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Adam Silver admits WNBA is less popular than NBA thought it would be
Yahoo ^ | September 17, 2015 | Eric Freeman

Posted on 09/18/2015 11:26:11 AM PDT by C19fan

When the NBA backed and promoted the WNBA beginning in 1996 and for its first season in 1997, many men's basketball fans proclaimed that they were having an undesirable product forced down their throats through various partnerships and TV advertisements. The NBA responded to this criticism with full-fledged support, indicating that they believed in the cause of a women's basketball league and would continue to do so for the foreseeable future. Over time, naysayers have become progressively more OK with the idea of a few commercials and cable time slots, perhaps because that such matters had very little effect on their own viewing habits.

(Excerpt) Read more at sports.yahoo.com ...


TOPICS: Sports
KEYWORDS: basketball; nba; wnba
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The people running the NBA were delusional. The WNBA has a niche fan base; the L in LGBT. The only sports were women approach or exceed the popularity of the male version are those that involve artistry, for example, gymnastics and figure skating. Why would fans go for an inferior version of the male product when they can get the real thing.
1 posted on 09/18/2015 11:26:11 AM PDT by C19fan
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To: C19fan

2 posted on 09/18/2015 11:29:02 AM PDT by Snickering Hound
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To: C19fan
You don't say?


3 posted on 09/18/2015 11:35:09 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: Snickering Hound

I guess we need a Title IX for the WNBA. Just to even up the playing field.


4 posted on 09/18/2015 11:36:08 AM PDT by Zuben Elgenubi (NOPe to GOPe)
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To: Snickering Hound
Eh, the only real question is, is an average of 7,500 fans enough to support the league, or if they need a higher number, why haven't they paired down their requirements to meet the 7,500 per game fan base?

The league is ten years old, there really hasn't been any drastic change in fans since 1998 other than a tapering off, so if anyone’s losing money at this point, it is because THEY were the unrealistic ones and need a swift education in business.

5 posted on 09/18/2015 11:37:50 AM PDT by kingu (Everything starts with slashing the size and scope of the federal government.)
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To: C19fan

Why would I want to watch the WNBA? There were intramural teams I played on that could beat these gals.


6 posted on 09/18/2015 11:39:07 AM PDT by Charles Henrickson (6'3")
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To: C19fan
The only sports were women approach or exceed the popularity of the male version are those that involve artistry, for example, gymnastics and figure skating.

I'll bet skimpy outfits and legs akimbo have as much to do with the popularity of female gymnastics and figure skating as artistry does. :-)

7 posted on 09/18/2015 11:39:39 AM PDT by KevinB (Barack Obama: Our first black, gay, Kenyan, Socialist, Muslim president!)
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To: smokingfrog

I detect a lack of defecation...


8 posted on 09/18/2015 11:39:57 AM PDT by MrB (The difference between a Humanist and a Satanist - the latter admits whom he's working for)
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To: C19fan

Is that still a thing?


9 posted on 09/18/2015 11:40:06 AM PDT by ichabod1 (Spriiingtime for islam, and tyranny. Winter for US and frieeends. . .)
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To: C19fan

While it’s good that Americans don’t want to watch a watered down variation of basketball, it is unfortunate that they fail to recognize that basketball itself is a watered down meek sport. What is with all of these sports which have 100+ pages on “fouls” and the obsession with safety (all the whining about brain damage to football players, all the gear the football players have to exhibit, etc.)?

A proper exhibition of physical prowess should necessarily involve danger to its participants. The lack of danger in America’s most popular sports is evidence of the sissification of society, and the consequental dominance of Leftists in politics, media, and entertainment.


10 posted on 09/18/2015 11:40:13 AM PDT by Objective Scrutator (All liberals are criminals, and all criminals are liberals)
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To: C19fan

Amen. Who wants to watch women dribble up and down the court to make layups? I will go even further to say public schools and universities should not be federally mandated to waste equal amounts of funds on girls/womens sports programs. Boys/mens, yes...as those programs do not operate at the financial loss the girls/womens programs do.

Before anyone says it, I am not a guy. I may be sexist, but I am a native daughter of Texas with my original XX chromosomes. (Sorry, Bruce, no matter how you dress, you are a guy with your original XY chromosomes.)


11 posted on 09/18/2015 11:46:38 AM PDT by bigredkitty1 (March 5,2010. Rest in peace, sweet boy. I will miss you, Big Red.)
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To: KevinB
I'll bet skimpy outfits and legs akimbo have as much to do with the popularity of female gymnastics and figure skating...along with crowbars.


12 posted on 09/18/2015 11:47:05 AM PDT by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
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To: MrB
I'm not allowed to multi-task?


13 posted on 09/18/2015 11:48:38 AM PDT by smokingfrog ( sleep with one eye open (<o> ---)
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To: C19fan

14 posted on 09/18/2015 11:49:05 AM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: newfreep
When Donald Trump outdraws NBA Finals

You think the WNBA will be viable?

ESPN is the only network that covers it mostly

15 posted on 09/18/2015 11:49:32 AM PDT by scooby321
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To: Charles Henrickson

Professional women’s sports are at the same level as an average boys HS team.

At best.


16 posted on 09/18/2015 11:49:55 AM PDT by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
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To: newfreep

17 posted on 09/18/2015 11:50:15 AM PDT by RightGeek (FUBO and the donkey you rode in on)
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To: KevinB

Skimpy outfits and legs akimbo IS artistry, fool!


18 posted on 09/18/2015 11:51:55 AM PDT by SoCal Pubbie
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To: RightGeek

That photo would be relevant if she had a basketball and there was a hoop...

Oh my goodness!!!


19 posted on 09/18/2015 11:52:23 AM PDT by newfreep ("Evil succeeds when good men do nothting" - Edmund Burke)
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To: KevinB
"I'll bet skimpy outfits and legs akimbo have as much to do with the popularity of female gymnastics and figure skating as artistry does."

You've broached a subject very unpopular with purists, but your conclusion is CORRECT!!! The simple fact is female bb players look like they're wearing potato sacks for uniforms. Of course, the trend to baggy shorts started back in the eighties with the men. Tattoos became popular as well. So now you have many female players wearing potato sacks for unis and heavily tattooed. Ugh. Or double ugh..

I've brought up the problem with unattractive unis on basketball forums, and was reproached by other posters for not understanding the beauty of the way women played.

Sorry, the sad fact is men won't watch women who they deem unattractive. I don't know if sexier unis would solve the attendance problem, but copying female volleyball players unis (not the beach players) would be a good start.

20 posted on 09/18/2015 11:56:44 AM PDT by driftless2 (For long term happiness, learn how to play the accordion)
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