Women's Hoops Blog

Inane commentary on a game that deserves far better


Sunday, December 13, 2009

Hartford sports writer Bob Phillips has some words on the death of the Monarchs: he thinks all WNBA teams should be more like the Sun.

"The WNBA's fanbase is intensely loyal," Phillips writes, "it just isn't gargantuan... all WNBA teams—future and existing franchises [should] play in smaller arenas that can generate healthy crowds, but not bring down a franchise with unnecessary operating expenses."

Empty seats in the Palace of Auburn Hills-- or the Target Center-- sure look bad on TV. But how much do WNBA teams pay for their space when an NBA partner co-owns, or holds rights to play in, or has its office space, in the arena? How much does a non-NBA-partner team save by moving to a smaller, or a less famous, arena? (Which business model would you rather pursue: the Mystics, or the Sky?)