Non-Lady Vol Basketball News 2024-25

[knoxvol52]

WNBA would benefit from Women's College basketball going to the One and Done rule.

Imagine the hype rite now if JuJu Watkins could be draft eligible. The League needs that excitement bump from these younger players.

Surprised WNBA hasnt inked a contract with TNT to show women's games especially after NBA season is over.

Just a thought.

 

[VolBall09]

WNBA would benefit from Women's College basketball going to the One and Done rule.

Imagine the hype rite now if JuJu Watkins could be draft eligible. The League needs that excitement bump from these younger players.

Surprised WNBA hasnt inked a contract with TNT to show women's games especially after NBA season is over.

Just a thought.

Would be good for the league but unfortunately not for the players. They can make way more $$$ in college and build their player profile much better.

Women's college basketball has much better optics and exposure than the WNBA (leagues fault and defining failure for YEARS in my opinion.)

Best for them to stay in college, build their following and then hopefully take it with them to the next level.

The WNBA has never invested properly in exposure, advertising and fan engagement. They are always on this “you should watch us because you should watch us and support women,” schtick.

That’s great, but the majority of people are not going to watch simply to support a minority group. They want to know the product is fun, engaging and worth their time.

 

[knoxvol52]

Would be good for the league but unfortunately not for the players. They can make way more $$$ in college and build their player profile much better.

Women's college basketball has much better optics and exposure than the WNBA (leagues fault and defining failure for YEARS in my opinion.)

Best for them to stay in college, build their following and then hopefully take it with them to the next level.

The WNBA has never invested properly in exposure, advertising and fan engagement. They are always on this “you should watch us because you should watch us and support women,” schtick.

That’s great, but the majority of people are not going to watch simply to support a minority group. They want to know the product is fun, engaging and worth their time.

That's no way to build a following. Need to promote, advertise get a Network besides ION to show weekly games.

ESPN covers playoffs but regular season is a bunch of ION and Facebook
I'm older but i don't even have. Facebook account .
That crappy site is full of drama.

 

[Amb3096]

Would be good for the league but unfortunately not for the players. They can make way more $$$ in college and build their player profile much better.

Women's college basketball has much better optics and exposure than the WNBA (leagues fault and defining failure for YEARS in my opinion.)

Best for them to stay in college, build their following and then hopefully take it with them to the next level.

The WNBA has never invested properly in exposure, advertising and fan engagement. They are always on this “you should watch us because you should watch us and support women,” schtick.

That’s great, but the majority of people are not going to watch simply to support a minority group. They want to know the product is fun, engaging and worth their time.

This is why the WNBA won't grow. Because the league/players refuse to self-reflect and instead are trying to make us feel like we're bad people for not watching their games and making them millionaires. Standing on a corner screaming "This is me! Take it or leave it!" will only go so far.

Also, I think the college fanbases have shown that they don't follow their college favorites. The Caitlin Clark Project will be an interesting one to see what her presence in Indy does for their league-low attendance. If ticket sales jump, they have a fighting chance; if things remain the same, then there's probably no hope in terms translating college fame to the WNBA.

 

[Amb3096]

That's no way to build a following. Need to promote, advertise get a Network besides ION to show weekly games.

ESPN covers playoffs but regular season is a bunch of ION and Facebook
I'm older but i don't even have. Facebook account .
That crappy site if full of drama.

Do you subscribe to the league pass? That used to be a good way to watch most of the games.

 

[knoxvol52]

Do you subscribe to the league pass? That used to be a good way to watch most of the games.

NBA league pass? Why yes I do.
MLB, Hockey, Football lol. I got them all..

 

[Amb3096]

NBA league pass? Why yes I do.
MLB, Hockey, Football lol. I got them all..

Ouch...I'd hate to see your streaming bill! The good news that the WNBA Leagues Pass is really cheap lol.

 

[VolBall09]

Do you subscribe to the league pass? That used to be a good way to watch most of the games.

