2024 WNBA Season Discussion Thread

[hermes]

courtney williams making things happen out here

[Wallace_Wallace]

Reese went for the ball and made inadvertent contact with her head. It was hard foul but it wasn't a dirty play.

You guys can at least PRETEND that you've watched basketball before if you're gonna spew garbage about Angel.

Inadvertent, that’s convenient. Sounds like a Draymond Green special, and Steve Kerr conveniently says “I didn't see the replay, and at this point we’ve moved on as a team.” When someone plays dirty, there’s no defending it.

One of the most physical teams in the NBA this year was the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even when they ratchet up their intensity in the playoffs, I don’t remember seeing them knocking KD, Booker, Murray, Jokic, Irving or Doncic in the head like that and they have athletes guarding all positions.

I guess I can stick with NBA basketball since I’m too bigoted to judge a dirty play.

Well, number 1 we know you don't watch the WNBA anyway. Based on some of the previous comments I've seen from you on the GB, I know for a fact you don't watch and your interest in Caitlin Clark is 100% political.

Number 2, there were over 45+ Flagrant fouls called in the NBA this year. Hard fouls happen. This is nothing new. No one is targeting Clark and if you watch the play, Reese was going for the ball and missed, clipping Clark in the head. The fact that you even compare this play to anything that Draymond has done, which includes choking a player and jump stomping on someone's chest, is all I need to know that you're being disingenuous.

So you are one of those holier-than-thou guys. All good, I don’t have much to say about my morals, your morals or Caitlyn Clark. The only time I said something on GB about Clark is to not compare or insinuate the notion that she could play in the NBA based on one particular skill (shooting). But I’m sure some people will always take it the wrong way.

The Chicago Sky committed 2 flagrant fouls all year and they both happened to be against Clark. There will be a third time and beyond, but it’ll be the same running excuse similar to Draymond Green…..”emotions running high” or inadvertent contact.

You’re right, I haven’t watched WNBA on TV since the Pistons’ heyday. I followed the Detroit Shock until they left the city. Ever since then, I just kind of bandwagon to Las Vegas Ace several year backs since it was a legitimate franchise instead of California rejects. I get to watch them (Golden Knights/Aces) live instead of on television. But you do you, I’m sure your attitude will make you many friends in real life.

[hermes]

hiedeman is very quick and high energy

[hermes]

great start to the quarter

[hermes]

wings not going away, they are better than their record (or at least are tonight)

and without arike

[hermes]

lynx win!

very balanced again (5 in double figures), forced a lot of turnovers (16), and paraded to the free throw line (23-24)

[wojoaderge]

For those of you who try to avoid the GB:

Read on Twitter

[sunsbum]

The amount of racist comments about Reese are insane in Twitter and youtube. Social media be showing true colors. The unfortunate thing of course being people can remain anonymous when making such comments.

And then the media making that flagrant call a bigger deal than it is.....just nasty work from engagement corps and individuals.

Come on, CC is being targeted and its obvious why. At first I chalked it up as old heads ushering the young kids in but its pretty clear thats not what this is about.

Thankfully CC doesn't share any of your opinion:

Read on Twitter

She is not being targeted and the foul yesterday was a play on ball where she got hit accidentally. Reese did not intentionally hit her. We're here to discuss womens hoops, not your racially fueled conspiracy theories. Thanks.

Of course she’s not going —> cant come out and say it. lol. Reese ain’t on the receiving end of all this nonsense and she’s an absolute diva. So what’s the reason then?

[MrDollarBills]

Watch on YouTube

The beef between Skylar and the Mercury is deep.

I have a serious issue with teams who sh*t on players for becoming mothers. That isn't right and the next CBA needs to have explicit language that protects players who end up getting pregnant via roster exemption. That is a natural life event and should be treated as such.

[MrDollarBills]

Come on, CC is being targeted and its obvious why. At first I chalked it up as old heads ushering the young kids in but its pretty clear thats not what this is about.

Thankfully CC doesn't share any of your opinion:

Read on Twitter

She is not being targeted and the foul yesterday was a play on ball where she got hit accidentally. Reese did not intentionally hit her. We're here to discuss womens hoops, not your racially fueled conspiracy theories. Thanks.

