Good Seats Still Available

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Good Seats Still Available A curious little podcast devoted to the exploration of what used-to-be in professional sports. No, you weren't dreaming. But they were real, all right.

Although you could be forgiven for somehow thinking that teams like the Dallas Chaparrals, Sacramento Gold Miners, Caribous of Colorado, Ohio Glory, San Diego Conquistadors, New York/New Jersey Hitmen, Bay Area CyberRays, Minnesota Fighting Saints, Philadelphia Bell, and San Francisco Fog were mere figments of your imagination. Or for believing leagues (and premises) with names like World Hockey A

ssociation, All-American Girls Professional Baseball League, World Team Tennis, Continental Indoor Soccer League, International Volleyball Association, Roller Hockey International, or even "XFL" (which wasn't even an acronym) were mere flights of fictional fantasy, too. In fact, the history of North American professional sports is littered with scores of teams and leagues that, today, are mere fuzzy recollections in the minds of former players, patrons, broadcasters, and owner-dreamers. From troubled, eager-to-relocate franchises in established organizations like the NBA (really, the Utah Jazz?) or Major League Baseball (hint: look up "Youppi!"), to pioneering clubs comprising audacious, but often wobbly circuits like the World Football League, American Basketball Association, Major Indoor Soccer League, and Women's Professional Soccer -- teams of all shapes, sizes and suspicion have routinely come and gone from the pro sports landscape over the last century. While they may be the forgotten footnotes of sports history, teams like the Seattle Pilots, New Jersey Gems, Pittsburgh Triangles, Indianapolis ABC’s, Virginia Squires, Chicago Blitz, Birmingham Americans, Oakland Seals, Washington Senators, New England Tea Men, New York Arrows, Rockford Peaches, and The Hawaiians have their place in the hearts and memories of fans from coast to coast. Dozens of franchises and scores of leagues that, at one time or another, captured the fancy of sports fans in every major North American market – only to leave behind little more than a raft of souvenir ticket stubs and, in many cases, unpaid bills. This podcast is dedicated to unearthing, reliving and preserving the rich stories behind the rise and fall of some of the most wild and woolly moments in (often forgotten) sports history. And to provide some level of proof that you (and they) weren't dreaming after all.

Strap in and try to keep up, as we attempt to follow the peripatetic 58-year journey of one of the NBA's most wandering ...
07/03/2025

Strap in and try to keep up, as we attempt to follow the peripatetic 58-year journey of one of the NBA's most wandering franchises - with New York-area sports beat reporter Rick Laughland ("A History of the Nets: From Teaneck to Brooklyn").

Today's Brooklyn Nets club began its life in 1967 as the New Jersey Americans - a charter member of the American Basketball Association, playing at the Teaneck Armory. A year later, they moved to Long Island (LI Arena, then Island Garden, then Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum) to become the New York Nets, winning two ABA championships (1974, 1976) behind superstar Julius Erving.

Absorbed into the NBA in 1976, the team struggled financially and was forced to sell Erving, leading to early-season struggles. In 1977, they relocated to the Garden State as the New Jersey Nets, playing at Rutgers Athletic Center (now Jersey Mike's Arena) before moving to Brendan Byrne (aka Meadowlands) Arena in 1981.

After almost becoming the "Swamp Dragons" in 1994, the early 2000s saw breakthrough success with Jason Kidd, Kenyon Martin, and Richard Jefferson - making back-to-back NBA Finals runs in 2002 and 2003.

Before a brief move to Newark's Prudential Center (2010–12), the team relocated to Brooklyn's purpose-built Barclays Center, with a complete franchise name, logo and color-scheme rebrand. Initially building around Deron Williams, they later pursued star power with Kevin Garnett and Paul Pierce, followed by Kevin Durant, Kyrie Irving, and James Harden in 2019–2021.

Still bereft of an elusive NBA title, will the Nets continue to ply their trade in Brooklyn - or will they eventually return to their nomadic ways?

Listen NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or ➡️ https://goodseatsstillavailable.com/listen/2025/3/2/episode-384-basketballs-nomadic-nets-with-rick-laughland

🏀🎟️🎙️🎧

We're positively kvelling over the brand new anthology from this week's guest Eric Gouldsberry - "Our Life and Times wit...
01/03/2025

We're positively kvelling over the brand new anthology from this week's guest Eric Gouldsberry - "Our Life and Times with the Earthquakes" - which vividly (and lovingly) portrays the thrilling early days of the original San Jose Earthquakes franchise (1974-84) of the old North American Soccer League, and the transformative impact it brought to the Bay Area's fast-growing Santa Clara Valley.

Through his personal journey as a devoted fan and with never-before-seen images captured by his father - "official unofficial" team photographer Ray Gouldsberry - Eric brings to life the magic of a team that ignited an untapped soccer fan base in the South Bay and helped define the 1970s-era pro version of the "beautiful game" in America.

We explore the club's ingenious marketing tactics, pioneering players, eclectic fans, and the various highs and lows of the original Earthquakes both on and off the field - all set against the meteoric rise and ultimate collapse of the enigmatic NASL.

It's all here: cozy Spartan Stadium, its painted field, cheer instigator (and Episode 7 guest) "Krazy" George, the "Shakers," indoors at the Cow Palace - plus, the little-known origin story of 1978's expansion Oakland Stompers and the intense-but-brief rivalry that time forgot!

Listen NOW wherever you pod or YouTube! ⚽🎟️🎙️🎧

The players of the game-changing American Basketball Association - and their continued fight for recognition & benefits ...
22/02/2025

The players of the game-changing American Basketball Association - and their continued fight for recognition & benefits from the NBA - with "Waiting Game" writer/director/producer Michael Husain; NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or https://is.gd/DIo4gl

How the pioneering players of the American Basketball Association are still fighting for recognition + promised benefits...
22/02/2025

How the pioneering players of the American Basketball Association are still fighting for recognition + promised benefits & compensation from the NBA - with "Waiting Game" writer/director/producer Michael Husain; NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or https://is.gd/DIo4gl

This week: the criminally little-known story of the fight by ABA basketball players to get their promised benefits & ove...
22/02/2025

This week: the criminally little-known story of the fight by ABA basketball players to get their promised benefits & overdue recognition - with "Waiting Game" writer/director/producer Michael Husain; NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or https://is.gd/DIo4gl

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This week: the story of the legendary Mets post-game show "Kiner's Korner" - with sports reporter & "Down on the Korner" author Mark Rosenman; NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or https://bit.ly/4exBQGH #GoodSeats 📺⚾🎟️🎙️🎧

With the Mets th-i-i-i-i-s close to a rare MLB playoff spot, we look back at the post-game TV show synonymous with the club's first 32 years in Gotham - "Kiner's Korner" - with Mark Rosenman; NOW wherever you pod, YouTube or https://bit.ly/4exBQGH #GoodSeats 📺⚾🎟️🎙️🎧

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