NBA Expansion Franchise
Born from the birthplace of basketball. Rooted in two hardwood-obsessed New England cities. Built for a region that bleeds the game. The New England Founders carry the legacy of Springfield, MA & the passion of Hartford, CT forward into the NBA, envisioning a dynamic roundball metroplex ready to compete.
Our Identity
The name says everything. Founders, a franchise born in the city that founded the sport itself. It carries the weight of that legacy deliberately. Not as a marketing line, but as a mandate. We exist to honor where basketball came from and to show the world what it looks like when it comes home.
Red, white, and blue aren't just colors. They're a declaration. New England doesn't do things quietly. This franchise won't either. From the court to the community, the Founders are built to be present, competitive, and unapologetically ours.
Two cities. One obsession. Springfield gave basketball to the world. Hartford has been living and breathing it ever since. Together they form something the NBA has never seen: a true dual-city franchise rooted in one of the most hoops-hungry regions in America.
Read the Proposal
We are the Founders, named for the city that founded the sport. Every game played is a tribute to where basketball began and a statement about where it's going.
Home of Dr. James Naismith, the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, and the sport's 1891 birthplace. No city on earth has a deeper claim to this game.
UConn dynasty. 30 years without a major pro team. A fanbase that has never stopped showing up. Hartford doesn't just love basketball. It's been waiting for basketball to love it back.
We're not building a team to fill a market gap. We're building a contender with the talent, the culture, and the competitive drive to chase an NBA title from day one.
The Vision
Official Merchandise
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