FanPost

How to improve the WNBA



"Opportunity is never lost it is just found by someone else"

Well another day without an owner for the Sparks.

What is that WNBA and NBA offices?

You have to speak up we can't hear you! Oh Well the rest of us can still talk about it.

As you all know by now I was born funny looking not wealthy so i just can't solve the LA Sparks situation out of pocket.

Believe me If I could I would.

I would also buy the Tulsa Shock and get them to be co-tenants in LA with the Sparks.

Skylar Diggins in LA can you imagine the promotional possibilities?

In the meantime, here are five Ideas that I have been rolling through my head for a while, that I think is best for the League going forward.

As always, I am going to say it anyway, so please hear me out, before you take my car keys.

Number One- Enough with the Cutesy ball

Most of you know I officiate Basketball. If I walked on the floor with a cutesy ball for a Regional championship game or a junior college game one of those female athletes would probably punch me in the mouth!

Cutesy ball was fine 17 years ago when the WNBA was trying to get noticed, just like the ABA was trying to get noticed. That ship has sailed. At this point the ball doesn't make the league look unique, it makes it look desperate.

Number Two- The officiating can still be better

In fairness to the league,the officiating has gotten better in the last few years, but it needs to get better still.

I remember walking into a game(s) and wondering how did that guy/girl get to do professional basketball. Those are bad mechanics or he's out of shape, the rotation of the crew when reporting fouls is bad etc.

I know many NBA officials who want the summers off either to rest or run their officiating camps for young officials. Still, it would be great for the league if we could find some financial inducement for Danny Crawford or Violet Palmer or other good officials to work some WNBA games.

Opening night- the playoffs etc.

These are the best female athletes in the world they deserve the best officials on the planet.

Number Three- Go West Young Woman or California here I come.

I am sure a long time ago in the pantheon of the NBA /WNBA offices they thought "yeah put teams in smaller markets and every one in that city will go to the games because there isn't anything else to do. Before you know it Women's Basketball games will be like state fairs or community picnics every one will just have to go!

Hopefully those people have long since been fired.

California is booming again!

Unemployment is going down, Disposal income is rising and as always so is the population.

The Question should not be why California? The Question should be why not California?

Here is another question...

Why did Jesse James rob banks?

Answer - BECAUSE THAT'S WHERE THE MONEY WAS!

California with respect to TV revenue is still where the money is.

TV Revenue is still essential to a professional sports team on the major league level.

Why do you think the ESPN Contract is so critical?

L.A. vs L.A. ,L.A vs Chicago, New York vs Chicago.

As long as we have, want, and need more TV contracts and national sponsors, don't treat the WNBA Product like its minor league hockey. Move your teams to California.

Speaking of minor league hockey

Number Four- Realignment is crucial for success

What is ECHL?

It is Minor league hockey.

ECHL used to stand for East Coast Hockey League.

22 teams most of which , you probably have never heard of, that are scattered all throughout the continental U.S. . This league has no National TV money , no ESPN or Fox, and no National Sponsors.

Still most of the owners eke out a profit every year. How do they do it? No its not low player's salaries.

They use their brains!

They know big brother is not going to swoop in and save them.

They know if they don't work together to make all owners profitable, no one will get paid.

So they limit travel costs for all teams.

13 teams in the eastern conference and 9 in the west. Lets use the west as an example.

California teams- Stockton, San Francisco, Ontario, Bakersfield, San Diego

Near California- Las Vegas, Idaho, Utah, Colorado

These teams play each other during the course of a regular season and only rarely do they go to the east coast except for the playoffs.

These are all short plane flights or bus rides. Which would cut travel costs for everyone in half!

Travel costs are one of an owners biggest expenses, so limit their travel.

West plays West and East plays East until the playoffs.

EXCEPTION!- For THE WNBA- Due to ESPN contracts L.A. may have to go to New York or Chicago may have to go to L.A. a few times during the Season.

Have to keep big brother TV Dollar happy.

The ECHL obviously doesn't have to worry about big brother.

Realignment should look like this

EAST - Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Washington Mystics

WEST - L.A. Shock, L.A. Sparks, San Antonio Silver Stars, San Francisco Dream, Phoenix Mercury, Seattle Storm

I just cut everyone's travel expenses in half and got us out of the attendance dogs of Tulsa and Atlanta.

Number Five- Adam Silver "Say Something I'm giving up on you!"

Somebody can tell me who does that song, because I don't know.

I realize you are running a business the business of basketball and don't have time for a press conference everyday.

Fair enough Mr. Silver,or Ms. Ritchie, or David Stern.

However...

All WNBA fans would appreciate some sort of comment.

Your continued silence makes all fans feel like second class citizens when we should be looked at as your premium shareholders!

Passionate enough to care enough about your product ...

Even though there is no CBA.

Even Though your LA franchise is Floundering!

Even though we are five months from the start of the season!

Even though we can't get a clear and coherent message from anyone about anything.

Say Something I'm giving up on you!

Concluding Thoughts

One last point.....

rosters under the New CBA need to be expanded to 12 players if not 13.

I think all WNBA players are resigned to the fact that huge raises aren't coming any time soon.

Yet if we aren't going to expand the number of teams we need to expand the number of players in the WNBA.

****

Off to Lunch

OK who took my car keys?