WNBA players pushing for charter flights

[LadyStanley]

Breanna Stewart wants to help subsidize charter flights for WNBA with NIL money

Stewart believes this would help improve the WNBA product and player health and safety.

sports.yahoo.com

Griner may fly separately from her team due to security concerns this coming season.

Click to read more...

 

[Voight]

That league hemorrhages money as is. Good luck getting team owners (who already do a ton of charity just by owning the teams) to pay for chartered flights.

 

[TheBeastCoast]

"Charity cases want more charity"

 

[BKIslandersFan]

That league hemorrhages money as is. Good luck getting team owners (who already do a ton of charity just by owning the teams) to pay for chartered flights.

Joe Tsai wanted to charter flights for his team.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

with what money? the league already runs a net operating loss

 

[KevFu]

This is one of those areas where the NBA could and should flex for the WNBA.

It would not be hard for negotiations for NBA sponsorship of "The official airline of the NBA" to include WNBA sponsorship and providing the charter flights for the WNBA.

Chartering WNBA flights for a season would cost about $30 million. Delta's probably spending a ton more than that on their sports sponsorship already.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

This is one of those areas where the NBA could and should flex for the WNBA.

It would not be hard for negotiations for NBA sponsorship of "The official airline of the NBA" to include WNBA sponsorship and providing the charter flights for the WNBA.

Chartering WNBA flights for a season would cost about $30 million. Delta's probably spending a ton more than that on their sports sponsorship already.

Why would an airline give away money? Sponsorships make sense when the sponsorship brings in additional revenue. Not to be a jackass but no one gives a crap who the official anything of the WNBA is.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

This is one of those areas where the NBA could and should flex for the WNBA.

It would not be hard for negotiations for NBA sponsorship of "The official airline of the NBA" to include WNBA sponsorship and providing the charter flights for the WNBA.

Chartering WNBA flights for a season would cost about $30 million. Delta's probably spending a ton more than that on their sports sponsorship already.

Kev:

what NBA Team owns an WNBA Team today.... that model went out the window when the Miracle became the Sun.... the Silver Stars were sold to Monterey Bay to become the Aces..... it's why Cleveland and Sacramento ownership along w/ Houston's Comets are historical footnotes in the history of the WNBA..... THE model changed toward the D-League now the G-League where the NBA Ownership has primary control over those affiliates.

 

[LadyStanley]

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar congratulates Breanna Stewart for calling attention to WNBA travel issues

"I’m all for WNBA players getting equal rights," he wrote.

sports.yahoo.com

Support.

 

[many76]

Kev:

what NBA Team owns an WNBA Team today.... that model went out the window when the Miracle became the Sun.... the Silver Stars were sold to Monterey Bay to become the Aces..... it's why Cleveland and Sacramento ownership along w/ Houston's Comets are historical footnotes in the history of the WNBA..... THE model changed toward the D-League now the G-League where the NBA Ownership has primary control over those affiliates.

26 of 30 g leagues teams are fully owned and operated by nba teams

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

26 of 30 g leagues teams are fully owned and operated by nba teams

no WNBA Teams are hasn't since 1995..... which is why Houston/Sacramento/Cleveland disappeared.... it's more like 29 of 30..... if not all of them since Denver was the last holdout before the Gold in GR AND New Orleans started the Squadron in Birmingham.... the only teams not affiliated are the Ignite and the Mexican based Capitanes

 

[Hoverhand]

This is a good thing. We're still relatively early in the streaming era and women's sports could still very well find their niche.

That league hemorrhages money as is. Good luck getting team owners (who already do a ton of charity just by owning the teams) to pay for chartered flights.

Sports teams are walking tax write offs. Owners aren't doing this out of the kindness of their heart.

 

[Voight]

This is a good thing. We're still relatively early in the streaming era and women's sports could still very well find their niche.

Sports teams are walking tax write offs. Owners aren't doing this out of the kindness of their heart.

