WNBA: The WNBA begins its second season on Thursday and
in L.A., Earl Gustkey writes that the talent well is "deeper
this time around." Gustkey adds that the WNBA's sponsorship
roster, which includes Amex, A-B, Coca-Cola and McDonald's,
among others, "is beginning to look like the 'widely-held'
list on the stock pages" (L.A. TIMES, 6/9). In Dallas, Brad
Townsend's preview of the upcoming season includes a Q&A
with WNBA President Val Ackerman. Townsend writes that the
league "attained its first-season objectives" last year, and
has "clearly built upon last season's momentum" (DALLAS
MORNING NEWS, 6/9). In Philadelphia, Mel Greenberg wrote
that a sophomore slump is "not in the cards" for the WNBA,
adding that "even the threat of unionization isn't keeping
the league from crowing" over its growth (PHILADELPHIA
INQUIRER, 6/7)....WNBA MVP Cynthia Cooper and Liberty G
Teresa Weatherspoon were guests on ABC's "GMA." Cooper,
asked about the league's low average salary: "You have to
understand that this is the WNBA's second season, and so we
have a lot of room to grow. We haven't organized a players
association as of yet, and those are all things that we're
going to do in the near future." Asked if the players want
a union, Weatherspoon said, "Of course. It's needed. It's
definitely needed" ("GMA," ABC, 6/9).
OTHER LEAGUE NOTES: A report in Fred Edelstein's Pro
Football Insider newsletter said that "cornerstone strategy"
for Turner/NBC's proposed football league will be to "raid
the NFL of young quarterbacks who are contractually
vulnerable." Edelstein named Cards QB Jake Plummer,
Panthers QB Kerry Collins and Eagles QB Bobby Hoying "are
being targeted." Plummer said yesterday that he "has no
interest in" the new league (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 6/9).....IHL
CEO Doug Moss said that the league "will go to an unbalanced
schedule next season that will allow its members affiliated
with NHL teams to play more games against each other."
Denver-based Botz Sports Media will devise the IHL schedule
for the first time (Len Ziehm, CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 6/8).
