Menu
Franchises

WNBA Stars' Forthcoming Sale, Relocation Leaves Players With Mix Of Emotions On Move

News of the WNBA Stars being in negotiations to be sold and relocated from San Antonio to Las Vegas capped an "unimaginable fall for a franchise" that arrived from Utah in '03, according to Terrence Thomas of the SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS. The Stars finished last season with the league's "worst record for the third straight year, going a combined 23-79 during the span, and had not been a playoff contender" since '14 or recorded a winning record since '12. Stars coach Vickie Johnson said, "It was probably hard for a franchise to survive that. I just feel bad for the fans, and the city, and also the players. I talked to the players and they're shocked, speechless, angry, mad, everything" (SAN ANTONIO EXPRESS-NEWS, 10/14). ESPN.com's Mechelle Voepel wrote in the WNBA's 21 seasons, the places where the league has worked "haven't necessarily been where it was most expected." And other places where it would "seem there is a natural fan base for women's basketball -- the state of Tennessee, for instance -- haven't gotten a franchise." Voepel: "That's because the 'where' of the WNBA has depended on one thing: interested, engaged and financially committed owners." With the WNBA, it is "always about having ownership that really believes in the product -- or at least believes enough to have high-ranking employees who are fully invested." But it has "seemed for a few years now that Spurs Sports & Entertainment ... was losing interest in the WNBA team for a variety of reasons" (ESPN.com, 10/13).

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/2017/10/16/Franchises/WNBA-Stars.aspx

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

https://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/Daily/Issues/2017/10/16/Franchises/WNBA-Stars.aspx

CLOSE