Sarasota Stingers

The Sarasota Stingers, based in Sarasota, Florida, were a Continental Basketball Association (CBA) expansion team that began play in 1983-84. Their first game was on December 3, 1983, a 105-97 loss at Puerto Rico. Home games were at Robarts Sports Arena.

The Stingers finished 16-28 in their first season, near the bottom of the Eastern Division, despite a record 1,348 season tickets sold. Bill Musselman coached part of that year. The team was renamed the Florida Stingers for its last Florida season.

Sources differ on whether Florida play ended in 1985 or 1986. Either way, the franchise then moved to Charleston, West Virginia, as the Charleston Gunners, later became the Columbus Horizon, and ended as the Shreveport Storm.