N.A.B.C. Resolution on the Hall of Fame (March 24, 1966)

The Basketball Hall of Fame was first located on the campus of Springfield College, where several thousand visitors flocked to visit. In 1959, despite the absence of a physical structure to call home, the Basketball Hall of Fame was incorporated and its first class of inductees was announced. The institution officially opened its doors to the public on February 17, 1968.

The Board of Directors of the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) published this document, “N.A.B.C. Resolution on the Hall of Fame,” on March 24, 1966. In the initial contract, the NABC agreed to pay all operation and maintenance expenses until the Hall of Fame became self-supporting, and they did so from July 1, 1963 to July 1, 1966. However, in this document they describe in detail their decision not to renew their agreement with the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, an action that meant the withdrawal of their significant financial support. First, the board members felt they could no longer obligate the organization for such an indefinite period of time. Second, they argued that after carrying the Hall of Fame to a point of fiscal sustainability, the NABC would become “just one of the many groups.” Thus, the other groups should share the operational expenses. Third, they felt the Hall of Fame was allowing too many people to enter for free, preventing it from becoming self-supporting. Finally, they claim the Hall of Fame had made no provision to furnish the inside of the building. The NABC ends the document with a long list of the fundraising goals accomplished by their Executive Secretary on behalf of the Hall of Fame.