Is WNBA dead?

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I was wondering with all the hype of the WNBA 6-8 years ago .Stating that they will be the ultimate league and will rival all sports tv ratings . What has happened to it ?
I know the leaguue is dying but does anyone know any current long term plans for the league ....

[MylesKnight]

I can't wait for a Players Strike and the media onslaught that will come along with it.

What a joke that will turn into.. What's next, a WUSA Strike?

[The_herd]

I believe the current plans are to continue milking money from the NBA, through marketing and development, until the league tanks in a couple of years.

On a side note: Has the league showed a profit for a season yet?

[rkmsuf]

anything is possible now with Annikka playing in a PGA event. Maybe since Tim Hardaway's studio gig failed he can make a comeback...

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

I have heard that a few teams have already tanked and that some of them were expansion teams that didnt make it after 1 year .
No I dont believe the wnba has had a profit or good tv ratings .

[The_herd]

Maybe they should try and get Ana Kournikova to play in the league.

[CHEMICAL SOLDIER]

BRING BACK THE XFL!!!!!

[MylesKnight]

A-Frickin'-MEN, ChemSol my man!!!

[scooper]

Was it ever alive?

[GoldenEagle]

I dont think any women's league will ever survive in the US in any sport. Not enough athletism, its at simple as that. Who wants to watch the WNBA when the pace is slow, no dunking, and just no real rythm.

[dunkem]

I'd have more respect for professional women basketball players if they'd try out for regular pro leagues (NBA/NBDL/CBA). This is why I totally respect Sorenstam playing in a PGA golf tournament. There shouldn't be Men's golf and women's golf... there should just be GOLF. There isn't African American Golf and Asian golf. Perhaps there should be a 5'6" and under basketball league where Earl Boykins would be like Lisa Leslie is to the WNBA.

I respected Cheryl Miller for trying out in the old days for the NBA. With all the expansion teams nowdays, she probably would have made it in the NBA. Just wish the women would stop handicapping themselves with lighter basketballs, lower volleyball nets, and shorter driving ranges which make them seem like inferior, minor leagues.

The only way to gain respect is to play on the same playing field. I would bet a few WNBA players could start on NBDL teams and play significant roles in the NBA (with so teams these days). I hope Sorenstam puts up high scores in the Colonial PGA so that it raises the self-imposed low bar that exists in female professional sports. Perhaps then we won't need to worry about equal women/men sports or even women/men collegiate athletic funding.

[rkmsuf]

So there should just be a Club and not a Boys Club and Girls Club?

Should be share restrooms?

What about Scouts...do away with Brownies?

[TroyF]

As one of the few people who like the WNBA, I hope it doesn't go down the tubes.

Who cares about athleticism when you have a league full of one on one players who can't hit a 15 foot jump shot? I hear people complain about the turnovers and poor shooting in a women's game all the time. Yet, I turn on a men's college game or pro game not involving Lakers/Kings/Mavericks and see the same thing.

Go figure.

TroyF

[Anrhydeddu]

Who cares about athleticism when you have a league full of one on one players who can't hit a 15 foot jump shot?

[daedalus]

Originally posted by TroyF
Who cares about athleticism when you have a league full of one on one players who can't hit a 15 foot jump shot?

But Troy, they jump REALLY high on those missed jump shots! I mean, you have to see it! Really, REALLY high!

And, uhh, dunks! Yeah, dunks! Woohoo!

PS - Am I the only one who was amused by the fact that the ONLY PG in the "skills" competition who threw the bounce pass as a two-hand chest pass was a frenchie?

[kcchief19]

I'm with Troy on this one. I'm not a huge WNBA fan, mostly because there isn't a team that I truly associate with, but I'm a big fan of women's basketball. I'll watch a WNBA game if Portland is playing with Jackie Stiles.

I would rather watch a girl's high school game before watching that trash in the NBA. Gee, a bunch of 6-8 guys can jump real high and dunk. But nobody can play defense and nobody can shoot.

