Though attendance is down 11.4% from '99, the WNBA "is
not going anywhere, not as long as NBA owners ... continue
bankrolling the fledgling league," according to Pedro Gomez
of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC, who wrote that NBA owners "want it
[WNBA] around for financial reasons, to fill up 16 more
dates that would normally be dark nights at NBA arenas."
Gomez: "That might be the hidden story behind the WNBA, but
these are real people who sit in the seats and play the
game. They don't care about why the league is here. They
just care that it's here. I'm not going to sit here and say
it's on par with the NBA. Of course it's not. But there is
a niche of hardcore fans who truly enjoy these games." More
Gomez: "The WNBA is definitely not for everyone. ... Neither
is hockey nor [AFL]. Yet no one seems to go out of their
way to dump on those leagues" (AZ REPUBLIC, 8/12).
LOOKING FOR A SPARK: In CA, Gage Harter noted that the
Sparks averaged 6,563 fans for 16 home dates, and finished
14th in the 16-team WNBA in announced attendance this
season. Only the Sting and Starzz "attracted smaller
crowds." Sparks GM Penny Toler: "The bottom line is,
compared to any city, we have by far more things to do in
Los Angeles than any place in the world." Team President
Johnny Buss "did not return calls" (ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER,
8/13). In Phoenix, Richard Obert wrote that only 6,167 fans
attended Game One of the Sparks-Mercury opening-round
playoff series on Friday, the "smallest" Mercury crowd in
its history (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 8/12). Game Two drew 9,811
fans to the Great Western Forum yesterday in CA (THE DAILY).
SEASON OF FIRSTS: In Houston, W.H. Stickney Jr. wrote
that 8,053 fans attended Game One of the Comets-Monarchs
playoffs series on Saturday at Arco Arena, the first playoff
game in Monarchs history (HOUSTON CHRONICLE, 8/14). Game
One of the Rockers-Miracle series drew 6,265 at the TD
Waterhouse Centre (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 8/12).
