Threats to the WNBA Jamie Boezwinkle

Economic Hardships • Loss of money during their first few years of existence – NBA financial backing ($8-10 million annually) – NBA kept the league from going bankrupt

Economic Hardships Cont.

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WNBA Team Salary Cap

WNBA Team Salary Cap – – $803,000 per team Most WNBA players are paid $30,000-99,500 per season •

NBA Team Salary Cap

NBA Team Salary Cap – – $49.4 million per team Tracy McGrady is the highest paid NBA player for the 2009 10 Season at $23,329,561

Economic Hardships Cont.

• Houston Comets – NBA could not find a buyer for the franchise – 4 Time Champion franchise

Marketing Failure • Commercials – Fans feel WNBA plays the “shame card” when promoting the league – Don’t promote the players like the LPGA & WTA do • Ex. Serena & Venus Williams

Marketing Failure Cont.

• Companion to NBA – Instead of promoting the league and its players, they simply refer to the WNBA as being a companion to the NBA – Should have targeted Women’s college hoop fanatics

Works Cited – Justice, Dennis. 2008, December 31. It’s time for the WNBA to reinvent itself. http://www.oursportscentral.com/services/releases/?

id=3758114 – Zegers, Charlie. 2009, December 14. The WNBA, the NBA, why we compare the two. http://basketball.about.com/od/womenscollegebaske tball/a/wnba-vs-nba.htm

– Theil, Art. 2003, April 16. Market forces spell WNBA’s demise. http://www.seattlepi.com/thiel/117780_thiel16.html