Vancouver Grizzlies

The Vancouver Grizzlies were a Canadian professional basketball team that played in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. They played in the National Basketball Association (NBA). The team started playing in 1995. They started with the Toronto Raptors, as part of the NBA's expansion into Canada. They relocated to Memphis, Tennessee in 2001 and became the Memphis Grizzlies. The Grizzlies played their home games at the General Motors Place (Now Rogers Arena). The Grizzlies were originally going to be called the Vancouver Mounties but were forced to find a new name because the RCMP objected it.

The team had struggled in their early years and they finished last in their division in five of their six seasons. Over their six seasons, they had an overall record of 101 wins and 359 loses and were never able to make it to the playoffs.

After the 1998–99 lockout, the team suffered low attendance and a weak Canadian dollar was making the owner Orca Bay Sports and Entertainment lose money on the franchise. After they failed to sell the team to Bill Laurie, it was instead sold to Michael Heisley. At the time, Heisley said that he was going to keep the team in Vancouver, but he then immediately started looking for a suitable relocation city in the US. He would eventually move the team to Memphis, Tennessee for the 2001-02 season.

References

 Other websites 
Official website (Archived)
Vancouver Grizzlies history at sportsecyclopedia.com

Category:1995 establishments in British Columbia
Category:2001 disestablishments in Canada
Category:Disestablishments in British Columbia
Category:Defunct sports teams
Category:Sports teams in Vancouver