What’s in a name? New Jersey Loves their Seagulls!

Photo by Steven Kee, Stadium Journey

The name "Seagulls" (or "Sea Gulls") has a storied history in New Jersey sports, most notably associated with professional basketball and hockey franchises in Atlantic City.

Professional Basketball: Atlantic City Seagulls

The most modern and successful iteration of the "Seagulls" name belongs to the professional basketball team that called Atlantic City home.

● USBL Era (1996–2001): The Atlantic City Seagulls were a dominant force in the United States Basketball League (USBL). They are best remembered for winning three consecutive league championships from 1997 to 1999.

● ABA Revival (2021): After a two-decade hiatus, the franchise was revived to play in the American Basketball Association (ABA) for the 2021–22 season. The team made headlines by scoring 251 points in its home debut but ultimately ceased operations after just six games.

Basketball: The Championship Years (1997–1999)

Photo Courtesy of Ben Fogletto

The Atlantic City Seagulls of the United States Basketball League (USBL) were a powerhouse under coach Kevin Mackey. During their three-peat championship run, the team featured several elite players:

● Adrian Griffin: The team’s primary star and a future NBA player and coach. Griffin was named USBL Player of the Year in 1999 and was a two-time Postseason MVP (1998, 1999).

● Mark Baker & Brent Scott: Co-MVPs of the 1997 Postseason Festival, they anchored the team's first title run.

● Michael Lloyd: A scoring machine who led the league with 27.3 points per game in 1999 and was previously the 1996 Rookie of the Year.

● R. Kelly: (Yeah, that R. Kelly), an infamous music star, played parts of two seasons (1997–1998) as a professional guard for the team.

Hockey: Atlantic City Seagulls (1933–1952)

The "Seagulls" moniker was first popularized in Atlantic City by professional ice hockey teams playing at the historic Boardwalk Hall (then Atlantic City Auditorium).

● Original Franchise (1933–1942): This team competed in the Eastern Hockey League (EHL). Their tenure ended abruptly in 1942 when the U.S. Army took over Convention Hall for World War II training, forcing the team to relocate and become the Philadelphia Falcons.

● Post-War Revival (1947–1952): A new Seagulls franchise joined the Eastern Amateur Hockey League in 1947. Led by Herb Foster, they won a league championship in 1951 and reached the national senior championship semifinals. The team dissolved in 1952 due to financial struggles following a decline in local tourism. Other Notable "Seagull" References in NJ Sports 

Baseball: Asbury Park Sea Gulls (1914)

There was a baseball team in Asbury Park that used the Sea Gulls nickname in 1914. The Atlantic League franchise played one season, but was referred to as the Sea Urchins in out-of-town newspapers. The Urchins name stuck and is used to describe the club in historical references. However, we uncovered that mystery in a previous Stadium Journey article.

While not always based in New Jersey, the name frequently appears in regional competition:

● The Seagull Classic: A long-standing high school basketball tournament in Atlantic City (revived recently at Holy Spirit High School).

Courtesy of: SUSeagulls.com

● Salisbury Sea Gulls: Even Salisbury University, MD (NJ’s Southern Neighbor) has adopted the name and frequently competes against New Jersey schools like The College of New Jersey (TCNJ) and Rutgers in football and soccer. They even play at Sea Gull Stadium.

Courtesy of: SUSeagulls.com

The website TrueJersey.com has come in on the fun by lampooning a fictitious sports team named the New Jersey Seagulls, with the Seagull being the “unofficial mascot” of the Jersey Shore. TrueNewJersey.com states, “The

Only Team That Plays Dirty…Forget the Giants, the Jets, and the Eagles. The real home team of the Garden State doesn't play in a stadium—they play on the boardwalk…Whether they're diving for pizza crusts in Seaside or patrolling the trash cans in Wildwood, these birds are the true kings of the coast.” They have created several pieces of merch (hats, t-shirts, flags, etc.) to go along with their ruse.. 

In the future, will there be another team to don the Seagull name? It seems that the name will most likely be flying around again like the seagulls of the New Jersey Coast Line.