On the front page of the Detroit News this morning, an article about the difficulties of women's pro sports. (Byline Joanne Gerstner.)

"Nearly 30 years after Title IX opened the door for women to compete in college athletics, the jury is still out on whether a women's pro league can carve out something more than a small niche in the world of multimillion-dollar sports."

The article goes on to discuss the specific hurdles faced by the WNBA:

"The league plays during the summer, typically a tough sell for indoor sports. The league struggles to attract sponsors. A bright spot is the fact that the WNBA has a television contact with ESPN through 2008, a very valuable asset. Fans typically compare the league to the NBA, and thus don't respect the ability of the players."

Gerstner notes some bright spots. She says that the WNBA has some good corporate sponsorship and a solid TV contract through 2008. She also notes that some other pro sports -- especially golf and tennis -- are doing great.

She nonetheless concludes that " the overall impact of women's pro leagues in American culture is minimal."