Bill Byrne (14 June 1936 – 6 March 2007) was a sports entrepreneur who founded the first women's professional basketball league in the United States. Byrne was born in Stoutsville, Ohio and founded the National Scouting Association (NSA) which represented student-athletes from the collegiate and amateur ranks to seek professional football opportunities. He then founded the Columbus Bucks, a semi-professional football team, playing in the Midwest Football League (MFL) and served as commissioner.[1][2] Byrne was hired by the Chicago Fire of the start-up World Football League in 1974 as the Player Personnel Director.[3] When that team folded toward the end of the season, Byrne then went to the Shreveport Steamer for the 1975 WFL season in a similar role. The World Football League folded toward the end of the season.[4]
His most notable achievement was the founding of the Women's Professional Basketball League (WBL) which began play in December 1978. The league lasted until 1981.[12] Byrne was undeterred when that league failed and attempted to launch the Women's American Basketball Association (WABA) in 1984 which lasted one season.[13][14] Byrne and his son Hubie also worked on plans for a new football league with former NFL player Jim Spavital in 1989 that never came to fruition.[15]
He retired to his home in Columbus, Ohio and died in 2007.[16]