21.   Clearly, the European Tour is serving as a very nice developmental league for the U.S. PGA Tour.

22.   IBA president Bill Sorensen, of Bismarck, N.D., said the deal could create a developmental league for the NBA.

23.   In a shift in strategy on international expansion, commissioner David Stern said the NBA might place a developmental league overseas within five years.

24.   NBDL teams will not have any direct affiliation with individual NBA teams, and developmental league players will be eligible to be signed by any NBA team.

25.   The NFL has been a pioneer in expanding overseas, including the old World League that has evolved into a developmental league known as NFL Europe.

26.   The Rhein Fire defense, by all accounts the most talented in the developmental league, yielded the fewest points this season.

27.   After being snubbed in the National Football League draft, Ward has played in a developmental league and at camps to show his skills.

28.   The right-handed pitcher struggled last season in developmental leagues with a sore arm that required arthroscopic surgery last August.