The PSA encouraged fans and the public to educate themselves about the COVID-19 vaccine. I call on and encourage the men's professional leagues to follow the WNBA's lead, and to support the league's efforts on and off the court. 2021 WNBA Season on ESPN/ABC Experiences Exponential Viewership Growth Part of HuffPost News. You need a Statista Account for unlimited access. We cannot continue to expect the most underrepresented and underserved in sports to carry most of the load in diversity and equity in sports. The gap is even larger for single-gender sports, the report shows. She and her wife, Russian Premier League teammate Marta Xargay Casademont, welcomed daughter, Ruby, via surrogate on Aug. 9. Maya Moore has been compared to Michael Jordan as his female embodiment in women's basketball, and she has her own sneaker line through the Jordan brand. And even if hes not a good case study, hes, at the very least, a good story about figurative ear flicking and the womens game. The WNBA continues to set an example for inclusive racial and gender hiring practices across all professional leagues. Please do not hesitate to contact me. The percentage of people of color who held assistant coaching positions increased for the second consecutive season, from 54.2 percent in 2020 to 58.0 percent in 2021. wnba average attendance by year. According to Forbes, "In 2021, viewership numbers dropped 12% to 331,000 average viewers but still yielded the second-largest viewership since the 2004 Draft (601,000 views)." The WNBA turned 25 this year and this is a positive sign for Cathy Engelbert's league to progress in the same direction. The NBA has by far the most racially diverse and left-leaning U.S. fan base of the four top team sports, according to the Brand Intelligence data: 54 percent of fans of the average NBA team are. In April 2021, a public service announcement featuring Layshia Clarendon, Nneka Ogwumike, Elizabeth Williams and A'ja Wilson debuted during the 2021 WNBA draft. And it isn't men. WNBA boasts 68% increase in average viewership PDF THE GLASS CEILING OF SPORTS - Cynopsis Media "Not only did they celebrate their 25th year anniversary on the court, but Dr. Lapchick reports so many wonderful steps of progress that have been made off the court in their business and hiring practices! Why should #WNBA be subsidized by NBA/Owners? The WNBA scored 98.3 points for racial hiring practices and 96.8 points for gender hiring practices in 2021 and continued to set an example for inclusive racial and gender hiring practices across all professional leagues. The NCAA spends more on men's sports than women's, says a new report - NPR Through June, WNBA games on ESPN2 are averaging 250,000 viewers, a39 percent improvementfrom last year and the best start for the league since 2013. "But they only play a few months in the summer," you might say. Still, Stewart's story, as well Naomi Osaka's and Simone Biles' outspokenness this summer about their mental health and well-being, has shed new light on women's health and the overall health and well-being of athletes. Fourth and finally, WNBPA player-members whose tenure exceeds eight years can seek reimbursement for family-planning costs up to $20,000 in a year (and up to $60,000 across a career). NCAA spending per Division I and national championship participants was $4,285 for men and $2,588 for women in the 2018-19 season. Use Ask Statista Research Service, The source phrased the question as, "In general, would you describe yourself as an avid fan, a casual fan or not a fan of each of the following? Show publisher information For example, according to 2019 data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, unionized female employees earn 29% more than non-unionized female employees and unionized black employees earn 27% more than non-unionized black employees. Overview and forecasts on trending topics, Industry and market insights and forecasts, Key figures and rankings about companies and products, Consumer and brand insights and preferences in various industries, Detailed information about political and social topics, All key figures about countries and regions, Market forecast and expert KPIs for 600+ segments in 150+ countries, Insights on consumer attitudes and behavior worldwide, Business information on 60m+ public and private companies, Detailed information for 35,000+ online stores and marketplaces. Richard E. Lapchick directs the University of Central Florida's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport. Why Does Nobody Watch the WNBA? | Queen Ballers Club For Stiff this is more than a job. American leader of the sports boycott of South Africa from 1975 until the end of apartheid, Chair of the DeVos Sport Business Management Graduate Program at the University of Central Florida, Author of 16 books and the annual Racial and Gender Report Card, Directs UCF's Institute for Diversity and Ethics in Sport, Director of the National Consortium for Academics and Sport. We support women empowerment. Draymond Green says he's 'really tired' of seeing WNBA players complain "We need the