Columnist Ron Kantowski: ABA 2000 on the fast track to failure

Tuesday, March 26, 2002 | 10:54 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's insider notes column appears Tuesday and his Page One column appears Thursday. He can be reached at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

Anybody who doesn't think ABA 2000, which is to blame for creating the Las Vegas Slam and forcing it upon local fans during mid-season, is on life support need only check the small print on the bottom of Saturday night's Slam-Phoenix Eclipse box score.

Following "Location" was Phoenix Baptist Church; following "ATT" (for attendance) were just three numbers -- 433. And in the line above that, under the first-quarter score, it read: Phoenix 37, Las Vegas 8.

Unless one of the game's no-name participants decided to get baptized or pass the collection plate at halftime, I'd say it was pretty much a wasted evening.

Las Vegas, of course, lost, but the score is irrelevant. It won't be back next year and neither will the league.

Despite a thrilling finish and exciting race that broke the series record for lead changes, only 10,000 spectators turned out to watch the IRL guys drive around in circles. The crowd was similar to the one that watched the last of several IRL races staged at LVMS, in the spring of 2000.

Outside of the Indy 500 and selected events in which the IRL benefits from the participation of NASCAR season-ticket holders, it would appear that the IRL cars cannot attract a crowd to the oval tracks on which they run.

The rival CART series also has seen its oval crowd dwindle in recent seasons amid NASCAR's popularity and CART's often contentious relationship with the IRL. But at least CART has its street and road course events -- which appeal to a different brand of racing fans -- to fall back on.

Next month's Long Beach Grand Prix, for instance, is expected to attract its usual race day crowd of nearly 100,000 spectators. And more than 90,000 fans were on hand for the CART season opener in Monterrey, Mexico earlier this month.

Speaking of wheeling injured point guard Tom Coverdale around the court during the postgame celebration, Indiana's Jared Jeffries said he was giving his teammate a "Jeff Gordon victory lap."

More than 2,500 spectators were on hand, which wasn't a bad turnout, given the game's modest promotion and the raw, windy weather that greeted fans and players.

"When I put him in the rear naked, I thought that was it. I flew into the triangle and he still had a little energy left, but that's all he could do."

That was New Yorker Matt Serra talking esoterically about his victory over San Jose's Kelly Dullanty in a lightweight bout.

An announced crowd of 8,327 was on hand for the latest UFC offering as the hybrid sport/entertainment venture continues carving a niche in Las Vegas, where it is now headquartered.