WNBA - Thread II

[Blitz]

This idea might have been discussed in WNBA - Tread I
Not sure.
i was meaning to post on this subject earlier.

The league continues to be poorly marketed.

The idea of players coming on and saying stuff like
"This isn't good basketball ... or, The league will never make it ... or Don't watch this"

That sort of stuff send the wrong message.
What if a blind person was listening to that, trying to follow along with the TV?

They'd get a completely wrong idea of what the league projects as it's message.
Expect great?

Not with this latest campaign.

Expect fail.
And I love watching the games on TV. I'm just saying ..
Over and over and over we see poor marketing by this circuit.

 

[Boom_70]

This idea might have been discussed in WNBA - Tread I
Not sure.
i was meaning to post on this subject earlier.

The league continues to be poorly marketed.

The idea of players coming on and saying stuff like
"This isn't good basketball ... or, The league will never make it ... or Don't watch this"

That sort of stuff send the wrong message.
What if a blind person was listening to that, trying to follow along with the TV?

They'd get a completely wrong idea of what the league projects as it's message.
Expect great?

Not with this latest campaign.

Expect fail.
And I love watching the games on TV. I'm just saying ..
Over and over and over we see poor marketing by this circuit.

The WNBA needs to follow the model of the MLS - set expectations low and be pleasantly surprised.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

This idea might have been discussed in WNBA - Tread I
Not sure.
i was meaning to post on this subject earlier.

The league continues to be poorly marketed.

The idea of players coming on and saying stuff like
"This isn't good basketball ... or, The league will never make it ... or Don't watch this"

That sort of stuff send the wrong message.
What if a blind person was listening to that, trying to follow along with the TV?

They'd get a completely wrong idea of what the league projects as it's message.
Expect great?

Not with this latest campaign.

Expect fail.
And I love watching the games on TV. I'm just saying ..
Over and over and over we see poor marketing by this circuit.

I agree that the marketing leaves much to be desired.

How would you market the league?

Boom - I think you mean the NHL

 

[Boom_70]

This idea might have been discussed in WNBA - Tread I
Not sure.
i was meaning to post on this subject earlier.

The league continues to be poorly marketed.

The idea of players coming on and saying stuff like
"This isn't good basketball ... or, The league will never make it ... or Don't watch this"

That sort of stuff send the wrong message.
What if a blind person was listening to that, trying to follow along with the TV?

They'd get a completely wrong idea of what the league projects as it's message.
Expect great?

Not with this latest campaign.

Expect fail.
And I love watching the games on TV. I'm just saying ..
Over and over and over we see poor marketing by this circuit.

I agree that the marketing leaves much to be desired.

How would you market the league?

Boom - I think you mean the NHL

No - but the NHL should also follow the business model of the MLS.

 

[poindexter]

Anybody know of a good WNBA roto site? I'm in a super competitive league, and I'm tired of getting my ass kicked by these guys.

 

[Boom_70]

Anybody know of a good WNBA roto site? I'm in a super competitive league, and I'm tired of getting my ass kicked by these guys.

Maybe the NIAFL should branch into WNBA

 

[Blitz]

I'd run fast hi-lites with cool music bed underneath and promo games.

I wouldn't focus so much on asking the ladies to read script and peer into the camera.
These aren't superwomen, any more than 98 percent of the NBA rostered players are super men.
Save for Kobe and about five others, they are just good players.

Same for the ladies.
Announce when the games are, show them at the designated times, and stop trying to grab everyone's attention.
It ain't gonna happen. But you might draw X number of viewers who are genuinely interested.

 

[Corky Ramirez up on 94th St.]

Go here

http://www.smashsouthsports.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5931

and click on the youtube clip at the bottom. Don't worry, it's safe.

 

[Blitz]

That's pretty much my mindset.
I was shocked when I saw those first ads running, during the Suns/Spurs series, I think.

I said to myself We've seen this poor marketing over and over and over and over and over."

Awful campaign. And to think someone got paid to come up with that BS

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

When I was listening to the Alicia Keys' song "Superwoman" - all I could think was "how would this song do in conjunction with highlights."

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

I think a good way for the WNBA to promote itself would be to hold preseason games against the winning intramural teams from local colleges. For instance Connecticut could play the winner of UConn's men's intramurals and LA could play the winner from either UCLA or USC. Every franchise has a local big name university. There would be tons of interest - I bet ESPN could get good ratings and when the women win - then the respect level and interest in the league would further peak. If ESPN could use ESPN2 or ESPNU to cover the games.

 

[Idaho]

Why not? The college teams already scrimmage against men's intramural squads.

 

[Idaho]

Next question: Who gets the new expansion teams?

