ABL player contracts, along with league and coaching
hires, have "delayed" the league's expansion announcement,
according to Bruce Berlet of the HARTFORD COURANT. But "it
appears Nashville will be the ABL's 10th franchise," as ABL
CEO Gary Cavalli visited the city twice "the past two
weeks," and it "apparently" beat Tampa and St. Louis in the
"expansion sweepstakes." Cavalli: "We've done a lot of
careful analysis and it looks like we're going to
Nashville." In other news, Cavalli said the league's third
season "could begin" two weeks later (around November 1) to
avoid the World Series and have "less time opposite" the
NFL. Talks are also "continuing" with national TV networks
about coverage next season (HARTFORD COURANT, 3/10).
LEAGUE FINALS: The Long Beach StingRays and Columbus
Quest are currently playing in the league finals, and Game
One of the best-of-five drew a sellout crowd of 4,005 in
Long Beach (DISPATCH, 3/9). After watching the game,
columnist Bill Dwyre called the ABL "the best ticket bargain
in pro sports at the moment" with pro athletes "actually
playing hard all the time" (L.A. TIMES, 3/9). In S.F.,
Glenn Dickey wrote the ABL "is doing fine" in year two and
said of the two leagues, the ABL is "the better alternative.
It's run in the best interests of women's basketball, while
the WNBA has a condescending, paternalistic approach. And
the ABL has a better game" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 3/6).
While MLS's third season is set to kick off Sunday,
league officials are "uncertain what to expect," according
to Frank Dell'Apa of the BOSTON GLOBE. The expansion Miami
Fusion will host the DC United in a game televised live on
ABC, yet the Fusion "have sold only 1,000 season tickets and
7,000 tickets for the opener." MLS Commissioner Doug Logan:
"I'm concerned. I'd prefer to go in with 15,000 advance
sales. But we are a week away and we don't know the
dynamics of the marketplace. We'll see. We learned about
markets in other cities as we went along." Logan added that
he has been "disappointed by the New York/New Jersey
MetroStars' total of 4,000 season tickets." Logan: "I urged
all of our teams to get an early start on season-ticket
sales for this season, and some started last August. The
MetroStars waited until December, which was disturbing, but
some of that had to do with ongoing discussions about Giants
Stadium." Dell'Apa calls this "a season for MLS to maintain
some equilibrium." While competing against the World Cup in
France, MLS "should concentrate on increasing attendance in
questionable markets such as" K.C. and "be certain" the MLS
Cup in Pasadena on October 25 is a "showpiece event" (BOSTON
GLOBE, 3/10). Logan said that the Revolution is tops in
league season ticket sales with 5,500, while 35,000 season
tickets have been sold league-wide (USA TODAY, 3/10).
LOOK, UP ON THE BIG SCREEN: MLS is planning in-stadium
doubleheaders with a World Cup game shown on the Jumbotron
via a TV feed before a league game (N.Y. TIMES, 3/10).
NBA: In N.Y., Ian O'Connor writes under the header,
"Trouble Brewing In NBA: Face Lockout, No Jordan." He
writes that the NBA "is about to suffer a crisis of
charisma" and as NBA Exec Dir Billy Hunter has "established
himself as a worthy opponent" to NBA Commissioner David
Stern, the union is "more galvanized than ever." The
"marriage of employer and employee, a partnership built on
trust, grows more frayed by the hour" (N.Y. DAILY NEWS,
3/10)....UNC junior/ACC Player of the Year Antawn Jamison
said that an NBA work stoppage would impact his decision to
turn pro a year early: "I don't want to sit out while the
college season is going on" (Mult., 3/10).
NHL: In Boston, Kevin Paul Dupont wrote that with NHL
VP/Operations Brian Burke likely leaving his post this
summer, "names being bandied about" to succeed him include
Isles GM Mike Milbury and former Canadiens GM Serge Savard.
Dupont floats former Bruins Coach Terry O'Reilly for the
post (BOSTON GLOBE, 3/8)....On ESPN, Michael Wilbon decried
"thuggery" in the NHL and noted the Ducks' Paul Kariya may
miss the rest of the season due to a concussion from a hit
by the Blackhawks' Gary Suter, who was suspended for four
games, Wilbon said, "What good is any league if it won't
protect its No. 1 asset, its best players? ... One would
hope that the NHL powers that be, who've allowed this ugly
environment to exist, will wake up and listen up before
anyone else is so seriously and needlessly injured" ("The
Sports Reporters," 3/8)....In N.Y., Dave Anderson writes on
"Hockey's Concussion Concern" (N.Y. TIMES, 3/10).
Title sponsorship of the WTA Tour is being offered for
$25M over three years, which "may seem a bit pricey compared
with" the three-year, $12M deal that departing sponsor Corel
paid in rights fees, according to Terry Lefton of BRANDWEEK.
Lefton: "But WTA rights broker, IMG, Cleveland, has
repackaged the sponsorship in proportion with what it claims
is a remarkable 11 billion impressions over a year's worth
of TV broadcasts to more than 20 countries." The Tour has
"increased in-game sponsor ID with the addition of sponsor-
branded statistical and scoring updates, and an additional
dedicated camera specifically designed to catch sponsor
exposure vehicles. ... Also included is a grass roots
program, the usual hospitality and tickets and the tour's
close working relationship with its players." Virtual
signage could also be added if the concept is "high" on a
sponsor's list. Lefton adds the price is "likely to raise
a few eyebrows." WTA Tour CEO Bart McGuire: "We have some
really marketable athletes and I really feel ($25 million
is) relatively inexpensive for a year-round property that is
the most global of any women's sport" (BRANDWEEK, 3/9).