If nobody was watching them on cable/TV in general, why would they all of a sudden watch them now? I don't think the platform was an issue.

 

[aqib]

Something that I wonder about (And I don't know if there is any data out there to support it) but is the WNBA growing the game of basketball overall and thereby benefitting the NBA indirectly? Is its existence making basketball more popular with women fans and then turning them into NBA fans? Again I don't know if there is data out there so I am just thinking out loud.

 

[CHRDANHUTCH]

Something that I wonder about (And I don't know if there is any data out there to support it) but is the WNBA growing the game of basketball overall and thereby benefitting the NBA indirectly? Is its existence making basketball more popular with women fans and then turning them into NBA fans? Again I don't know if there is data out there so I am just thinking out loud.

between the WNBA/G-League there are as the WNBA just gave Toronto a shot at a proposed team with that exhibition game the league just announced, now the question is is MLSE interested in adding another team to its portfolio

 

[joelef]

Something that I wonder about (And I don't know if there is any data out there to support it) but is the WNBA growing the game of basketball overall and thereby benefitting the NBA indirectly? Is its existence making basketball more popular with women fans and then turning them into NBA fans? Again I don't know if there is data out there so I am just thinking out loud.

Women by in large aren’t watching there fellow women playing sports

 

[HisIceness]

As someone who grew up a huge hoops fan, the WNBA was interesting to me during the novelty years. Problem now is the novelty is long gone and the league just isn't interesting. The crying poor hasn't made me or others want to watch.

 

[Hoverhand]

If nobody was watching them on cable/TV in general, why would they all of a sudden watch them now? I don't think the platform was an issue.

Younger generations who are prone to streaming are more likely to partake in viewing women's sports. You also have to take into account that their availability on cable has been always been spotty in many markets and the advertising for it hasn't been great either.

We've also entered into an era where young boys are becoming basketball fans through tiktok highlights and the youtube algorithm shoving Steph Curry clips in their face, There's no reason in time and with effort, the WNBA can't also take advantage of this. The amount of female sports fans is gradually growing, it's an undeniable fact.

It's baffling to me the kind of negative attitude people have towards women's sports. We constantly see disgusting amounts of money poured into business ventures that hemorrhage money in the hopes that one day it will turn a profit. Netflix, Uber, etc. are notorious for this, Uber still being unprofitable now. Despite this when it comes to women's sports people are so close minded to the idea that there is still a market to be tapped into.

If this wasn't the case, you wouldn't have major networks like YES in New York investing in broadcasting rights.

 

[joelef]

As someone who grew up a huge hoops fan, the WNBA was interesting to me during the novelty years. Problem now is the novelty is long gone and the league just isn't interesting. The crying poor hasn't made me or others want to watch.

My biggest problem

Younger generations who are prone to streaming are more likely to partake in viewing women's sports. You also have to take into account that their availability on cable has been always been spotty in many markets and the advertising for it hasn't been great either.

We've also entered into an era where young boys are becoming basketball fans through tiktok highlights and the youtube algorithm shoving Steph Curry clips in their face, There's no reason in time and with effort, the WNBA can't also take advantage of this. The amount of female sports fans is gradually growing, it's an undeniable fact.

It's baffling to me the kind of negative attitude people have towards women's sports. We constantly see disgusting amounts of money poured into business ventures that hemorrhage money in the hopes that one day it will turn a profit. Netflix, Uber, etc. are notorious for this, Uber still being unprofitable now. Despite this when it comes to women's sports people are so close minded to the idea that there is still a market to be tapped into.

If this wasn't the case, you wouldn't have major networks like YES in New York investing in broadcasting rights.

The problem is they blame guilt and shame men for all three leagues woes but not there fellow for it

 

[KevFu]

Two things...

