Whats wrong with the WNBA?

With the end of another WNBA season I realized something I have always known....the WNBA's advertising game is a joke. Not the good, funny type of joke but the embarrassing, you just laugh because you're trying to be nice kind of joke...

The WNBA has some of the most talented, visually appealing professional female athletes in the world and most of the country doesn't even realize this. The league is struggling and has been since its inception, but still hanging around.

The WNBA was developed under an umbrella of the NBA. Each team was created to partner with a NBA counterpart and was under the control of the NBA and the male teams sharing its city. As time passed teams folded, new teams formed, and teams became independent of their NBA brothers. Even 13 years after its birth, each season brings teams folding and being born.

Fans and players a like had a startling revaluation before this past season began; the Houston Comets, the winners of the first 4 WNBA titles, folded. Detroit, winners of 3 WNBA championships, recently announced their move to Tulsa. Seattle, also a past champion, each season has had the fear of being moved to another city. Indiana, Eastern Conference Champs this year, had the same threat of moving. So stability is not a word that could be used to describe the WNBA.

As each season begins, the WNBA promises exciting, attention grabbing advertising that promises to showcase the world's top female basketball players, promises family fun, and quality basketball. The last two promises are met year after year. The failure comes in showcasing. As the league began the advertising was entertaining and even stared the top players. Showcasing the leagues top players, giving a face the league, showing how personable the league is. And as each season ends, sadly, with fans wondering what happened to the advertising campaign promised, this year happened to be EXPECT GREAT.



Money is the biggest problem for the WNBA, but how do they solve this? Get more fans in the seats? The way I see things...with more fans comes more companies that will be willing to have their name associated with a struggling league. More fans at the games, more team merchandise bought, more money spent at the concession stands, more money spent in the WNBA cities. More team merchandise sold more money for the teams to advertise and pay players. With more people interested in the games, the more willing major networks like ABC, NBC, ESPN would be to show WNBA games instead of only have one or two games a week televised on one network or NBA TV. Who really has NBA TV, anyway?

Players should be more visible, in WNBA cities players faces should be everywhere. WNBA players are very approachable, very willing to get to know fans (often on a personal level). But why are there no commercials, few magazine features, no product endorsements?

The WNBA has failed to take advantage of its players popularity. Candace Parker is arguably the most famous and visible female athlete, not only in the country but possibly one of the most visible in the world. She has several product endorsements, a sneaker deal, many of the things female athletes dream of but still isn't very visible in markets outside of LA, and since I don't live in LA I don't know how visible she is there. With Parker being so popular, she should be everywhere along with other big name players that are responsible for bringing fans to arenas on their name alone. Use this. Grown men who never would admit to being WNBA fans are now fans because of Parker, imagine the possibilities.



This years All-Star game was pretty much M.I.A. I follow the WNBA, even have season-tickets, and I didn't even know when or where the All-Star game was. The game and activities simply were not advertised this year. Maybe because the game was held in Connecticut, the northern most WNBA city that advertising sucked or maybe it just sucked. With so many All-Stars playing college basketball at the University of Connecticut, more should have been done. Advertise the game as a home coming of sorts, play up the UCONN connection.

WNBA players have found playing overseas in the WNBA off-season more profitable than actually competing here in the States. Top players are earning hundreds of thousands of dollars and are actually being treated like superstar athletes in countries like Russia, Italy, and Spain. Before the WNBA, playing overseas was the only option for women who dreamt of playing professional basketball; the frustrating part is there are still and better options overseas. Parker was set to be the first professional women's basketball player to earn $1 Million as part of her team salary; unfortunately she was unable to play due to pregnancy. It's a shame that players earn more playing in another country, while having a professional league at home to participate in. If the league could generate more revenue, players would be more willing to spend their off-season at home with their families, working with college teams, and doing more for the WNBA.

There are many ways the WNBA could boost revenue and grow into a stable sports entity.

Increase the visibility of players in WNBA cities, as well as nation-wide. Spend advertising more to actually advertise and follow through with the advertising all year long. Create ways to build hype for upcoming games. WNBA players need to be a bigger presence in the communities. The WNBA has several great community activities, but for a league that is struggling, more needs to be done.

Male sports teams should play a bigger role in supporting the WNBA, really female sports in general. This past season, the Indianapolis Colts bought an ad in the local newspapers to show their support for the Indiana Fever during the WNBA finals. NBA players often attend WNBA games, but more players could attend. Does everything have to be a personal appearance for NBA players? How about bringing their sons or daughters to watch? I remember in high school and college, the sports teams would support each other by attending games. Are NBA players to special to support the WNBA? But I do give props to those NBA players who do support the league.

The WNBA needs to remember advertising is a year round, not just as the season opens or during the finals. Follow the advertising year round, let people know the WNBA is still around and is exciting. If one ad campaign doesn't work, don't wait until next season for the next campaign. Focus on top players, everyone knows Candace Parker-use this.

Major sports outlets should be ashamed at how little support the WNBA is shown. ESPN is the worst at this. During the WNBA season, how often are WNBA highlights, games, commercials shown? Women's College basketball gets so much more respect on ESPN than the WNBA gets. I am not saying College basketball doesn't deserve this but the pro's should get as much support. I mean the college players end up in the WNBA, so why not support them once they graduate too?

The WNBA has come a long way, but obviously has a long way to go. I will continue to support the WNBA, will you?