While televised WNBA games "are hard to miss," the ABL
"remains stuck in the jumble of cable television, its hard-
to-find games seen by only a fraction of those who watch
WNBA games," according to Earl Gustkey of the L.A. TIMES.
Gustkey reported that an industry source said that the ABL,
which is "already bearing considerable financial losses to
date ... must now come up with roughly $300,000" for each of
its two playoff games which CBS will air on a time-buy basis
next April. Gustkey: "Is the ABL on life support?" The
league "can't keep going back" to investors Joe Lacob and
Phoenix Home Life Mutual Chair Bob Fiondella, who invested
$3M each a year ago. Gustkey: "Let's put it this way: If
[ABL CEO Gary] Cavalli turns this around, he gets the award
for sports executive of the year" (L.A. TIMES, 7/21).
GREED IS GOOD, GREED WORKS: SI's Jeff Pearlman examines
Nikki McCray's departure from the ABL Quest for the WNBA
Mystics and writes, "There is greed working here, and don't
be so foolish as to argue otherwise." Pearlman: "Nikki
McCray may be the nicest person since Mother Teresa, but is
she also a greedy capitalist? Why, yes. She is." While
the Mystics are 2-14, McCray has a contract worth "around"
$200,000, is the center of the team's marketing campaign,
and has a shoe deal with Fila, all of which she says has
"made me the happiest I've ever been." McCray, asked if she
is greedy: "I'd say no. But sometimes you have to look out
for yourself first. Business is business" (SI, 7/27 issue).
