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Shades
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WNBA 09
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toad455
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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 Posted: 03/12/18 1:54 pm ::: |
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| Maybe they were afraid Liberty fans would show up in force and hold ESPN, Border and the draftees hostage until they got Dolan's head on a platter.
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Shades
Joined: 10 Jul 2006
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| Posted: 03/12/18 2:11 pm ::: |
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| They should have held it at Westchester to show off the new venue.
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Last edited by Shades on 03/12/18 3:43 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 03/12/18 2:20 pm ::: |
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| Shades wrote: |
| They should of held it at Westchester to show off the new venue. |
Hahahahahah!!!!
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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| Posted: 03/12/18 2:22 pm ::: |
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| That is probably the best way to avoid any ugly mob scene of Liberty fans who might be picketing or burning Dolan in effigy on draft night.
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 03/12/18 5:13 pm ::: |
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Supposedly that court has seating for 400 spectators. It would have killed them to open it to the public? SMH.
I've had the privilege to be in the room where it happens, or at least the room where it's announced, four times, and each time has been an entirely different kind of magic. Every fan should get to experience that. It bothers me that a league that was built so much on approachability is fencing itself off more and more.
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SpaceJunkie
Joined: 10 Sep 2012
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Randy
Joined: 08 Oct 2011
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| Posted: 03/12/18 7:04 pm ::: |
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| Great idea SpaceJunkie. Maybe they will do it like a TV game show, or comedy where they have a live studio audience of a hundred people or so to create the crowd noise on command.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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Location: London
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| Posted: 03/12/18 9:37 pm ::: |
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| "This episode of WNBA League Pass was filmed in front of a live studio audience." |
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Nerd2
Joined: 06 Jun 2010
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| Posted: 03/14/18 8:18 pm ::: |
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| Queenie wrote: |
Supposedly that court has seating for 400 spectators. It would have killed them to open it to the public? SMH.
I've had the privilege to be in the room where it happens, or at least the room where it's announced, four times, and each time has been an entirely different kind of magic. Every fan should get to experience that. It bothers me that a league that was built so much on approachability is fencing itself off more and more. |
Actually, IMO the league started to splinter into an upper and lower class under Laurel Richie. The local teams are expected to be approachable and fan-friendly. But the league office is executive country, manned by business people to whom only money and status matters. Creating this sort of VIP-only event is similar to what much of the All-Star experience is now.The just assume that the committed fans will plunk down multiple thousands for seats and merchandise. They do little besides assigning you a new-to-the-biz customer rep every couple of years (because the old one leaves) and maybe have 3 or 4 giveaway nights. So, yes, it doesn't surprise me one bit.
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Queenie
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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Location: Queens
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| Posted: 03/14/18 8:45 pm ::: |
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| Nerd2 wrote: |
| Queenie wrote: |
Supposedly that court has seating for 400 spectators. It would have killed them to open it to the public? SMH.
I've had the privilege to be in the room where it happens, or at least the room where it's announced, four times, and each time has been an entirely different kind of magic. Every fan should get to experience that. It bothers me that a league that was built so much on approachability is fencing itself off more and more. |
Actually, IMO the league started to splinter into an upper and lower class under Laurel Richie. The local teams are expected to be approachable and fan-friendly. But the league office is executive country, manned by business people to whom only money and status matters. Creating this sort of VIP-only event is similar to what much of the All-Star experience is now.The just assume that the committed fans will plunk down multiple thousands for seats and merchandise. They do little besides assigning you a new-to-the-biz customer rep every couple of years (because the old one leaves) and maybe have 3 or 4 giveaway nights. So, yes, it doesn't surprise me one bit. |
Yeah, I miss some of the early All-Star stuff too. And I feel you on the customer service reps, though that's a team problem more than a league problem. I think we've been through half a dozen.
I think the league's got to step back and ask itself what it wants to be. Does it want to be the women's NBA, with all the glitz, and glamour, and ever-so-professional distance that implies? Or does the league want to try to be something different, something closer to earth and closer to reality? Or is there a middle ground, where we can have some of the shiny veneer but still keep some of the closeness and realness that drew so many fans here in the first place?
