Why hasn't a women's sports league succeeded?

I hope she gets good at soccer.

 

If Serena Williams would stop worrying about being so damn good at tennis and embraced her inner daintiness, women's sports would be better.

Or at least I read something like that somewhere. But it probably wasn't from a highly regarded publication or anything.

 

Why is there no downhill skiiing league? People like watching it during the Olympics, after all.

And, the public's interest in watching a sport during a massive worldwide event is exactly the same as sustaining a full-time, multiple-team, U.S.-only sports league. Because other countries don't count.

 

Well, I keep seeing graphics that compare the television ratings of the "USWNT"'s epic victory over Japan, which included "the greatest 16 minutes in American sports history," according to the Slate.com game story, to the World Series, Stanley Cup Finals, and NBA Finals. The Wall Street Journal, a notably conservative publication, ran such a graphic. So obviously a lot of people think that the comparison is apt, and these ratings are indicative that interest in girls soccer is now on par with the traditional American sports leagues.

 

Remember that epic last day of the MLB regular season a few years ago? Is it possible that was one of the greatest days in sports history, and yet somehow there is still more interest in the Super Bowl every year?

 

Success (and failure) of women's sports teams always comes down to money - and that's why European and Japanese women's leagues succeed. The teams are sources of corporate pride and have full and consistent financial backing. It would be interesting to see if any of those teams actually generate any money and/or what the attendance stats are.
But that's the bottom line.

 

I don't expect a women's sports league to rival the NFL or NBA in popularity or anything. I just am a little surprised that one hasn't been at least financially viable. You'd think there's a business model that could work, right? Look how many times a major professional men's soccer league failed until MLS got the formula right.

 

True. But people love these gals. Did you see the parade? Now seems like the time to strike while the iron is hot.

 

Sorry, but the ratings for a World Cup final that happens once every four years -- with a U.S. team in the final -- is not an apt comparison to the television ratings of the World Series or other finals that happen every year, and which would maintain similar ratings more or less regardless of which teams were in it. The women's team had their moment, and of course SI -- which is never misses an opportunity to capitalize on attractive women -- printed one cover for each member. We can now return to not giving a shit about women's sports, which of course is largely due to the fact that men don't care to follow unless it's a marquee event that even casual female sports fans are talking about. If you want women's leagues to maintain, then attract female fans. Most female sports fans I know enjoy watching the best athletes possible. I.E., men.

 

Fan love (and two weeks of splashy press) doesn't ensure longevity or long-term financial success.

We've been through this before. 1996 was the watershed year for women's teams sports - following US Olympic gold medals in women's soccer, basketball, and softball. But of all the pro leagues that started in the immediate aftermath, only the WNBA survives and, like you said, it's because it's been piggybacking off the NBA this whole time.

 

It was a massive, worldwide event.

Just like badminton in the Olympics.

It's like asking why Mayweather-Pacquaio grossed more money than Mayweather-Creosote would have. Hint: It has nothing to do with how many "real" boxing fans there are.

 

Then there's that pesky problem that the largely male population of sports executives, much like largely male population of newspaper executives, doesn't have the first clue how to attract female fans.