Unlike the National Basketball Association (NBA), the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) has a shorter season; there are also only 2 conferences and 12 teams. The Eastern Conference includes, Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Washington Mystics. The Western Conference includes the Dallas Wings, Las Vegas Aces, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, Phoenix Mercury, and Seattle Storm. A lot of people say they don’t watch the WNBA because it’s less interesting, but the championship game streams have gone up 124% since last year (WNBA.com). Ever since the WNBA was founded in 1996, popularity has increased significantly, giving more opportunities for professional women’s sports.
Many people say women’s sports are not interesting to watch and do not have as many intense moments. While it’s true that women have lower testosterone levels than men, which can make it harder for them to replicate male athlete’s speed and height, women continue to show dedication and compete at a high level of game-play.
The WNBA began with only a few teams. As years have gone by, teams have been taken out, such as the Portland Fire, while others were added, such as an as of yet unnamed team in San Francisco who will start playing in 2025. Warriors Co-Executive Chairman & CEO Joe Lacob tells NBA.com, “We have been interested in a WNBA franchise for several years, due in part to the rich history of women’s basketball in the Bay Area, and believe now is the ideal time to execute that vision and build upon the legacy. The WNBA continues to solidify itself as the preeminent women’s professional basketball league.”
College sports have given rise to more exciting moments in the field of women’s sports. More women are being recognized and talked about in college, and more people continue to watch them play professionally. For example, the Nebraska women’s volleyball team played at their football stadium and had a record number of sales in a women’s sporting event ever (ESPN.com). After that event was a huge success, Iowa’s Women’s basketball team decided to take similar action and played in their football stadium. Although it wasn’t as large a success as the volleyball game, over 55,000 fans showed up, and it was just a scrimmage. Sue Bird says, “Cover us the same as LeBron.” There has been a large increase in women’s sports streaming but we still have a long way to go.
On October 18th, 2023, the Los Vegas Aces beat the New York Liberty in the WNBA Championship. The Aces are the first WNBA team to win back-to-back championships. The Aces won three out of four games and ended the last game with a final score of 70-69. The other games weren’t as close. The Aces won the first game 99-82 and the second game 104-76. However, the New York Liberty made a comeback in the third game winning 87-73.
The WNBA has been increasing in popularity every year with more talent on the rise at the college level. Last year Caitlyn Clark took over social media for her shooting and assists, helping the NCAA Women’s College Basketball Championship become the most-watched women’s sporting event ever.
The WNBA has come a long way in the past few years and it’s exciting to see more coverage and appreciation for women’s sports.
