Build-Up to the Merger of the NBA On August 5th 1976, the National Basketball Association (NBA) merged with it's rival, American Basketball Association (ABA). Throughout the merge the NBA, the NBA established more hype to the league by adding in the 3-point line, they used a red, white and blue ball. But when the league formed it was hard for them to get a crowd of many people, the population in ABA cities was less then half that of the NBA cities. By the emerge of NBA and ABA, the ABA (American Basketball Association) were required to give 3 of there 7 teams to the NBA, they had to realease there players, and one of the 3 teams fell into a slump in money and soon beacame bankrupt. The other teams received lots of money to there franchise. This change helped stop segragation between blacks and whites.