I do but got frustrated with that a bit. Their streaming platform is garbage and a good portion of the games still aren’t available because they have been sold to some other network.

Incredibly frustrating to pay for league pass and still have to track down games on Facebook, Amazon prime, X etc to watch them lol

Not many fans have enough interest to keep up with all of that. Even as a dedicated follower of wbb I get tired of it and usually trail off on watching W games because it’s just too hard to find them and keep up with them.

 

[Amb3096]

I do but got frustrated with that a bit. Their streaming platform is garbage and a good portion of the games still aren’t available because they have been sold to some other network.

Incredibly frustrating to pay for league pass and still have to track down games on Facebook, Amazon prime, X etc to watch them lol

Not many fans have enough interest to keep up with all of that. Even as a dedicated follower of wbb I get tired of it and usually trail off on watching W games because it’s just too hard to find them and keep up with them.

Ah, I wasn't aware that they changed the access. I haven't subscribed for a few years, but it used to be much better and broadcast the vast majority of the games I wanted to watch.

Their TV contract is up for renewal soon. Perhaps they'll get more networks interested, but I'm skeptical. I know that by reading the media coverage, you'd think that the WNBA is growing, but it actually isn't.

Here's the all time TV viewing records:



Last year's Finals was #8 all time, and about 25% of the highest rated Final, which was their very first one. After nearly 30 years, people still aren't watching, so my guess is that's why they basically have to take what they can get with regards to network coverage. I used to think that putting the games on Lifetime was a mistake, but it seems that was a good relationship, at least for the WNBA.

 

[Rooster1]

Ah, I wasn't aware that they changed the access. I haven't subscribed for a few years, but it used to be much better and broadcast the vast majority of the games I wanted to watch.

Their TV contract is up for renewal soon. Perhaps they'll get more networks interested, but I'm skeptical. I know that by reading the media coverage, you'd think that the WNBA is growing, but it actually isn't.

Here's the all time TV viewing records:

View attachment 621582

Last year's Finals was #8 all time, and about 25% of the highest rated Final, which was their very first one. After nearly 30 years, people still aren't watching, so my guess is that's why they basically have to take what they can get with regards to network coverage. I used to think that putting the games on Lifetime was a mistake, but it seems that was a good relationship, at least for the WNBA.

Doesn't surprise me. I don't know a soul that watches the WNBA. I've never watched a single game and I'm a huge college WBB fan.

 

[Amb3096]

Doesn't surprise me. I don't know a soul that watches the WNBA. I've never watched a single game and I'm a huge college WBB fan.

You can be our test subject. Given the success of SC players in the WNBA, why don't you follow them once they go pro?

 

[brittannica]

Ah, I wasn't aware that they changed the access. I haven't subscribed for a few years, but it used to be much better and broadcast the vast majority of the games I wanted to watch.

Their TV contract is up for renewal soon. Perhaps they'll get more networks interested, but I'm skeptical. I know that by reading the media coverage, you'd think that the WNBA is growing, but it actually isn't.

Here's the all time TV viewing records:

View attachment 621582

Last year's Finals was #8 all time, and about 25% of the highest rated Final, which was their very first one. After nearly 30 years, people still aren't watching, so my guess is that's why they basically have to take what they can get with regards to network coverage. I used to think that putting the games on Lifetime was a mistake, but it seems that was a good relationship, at least for the WNBA.

They make it hard through putting games in a variety of places. Women’s soccer also did this, but since most games were on Paramount+ it wasn’t too much of an issue for me. I tried to watch over the summer while i was traveling alone for work and simply got too frustrated and gave up. If I was WNBA commissioner, it would be a red flag to me that the NWSL has passed us in interest, viewership, and prestige despite being the younger leage.

 

[Amb3096]

They make it hard through putting games in a variety of places. Women’s soccer also did this, but since most games were on Paramount+ it wasn’t too much of an issue for me. I tried to watch over the summer while i was traveling alone for work and simply got too frustrated and gave up. If I was WNBA commissioner, it would be a red flag to me that the NWSL has passed us in interest, viewership, and prestige despite being the younger leage.

