What is the future of the WNBA?

[JoePgh]

Thank you, KnightBridgeAZ, for compiling these facts and saving me a couple of hours of research. I knew that the CT Sun were owned by the casino (why else would the casino make its own on-premises arena available to them?), but it really struck me about a year ago when I read an article that mentioned that the Sun players are considered for legal purposes to be casino employees, and as such they are not permitted (on pain of immediate dismissal) to gamble in the casino. I guess they can go to Foxwoods if they simply must hit the slot machines.

Regarding the statement that "profitability will always be a problem for the league", that is true but misleading. No WNBA team will ever be a prize investment for anyone whose goal is to generate ROI from basketball operations. But as I indicated above, a gaming business like Mohegan Sun has valid business reasons to incur the rather insignificant expense of subsidizing a women's basketball team. If nothing else, it makes their image more "family-friendly" and gives parents a reason to bring school-age children to the casino.

And if you are a private individual (probably female) with a net worth of $100 million or so, you are not going to worry much about losing a few hundred thousand dollars a year on a WNBA team that you own. If you happen to believe in women's sports as a source of economic opportunity for women and as a source of role models for girls and young women, you will consider it money very well spent. And it will get you lots of kudos from your peer group as well.

So as long as the losses are kept in a reasonable range (which will be the case as long as the salaries are so strictly limited), there will be people willing to accept the financial cost of ownership. And as long as there are young players to fill the ranks, the league will produce an excellent basketball product even if older stars occasionally take a year off to recuperate. Bottom line: the WNBA is doing well enough to last in its present state for the foreseeable future, i.e., it has achieved a financial equilibrium condition. A new NBA commissioner probably can't kill it (and would be pilloried in the press for no significant financial gain if he were to attempt to do so).

 

[Striper69]

Going back to earlier posts: You can't really compare what the WNBA is now to what it was when it was first created.

Now they have the All-Access program going on and it's getting better each year. I thinkit's a lot better than it was last year. The broadcasts seem to be more stable and are better quality. Anyone around the world can watch (almost) every game played as long as they have a computer and internet. I'm not sure as many people who would be interested realize how great a deal this is and it will only get more popular.

I think the WNBA will be around a long, long time.

 

[iamcbs]

As a recent news article said, you are entitled to your own opinions, not your own facts.

- The Connecticut Sun is owned by the Mohegan Sun. Other Casinos have "sponsored" teams, as you note without ownership.
- The Tulsa Shock are owned by a group of investors headlined by Bill Cameron and David Box.
- The Seattle Storm belong to Force 10 Hoops LLC, a consortium of four female investors who purchased the team in 2008.
- The Atlanta Dream is owned by Dream Too LLC, composed of Mary Brock and Kelly Loeffler since 2011
- The LA Sparks belong to an investment group primarily made up of LA Dodgers owners, including controlling owner Mark R. Walter and Magic Johnson.
- As noted, the Chicago Sky are also independently owned.

As you also note, TV viewership is not very good, although I'm not sure how you relate the poor viewership of the WNBA finals to the ESPN contract being a "boondoggle".

Your last comment, that profitability will always be a problem for the league is most likely correct, I fear.

Your earlier comment about the league existing to satisfy "feminists and former Title IX advocates" makes me wonder why you are posting on a WBB board??

I stand corrected, but all of those franchises changed hands in the past 24 months, according to the wnba.com and the Atlanta and Tulsa franchises are relocated from other NBA cities(Detroit and Sacramento). The TV contract has always been a boondoogle, ESPiN was blackmailed into the WNBA deal by the NBA. Viewership and attendance for the League has always been abysmal. That's why franchises have reloctaed. Remember the Cleveland Rockers, Detroit Shock, Houston Comets, Sacramento Monarchs, all owned by NBA Owners who recently sold them as noted above or folded them. When a business gets strong-armed into a contract that is costing them millions, boondoogle is an appropriate term.

 

[msf22b]

Ah the Pittsburgh Ironmen. Rumor was that they were not very good. They didn't stink mind you, they smelt.

I always liked the Ft. Wayne Zollner Pistons

 

[Striper69]

I'm hoping there will be a San Fran team in the near future...


next year will very interesting. With the arrival of the draftees that weren't able to play this year:

Jen Hamson
Natalie Achonwa
Chelsea Gray

I think the league will be even better than it was this year.

Hamson will be on the Sparks and will be a great rival to Britney Griner. That could be like a Chamberlain/Russell-like rivalry.

This year's rookies made a big splash and you can't say that the league was better and more competitive than last year's version. Last year it seemed like something was missing with Sue Bird sitting out. She just needs her center to play again and they'll be right up there with the Mercury, Lynx and Sparks.

I'm interested to see how Achonwa and Gray do on their respective teams.

 

[easttexastrash]

I'm hoping there will be a San Fran team in the near future...


next year will very interesting. With the arrival of the draftees that weren't able to play this year:

Jen Hamson
Natalie Achonwa
Chelsea Gray

I think the league will be even better than it was this year.

Hamson will be on the Sparks and will be a great rival to Britney Griner. That could be like a Chamberlain/Russell-like rivalry.

This year's rookies made a big splash and you can't say that the league was better and more competitive than last year's version. Last year it seemed like something was missing with Sue Bird sitting out. She just needs her center to play again and they'll be right up there with the Mercury, Lynx and Sparks.

I'm interested to see how Achonwa and Gray do on their respective teams.

Hamson will not be a real rival to BG...nobody will, other than Charles and Big Syl.

 

[Striper69]

One word- wrong...

 

[iamcbs]

Hamson will not be a real rival to BG...nobody will, other than Charles and Big Syl.

You mean the Jennifer Hamson against whom UConn got 20 Offensive Rebounds in the Sweet 16 in Lincoln and was thoroughly outplayed by Stefanie Dolson? Is that the Jennifer Hamson that's supposedly going to dominate the WNBA and rival Brittney Griner? Surely you jest!! The only thing Hamson has in common with BG is height.

 

[Beemer]

The only player who can stop Griner from dominating the WNBA is Griner.

 

[easttexastrash]

One word- wrong...

Yes, you are wrong...word

 

[easttexastrash]

You mean the Jennifer Hamson against whom UConn got 20 Offensive Rebounds in the Sweet 16 in Lincoln and was thoroughly outplayed by Stefanie Dolson? Is that the Jennifer Hamson that's supposedly going to dominate the WNBA and rival Brittney Griner? Surely you jest!! The only thing Hamson has in common with BG is height.

Just to confirm, I did not say that Hamson will dominate the WNBA or rival Griner, although you replying to my comment kind of makes is seem that you think I did

 

[iamcbs]

Just to confirm, I did not say that Hamson will dominate the WNBA or rival Griner, although you replying to my comment kind of makes is seem that you think I did

I do apologize easttexastrash, that wasn't you that made that comment.

 

[Striper69]

I made it and she will.

 

[iamcbs]

I made it and she will.

I have one name for you, Anne Donovan!!

 

[Beemer]

I have one name for you, Anne Donovan!!

I'm confused- what does that mean? Not that anyone should be surprised, I am confused much of the time lol

 

[iamcbs]

I'm confused- what does that mean? Not that anyone should be surprised, I am confused much of the time lol

Striper69 makes the claim that BYU's Jennifer Hamson will dominate the WNBA and its a notion I scoff at. She's not athletic enough nor is she quick enough to be a major factor in the WNBA. She's 6'7" and that alone will get her a job, but she'll be back-up on some team at best. I gave him Anne Donovan from ODU as an example. She was 6'8" and never made a significant impact as a player at any level beyond that.