When Bill Simmons was great, he used to write columns that were delightfully arranged and occasionally funny. Like this one from 2005 about why the WNBA just doesn’t work.
Times have changed for both institutions. Simmons has burned himself out to the point of being a mockery of himself and becoming an easy target for Rick Reilly, and the WNBA is still plugging away with its short range jumpers and layups.
And the funny thing is that these days, Simmons would kill for the juice the WNBA now enjoys. The talent level has transitioned from middle-aged free agents known only to basketball enthusiasts, to college superstars plucked from ESPN broadcasts and the attention of casual sports fans.
Attendance rose for all WNBA franchises except four last season, and for a league featuring athletes without major endorsement deals or the benefit of the billion-dollar farm system that is present for men’s college basketball, that’s a pretty good sign.
And they might not be that far off. Candace Parker has been to the WNBA what Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan and LeBron James were upon their entrance to the NBA. As a direct result, WNBA jersey sales have increased, games are selling out across the league, and traffic on the league’s web portal has drastically jumped.
But like Bill Simmons, the one thing holding the league back from even more success is an unwillingness to reinvent themselves. Sure, you can package Simmons on a Podcast, E:60, or any other venue, but he’s still going to be the same cat trying to get love off of pop culture references you haven’t thought about in years, and a long-winded willingness to write in the same voice that you talk to your boys in.
The WNBA won’t let go of the "We get no respect because we’re women," kick.
Every year, the league’s marketing campaign revolves around the best of the women’s suffrage movement. Every time you see a great player sarcastically calling you out for thinking WNBA games on on par with rec league games, chiding you for thinking women are afraid of contact on the court, or smirking at you for thinking the games are boring, you get the sense that Susan B. Anthony herself would think that its all a little over the top.
It’s okay. Everyone does not like the WNBA, just like everyone does not like the NBA. Some people are just sexist jerks. Some people are racist, and some people just don’t like basketball. You can’t win em’ all, so there’s no great value in structuring appeals that speak directly to the most degrading perspectives in and around sports.
We just watched a 2008 NBA Finals Game 3 that offered up a poorer total shooting percentage than a drunken dorm room Halo tournament. In comparison of regular season, home-court shooting percentages, the WNBA and the NBA are hovering in 40 percent land.
Now is it really that much better watching men miss six shots out of 10 then women? Not really; we’ve just had a lot more years and plenty more marketed back stories to appreciate men not being able to shoot.
Chill, WNBA. We’re not out to end the league. We’re not even out to ignore it. Old habits are hard to break, but you just gotta appreciate the cracks.
Besides, what you all are selling is a lot more addictive than Simmons’ product these days.
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I can’t help but point out the irony that the NBA subsidizes the WNBA to the tune of $10-12 million per season.
Smart move by David Stern.
Personally, I do not watch the WNBA….it’s just not enjoyable to me.
I enjoyed watching my team way back when I was in college….they were pretty damn good (they had 4 time Kodak all-American and former 1st overall WNBA pick Latoya Thomas).
Plus, I didn’t mind playing occasional pick up games with the girls team…..certainly a better brand of basketball.
That being said…I can’t find myself being a fan of the WNBA…and that’s okay. I won’t knock them that much….but still, I often have to give an ‘oh brother’ to the empowerment ad campaigns…especially considering the subsidy, which will probably always occur.
But like I said, if David Stern wants to increase the exposure of the game of basketball, across genders and sexual preference, then mere millions per year is a very savvy investment. And I’m sure the young females who get hooked will most likely become NBA fans as well.