This goes back to some of the tone deaf comments made by the WNBA about them being a "young league" while overlooking the fact that much younger sport leagues are thriving with TV viewership and ticket sales because their product is in demand. I don't know about the NWSL as far as age of the league, but we do konw that the women's World Cup gets a lot of buzz and viewership, so at least they can constantly rebase every 4 years to build on that momentum. Unfortunately, the WNBA can't do the same because it's been proven thus far over the last nearly 30 years that college fans don't support the WNBA.

For the WNBA. I don't think you can overlook the graph I posted above. They peaked in year 1 and have gone steadily down ever since with both TV and live viewers. So while they may have seen a bit of a resurgence this past year, they are still far, far below where they were in the first few years of the league's existence. And this doesn't concern league executives and players, who continue to trot out the "young league" narrative? It's like they aren't living in reality, and have crafted a narrative that fits how they want it to be perceived, and are trying to convince everyone that it's the truth in spite of all the evidence against it. I would imagine the reason they are showing games on a grab mix of random platforms instead of consistently being on ESPN and ABC is because the TV execs are aware of the true reality, and know that they get better ratings from Cornhole Championships on "the Ocho" instead of committing to a summertime of WNBA games.

 

[Rooster1]

You can be our test subject. Given the success of SC players in the WNBA, why don't you follow them once they go pro?

I'm like that with sports in general in that I watch college sports but rarely watch pro sports. It's nothing personal against the WNBA, I don't follow the NBA either and only watch a few bits and pieces of the NFL. In the fall I watch a ton of college FB and then I add college WBB once it starts. I enjoy college sports, not so much pro sports. I have no interest in following a player in the WNBA, after they move on I am focused on the new players coming in and stepping up. I'm a fan of the team. As an example, I know Boston won rookie of the year for the WNBA, but I never saw her play and have no idea what her stats were. I can however tell you the stats for every current member of the SC WBB team including the freshman.

 

[glv98]

WNBA would benefit from Women's College basketball going to the One and Done rule.

Any college player who would consider themselves ready at 19 and after one year should watch tape of the Americup in Mexico last summer. And most of the competition wasn't even WNBA caliber, just much more mature in body and mind. The only American players solidly competitive were 22 yr old Rickea and a very young but very large Lauren Betts. Others, like Reese, Deja Kelly, Charisma Osbourne, Jewel, and to some extent Raven J got owned big time. Remember, the W does not have development leagues.

Chasing the WNBA around on tv is definitely a huge drag on my interest. Another big problem for them is playing during the summer. There's really no other window for them. They sure don't want to go against any football, the NBA, nor college basketball. So summer's it when people are the most unlikely to sit at home and watch tv.

The W also eats it's own a bit by being wildly politicized. I endorse entities and individuals making statements and speaking their truths and I realize it's a priviledge not to have to constantly live some of those truths. But it does gets oppressive, especially on social media.

 

[Amb3096]

I'm like that with sports in general in that I watch college sports but rarely watch pro sports. It's nothing personal against the WNBA, I don't follow the NBA either and only watch a few bits and pieces of the NFL. In the fall I watch a ton of college FB and then I add college WBB once it starts. I enjoy college sports, not so much pro sports. I have no interest in following a player in the WNBA, after they move on I am focused on the new players coming in and stepping up. I'm a fan of the team.

Good points, and ultimately what I think it comes down to: College fans are fans first, foremost, and sometimes exclusively of the team itself, not the individual players.

 

[glv98]

This goes back to some of the tone deaf comments made by the WNBA about them being a "young league" while overlooking the fact that much younger sport leagues are thriving with TV viewership and ticket sales because their product is in demand. I don't know about the NWSL as far as age of the league, but we do konw that the women's World Cup gets a lot of buzz and viewership, so at least they can constantly rebase every 4 years to build on that momentum. Unfortunately, the WNBA can't do the same because it's been proven thus far over the last nearly 30 years that college fans don't support the WNBA.