Of course she’s not going —> cant come out and say it. lol. Reese ain’t on the receiving end of all this nonsense and she’s an absolute diva. So what’s the reason then?

Watch on YouTube

Maybe watch games next time before running to provide an opinion no one asked for.

[MrDollarBills]

lynx win!

very balanced again (5 in double figures), forced a lot of turnovers (16), and paraded to the free throw line (23-24)

The Cup Finals is gonna be a war.

[MrDollarBills]

For those of you who try to avoid the GB:

Read on Twitter

THANK YOU. Have people just started watching basketball or something????

We need to repost this every time someome from the GB stumbles on here crying

[MrDollarBills]

Inadvertent, that’s convenient. Sounds like a Draymond Green special, and Steve Kerr conveniently says “I didn't see the replay, and at this point we’ve moved on as a team.” When someone plays dirty, there’s no defending it.

One of the most physical teams in the NBA this year was the Minnesota Timberwolves. Even when they ratchet up their intensity in the playoffs, I don’t remember seeing them knocking KD, Booker, Murray, Jokic, Irving or Doncic in the head like that and they have athletes guarding all positions.

I guess I can stick with NBA basketball since I’m too bigoted to judge a dirty play.

Well, number 1 we know you don't watch the WNBA anyway. Based on some of the previous comments I've seen from you on the GB, I know for a fact you don't watch and your interest in Caitlin Clark is 100% political.

Number 2, there were over 45+ Flagrant fouls called in the NBA this year. Hard fouls happen. This is nothing new. No one is targeting Clark and if you watch the play, Reese was going for the ball and missed, clipping Clark in the head. The fact that you even compare this play to anything that Draymond has done, which includes choking a player and jump stomping on someone's chest, is all I need to know that you're being disingenuous.

You’re right, I haven’t watched WNBA on TV since the Pistons’ heyday.

Lmao of course you haven't.

Read on Twitter

[MrDollarBills]

yeah i tried watching liberty games last year and even ncaa womens tournament basketball and they weren't there. im confident iowa vs lsu, iowa vs uconn and iowa vs sc weren't on there. i think they got added like a few days into the WNBA season..? maybe right at the start? not sure, i just know i couldn't watch anything

eh, the gambling has brought me into watching more games. i'm familiar with more of the teams and players because of it. i've watched a good amount of the liberty, aces, fever, sparks and sky with a little bit of the suns. definitely can't catch me watching the dream, mystics, storm or wings though

Give the Storm a try, they've got a really good core trio of Nneka Ogwumike (Chiney from ESPN's sister), Jewel Loyd, and Skylar Diggins-Smith. They started slow but they're gonna be in the mix come playoff time.

The Wings are a disappointment but when Satou returns I think they're gonna pick it up. If anything, Arike is worth watching because she has absolutely disgusting handles

i watch a little bit here and from what i've seen jewell loyd and arike just do a little too much chucking. not really a fan of either of their games.

i actually think lowkey rickea jackson been the best rookie so far, she needs more coverage. i started watching the sparks for cam but rickea is legit. she needs more touches

That's a fair criticism.

Re: Jackson, Absolutely. She has had her ups and downs like all rookies, but Rickea is going to be an all star.

[Wallace_Wallace]

Well, number 1 we know you don't watch the WNBA anyway. Based on some of the previous comments I've seen from you on the GB, I know for a fact you don't watch and your interest in Caitlin Clark is 100% political.

Number 2, there were over 45+ Flagrant fouls called in the NBA this year. Hard fouls happen. This is nothing new. No one is targeting Clark and if you watch the play, Reese was going for the ball and missed, clipping Clark in the head. The fact that you even compare this play to anything that Draymond has done, which includes choking a player and jump stomping on someone's chest, is all I need to know that you're being disingenuous.

You’re right, I haven’t watched WNBA on TV since the Pistons’ heyday.

Lmao of course you haven't.

Read on Twitter

Good job for copy and pasting!

