Is the WNBA going up or down?

ROXRAN · 02-27-2001, 12:21 PM

Do yall think the WNBA is here to stay? I know some of you guys like it, but I am not sure it appeals to the masses.

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Sometimes you gotta do the next best thing!

kbm · 02-27-2001, 05:00 PM

I'm all for a women's basketball league. Those girls are sexy! Athletic bodies. Man!
Just Kidding...not REALLY!

I think it is here to stay. I really think the women play better than the men, but they just don't have the physical stamina to play with the men. If they did, the men would get schooled for sure.

On a side note, Tina Thompson can rebound better than anyone on the rockets now. If the rockets don't get webber, they need to sign her!

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I am an invisible man.

ChrisP · 02-28-2001, 07:51 PM

Good question. I honestly have no idea if the WNBA will make it. My feeling is that it will, but I recognize that my perception may be skewed because I'm a fan of the league's only champion. I just don't know how well recieved the game is on a national level.

That being said, I believe that the skill level will continue to increase as young girls with visions of going pro work hard to develop as players. When those girls grow up and join the league, it will get more and more exciting to watch. If the league can survive the early years, I think it'll be successful in the long run.

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cometsluv4play · 03-01-2001, 06:43 AM

i agree with chrisp....it's hard to give a objective opinion when your team is wnba's version of da-bulls. i know attendence is an issue for for about half the league and that could be a serious issue in the short term for teams considering moving cities. the league can threaten their collective cities and jockey them around for awhile,... at least long enough until somebody beats us...which could be awhile

but salaries are extremly low across the board. i would be willing to bet that i make more money than 75% of the non-star players in the league and that alone should sustain the league for awhile too. my gut feeling is that it will make it both short and long term. Val's doing a good job holding the reigns tight. no exspansion this year is good...

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cynthia don't go!!! i miss you already

ChrisP · 03-01-2001, 10:53 AM

That's a good point about the salaries 4play. I remember the players making noises about forming a union or hooking up with the NBA players union or something but it seems they've backed off that for now. As long as the league can tightly manage its operating costs (including salaries), it should be alright. It does still have the backing of the NBA, which is a pretty solid safety net. Players can band together and lobby for big money once the league is firmly established and raking in the dough, assuming it achieves that level of success.

It still will come down to whether the public embraces women's ball, though. Only time will tell. So far, it seems that they have. The strong TV presence that NBA money/clout made possible definitely helps in marketing the game and creating an identity for the league. I still love that "We got next!" slogan they opened with.

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Live · 03-01-2001, 12:20 PM

I think, and hope, that the WNBA will carve out its own niche and grow as a league. I hate to write this, but the league will really start to take off when someone else starts winning championships, and more teams have a legitimate chance to win.

Just give it some time.

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Timing · 03-01-2001, 12:33 PM

The WNBA players formed a union about two years ago so there is already a push by the players to increase salaries and benefits. Not really a good thing for a new league.

Who knows if it will last. Sometimes it feels like the WNBA is just on the verge of busting it big and other times it feels like it could close down tomorrow. The league keeps it's financials well hidden so it's hard to gauge the progress the league is making monetarily.

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"Relax... kids swallow quarters all the time. If she craps out two dimes and a nickel then start worrying!" -Grumpier Old Men

cometsluv4play · 03-01-2001, 07:57 PM

of coarse i can't remember where right off the top of my head, wheather it was wnba.com or the chronicle that said the wnba published its gross earnings from either 98 or 99 being 47 million with players salaries being within 10 percent of that gross exspence. i try and find this in the chronicle archives if i can. give me a few days i have to work tonight and may not get back for a while, sorry

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cynthia don't go!!! i miss you already

PhiSlammaJamma · 03-05-2001, 10:34 PM

I can tell you that in Washington DC, the team has been in dead last almost every year, and they've sold out every game. They have better fans than the wizards. For real. Even when they are losing. So based on that alone I'd say the league is doing really well in most cities.

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humble, but hungry.

PhiSlammaJamma · 03-05-2001, 10:37 PM

by the way, draft is on ESPN 2 in late April. Somebody keep up posted. Not everyone gets ESPN2.

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humble, but hungry.