The NBA's women's basketball league won't change the plans
of the American Basketball League, another women's league
scheduled to start its first season this fall. Steve Hams, an
ABL founder, said ABL is "moving ahead to begin play in October"
and that they have had no talks with the NBA on a merger (Dwight
Chapin, S.F. EXAMINER, 4/25).
DETAILS: One NBA owner told Earl Gustkey of the L.A. TIMES
that NBA Commissioner David Stern's presentation on Wednesday
pointed out the steady growth of TV ratings and rising attendance
in recent years for women's college games." The owner said Stern
"told us corporate sponsors love the fan base for the women's
game, that it's basically women, kids, and families." Originally
12 to 16 first year teams were considered, which is now down to
eight (L.A. TIMES, 4/25). USA TODAY's Rudy Martzke reports NBC
"figures to be the network carrier" of the WNBA. TNT, ESPN and
Lifetime are candidates for cable coverage (USA TODAY, 4/26)
REACTIONS: An editorial in today's PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER
credits the NBA with a "Slam Dunk. NBA has a winner" in a women's
league. If "advertising dollars can turn sullen young male
players who never won a championship into stars, they can sell"
women stars. These players "will sell tickets. Trust us on this
one" (PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER, 4/26). In Dallas, MORNING NEWS
columnist Cathy Harasta salutes the NBA for "underscoring what it
means to be an equal opportunity employer. ... Violence has
stabbed the league's image in the back. The NBA needs an alter-
ego to refresh its memory of pure basketball. In the new
venture, it shall have one" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 4/26).
