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Leagues and Governing Bodies

WNBA READY TO ALIGN WITH BASKETBALL BRETHREN'S UNION

          WNBA players "are within weeks of unionizing,"
     according to Kristie Ackert of the N.Y. DAILY NEWS, who
     writes that the NBPA has met "directly with six of the
     league's 10 teams" and collected "signed union cards from
     four teams."   The players' official vote is "expected to
     take place in the coming weeks" and 51% of the players must
     endorse the NBPA as their collective bargaining
     representative.   Bruce Levy, whose agency -- Bruce Levy
     Associates Int'l, Ltd. -- "represents at least half of the
     starters in the WNBA, said the players decided to go" with
     the NBPA "after meeting with several different unions."  The
     NBPA's experience negotiating with the NBA was the "main
     attraction for the women."  Levy: "The Players Association
     is 100% in touch with the women."  Ackert writes that,
     "First and foremost among the players' concerns is a new
     contract which would include an equitable pay scale and
     fewer limits on their personal endorsements."  Players are
     looking to "rectify" contract situations in which some WNBA
     starters "are making less money than a team's 12th woman." 
     One player: "The league puts us up in the Ritz, but some of
     us can't afford to eat breakfast there.  We have to run down
     to the 7-11 on the corner."  WNBA President Val Ackerman:
     "We have tried very hard to do as much as we can for the
     players."  The players also aim to control their personal
     marketing rights.  Currently contracts do not allow players
     to endorse products that are in direct competition with
     products that back the WNBA.  Levy said that 90% of the
     potential deals for his clients "are in direct competition
     with the WNBA" (Kristie Ackert, N.Y. DAILY NEWS, 7/16). 
          SEASON SACRIFICE? In Milwaukee, Tom Enlund writes that
     NBA owners and players "are bracing for an extended tug-of-
     war" over a new CBA.  Enlund cites one source as saying that
     "there already exists a core of at least eight owners that
     is prepared to sit out next season if an agreement cannot be
     reached" (Tom Enlund, MILWAUKEE JOURNAL SENTINEL, 7/16).

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