager in March 2021. The name, colors and logo for the team were announced on July 26. The word "squadron", here specifically referring to the Tuskegee Airmen who were originally activated as the 99th Pursuit Squadron in 1941, is also one of the collective nouns used for a group pelicans. The star-shaped logo with a toothed gear at the center refers to the Flag of Birmingham, and also combines a pair of wings with a spear-point, explicitly recalling the one held aloft by the Vulcan statue.
Season tickets for the lower bowl of Legacy Arena, with a seating capacity of 7,300, went on sale in July 2021, at prices ranging from $365 to $6,000 for floor seats, which include food, beverages, VIP parking and club access.
Lane was succeeded as general manager in June 2022 by Leslie Claybrook.
2021–2022
The 2021–2022 Birmingham Squadron finished their first season with an 18-15 record, followed by a home loss in the Western Conference Quarterfinals to the Texas Legends.
References
- Inabinett, Mark (December 9, 2020) "Pelicans taking suggestions for Birmingham’s NBA G League team name." The Birmingham News
- Crowley, Gene (April 8, 2021) "Will Birmingham join the NBA G League?" BirminghamProSports.com
- Patchen, Tyler (April 22, 2021) "Meet the GM of Birmingham's newest pro sports team." Birmingham Business Journal
- Scarbinsky, Kevin (June 1, 2021) "Buzz builds around Birmingham G League franchise and its new digs." NBA.com
- Rodak, Mike (July 26, 2021) "Birmingham Squadron chosen as name of new G-League team." The Birmingham News
- Woods, Ashlee (August 12, 2022) "New Squadron GM takes aim at boosting Bham's sports scene." Birmingham Business Journal
- Squadron, Alex (2023) Life in the G: Minor League Basketball and the Relentless Pursuit of the NBA. University of Nebraska Press ISBN 9781496235855