WOULD A NEW MINOR INDOOR FOOTBALL LEAGUE WORK? SCHEER THING

          VA sources say ScheerSports CEO & ECHL Greenville
     Grrrowl Owner Carl Scheer and "several" other ECHL officials
     "plan to launch an indoor football league next year,"
     according to a report in the CHARLOTTE OBSERVER.  The
     league, with franchises built "largely around" ECHL owners
     and cities, will begin play in April 2000 and "be a minor
     league" version of the AFL.  The league is expected to have
     10 to 14 franchises and Art Clarkson is serving as Acting
     Commissioner of the league.  Plans are for North and South
     divisions, with Richmond, Roanoke and Greenville joining
     Norfolk in the North.  Sources said NFL players Bruce Smith
     and Ken Easley have placed a down payment for a franchise in
     the league.  Down payments have been placed by Southern
     Division teams in Birmingham, AL, Huntsville, AL, and
     Pensacola, FL.  Jacksonville, Tallahassee and Lafayette, LA,
     "also might join."  Scheer said that teams will operate with
     budgets of about $650,000 (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 4/10).