DT Paid to not Play
- Thread starter jazzpt55
- Start date
It may turn out to be good for the woman's game? Perhaps they will find a way to pay to keep them in the league. There are a few sponsors who make more than enough to afford to start paying more than $107,000. Of course they will need to market the game in a way that draws enough of a crowd to offset any up front expenses.
Does that make Diana the 1st woman basketball player to make a million?
Paytc
Does that make Diana the 1st woman basketball player to make a million?
Paytc
Sadly, I can't say that I even know how many WNBA teams there are and outside of maybe the top 10, have NO clue who those players are. WNBA is not a huge draw and from what I remember reading, loses money every year. Only reason it's still around is because it's backed by the NBA. Women's leagues are just not that drawing. Maybe it's the marketing, maybe its just no interest in the game. It's funny, but I'd rather go watch SMS vs. Mater Dei any day rather than New York Liberty and the LA Sparks.
Norcal_Fan,
You said it "Marketing" I think they may need to add something else in perhaps during halftime that would draw more people to come out to the games.The woman's game has improved ! Once people get there they would see the product is not bad.There are many talented artist,actors and others that could help provide a win/win if there was a good marketing plan in place.
Diana is an example of the improvement and the revenue that could be gained.
Paytc
You said it "Marketing" I think they may need to add something else in perhaps during halftime that would draw more people to come out to the games.The woman's game has improved ! Once people get there they would see the product is not bad.There are many talented artist,actors and others that could help provide a win/win if there was a good marketing plan in place.
Diana is an example of the improvement and the revenue that could be gained.
Paytc
You know it's interesting. When the US hosted the women's world cup in 99 women from the US national team were all over the place. You'd see them on soccer fields, hosting free clinics, going to championship games etc and you know what happened? It was one of the most televised/popular women's sporting event in history. I think that if you had players at tournaments (Nike, WCJ, etc) going out and promoting the game you would see a rise in attendance. It's about marketing your brand and making it stick.
When the Bay Area had the FC Goldpride women's soccer team they did a horrible time at marketing "Marta", 4 time world FIFA player of the year and unfortunately they folded. It's hard to market women's sports, but if you start from the grassroots programs it allows kids to grow with your marketing brand.
When the Bay Area had the FC Goldpride women's soccer team they did a horrible time at marketing "Marta", 4 time world FIFA player of the year and unfortunately they folded. It's hard to market women's sports, but if you start from the grassroots programs it allows kids to grow with your marketing brand.
coach_augie,
Those are great points ! It is all about marketing. I remember many years ago when women's basketball was horrible. But now there are kids starting to play at an earlier age. And like Cheryl Miller, they are even playing with boys.They may never physically be able to fly above the rim like some male players but . They are putting a much better product on the floor. I agree with you coach_augie, the marketing needs to start at the grass roots level and build momentum from there.
Paytc
Those are great points ! It is all about marketing. I remember many years ago when women's basketball was horrible. But now there are kids starting to play at an earlier age. And like Cheryl Miller, they are even playing with boys.They may never physically be able to fly above the rim like some male players but . They are putting a much better product on the floor. I agree with you coach_augie, the marketing needs to start at the grass roots level and build momentum from there.
Paytc
out of curiosity, how financially successful is women's pro soccer? I know they're in business (without subsidy from the NBA, or anyone else that I know of), but how many matches are there in a season? How much do their players make? maybe the deal with the NBA, with the WNBA being a brief stint in the summer, is not so good in the long run. or right now, for that matter. or maybe there just really isn't the public interest.
The trouble is it used to be that high school ball brought people to the game. You got used to watching the game there so when you went to college, your viewing habits were established. Now, your AAU team is more important but who watches AAU ball besides the parents and coaches. How does it establish a fan base.
When Jason Jidd was in high school, every high school sold out to see him play for the St. Joe Pilots. No one knew what AAU team he played on. and that fan base went to Cal when he played there.
I remember seeing Miller play in the state high school championships. Bi crowd to see her high school team. No one knew what AAU team she played on.
It is one thing to try to develop a product. It is another thing to develop a fan base.
When Jason Jidd was in high school, every high school sold out to see him play for the St. Joe Pilots. No one knew what AAU team he played on. and that fan base went to Cal when he played there.
I remember seeing Miller play in the state high school championships. Bi crowd to see her high school team. No one knew what AAU team she played on.
It is one thing to try to develop a product. It is another thing to develop a fan base.
I have written about and covered the WNBA since its inception, and I think, nearly 20 years on, it is what it is: A second-tier niche sport that barely breaks even.
It's on TV a fair amount, and I would imagine most casual sports fans have seen a game or two on TV somewhere along the line, and most haven't become huge fans.
The WNBA is the best women's basketball league in the world, and the players are great athletes and tremendously skilled. If you sit close to the court, you can see for yourself just how good they are -- but on TV, compared to the men we usually see, they look slow, and they lack the spectacular athleticism that adds electricity to the men's game.
From a pure basketball standpoint, the league is very good. From an entertainment standpoint, basketball junkies will enjoy it once they learn the players and teams, but for most, it's not must-see TV. From a financial standpoint, it's always been a struggle. The franchise values are minimal and most teams lose money, though the last couple years have been better.
What has saved it is that basketball is a good TV game, and it supplies programming in the summer, and there is a certain moral value in supporting women's sports.
I enjoy the WNBA, in part because I've seen many of the players since high school and I'm very familiar with the league, and in part because I like watching basketball. But I can also understand why a lot of people just shrug their shoulders and move on.
It's on TV a fair amount, and I would imagine most casual sports fans have seen a game or two on TV somewhere along the line, and most haven't become huge fans.
The WNBA is the best women's basketball league in the world, and the players are great athletes and tremendously skilled. If you sit close to the court, you can see for yourself just how good they are -- but on TV, compared to the men we usually see, they look slow, and they lack the spectacular athleticism that adds electricity to the men's game.
From a pure basketball standpoint, the league is very good. From an entertainment standpoint, basketball junkies will enjoy it once they learn the players and teams, but for most, it's not must-see TV. From a financial standpoint, it's always been a struggle. The franchise values are minimal and most teams lose money, though the last couple years have been better.
What has saved it is that basketball is a good TV game, and it supplies programming in the summer, and there is a certain moral value in supporting women's sports.
I enjoy the WNBA, in part because I've seen many of the players since high school and I'm very familiar with the league, and in part because I like watching basketball. But I can also understand why a lot of people just shrug their shoulders and move on.
I wonder how women's professional basketball would have progressed if the NBA hadn't rushed in to squelch the ABL. It would still have been a struggle, but the ABL might have been able to find a way to grow organically if left to its own devices.
yes, I was thinking about how, on TV, the women just don't come off as well as the men. some WNBA games I've watched are pretty ragged, blown layups and put-backs--I guess the mismatch between great offense and great defense continues on the highest level--women still come up short of men in being able to fight through contact or elevate to finish at the rim. but when I see a game in person (usually high school, now) I can see and appreciate the athleticism. When the tube shrinks everything to screen size, the bigger talent (men) seems to shrink less.