For the WNBA. I don't think you can overlook the graph I posted above. They peaked in year 1 and have gone steadily down ever since with both TV and live viewers. So while they may have seen a bit of a resurgence this past year, they are still far, far below where they were in the first few years of the league's existence. And this doesn't concern league executives and players, who continue to trot out the "young league" narrative? It's like they aren't living in reality, and have crafted a narrative that fits how they want it to be perceived, and are trying to convince everyone that it's the truth in spite of all the evidence against it. I would imagine the reason they are showing games on a grab mix of random platforms instead of consistently being on ESPN and ABC is because the TV execs are aware of the true reality, and know that they get better ratings from Cornhole Championships on "the Ocho" instead of committing to a summertime of WNBA games.

No question if they thought there was a dollar to be sniffed, there would be decent tv contracts. Probably their best hope is that someone does it as a social justice gesture.

Why do you think viewership fell off so quickly? Was it they tried the product and just didn't enjoy it?

I agree with you amb, rooster is the test case for this. I can't imagine he doesn't follow Aja Wilson. He may be an exception, there is an absolutely rabid cult of crossover SC/Aces fans on twitter.

 

[Amb3096]

Any college player who would consider themselves ready at 19 and after one year should watch tape of the Americup in Mexico last summer. And most of the competition wasn't even WNBA caliber, just much more mature in body and mind. The only American players solidly competitive were 22 yr old Rickea and a very young but very large Lauren Betts. Others, like Reese, Deja Kelly, Charisma Osbourne, Jewel, and to some extent Raven J got owned big time. Remember, the W does not have development leagues.

Chasing the WNBA around on tv is definitely a huge drag on my interest. Another big problem for them is playing during the summer. There's really no other window for them. They sure don't want to go against any football, the NBA, nor college basketball. So summer's it when people are the most unlikely to sit at home and watch tv.

The W also eats it's own a bit by being wildly politicized. I endorse entities and individuals making statements and speaking their truths and I realize it's a priviledge not to have to constantly live some of those truths. But it does gets oppressive, especially on social media.

In addition, they constantly compare themselves to the NBA while telling everyone who listens that they aren't comparing themselves to the NBA...then turn around and ask for the same revenue sharing model as the NBA.

The worst part of it is that they are being disingenous about it. These are smart, college educated people. Are they really pretending that they don't understand that the NBA is able to come up with such a profit sharing model because they rake in so much money that their fixed costs are easily covered, which allows them to be extremely generous with the players while the owners still make bank too? Applying the same model to the very modest revenue that the WNBA brings in would ensure that the players get paid, but the owners are at best breaking even and likely losing money by having to pay fixed costs out of pocket. They aren't stupid, and neither are we. And it makes them look at best out of touch with reality and at worst greedy by continuing to behave this way.

 

[Rooster1]

No question if they thought there was a dollar to be sniffed, there would be decent tv contracts. Probably their best hope is that someone does it as a social justice gesture.

Why do you think viewership fell off so quickly? Was it they tried the product and just didn't enjoy it?

I agree with you amb, rooster is the test case for this. I can't imagine he doesn't follow Aja Wilson. He may be an exception, there is an absolutely rabid cult of crossover SC/Aces fans on twitter.

glv, I've never seen A'ja play a single pro game in her career. I've never watched a minute of WNBA, have no interest in it.

 

[glv98]

glv, I've never seen A'ja play a single pro game in her career. I've never watched a minute of WNBA, have no interest in it.

But why is the question. For you it's completely program not player?

I tried to watch over the years to check in on some former LVs and would watch them if I knew it was on and it was convenient. Got more interested last year now that I have alot more time and bc of curiosity how Jordy would do. Pretty sure I'll be checking up on Rickea next year. But it's not something I can imagine being as passionately involved with as I am college bball. I also never watch NBA until late stage playoffs.

