WNBA Fan Following Is Steady, But Room For Improvement Exists

Writer Feels Parker's Dunking Ability Could Attract New Fans To WNBA

The WNBA "needs to make itself relevant on a nightly basis," where fans "outside of each teams' core of 9,000 need to care," according to Ramona Shelburne of the L.A. DAILY NEWS. Building on the current fan base is the "biggest hurdle" the league faces, as average attendance figures for the league "have stayed within 7,490-10,869 all 12 seasons." The WNBA should "play to its strengths," with a "cozier, fan-friendly atmosphere, a more fundamental, strategic game, athletes who embrace their opportunity to be role models." Sparks F Candace Parker has two dunks already this season, and Shelburne wrote, "If she dunks it, they will come." While some fans claim "promoting Parker's dunks cheapens the sport ... just about every sports talk radio station in the country did a segment" afterward. WNBA President Donna Orender: "Dunking is an exclamation point to the WNBA. But the brand is built on fundamentals, teamwork and outstanding skills" (L.A. DAILY NEWS, 7/1).

NATIONAL TEAM IN TROUBLE? In Indianapolis, Bob Kravitz writes under the header, "World Is Catching Up With U.S. Women." If the U.S. Olympics women's basketball team were to "lose a game (or more) in the upcoming Beijing Games, let's just say you were warned." The issue "isn't talent," but instead is the "difficulty of building a team in a matter of weeks." Since team the U.S. won Gold at the '96 Atlanta Games, the "dynamics have changed," as the WNBA "can't afford to lose all its best players during the Olympic years." Fever F Tamika Catchings, who won a Gold Medal during the '04 Athens Games, said, "Eventually I hope we get to the point where there's more time spent putting the team together and actually having the team play together. That's something we need to do. The problem is how we do it. We're going to Beijing and our team isn't even set yet. There's not much time" (INDIANAPOLIS STAR, 7/2).