Chicago seems to be surging in ABL derby

HAMPTON, Va. Chicago has been the talk of the town during thisweekend's Women's Collegiate World Games.

The American Basketball League is expected to announce its twoexpansion franchises this week. Chicago and Nashville, Tenn., appearto be overwhelming favorites to get women's professional teams asone-time front-runner St. Louis seems to be out of the picturebecause of site location problems.

The ABL is negotiating a television deal with Fox Sports. CBSand ABC also are involved.Chicago and its large media market could be the key to theleague reaching a TV deal.The two new teams will join New England, Philadelphia andColumbus in the Eastern Division.The ABL, which will hold its player draft May 5, will begin nextseason the first week in November with the playoffs beginning afterthe NCAA tournament."The league wanted Chicago from the beginning," said MouraMcHugh, coach of the ABL's Long Beach StingRays.Illinois senior Ashley Berggren has more than a passinginterest."When I came here, I was all WNBA," Berggren said. "But thetalk is that Chicago is going to get a team and if I could get a dealto play in Chicago, that's what I'd do."