The NBA is not going to pull the plug on the WNBA anytime soon. The NBA is too afraid that women's basketball will one day be big time and they don't want to miss the boat. They simply made poor decisions on franchise locations by linking teams with NBA counterparts. But they are going to start relocating franchises to cities with a demand for professional sports and strong interest in women's basketball, such as Connecticut. Heck, a WNBA team in Springfield, Mo., would probably outdraw the New York Liberty.

[Blackadar]

I've never been a fan of the WNBA. I'd rather watch college ball anytime. Replace it with soccer and I'd be a happy man.

[McSweeny]

Originally posted by kcchief19
I'm with Troy on this one. I'm not a huge WNBA fan, mostly because there isn't a team that I truly associate with, but I'm a big fan of women's basketball. I'll watch a WNBA game if Portland is playing with Jackie Stiles.

I would rather watch a girl's high school game before watching that trash in the NBA. Gee, a bunch of 6-8 guys can jump real high and dunk. But nobody can play defense and nobody can shoot.

The NBA is not going to pull the plug on the WNBA anytime soon. The NBA is too afraid that women's basketball will one day be big time and they don't want to miss the boat. They simply made poor decisions on franchise locations by linking teams with NBA counterparts. But they are going to start relocating franchises to cities with a demand for professional sports and strong interest in women's basketball, such as Connecticut. Heck, a WNBA team in Springfield, Mo., would probably outdraw the New York Liberty.

i think the connecticut team will help the WNBA out tons. There are a ton of UCONN women's basketball fans around here and now they all have a pro team they can cheer for

[daedalus]

Originally posted by kcchief19
They simply made poor decisions on franchise locations by linking teams with NBA counterparts. But they are going to start relocating franchises to cities with a demand for professional sports and strong interest in women's basketball, such as Connecticut. Heck, a WNBA team in Springfield, Mo., would probably outdraw the New York Liberty.

Excellent point. It never made much sense to me that they put all the teams in the NBA cities, regardless of how much or whether or not there'd be interests there.

[rjolley]

I think what the WNBA needs to do is move their franchises that aren't drawing very well to the popular ABL cities and/or cities near the top women basketball programs. I think Knoxville would do well, and I think the Connecticut team will do very well.

Seems like the WNBA was a good starting point, now they need to move the teams that aren't doing well into better markets...and maybe allow college stars to play their first couple of years for the pro team nearby....

[EagleFan]

Hopefully the WNBA will go the way of the XFL. Both have the same entertainment value. At least the XFL had some nice looking women to watch with the cheerleaders but that is far from a reason to watch it.

Bring back the USFL at least. That was fun to watch and could have maybe competed if the judge wasn't an idiot and allowed the 1 dollar ruling. He probably had his pockets lined for that one. If it wasn't for the 'other' leagues Philly would be championless for a while (Stars, Wings, Phantoms, Kixx).

[Pumpy Tudors]

Here's what I don't get: If you don't like it, don't watch it. Why hope for the plug to get pulled? All that does is benefit the people who want to sit back and say "Yeah, I knew it was going to fail." Well, whoop-de-do.

As for a "level playing field," why is that fair? Women and men are physically different. To put them on the same floor at the same time is to suggest that they should be doing the same things. The point isn't IF women can compete with men. The point is that they shouldn't have to.

Obviously, their game (which is clearly different from the men's game) doesn't work for everybody. Neither does the NBA! The way most teams in the NBA play, I don't want to watch them, so I don't. It's certainly not my place to tell them that their product should be taken away from the people who DO enjoy it, though. If the NBA keeps putting the WNBA product out there, let the fans enjoy it.

What's so difficult about this?

[lynchjm24]

Originally posted by kcchief19


But nobody can play defense and nobody can shoot.

Nobody can play defense? I hate the NBA as much as the next guy, but it doesn't take a very trained eye to see that 'almost' everyone can play defense.

[dread]

i agree with the post that teams should have been selected with locations of interest in mind and not just mimicing NBA locations. If Tampa had a team I would go watch them for a reasonable price. There are many women I enjoy watching play not the least of which is Holdsclaw.

[daedalus]

Originally posted by Pumpy Tudors
What's so difficult about this?

What?!?!? You mean have a bit of a brain and let people like something other than what I like? You're insane! Insane, I say!