BOXING OUT IN K.C. AS WOMEN'S LEAGUES TRY TO RECRUIT TALENT

          Both the ABL and WNBA were at the women's Final Four
     recruiting, and in Phoenix, Jeff Metcalfe wrote this year's
     college All-Americans "truly have a choice to make" between
     the two leagues.  WNBA President Val Ackerman: "My sense is
     that we're being perceived differently than this time last
     year for a lot of reasons."  Both the WNBA and ABL hosted a
     party for players, and players for "each league attended
     both."  Metcalfe: "Socialites gave the party edge to the
     WNBA" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/29). ABL player Jennifer Rizzotti:
     "For the seniors, it's like being recruited by colleges all
     over again.  The two leagues are trying so hard to promote
     themselves."  At an ABL forum for players and coaches, Iowa
     coach Angie Lee said, "What can we do to help our players
     understand (what the ABL) is about?  I don't think they know
     about you, I don't think you are giving them the chance." 
     The ABL said it spent $100,000 to promote itself this week,
     while the WNBA "spent less" (Jason Quick, OREGONIAN, 3/27).
          CHAMIQUE STAYS? Univ. of TN star Chamique Holdsclaw said
     she intends to stay for her senior season: "It's firm and
     final" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/30).  But in K.C., Jeffrey Flanagan
     writes that some observers "believe it would be a sign of
     progress for the game -- maybe even somehow legitimizing it 
     -- if Holdsclaw left school early."  One agent said she could
     get an $11M endorsement deal turning pro (K.C. STAR, 3/30). 
          OTHER BUCKS: In K.C., Steve Rock reported that during
     the '95-96 academic year, records show that NCAA Div. I
     women's basketball teams nationwide lost a collective total
     of more than $100M.  Women's Sports Foundation Exec Dir Donna
     Lopiano said women's college basketball "is about new product
     development.  You have to develop demand."  She calls it
     "marketing suicide" for women's teams to target men's
     basketball fans, adding, "It's not the same market."  The
     Univ. of WI, which has led the Big Ten in attendance for
     three consecutive years, has aimed most of its marketing
     around kids.  The university spent about $33,000 last year
     promoting its women's program (K.C. STAR, 3/29).