2014 WNBA Thread

in my quest to get a hummer from Christine Brennan I started this thread to give equal time to the WNBA.
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1. I believe that the Belgium v Algiers first round game will have higher ratings than an WNBA playoff game.

2. Mrs Wang, the mother of Washington Post sports journalist called Gene last week and there is a chance that this following conversation occurred.

Mom(agitated): Gene, is everything ok?
Gene (quizzically): Yes mom, everything is fine.
Mom: are you sure?
Gene: yes, I'm well, nothing is wrong. Why?
Mom: you can tell me Gene, I'm your mother. DId you lose your job?
Gene: No Mom, I still work for the Washington Post.
Mom: I never see your by line any more and you know I've read everything you've ever written since kindergarten.
Gene: Mom, my articles are in the paper 3 times a week and at least once a week its on the first page of the sports section.
Mom: don't lie to me Gene, I read the paper everyday and I don't see it.
Gene: Mom, I'm the beat reporter for the Washington Mystics
Mom: stop making things up, if you need money you can always ask us. Dad knows someone at the Penny Saver and you can get your old job back.
Gene: Mom, The Washington Mystics are in the WNBA, its womens professional basketball.
Mom: Oh. Do you want Dad to call the Penny Saver anyway?

 

I think this thread may be over now...

 

Pretty much like the WNBA.

The WNBA was a personal step-child of David Stern, and he had a vested interest, if only for PR purposes, in helping it stay alive.

Adam Silver doesn't give two shits about the WNBA. If it's not pulling its own weight financially, whatever indirect and institutional support it's getting from the NBA will be yanked (or more likely, quietly and discreetly shut off) and hasta la vista.

 

If they played in smaller venues and offered cheaper concessions, ticket prices, and salaries it might float.
It certainly right now does not pull its weight financially.
The best women's players need a stage to play on here in the U.S. after college.
It's sad to see it not working but the pricing is too high for the product.

 

I looked up ticket prices for both New York and Seattle out of curiosity. The cheapest ticket for both was $20 and $18 respectively. Most expensive was $308 and $52, respectively.

Now yes, it's New York, so things are more expensive. Still,taking Seattle into account, with a median price of $35, that still seems pretty expensive for a sport that I would consider to be a level equivalent with Triple-A baseball, where you can get tickets up close for $20 or so.

 

Unlike most leagues, the WNBA doesn't shy away (anymore) from gay people in its fan base.

http://www.indianapolismonthly.com/circlecitizen/2014/06/12/lgbt-leaders-hail-diversity-night-at-fever-game

 

Anymore? Women's leagues are dominated by gay fans and have been since the WNBA and the ABL both started.

Quite simply, it's smart marketing.

 

For The NBA I believe that the WNBA is a cheap "get out of jail free" when
things like Sterling issue pop up.

Having the WNBA makes the league look enlightened.

 

Only a few years ago, a lot of teams were very uncomfortable spotlighting that they had gay fans. In theory, WNBA games were supposed to be "family" events.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/early-lead/wp/2014/05/21/wnba-becomes-first-league-to-market-itself-to-lgbt-community/

 

At games of the WNBA team which used to play around here, certain sections became de facto LGBT sections, and "heteros" or "breeders" (of any age) were more or less encouraged to move to other sections. You don't ever hear the WNBA talking about that.

 

I've heard that guys looking for sperm donor gigs hang out the the LGBT
section. Some even hand out business cards.

 

The WNBA could put a live webcam in the shower and locker rooms and they wouldn't get a bump in the ratings.

U-G-L-Y YOU AIN'T GOT NO ALIBI, YOU'RE UGLY