LEAGUE NOTES

          WNBA NEWS: The WNBA Liberty-Monarchs game at Arco Arena
     drew 15,259 last night.  In Utah, the Sparks-Starzz game
     drew 8,036 at the Delta Center (THE DAILY).  In L.A., Earl
     Gutstkey writes, "Expect the WNBA to shake loose some of
     those corporate sponsorship millions, buy out the ABL and
     bring those teams into a 17-team WNBA.  But don't expect it
     to happen in the near future" (L.A. TIMES, 6/24)....In
     Seattle, Steve Kelley, on the WNBA vs. the ABL: "The ABL
     feels like a more serious league. ... The WNBA got next, but
     the ABL got first" (SEATTLE TIMES, 6/23)....Craig Ellege,
     President of CA-based C.E. Sports, which operates the Bud
     Light tour, on the state of beach volleyball in the U.S.:
     "It needs to be one sport, not the A.V.P., the W.P.V.A., the
     A.B.V.L. and F.I.V.P.  It's alphabet soup.  Fans don't
     understand what all that means" (N.Y. TIMES, 6/22).