What's the problem with billionaires subsidizing a league for growing interest in the game of basketball overall?
Honestly nothing wrong with it. It's their money to spend how they see fit. One does have to wonder how long will it take for this interest to grow enough that they no longer need to be subsidized as it's 26 years old now. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ThyKingdomCome15:
Nick had to say that. He has a black wife. I forgive him.
Not true at all. He could have just remained silent on it. He spoke up because he is right. There was nothing wrong with what she did. Players in all sports at all levels do stuff like this all the time. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Honestly nothing wrong with it. It's their money to spend how they see fit. One does have to wonder how long will it take for this interest to grow enough that they no longer need to be subsidized as it's 26 years old now.
I think rams fan has it right. Even if it’s not profitable it’s probably worth keeping around. If I had a guess, wnba inspires young kids to play basketball, then as they grow older they start following the nba and give less of a shit about the wnba.
It’ll actually be interesting to see if paying players moves the needle. It means nothing to the nba where pros dominate sponsorships. But college women’s bball is undoubtedly more popular than the wnba and it seems more popular than ever. Part of caitlin Clark’s recent fame is because she’s well marketed. You wonder if that carries through to the wnba even just a little bit. [Reply]
Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501:
I think rams fan has it right. Even if it’s not profitable it’s probably worth keeping around. If I had a guess, wnba inspires young kids to play basketball, then as they grow older they start following the nba and give less of a shit about the wnba.
It’ll actually be interesting to see if paying players moves the needle. It means nothing to the nba where pros dominate sponsorships. But college women’s bball is undoubtedly more popular than the wnba and it seems more popular than ever. Part of caitlin Clark’s recent fame is because she’s well marketed. You wonder if that carries through to the wnba even just a little bit.
Actually, youth participation in women's basketball has been down compared to softball and volleyball. [Reply]
Originally Posted by chiefzilla1501:
I think rams fan has it right. Even if it’s not profitable it’s probably worth keeping around. If I had a guess, wnba inspires young kids to play basketball, then as they grow older they start following the nba and give less of a shit about the wnba.
It’ll actually be interesting to see if paying players moves the needle. It means nothing to the nba where pros dominate sponsorships. But college women’s bball is undoubtedly more popular than the wnba and it seems more popular than ever. Part of caitlin Clark’s recent fame is because she’s well marketed. You wonder if that carries through to the wnba even just a little bit.
Oh, I am not arguing the merits of it being around or not. I am just curious if it will ever be profitable enough to stand on it's own without subsidization. It's 26 years old and still struggling.
Regarding the popularity of women's basketball, is it more popular? Or was it a product of the tournament ala the World Cup? Perhaps it is more popular than the WNBA. [Reply]
Originally Posted by |Zach|:
Nobody had to race "bait" this situation.
It is a response to people reacting to something differently when the only difference was race.
Race did not have to be artificially put into it...the dog whistles were already out.
:-)...Caitlin did it after the Louisville game after the Louisville player had done it to them during the game. Caitlin did it from long distance for literally 1 second. Caitlin didn't gesture towards the LSU players at all on Sunday, but the LSU player literally followed her around the court for 10-15 seconds in arms reach trying to get literally in her face. It's not a black or white issue, if Caitlin would have did the same, I would have been embarrassed. [Reply]
Originally Posted by tredadda:
Oh, I am not arguing the merits of it being around or not. I am just curious if it will ever be profitable enough to stand on it's own without subsidization. It's 26 years old and still struggling.
Regarding the popularity of women's basketball, is it more popular? Or was it a product of the tournament ala the World Cup? Perhaps it is more popular than the WNBA.
For sure, which is why I buy into rams fans idea that it doesn’t make money but the nba owners feel they need to subsidize it anyway because even if it’s not bottom line profitable it probably helps the league more than it hurts.I don’t know that it ever will make money. As I’ve said I think a lot of the popularity of the league is contrived.
It does seem like college women’s bball is surging. I don’t think it’s even a question it’s more popular than the wnba. It seems with women’s sports interest peaks in college then plummets in the pros. That includes a uswnt that has wild popularity but has struggled to find interest in a women’s pro soccer league that features the same players. I think a lot of that has to do with the tournament style of play but it also helps that ESPN is in the SECs back pocket and they’ve been pushing hard for women’s sports like softball and college bball. Even they seem to recognize that money is to be made in women’s college but not in the pros. [Reply]
Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief: :-)...Caitlin did it after the Louisville game after the Louisville player had done it to them during the game. Caitlin did it from long distance for literally 1 second. Caitlin didn't gesture towards the LSU players at all on Sunday, but the LSU player literally followed her around the court for 10-15 seconds in arms reach trying to get literally in her face. It's not a black or white issue, if Caitlin would have did the same, I would have been embarrassed.
It’s not a black and white issue guys.
Also…before this happened.
Originally Posted by IowaHawkeyeChief:
3 minority officials, Iowa with 5 all white starters...
Clarke will make Millions on her NIL, because of her play and personality.
No one will remember Angel Reese's name in 3 months.
I wish the Hawks would have won, and while there are head-scratchers from the game, when you lose by that many you have to credit the performance of the other team. [Reply]