The WNBA is profiled in a front-page feature this
morning by Roger Thurow in the WALL STREET JOURNAL under the
header, "Full Court Press. Women's NBA Pins Hopes On Clean
Play And Hard Marketing." Thurow: "[T]he NBA isn't merely
launching a new sports venture. It is unleashing a
marketing monster and sending it off on a fast break across
the land to conjure up fans and give flight to women's
hoops." Thurow adds the "league is an offspring of the
modern marriage of convenience between the sports and
entertainment industries. Having a good, socially relevant
game isn't enough these days; to truly win, you must have a
bigger spectacle than the next guy. It is less 'Field of
Dreams' (If you build it, they will come) than it is a field
of schemes (If you promote it, they will come." But even
with three TV partners, substantial corporate support,
"attractive" uniforms and "catchy" names, "success is no
slam dunk." Thurow: "Staging basketball, a traditional
winter game, in the summer risks losing fans to outdoor
pursuits. The casual fan who does tune in will find that
the women's game, though known for its sharp passing and
team play, is a far cry from the high-flying spectacle put
on by the NBA. And there is the competition from the ABL.
NBA Deputy Commissioner Russ Granik: "We are convinced that
we can create the fans" (WALL STREET JOURNAL, 6/12).
