WNBA PRESIDENT ACKERMAN GOES ONE-ON-ONE WITH AILENE VOISIN

          WNBA President Val Ackerman was featured in a Q&A with
     Ailene Voisin of the SACRAMENTO BEE.  Ackerman, on the
     inaugural season: "We had modest aspirations.  I can't even
     qualify them.  In terms of licensed products, for instance,
     we went out with a smaller line.  We made an effort to
     distribute to a smaller number of retailers, limiting our
     retail to JCPenney, Sears, Lady Foot Locker and our team
     concessionaires.  We had Olympic stuff from last year that
     stayed on the shelf, so we didn't know what to expect in
     terms of demand for our products.  But since that was so
     successful, we envision expanding distribution next year." 
     On the demo of the WNBA's audience that surprised her the
     most: "[I]t was interesting to see the number of fathers
     with daughters."  On a possible ABL merger: "I have never
     even spoken to [ABL CEO] Gary Cavalli" (SAC. BEE, 9/23).