The WNBA is working hard to make it easier to be a fan after the challenges of the last two years, said league Dir of Strategy Richard Barbier at this week’s SportTechie Horizon Summit in Santa Clara, Calif. A big part of that push is growth and creativity in the digital space, which Barbier said will respond to a need from fans who are “clamoring for a community.” He said, “We doubled down on a commitment to revamp the way that we come across to our fans from a digital landscape.” From League Pass to apps to websites, “we want to make sure that we’re answering the questions that our fans are asking and ultimately delivering something that’s even better than they’ve seen across other leagues.”
It’s all in service of the relationship that WNBA players are trying to build with their fans, Barbier said, pointing to the All-Star festival last weekend where 2021 MVP Jonquel Jones was at the WNBA Live festival “literally making a purchase side-by-side with some of the youngest fans in the league. These sorts of authentic moments aren’t the sorts of things that you can script, but it’s why the WNBA is different.”
