The WNBA is taking an innovative approach to its draft tonight, as the event will be held at Samsung 837, which is the brand's newly opened flagship store in Manhattan. This year marks the first time the event has been in Manhattan and the first time it has left Connecticut -- whether at Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville or ESPN's Bristol studios -- since '10. WNBA President Lisa Borders said the new venue is “very modern and very sleek.” Borders: "Think of a 21st century, social, digital environment that we have not experienced before.” The event will yet again be presented by State Farm, but this year there will be additional activation by fellow league partners Verizon and Cisco. Samsung is not a WNBA sponsor, but does serve as one for the NBA. The brand's venue will allow the league an opportunity to utilize a three-story high draft board that will provide all the expected information about the event, and a little bit more. While the left side of the board will present the draft order and picks, the right side will have what Borders calls a “social listening board" presented by Cisco. Borders: "You’ll be able to see real time what social media comments and conversation are ongoing. The access for our fans is going to go deeper and broader and more interactive.” Using the hashtag #WDraft17, fans will be able to get tweets and Instagram posts on the board in a rotating fashion. Additionally, the league will be following the handles of WNBA players and draftees. The venue has also been spaced out in a way that will give draftees more of an opportunity for media exposure than in the past. Borders: "There will be a lot more access to the players for sure. People will be able to walk from place to place and have a lot more access to the candidates that are going to be selected.”
