The WNBA experienced a huge boom this season, sparking unprecedented attention and interest in the entire sport of women’s basketball.
However, that doesn’t mean the league is making money. Actually, that’s not the case. An Oct. 18 article in the New York Post indicates that the majority of the league’s investors are not happy about this.
“The WNBA is drawing a sold-out crowd to the New York Liberty-Minnesota Lynx final game, but the league’s owners won’t be able to recoup their investment for the foreseeable future, a person close to the situation said.” There is.
“The NBA owns nearly 60 percent of the league.”
The article then goes on to say, “The WNBA will incur a loss of $40 million this season, which is slightly better than the $50 million projected by several media outlets several months ago, but still a loss,” sources said. “I’m doing it,” he wrote.
This financial loss ultimately affects the pockets of the owners of the NBA’s various franchises.
The New York Post later explained, “The WNBA also plans to expand its regular season and playoff schedule to increase revenue.” This adds interesting context to recent announcements made by WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert regarding future changes to the league.
The most alarming aspect of this article is that the article’s authors, Josh Josman and Brian Lewis, say, “Some NBA owners are worried about when NBA commissioners will get returns from the suddenly popular WNBA.” I want more transparency from Adam Silver.
The article added, “New York Knicks owner James Dolan has been behind Silver’s backing.”
The WNBA is gaining popularity as global icons Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese advance in their careers, and college superstars like Paige Backers and JuJu Watkins enter the pros in the coming years. In the end, it is likely that it will continue to generate profits.
And for NBA owners, that return won’t come soon enough.
