LEAGUE NOTES

          In St. Paul, Charley Walters writes the "latest word"
     is the NFL "will try to assist" Vikings President Roger
     Headrick "in acquiring financing" to become the team's 30%
     managing partner (PIONEER PRESS, 12/18)....The ABL opened
     its locker room doors to reporters 20 minutes before and
     after games from December 8-15 on a trial basis.  The league
     will ask "for feedback" and is "expected to decide on a
     policy this week."  The league has kept its doors closed to
     the media and players are interviewed in separate rooms. ABL
     Dir of Media Relations Dean Jutilla: "Most of the feedback
     has been positive for keeping them closed" (HARTFORD
     COURANT, 12/18).  In other ABL news, Dwight Chapin wrote
     that with ABL attendance up 20% and the quality of play
     "markedly improved," it "seems to be very much in the game
     against the big-bucks WNBA" (S.F. EXAMINER, 12/17).