There are many delusional people and organizations in the world today, but the WNBA is among the top of the list. There are only about two dozen players who could be named by no one except the most ardent basketball fans. The league has been in existence for about thirty years and had their best season in terms of attendance and television viewership in the past decade and has lost money every year. The league lost about 40 million dollars this year. Much of the loss this year was because of increased spending on travel and lodging.
In spite of this, the players are demanding a substantial pay raise in the 2025 season. The owners of the NBA teams have funded the WNBA since its inception, and some are getting tired of losing money. All of the blame should not be placed solely at the feet of the players. The league and team managers are also culpable for several reasons including downplaying the role of Caitlin Clark in much of the relative success of the league this year. The average game attendance in 2024 was 9,807 up from 6,615 in 2023. Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark averaged 17,056 and played in 19 of the top 22 games. The league has decided to further dilute the talent pool by adding another team next year.
Other changes need to be made. Hiring more competent officials would be a good start, but this will add to the budget. It is difficult to believe that the WNBA can survive much longer without making some substantial changes, and there is no indication that either the players or management are willing to change.
In spite of this, the players are demanding a substantial pay raise in the 2025 season. The owners of the NBA teams have funded the WNBA since its inception, and some are getting tired of losing money. All of the blame should not be placed solely at the feet of the players. The league and team managers are also culpable for several reasons including downplaying the role of Caitlin Clark in much of the relative success of the league this year. The average game attendance in 2024 was 9,807 up from 6,615 in 2023. Indiana Fever and Caitlin Clark averaged 17,056 and played in 19 of the top 22 games. The league has decided to further dilute the talent pool by adding another team next year.
Other changes need to be made. Hiring more competent officials would be a good start, but this will add to the budget. It is difficult to believe that the WNBA can survive much longer without making some substantial changes, and there is no indication that either the players or management are willing to change.
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