1. There ARE WNBA teams with NBA ownership still. Phoenix, Washington, Indiana, Minnesota, and New York (Brooklyn Nets). Also, Los Angeles is owned by the same group that owns the Dodgers (and Delta is the official airline of both the NBA and MLB). Las Vegas is owned by the owner of the Raiders, but the NFL doesn't have a league-wide deal. Either way, that's 7 of 12 with some pull.


2. Women's sports are a really untapped huge marketplace for business people right now. The VALUE is enormous, because it's a major pro league... with minor league expenses.

We saw the same thing with MLS. Dozens of people wanted to buy MLS teams, because it's the top pro league on the continent, but only has a $25 million payroll. Compared to the Big Four, that's a a bargain.

WNBA games on TV averaged 379,000 viewers, but ESPN is averaging 1.44 million for NBA games.
NBA averages 17,000 fans per game. WNBA averages 5,500.

That's one third the viewers/fans, but the expense of a WNBA roster is UNDER TWO MILLION BUCKS. That's 20 to 40 times cheaper.

 

[Hoverhand]

The problem is they blame guilt and shame men for all three leagues woes but not there fellow for it

Yeah... but no.

The amount of internet hatred that goes against the WNBA just for existing outnumbers women "guilting" men about it 10-1. In this 20 reply thread alone we've had multiple men make up a fairy tale that the league is a charity and mock it.

 

[BigBadBruins7708]

Yeah... but no.

The amount of internet hatred that goes against the WNBA just for existing outnumbers women "guilting" men about it 10-1. In this 20 reply thread alone we've had multiple men make up a fairy tale that the league is a charity and mock i

So what do you consider a league that has been around for 26 years, has never had a single year turning a profit and hasn't gone bankrupt only because the NBA gives it $10+ million a year so it can pay its bills? Hell, the only reason it's on ESPN is because it got piggy backed on the NBA's TV deal.

There are more women than men in the country, the league should have no issues with making money, but they can't be bothered to actually watch it. If a league can't make money with prime time ESPN games and advertising on ESPN then it's fundamentally flawed.

And no it's not just because it's women, there are women's sports that draw big numbers. People tune in to women's tennis, female UFC fights, figure skating and gymnastics are the most watched Olympic events.

 

[Hoverhand]

And no it's not just because it's women, there are women's sports that draw big numbers. People tune in to women's tennis, female UFC fights, figure skating and gymnastics are the most watched Olympic events.

This is precisely why so many people in the sports business world are investing in the WNBA and keeping it alive because there is a path way to making women's sports profitable. The WNBA has multiple owners worth billions, do you think they're doing it out of the kindness of their heart?

I can't sympathize with people who get bent out of shape about it either. The money that the NBA puts into the WNBA doesn't even make a whisper on their balance sheet and it helps keep a league afloat that could one day be a profitable force and it gives young female athletes something to strive for after university. Yet every time it's mentioned in a popular twitter thread or on any other social media platform, it's mocked, ridiculed, and insulted. Jesus, do folks not have something better to do?

 

[joelef]

Yeah... but no.

The amount of internet hatred that goes against the WNBA just for existing outnumbers women "guilting" men about it 10-1. In this 20 reply thread alone we've had multiple men make up a fairy tale that the league is a charity and mock it.

W

This is precisely why so many people in the sports business world are investing in the WNBA and keeping it alive because there is a path way to making women's sports profitable. The WNBA has multiple owners worth billions, do you think they're doing it out of the kindness of their heart?

I can't sympathize with people who get bent out of shape about it either. The money that the NBA puts into the WNBA doesn't even make a whisper on their balance sheet and it helps keep a league afloat that could one day be a profitable force and it gives young female athletes something to strive for after university. Yet every time it's mentioned in a popular twitter thread or on any other social media platform, it's mocked, ridiculed, and insulted. Jesus, do folks not have something better to do?

peolle get bent out of shape because of the virtue signaling and calling people who don’t watch it

 

[Hoverhand]

peolle get bent out of shape because of the virtue signaling and calling people who don’t watch it

I'm sorry about your hurt feelings.