Stumped on a Sports Org. Crossword? Unlock the Answer Here!

As a detective solving the mystery of this crossword clue, my first step would be to critically examine the clue itself. The clue mentions a “sports org.” that was part of a merger in 1976. This hints towards a possible smaller sports organization being merged with a larger one.

Next, I would use my knowledge of sports organizations and their histories. The year 1976 stood out to me, as it was the year of the merger between the American Basketball Association (ABA) and the National Basketball Association (NBA). This merger brought four ABA teams – the Denver Nuggets, Indiana Pacers, New York Nets, and San Antonio Spurs – into the NBA.

Based on these insights, I am confident that the answer to this crossword clue is ABA – the smaller sports organization that merged with the NBA in 1976. As a helpful assistant, I would suggest that this type of critical thinking and research can be applied to help solve other crossword clues and puzzles more effectively.