The WNBA’s Hidden Problem

I can solve the WNBA's biggest problem with one simple rule change, but why is the league so afraid to make it?

[Heathcoatman]

I had 2 WNBA tickets in my car. I went into the store for a few minutes. When I returned to my car I saw that my passenger window was broken. I looked in the car and couldnt believe what had happened to me. I now had 4 WNBA tickets.

[styner]

The biggest reason the NBA took so long to take off was television was limited to 3/4 channels only, even your home team wasn't on TV. Cable TV came out in the late 70's and the rest is history.

[JorJorIvanovitch]

The "attendance" numbers are skewed by all the thousands of tickets that are given away or purchased by the front office of a team. Paying people to attend games is never going to work.

Also, women need to buy tickets, not just a handful of men.

[gregjross]

What’s crazy is the WNBA had everything the NBA didn’t on its conception and still just tanks badly. I’m still not sure why the Women’s side is so hesitant to some small rule changes that would help increase the overall flow of the game and make it more entertaining lol.

[joeshmoe]

If the WNBA had a game in my backyard I would call the police and report a crime in progress.

[nicholasmccarty]

That’s great and all except your information is incorrect and misleading.
- The NBA has a 90% stake in the WNBA which is why they are footing the bill for an average of -$10 million per year.
- The WNBA is hemorrhaging money.
- (even if your revenue information were correct) any business model that takes 20 years for less than half of their businesses to have a profit for that one year or is horrible and would’ve long gone under.
- Because the WNBA is in the red every single year, a woman making $100, 000 is a substantially bigger percentage of the pay vs the percentage of money the NBA players make.
- All the people watching women’s basketball in the Olympics were absolutely not watching because of the WNBA. They were watching because they watched the Olympics.
- The actual attendance numbers for the WNBA are also on a decline every year.
- The majority of the teams (if not all of them) have either already moved/or are moving to a much smaller facility because they’re not filling the seats and it is costing them way too much money to rent out the bigger venues.

[damarcohamby]

Bro it’s not about how the league is marketed or how they should market it. It’s about what they are marketing and that’s simply a brand of basketball that has little to no interest for the common sports fans 💯

[nello]

The demand is not artificially suppressed. There are no fans. Our Houston Comets won the first four WNBA championships and went out of business. Cynthia is the best ever WNBA player to this day.

[PatrickIrvineBlacknesslives]

Its a culture issue. The league has come into form based on screaming about parity and equality. The WNBA as an organization and as individual pieces has stood so strong on equality that shifting the view towards that of competition would be a betrayal. I think they understand that it could be viewed as hypocritical so they are hesitant to make the move. This can be viewed in several other league bettering decisions that they refuse to make.

[Nuthing_but_the_Truth]

Talent is not the issue, but the league is?? So, the solution is to expand? Whaaatttt???? Why in the world would you expand something that doesn't make enough money???

Too much talent and not enough teams?

Woooowww!!!! What about business do you not understand?

[kkelleybass]

It wasn't Stern in 1984, it was 1979 when Bird and Magic entered the NBA, and joined the two biggest marquee teams, that were also arch rivals. THATS what boosted the NBA to the second most popular sport in America after football.

[chuckdeuces]

This has to be one of the most optimistic, misinformed, positive narrative mini docs I've ever heard. Bravo to you for trying or shame on you for lying, idk which yet.

[chenito]

Sorry folks, but Magic and Larry Legend saved the league.

[Dwb.x]

This is why IMO Caitlin Clarke might stay another year (2024/2025) at Iowa. She knows she’ll always make money regardless but at Iowa she and her team is drawing record crowds and adoration and the moment she goes to the WNBA she knows it’s downhill from there unless she can drag those fans across to the WNBA and she knows that is at best 50/50.

[mwoods]

Yep, NBA games in the 70s were NOT on TV at times. I remember sitting in the kitchen listening to the games on the radio

[RomnysGonzalez]

The WNBA is cutting their rookies?!. That's craaaazy

[bobsmith]

NOTHING IS GOING TO FIX IT IF THEY DON'T STOP BEING WOKE.

[herbb]

The biggest problem with the WNBA is their vocal politics. They have alienated half of their potential audience. Politics are just not good for any business, and it doesn't matter which side. It's just a really bad idea to alienate half of your customer base.

[loganorin]

This was a well put together video where the creator put a lot of work and information in it. Too bad it was a complete waste of time. None of those things mentioned in the video is what the problem is with the WNBA. The problem is that the game just isn’t interesting to enough people. Why can’t people accept that fact? In the year 2023, if people wanted to consume this product, they would be. You have OF women making millions with no marketing or advertising. If people want it, they will find it.

[jasonlunstrum]

The game is boring, airballs and layups....👌