Vermont Frost Heaves

About the Frost Heaves

In the fall of 2004, Sports Illustrated writer and Cornwall, Vt., resident Alexander Wolff began to explore the possibility of bringing pro basketball to Vermont. The result has been a fan-friendly and affordable model, tailored to the state the team calls home—and an instant success with an American Basketball Association title in its first year.


The team enjoyed as much success off the floor as on. The Frost Heaves drew throngs to both of their home venues, the Barre Municipal Auditorium and Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium, leading the league in attendance by percentage of capacity and selling out games during both the regular season and the playoffs. Besides coverage in SI and on si.com, the team’s success attracted attention from national outlets ranging from National Public Radio to the Associated Press, as well as Vermont-based media across all platforms.

In keeping with the finest in Vermont values, the Frost Heaves pride themselves on being:

Sustainable. As a member of the re-born ABA, which regionalizes play and caps team payrolls, we keep costs down. By playing in pre-existing, tradition-rich venues in the downtowns of Barre and Burlington, we help keep Main Street Vermont alive. And with initiatives to travel by biodiesel bus and offset our carbon emissions with renewable energy credits (we’re the first pro basketball team to do so for an entire season), we assure that our greatest impact will be where it should be—on the floor and in the community.

Local. Our players and coaches include those who have already made their mark in Vermont, at the state's high schools and colleges. Most of our employees and suppliers are people and businesses based in the Green Mountain State. Even our concessions stand, as much as possible, features locally produced food and drink.

Built to scale. There isn't a bad seat among the 1,650 in "the Aud" in Barre, the building beloved by generations of Vermonters as the longtime home of the state's high school basketball tournament. And from the balcony at Burlington’s Memorial Auditorium, a fan in one of the 1,400 seats can almost reach out and touch the action.

Of the community. A core group of individual investors from Vermont founded the team, but after the Frost Heaves achieve financial stability, the club intends to turn over at least some ownership to its fans, based on a model similar to the NFL's great small-market success story, the Green Bay Packers. The Frost Heaves are committed to partnering with the state's towns and cities, colleges and high schools, and businesses and non-profits wherever possible. Thanks to the ABA's rules and the Frost Heaves’ proud partner Northfield Savings Bank, a member of the community is eligible to suit up for, and even play in, every home game.

Embracing the Internet revolution. As the Frost Heaves' founder, Wolff filed regular, insider dispatches to SI and si.com about the team’s first season. Any fan who joined the Bump in the Road Club received regular updates by e-mail, and Bump Club members actually hired coach Will Voigt and chose 2007 All-Stars Antonio Burks and Aaron Cook in online votes. Audio and video of Frost Heaves games are streamed over the Internet, so people all over the world can follow every twist in the team's fortunes.

The Frost Heaves model is built for both the 21st century and Vermont: part reality series, part high-tech demonstration project, part New England town meeting, part local hero. In other words, a lot more than your typical pro basketball team.





We'd love to have you join us. Click on the appropriate link for more information about tickets, merchandise, sponsorship, camps, Bump In the Road Club Membership, and other opportunities.