GOING TO ECHL IN A BUCKET, AND THEY'RE ENJOYING THE RIDE

          While the ECHL will add teams in Trenton, NJ, and
     Little Rock, AK, next season, franchises in Miami,
     Chesapeake, VA, and Columbus, OH, are "suspending
     operations," and "there are many who believe the ECHL has
     grown too quickly" and that the franchise loss "was
     inevitable," according to John Packett of THE HOCKEY NEWS.  
     ECHL President & CEO Richard Adams: "We're disappointed that
     Miami and Chesapeake have not met attendance figures that
     were anticipated."  But Adams said that the franchises
     should have "new markets and ownership groups" in place for
     the 2000-01 season and he "anticipates" the 26-team league
     will have new teams in Atlantic City and Reading, PA, by
     "the early part of next century."  A franchise application
     was recently received from Bridgeport, CT, and Columbia, SC,
     has been granted an expansion franchise, "contingent on a
     new building" (THE HOCKEY NEWS, 4/30 issue).
          BACK FOR MORE: The WCHL awarded Chandar Sports NV a Las
     Vegas franchise, set to begin play in October 2000 (WCHL).