Another point you should point you should consider. People that instigate wanted to the spotlight for some attention, but attention can come from a positive light or negative light. Just because they are women does not they can’t be criticized. Good thing there are white knights like yourself to shield the WNBA from the negative opinion, and I hope there’s enough of you guys to drive up their revenue as well

Also you didn’t say anything about PJ Washington’s play; was that inadvertent as well? What if Porzingis actually got hurt since he has a foot injury? Or you doing the Steve Kerr “I didn’t replay and I’ve moved on”?

Spoiler:

People can actually get hurt from these plays. Even, Cheryl Ford who tried to be a peacemaker between the Shock/Sparks ended with an ACL. Because they’re women, we shouldn’t say anything negative about it and just move on?

[MrDollarBills]

Sportico released the valuations of the league's teams:

https://www.sportico.com/valuations/teams/2024/wnba-team-values-las-vegas-seattle-1234784566/

The teams are collectively worth 1.16bil.

Aces are the most valuable team (140m), Dream are the least (55m)

NY led the league in revenue (18m)

Shockingly the Sky are the 5th most valuable team at 95m. They are notoriously cheap.

Some interesting tidbits:

> A finalized TV deal is what everyone at the NBA and WNBA is watching. The current $2.7 billion-a-year pact with ESPN and Turner Sports signed in 2014 expires after next year. It grants the WNBA roughly 1% of the agreement, with the remaining 99% going to NBA clubs. The WNBA later signed additional deals with ION, CBS and Amazon that pushed its annual TV revenue to $60 million.

> The WNBA’s cut of the new pact will likely be at least $150 million annually. Not all of that will filter down to the teams with 58% of the league’s equity held by NBA owners and the 2022 consortium investors.

> The 12 WNBA teams generated an estimated $158 million in revenue last year, or $13.2 million per club on average—the NWSL was $9.4 million per team. The WNBA range was $8.8 million (Atlanta) to $18 million (New York), including playoffs and a roughly $2 million check from the league for central revenue from media and sponsorship deals. Less than 50% of central revenue trickles down to the clubs, as NBA owners own 42% of the league and a strategic investment consortium formed in 2022 owns 16%.

> WNBA teams have sold significant limited partnership stakes in recent years, including the Chicago Sky, whose owners sold 10% of the team last year at a $85 million valuation. Earlier in the year, the Storm raised $21 million from 15 new investors at a $130 million valuation or $151 million post-money valuation. The money helped fund a $64 million practice facility and business office for the Storm. Multiple teams are exploring selling LP stakes at nine-figure valuations.

> Revenue multiples remain the standard metric for investment bankers when looking at sports teams, due to fluctuation in profits or the absence of profits in many cases. Revenue multiples ranged from 6.25 (Atlanta) to 10 (Indiana), with an average of 7.3 and most of them around seven. The Fever were an outlier due to the arrival of Caitlin Clark, who will help the team quadruple attendance this year, up from 4,067 per game last season. For comparison, the average NWSL revenue multiple is 7.1, and it is 11 in the NBA.

> The WNBA has its challenges ahead. It needs to continue to decouple from the NBA, and WNBA players are likely to opt out of their collective bargaining agreement after this season. The league must create more brand affinity for teams and master the intricacies of retaining newfound fans.

The uphill climb continues, but this is progress in action. My main concern is increasing player pay, and amenities, along with protection for mothers. I'm sure there are more things to come.

[hermes]

how would decoupling from the nba work, and is there a plan in place to do it?

all the new investors are nice for helping with operational costs and new facilities, but doesn't that mean more mouths to feed when the profits are divvied up before it gets to the players?

[MrDollarBills]

how would decoupling from the nba work, and is there a plan in place to do it?

all the new investors are nice for helping with operational costs and new facilities, but doesn't that mean more mouths to feed when the profits are divvied up before it gets to the players?

Someone smarter than me please feel free to chime in, but I would have to imagine it will be at least another decade or longer before we can even think about the league operating independently. I would assume that the NBA will maintain a stake in the league regardless.

Bringing in more investors adds more hands in the cookie jar so i dunno how this will play out in terms of player pay and residual income. I just hope that we can get every roster spot to at least six figure salaries minimum by 2034.

[wojoaderge]

i hope Brink isn't too seriously injured

[MrDollarBills]

i hope Brink isn't too seriously injured

What happened to Cam???