Japan's pro basketball landscape completely changed during the bj-league's 11 seasons of operations. From six franchises in its inaugural 2005-06 season to 24 in the final year, new teams sprouted up every year throughout the nation.
And so it's worth noting that the 2019-20 campaign marks the 10th season of existence for a pair of important B. League clubs, the Akita Northern Happinets and Shimane Susanoo Magic. Established as expansion franchises, they entered the now-disbanded bj-league during the 2010-11 season along with the now-defunct Miyazaki Shining Suns.
Akita and Shimane exemplified the local franchise model that was a progressive break from the past, when corporate teams during the JBL era staged games in dozens of gyms each season. These teams had big booster clubs from the get-go, the vital support of local businesses as sponsors, as well as media interest.