Leagues and Governing Bodies
WNBA rebrand includes new logo, AT&T deal
Marketing effort follows study by Sylvain Labs, which was hired last year to develop marketing opportunities.
The WNBA is rolling out a new brand identity that aims to attract a younger and more diverse audience as it heads into the 2019 season. It has also signed a new top-level deal that will put AT&T’s logo on the front of all WNBA team jerseys.
The brand reset includes a new logo and color scheme and is supported by a new spot that will run across all league media assets and social media.
The WNBA’s deal with AT&T comes after the NBA signed a league sponsorship with the company in February. It also includes title sponsorship of the WNBA All-Star Game. Previously, the WNBA had a marquee deal with Verizon that included the jersey presence.
Last year the WNBA retained Sylvain Labs to create marketing opportunities and develop growth strategies. League executives believe the new branding effort will lead to that growth.
“We did engage Sylvain Labs because we have strong convictions about the potential of the WNBA and it was clear the time was now to completely reset our brand,” said Christin Hedgpeth, chief operating officer of the WNBA. “A big reason is we want to grow at a much faster rate than today. We feel that completely overhauling our brand gives us the opportunity to resonate with fans in a new way and expand our audience. Everything from the logo itself to our other visuals is designed to connect with younger, more diverse and more socially conscious consumers.”
The WNBA last changed its logo in 2013, but the latest effort is a larger overhaul of its brand positioning with new colors and messaging.
The new branding will be unveiled around this week’s WNBA draft. The new look consists of three primary colors in black, white and fire orange with the updated logo featuring a silhouette of a player executing a swooping, finger-roll layup that Hedgpeth said better represents the skill and athleticism of WNBA players. The WNBA tips off its 23rd season on May 24.
The new WNBA logo will not appear on player jerseys, basketballs and courts until next season due to production lead-time factors, but the new branding will appear in all other league visuals.
“We have a sense of urgency in re-establishing the WNBA brand,” Hedgpeth said. “It is an investment and we are committed to it. We believe that as we become more relevant and more integrated into popular culture that people will take notice in a way they haven’t before.”
The league’s new branding strategy follows a 2018 that saw the WNBA average 6,769 fans per game during the regular season, down 12 percent from 2017. It was the first time the league has ever dipped below an average of 7,000 fans per game. Hurting the average attendance was the New York Liberty’s move from Madison Square Garden to the Westchester County Center that led to a 72 percent drop at the gate compared to 2017. Removing the Liberty from 2018 figures, the WNBA gate would have been down only 5 percent.
The brand reset also comes as the league seeks a new president to replace Lisa Borders, who left last year. NBA Deputy Commissioner Mark Tatum has been serving as interim president.
