How does the WNBA continue to function and make money?

[Nick Young]

How do WNBA teams make money and how can they afford to pay their players?


I am watching Lynx vs Sparks right now and the quality of basketball is really low. They have poor fundamentals and are bricking wideopen shots and poorly defended layups left and right. The halftime score was 36-32. I have only been watching for 10 minutes and already seen 2 wideopen 3 pointers completely miss everything and airball.

Also, the arena looks below half empty.

How does this league stay in business and make money?

[midatlantic09]

I think the NBA subsidizes the WNBA.

[outbreak]

I think the NBA subsidizes the WNBA.
This. Which is what annoys me when they complain about the wage inequality in basketball, if your product can't fund itself how do you expect to justify higher wages

[warriorfan]

Dubai prostitution during the offseason

[iamgine]

The men pays for the women.

[kennethgriffin]

they dont make money


the nba has been funding them for years now

[BigNBAfan]

most of them do porn with male names, ron jeremy was actually lisa lesley

[JimmyMcAdocious]

feminism

[Lakers Legend#32]

The WNBA was David Stern's baby and since he made billions for the NBA owners, they still go along with this out of respect to Stern.

[Lakers Legend#32]

Lezbos

[bdreason]

There are simply too many better options when it comes to watching Basketball. I think the WNBA All-Star game is watchable, but that means the level of Women's basketball still has a long ways to go. When every girl on the court is balling like Elena Delle Donne or Candice Parker, then maybe people will tune in.

[Coach Eddie]

The NBA pays for it.

[HurricaneKid]

How do they make money with 8,000 tickets sold, essentially not playing the players (avg salary 72k) and getting a major influx of marketing dollars for selling space on their jerseys? I mean Taurasi sat this year out because her actual employer (Russian team) was paying her 10X as much as the WNBA was and offered to pay her the equivalent of her WNBA salary to sit the year out. And she is one of the best women hoopers ever.

[90sgoat]

The worst is that the level of quality is so low. It's like watching grade school ball most of the time.

[HurricaneKid]

The worst is that the level of quality is so low. It's like watching grade school ball most of the time.

No arguing this. I love playing with women who know what they are doing (fundamentals are generally on point with high level womens ball) and played all summer with some ladies that were always where I wanted them to be and we had a lot of fun playing together. It turns out they were half the playing rotation for a Big 10 womens team. I was floored when I found that out. They were fundamentally outstanding but didn't have the athleticism to start, probably even PLAY for my HS team.

But I'll watch HS championships. And WNBA playoffs is really intense.

[PAOK]

basketball does not translate well to the womens' edition... same goes for football (soccer) and generally any sport that includes physical contact.

on the other hand non-contact sports such as womens' volleyball or tennis look great

[senelcoolidge]

I've tried to sit down and watch the wnba, it's awful. So true in how bad it is. I rather watch the scrubs at my local playground play than these women. The arena's are nearly empty. I just learned that they are having their playoffs. Just look at these pics, it's awful.

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_16.jpg

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_11.jpg

[Nick Young]

No arguing this. I love playing with women who know what they are doing (fundamentals are generally on point with high level womens ball) and played all summer with some ladies that were always where I wanted them to be and we had a lot of fun playing together. It turns out they were half the playing rotation for a Big 10 womens team. I was floored when I found that out. They were fundamentally outstanding but didn't have the athleticism to start, probably even PLAY for my HS team.

But I'll watch HS championships. And WNBA playoffs is really intense.
This is a myth that needs to die. One only needs to watch 10 minutes of womens college ball or WNBA ball to know that fundamentals suck in the woman's game and are far far below that of the men and even below the level of highschool boys. They regularly airball wideopen 3 pointers, and that is with a lighter smaller ball+a shorter 3 point line.

[Vaniiiia]

This is a myth that needs to die. One only needs to watch 10 minutes of womens college ball or WNBA ball to know that fundamentals suck in the woman's game and are far far below that of the men and even below the level of highschool boys. They regularly airball wideopen 3 pointers, and that is with a lighter smaller ball+a shorter 3 point line.
What does this have to do with fundamentals? And how do you know they regularly do that unless you regularly watch the WNBA...

[FireDavidKahn]

The Lynx happen to be one of only a few teams in the WNBA that actually makes a profit.:pimp:

[JellyBean]

I think the NBA subsidizes the WNBA.

This and the statement by outback is spot on. I am a huge WNBA fan. But many of NBA owners, I know Mr. Taylor here in Minnesota with the Lynx, will fund teams in their area. Also the WNBA was the idea of David Stern. I do agree with outback. When I hear WNBA players, some not all, demanding more money, I cringe. But I am glad that the WNBA is still going strong. Year 19!! :cheers:

[Gileraracer]

If they'd have some hot chicks I'd watch

[Nick Young]

What does this have to do with fundamentals? And how do you know they regularly do that unless you regularly watch the WNBA...
Every time I watch WNBA and womens college ball, I watch for 10-15 minutes on average before switching the channel, and I always see wideopen 3 point shots turn in to airballs.

I'm not making this up. Watch it yourself. See if you can handle watching 15 minutes at a time.

[Nick Young]

What does this have to do with fundamentals? And how do you know they regularly do that unless you regularly watch the WNBA...
People with good shooting fundamentals don't regularly airball open 3 pointers, especially when they are guards.

These women also play poor team defense, and often make dumb passes to no one that result in turnovers. They often make bad passes in to traffic and the point guards don't see people who are wide open. The players in the low post have a low level of skill and they often times miss weakly contested layups. These are not signs of good fundamental play.

[ralph_i_el]

I kinda like the WNBA :confusedshrug: obviously the level of skill isn't the same as the NBA. Why would it be? NBA players are motivated by tens of millions of dollars. WNBA players could make more money with an MBA. IF WNBA players made millions, more women would see that as a career and put more time and effort towards becoming pros.

[sd3035]

This. Which is what annoys me when they complain about the wage inequality in basketball, if your product can't fund itself how do you expect to justify higher wages

Those broads really complain about wage inequality? :facepalm

[sd3035]

I've tried to sit down and watch the wnba, it's awful. So true in how bad it is. I rather watch the scrubs at my local playground play than these women. The arena's are nearly empty. I just learned that they are having their playoffs. Just look at these pics, it's awful.

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_16.jpg

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_11.jpg

I'd tune in to a few games if they dressed like that, but first they'd have to change the selection of women lol

[SpanishACB]

I've tried to sit down and watch the wnba, it's awful. So true in how bad it is. I rather watch the scrubs at my local playground play than these women. The arena's are nearly empty. I just learned that they are having their playoffs. Just look at these pics, it's awful.

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_16.jpg

http://acidcow.com/pics/20110805/basketball_11.jpg

wait

they actually play like that?

[warriorfan]

With those outfits and hotter girls WNBA wouldn't be that bad.

[tomtucker]

wnba players earn less then half of the average nba player

[Nick Young]

I kinda like the WNBA :confusedshrug: obviously the level of skill isn't the same as the NBA. Why would it be? NBA players are motivated by tens of millions of dollars. WNBA players could make more money with an MBA. IF WNBA players made millions, more women would see that as a career and put more time and effort towards becoming pros.
What about the women who are already pros and have been playing basketball their whole lives? What is stopping them from working to improve their skills and become good and stop sucking and stop airballing open shots and bricking layups?

[Lakers Legend#32]

Without lezbos on the court and in the stands, the WNBA would have folded years ago.