I'm afraid that "college feeling" whatever it was, is about to end as college sports go semi-pro free agency. Probably an illusion all along.

 

[knoxvol52]

I don't follow players, I follow teams in Professional Sports.

Jalin Hyatt drafted by New York Giants hope he plays well 15 out of 17 regular season games.

When Giants play Dallas I want Cowboys to shut him down.

 

[Amb3096]

No question if they thought there was a dollar to be sniffed, there would be decent tv contracts. Probably their best hope is that someone does it as a social justice gesture.

Why do you think viewership fell off so quickly? Was it they tried the product and just didn't enjoy it?

I agree with you amb, rooster is the test case for this. I can't imagine he doesn't follow Aja Wilson. He may be an exception, there is an absolutely rabid cult of crossover SC/Aces fans on twitter.

Not sure if you followed the WNBA in the first few years, but it was very different than it is now. There was really more of a sense of gratitude from the players for the opportunity to play at home. There was also a lot more grass roots, community engagement by the players to the fans. Then you had younger players come in who didn't experience the challenges of the veterans. And then once the rest of them retired, you were left with a bunch of entitled players who scoff at the WNBA and act like they're the ones doing the league a favor by showing up. The first few weeks are unwatchable because you have a bunch of players still oveseas and the full team hasn't even practiced together. Then you have players like Diana or Candace or EDD take the season off to rest (because let's face it, the job they cared about was the one overseas) and it sends a message to the fans. Then there's the whole thing about the non stop complaining about the pay and benefits. In the beginning, the players didn't compare themselves to the NBA; now, they want to lead the NBA lifestyle, but have become bitter because they aren't getting millions. It's exhaustng, and the fact that the players aren't even trying to be likeable probably is a major turn off for fans.

I'll also address the skeleton in the closet. It's no surprise there are lesbians in the league, even from the beginning. But over the years, they've become way too butch and manly looking to generate mass appeal.

 

[DarkPhoenix]

I'll also address the skeleton in the closet. It's no surprise there are lesbians in the league, even from the beginning. But over the years, they've become way too butch and manly looking to generate mass appeal.

I actually thought that as well, I’m glad u said it

 

[VolBall09]

This goes back to some of the tone deaf comments made by the WNBA about them being a "young league" while overlooking the fact that much younger sport leagues are thriving with TV viewership and ticket sales because their product is in demand. I don't know about the NWSL as far as age of the league, but we do konw that the women's World Cup gets a lot of buzz and viewership, so at least they can constantly rebase every 4 years to build on that momentum. Unfortunately, the WNBA can't do the same because it's been proven thus far over the last nearly 30 years that college fans don't support the WNBA.

For the WNBA. I don't think you can overlook the graph I posted above. They peaked in year 1 and have gone steadily down ever since with both TV and live viewers. So while they may have seen a bit of a resurgence this past year, they are still far, far below where they were in the first few years of the league's existence. And this doesn't concern league executives and players, who continue to trot out the "young league" narrative? It's like they aren't living in reality, and have crafted a narrative that fits how they want it to be perceived, and are trying to convince everyone that it's the truth in spite of all the evidence against it. I would imagine the reason they are showing games on a grab mix of random platforms instead of consistently being on ESPN and ABC is because the TV execs are aware of the true reality, and know that they get better ratings from Cornhole Championships on "the Ocho" instead of committing to a summertime of WNBA games.

And I think a lot of the viewership last season was actually due to Becky Hammon. Not the players.

Becky is a huge sports figure and has stood tall on her own. She accomplished a lot and brought that back to WBB and has shown her adept coaching hand. People like to watch that kind of product!

But instead of championing her the league made more drama about her and Hamby’s issue which sounds like a big old nothing burger. Hamby took to social media and changed the actual narrative to support her poor me story. I appreciate that Becky didn’t take the bait and stood her ground.

 

[StorrsCentral]

We at the Boneyard always knew that Morgan Cheli was so under rated at #18. Top 5 for POY, first team All-American, and point guard for the #1 High School team in the nation.