Menu
Leagues and Governing Bodies

THE HUNTER AND THE HUNTED: NBPA MEETS WITH WNBA TEAMS

          NBPA officials "are meeting with WNBA teams to try to
     persuade them to join forces and form a players association
     that would negotiate their contracts with the NBA,"
     according to Athelia Knight of the WASHINGTON POST.  NBPA
     Exec Dir Billy Hunter said his group has recently met "with
     several teams and we hope to complete that process over the
     next few weeks."  At least four teams, the Shock, Liberty,
     Monarchs and Rockers, have met with NBPA reps and discussed
     issues "of concern" for the players, including salaries,
     free agency, and health and retirement benefits.  Hunter:
     "The players we have contacted so far appear very receptive
     to our overtures" (WASHINGTON POST, 7/10). 
          BETTER PRODUCT? In Charlotte, Cliff Mehrtens reviews
     the WNBA's second-season and writes the league is "on solid
     ground."  While attendance is up 3% from last year, fans are
     "seeing an improved product" (CHARLOTTE OBSERVER, 7/10).
     ...NEWSDAY's Shaun Powell writes on Liberty C Rebecca Lobo,
     whose stats are down from last year.  Powell: "Judging from
     the sour public response toward Lobo, you'd swear she was
     guilty of something, when she's guilty of nothing."  Powell
     calls her a "victim" of "hype, swallowed up by an image she
     can't even begin to transfer to the court."  Lobo is "no
     star," and "maybe the WNBA recognized that" by not including
     her in the league's "main commercial spots."  Powell: "When
     it drew up the blueprint for success, the WNBA prioritized
     image and promotion.  Both were shoveled to the public in
     mass quantities, which raised the potential for a setback,
     had one of their celebrities failed to deliver. ... To the
     surprise of no one who followed her closely since UConn, it
     was Lobo who became a victim of the system" (NEWSDAY, 7/10).

SBJ Morning Buzzcast: March 18, 2024

Sports Business Awards nominees unveiled; NWSL's historic opening weekend and takeaways from CFP deal

ESPN’s Jay Bilas, BTN’s Meghan McKeown, and a deep dive into AppleTV+’s The Dynasty

On this week’s Sports Media Podcast from the New York Post and Sports Business Journal, ESPN’s Jay Bilas talks all things NCAA. Big Ten Network’s Meghan McKeown shares her insight into the Caitlin Clark craze. The Boston Globe’s Chad Finn chats all things Bean Town. And SBJ’s Xavier Hunter drops in to share his findings on how the NWSL is making a social media push.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

SBJ I Factor: Nana-Yaw Asamoah

SBJ I Factor features an interview with AMB Sports and Entertainment Chief Commercial Office Nana-Yaw Asamoah. Asamoah, who moved over to AMBSE last year after 14 years at the NFL, talks with SBJ’s Ben Fischer about how his role model parents and older sisters pushed him to shrive, how the power of lifelong learning fuels successful people, and why AMBSE was an opportunity he could not pass up. Asamoah is 2021 SBJ Forty Under 40 honoree. SBJ I Factor is a monthly podcast offering interviews with sports executives who have been recipients of one of the magazine’s awards.

Shareable URL copied to clipboard!

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1998/07/10/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/THE-HUNTER-AND-THE-HUNTED-NBPA-MEETS-WITH-WNBA-TEAMS.aspx

Sorry, something went wrong with the copy but here is the link for you.

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/1998/07/10/Leagues-Governing-Bodies/THE-HUNTER-AND-THE-HUNTED-NBPA-MEETS-WITH-WNBA-TEAMS.aspx

CLOSE