League Notes

Stern Eyeing D- League Expansion

In N.Y., Liz Robbins reports NBA Commissioner David Stern “has a goal of increasing” the NBA Development League to 12-13 teams next season and “perhaps ultimately to as many as 30.” The CBA has discussed merging with the D-League, and the sides “are closer than ever to having some CBA teams join” the league. However, average attendance at games is just 1,966, and the league itself “is struggling to break even.” Stern said, “It’s been utilized much more than I think we hoped for and were ready for.” But Stern added, “For business reasons, it would be good for us if everyone who didn’t come to the NBA went to college. If I had my druthers, this league would be for NBA players who just needed a little more time” (N.Y. TIMES, 3/28).

STAYING PUT: The city of Madrid and Madrid Trophy Promotions have signed an agreement to keep the ATP Masters Series tournament in the city until 2011. The city will also host the year-end Sony Ericsson WTA Tour Championships beginning in November. Both events will be held in Madrid Arena in ’06 and ’07, but the ATP event will be played in Caja Magica in ’08 (TENNISWEEK.com, 3/25).

MLB: MLB Commissioner Bud Selig said that Chase Field “is high on his priority list to host” a future All-Star Game, but he “stopped short of saying when” (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 3/26)....In N.Y., Brian Costello reported MLB’s new steroid policy does not cover insulin or Clomid, a female “fertility drug taken by steroid users when they are coming off a cycle of steroids to jump-start” natural testosterone production. MLB Exec VP/Labor Relations Rob Manfred said that neither was discussed during negotiations, but added that he “believes anyone using the substances would be caught by baseball’s steroid testing because the drugs would be used in conjunction with steroids.” Manfred: “You’re not going to use a female fertility drug if you’re not using steroids” (N.Y. POST, 3/27).