WNBA president Donna Orender said Sunday the league is looking to add two teams in the next five years.

"I'm stunned by the quality and the amount of talent that is not making our league," Orender said at Madison Square Garden while attending the New York Liberty's season opener against the Connecticut Sun. "Negotiations are always complex, they don't happen necessarily exactly like you'd want them, but probably two teams in the next five years."

The 14-team league, which began its 12th season this weekend, has expanded twice in the last three years, adding the Chicago Sky in 2006 and the Atlanta Dream this season. In between, the Charlotte Sting folded after the 2006 season.

Each team is allowed to have a maximum of 13 players on the roster, with 11 active for each game.

"So that is really a net addition of 26 jobs, which is not a lot of jobs," Orender said of the future expansion plans. "I spent time with the L.A. GM on Friday, and the players they cut could start for an expansion team today."

"There's an explosion of talent, and explosion of the game and that is what's going to continue to make this league grow."

The WNBA started with eight teams in 1997, and grew to a high of 16 in 2000 after adding four teams for that season. However, the league was down to 13 teams by 2004 after three folded -- Portland and Miami after the 2002 season, and Cleveland a year later. Also, Utah moved to San Antonio and Orlando was sold to the Mohegan Tribe and relocated to Connecticut.

 

[Boom_70]

Next question: Who gets the new expansion teams?

WNBA president Donna Orender said Sunday the league is looking to add two teams in the next five years.

"I'm stunned by the quality and the amount of talent that is not making our league," Orender said at Madison Square Garden while attending the New York Liberty's season opener against the Connecticut Sun. "Negotiations are always complex, they don't happen necessarily exactly like you'd want them, but probably two teams in the next five years."

The 14-team league, which began its 12th season this weekend, has expanded twice in the last three years, adding the Chicago Sky in 2006 and the Atlanta Dream this season. In between, the Charlotte Sting folded after the 2006 season.

Each team is allowed to have a maximum of 13 players on the roster, with 11 active for each game.

"So that is really a net addition of 26 jobs, which is not a lot of jobs," Orender said of the future expansion plans. "I spent time with the L.A. GM on Friday, and the players they cut could start for an expansion team today."

"There's an explosion of talent, and explosion of the game and that is what's going to continue to make this league grow."

The WNBA started with eight teams in 1997, and grew to a high of 16 in 2000 after adding four teams for that season. However, the league was down to 13 teams by 2004 after three folded -- Portland and Miami after the 2002 season, and Cleveland a year later. Also, Utah moved to San Antonio and Orlando was sold to the Mohegan Tribe and relocated to Connecticut.

[/quote] "I'm stunned by the quality and the amount of talent that is not making our league," Orender said at Madison Square Garden [quote/]

Assuming she meant athletic talent.

 

[John]

If they were smart, they'd put a team in Nashville. Get a handful of former Lady Vols on the roster and the fans would show up in decent numbers.

 

[sportschick]

If they were smart, they'd put a team in Nashville. Get a handful of former Lady Vols on the roster and the fans would show up in decent numbers.

I was thinking the same thing when they announced the expansion. The Sun draw well. There are a hotspots of fan interest for women's college ball, and it makes more sense (in my head) to put teams in those places, than linking all of them up with NBA teams just because.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I think a good way for the WNBA to promote itself would be to hold preseason games against the winning intramural teams from local colleges. For instance Connecticut could play the winner of UConn's men's intramurals and LA could play the winner from either UCLA or USC. Every franchise has a local big name university. There would be tons of interest - I bet ESPN could get good ratings and when the women win - then the respect level and interest in the league would further peak. If ESPN could use ESPN2 or ESPNU to cover the games.

Too much risk. What if they lose?

I don't think they would either. I think they would demolish an intramural team. But on the off-chance they lose, it could be devastating.

 

[Hammer Pants]

If they were smart, they'd put a team in Nashville. Get a handful of former Lady Vols on the roster and the fans would show up in decent numbers.

If you want attendance, why not just play it in Knoxville? A big enough metro area with arguably more per capita women's hoops fans than anywhere. Plenty of WNBA players still live in that area, and they would probably like playing in that arena, especially considering the recent renovations.

That team would also draw decent TV ratings (relatively speaking ... it's the WNBA), considering all the Lady Vols fans nationwide. Summitt could own the team. Put orange uniforms on them. It could work.

The women's basketball hall of fame is across the street from the arena, too.

 

[Mystery_Meat]

The Sting should have moved up the road to Raleigh/Durham. Strong college women's hoops, and there's not a lot of competition for the sports dollar during their season (excluding the D-Bulls and Mudcats)

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

Nashville / Knoxville seems like a natural for a team.