marketing to match our product," she said in her essay. The WNBA recently hired a new president of operations this past February to address the issue at hand. AP Photo/Paul Beaty. The WNBA averages around 7,000 attendees per game while the NBA averages 18,000 in attendance. May 11, 2021 12:27 PM ET. "I think women really flipped this on its head," Ogwumike said, according to Bloomberg, "especially as it comes to stigmas and societal norms with expectations thrust around working women having to make this decision between family and career.". Enjoy the REAL news at your fingertips. OhReally? Theyve got a player named Sabrina (Ionescu), a player named Ruthy (Hebard), my two favorite players, and Maite Cazorla.. About Press Copyright Contact us Creators Advertise Developers Terms Privacy Policy & Safety How YouTube works Test new features NFL Sunday Ticket Press Copyright . Starting next year, the league will use best-of-three series to determine semifinalists, and a best-of-five for the semifinals and finals. Instead, each player sat on a coachs bench and delivered in-game analysis within earshot of all the chatter during timeouts and the game. . That number spiked to 5.2 million in the final 15 minutes when Ogunbowale hit the buzzer-beating championship-winner, capping the biggest comeback in championship game history. "Number of viewers of the WNBA Finals on ESPN from 2003 to 2022 (in 1,000s)." These women are some of the most talented and skilled professional athletes in the world. "I'm a realist. We will no longer be beholden to them but we need your help. Viewership of 2020 WNBA Finals up 15 percent from 2019 In a time when many of America's major professional sports leagues are struggling to maintain their usual viewership, the 2020 WNBA. So then it just becomes a complaint that falls on deaf ears, Green continued. Opinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own. The WNBA has also eliminated the tip-off at the beginning of the 2nd half to help speed up the game. Im a very tiny part of a bigger thing, he said. Kelsey Plum on WNBA Viewership, That 'Tiny' All-Star MVP - Peoplemag Los Angeles Sparks star Nneka Ogwumike, who is also president of the WNBA Players Association, has been outspoken about the need for a new outlook on women's health. An NBA basketball measures in at 29.5, sometimes known as a size 7, while the WNBA basketball is about an inch smaller measuring in at 28.5, otherwise known as a size 6. Maya s Olynyk (@RowdyMaya) April 1, 2021, I mean. While the shot clock in both the WNBA and the NBA are 24-seconds, the NBA plays 12-minute quarters as opposed to the 10-minute quarters played in the WNBA. If you are an admin, please authenticate by logging in again. NBA viewership up 19% for 2021-22 - The Athletic Before, WNBA Players with less than four years of experience had to room with a teammate. Level of interest in the National Basketball Association in the United. statistic alerts) please log in with your personal account. The WNBA Racial and Gender Report Card - ESPN.com What do (Sports) Unions Do in a Pandemic? Thats how it started: with her flicking me in the ear about it, he said. Starbucks Workers Are Unionizing. WNBA Viewership & Ratings Growth 2021 - Queen Ballers Club . Theyve got a player named Sabrina (Ionescu), a player named Ruthy (Hebard), my two favorite players, and Maite Cazorla., The ratings didnt fall. . It's a hard sell. TheNew York Times best-selling authorand super writer forThe Ringerwasnt covering the game, but he knew the backstory. But once the WNBA season wraps, several players head overseas to play internationally. I wrote a column about this, about getting women to care about sports when they simply don't. Wait. Therefore, it is imperative to investigate differences in attitudes among market . Across the world, the sports scene and its many tribes are changing in step with wider trends. I should be paying attention. More money would be good, but WNBA-NBA wage gap is about economics, not The public will not see it and we do not share it. Women's basketball has steadily increased viewership year-over-year. Sep 22, 2022 The 2022 Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) regular season games were watched by an average of 379 thousand viewers across ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. The WNBA has continued its diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives where it left off after the 2020 season. Women again held the majority of CEO/president positions, with 66.7%. She has to figure out a way to market a product to a core fan base that isn't exactly interested in the actual product. Cut em free & see what happens. Demo Reel, Part 2: Though Outnumbered, Women Watch Sports in Big The NBA league office continues to increase its racial and gender diversity with more than 37 percent people of color and more than 39 percent women. Though many thought the WNBPAs 50% revenue-sharing goal was unrealistic, under the new CBA, if the WNBA exceeds the prior years revenue target, then WNBPA player-members will indeed receive half of the revenue.