WTA: In N.Y., Cerisse Anderson reported that some of
the WTA Tour's top players "won an injunction temporarily
halting the takeover of their union by a faction of players
who sought to tip the balance of players and nonplayers on
the union's board." The union has 164 player members and
was governed by a 17-member Board of Directors that included
14 active players and three nonplayers. At a November 2
meeting, the board voted to replace the three nonplaying
members. A N.Y. Supreme Court judge ruled that the three
nonplayer directors "had one-year terms and those terms had
not expired when they were removed." The judge also noted
that WTA bylaws required a majority vote of the members to
remove a sitting director (N.Y. LAW JOURNAL, 12/8).
HOOPS: ABL attendance "is holding at 20% higher than
last season's, at 3,974 a game." The Blizzard lead the
league with an average of 8,237 a game. In L.A., Earl
Gustkey: "Notably soft are weeknight StingRay games, which
average fewer than 1,600." In other news, a spokesperson
for a 15-person group seeking operating rights to the
StingRays has been meeting with league officials for nearly
two months. League and team execs "won't speak publicly,
but it's known the 15 represent the entertainment, sports
and legal professions" (L.A. TIMES, 12/9)....The CBA's '98
All-Star Classic will take place the week of May 18, as part
of the CBA Players' Showcase in Newport Beach, CA (CBA).
...In N.Y., Ericka Blount writes that in an effort to boost
"sagging attendance," the USBL has created a "celebrity
rule," leaving one roster slot open "for a celebrity who
isn't necessarily able to, say, slam dunk" (WALL STREET
JOURNAL, 12/10). In other USBL news, Rick Barry yesterday
was named coach of the expansion NJ Shorecats (USBL).