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Nerd2
Joined: 06 Jun 2010
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| Posted: 03/14/18 10:04 pm ::: |
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| Queenie wrote: |
| Nerd2 wrote: |
| Queenie wrote: |
Supposedly that court has seating for 400 spectators. It would have killed them to open it to the public? SMH.
I've had the privilege to be in the room where it happens, or at least the room where it's announced, four times, and each time has been an entirely different kind of magic. Every fan should get to experience that. It bothers me that a league that was built so much on approachability is fencing itself off more and more. |
Actually, IMO the league started to splinter into an upper and lower class under Laurel Richie. The local teams are expected to be approachable and fan-friendly. But the league office is executive country, manned by business people to whom only money and status matters. Creating this sort of VIP-only event is similar to what much of the All-Star experience is now.The just assume that the committed fans will plunk down multiple thousands for seats and merchandise. They do little besides assigning you a new-to-the-biz customer rep every couple of years (because the old one leaves) and maybe have 3 or 4 giveaway nights. So, yes, it doesn't surprise me one bit. |
Yeah, I miss some of the early All-Star stuff too. And I feel you on the customer service reps, though that's a team problem more than a league problem. I think we've been through half a dozen.
I think the league's got to step back and ask itself what it wants to be. Does it want to be the women's NBA, with all the glitz, and glamour, and ever-so-professional distance that implies? Or does the league want to try to be something different, something closer to earth and closer to reality? Or is there a middle ground, where we can have some of the shiny veneer but still keep some of the closeness and realness that drew so many fans here in the first place? |
The league has to recognize that it needs to act differently from the NBA. For example, ever notice that the press manages to break a trade or story days before it is officially announced? That's for two reasons: 1) the media members are not passive and actively chase people for news and 2) the teams LEAK INFO as sources. The WNBA is lucky if they have one local writer who they can reach out to for a story. And, they are completely tight-lipped about most things so that we rarely get any information until they actually release it. The result is that they can carefully control the image, I suppose, but it leaves a lot of dead news days with little for the actual sports fans to talk about. It's definitely not like the NBA where we can already talk about upcoming seasons. Who has opt-out clauses in their contracts, what can each team afford, etc.
Is the WNBA a sports league or an entertainment league whose entertainment is a basketball game? Because right now it's the latter to me.
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ClayK
Joined: 11 Oct 2005
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| Posted: 03/15/18 9:26 am ::: |
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Defining the WNBA has been an issue from the start, really ...
Some have seen it as a cause.
Some have seen it as a potential major sport, the premier women's sports league in the world.
Some see it as a niche sport that is best viewed in smaller venues.
Some see it as the best women's basketball league in the world, and thus one that should be played in NBA and other large arenas.
Most see it as a mixture of several of these concepts, but I think the point made upthread is valid: Defining the league will, in essence, define its goals, and thus make it clearer what path to take.
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RavenDog
Joined: 19 Feb 2007
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| Posted: 03/18/18 10:50 am ::: |
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Two biggest hurdles are:
1.. Most women don't play or like basketball.
2.. Most men aren't currently attracted to women's basketball or biologically attracted to most of the women players.
So, how does one overcome these hurdles?
a.. Definitely not by how the WNBA has been run.
b.. WNBA executives and employees must be more available and open to conversation, questions and interactions.
c.. WNBA Drafts should be open to the public or at least fans.
d.. To get women to come to the games, one must encourage interest of the children in women's basketball.
e.. To get men, women and children more attracted to women's basketball rid the mostly fake photos and images of the players as being bad asses with mean faces and mean spirits.
f.. Recruit or have the "so called" women's advocates with popularity, fame and money step forward, i.e., Oprah, Hillary, Beyonce, younger Hollywood celebrities and pop stars etc. Where are they?
e.. The players need to step up and get more involved in helping to promote the game and their teams. It's not just the owners or WNBA executives responsibility to grow and nurture a struggling business. It takes hard work and time by everyone including the fans.
f.. Create a more family atmosphere, i.e., have some of the willing players interact and converse with their children publicly and in the media so there becomes an attraction to the game, players and children.
g.. The players need to be more open into their lives. To gain an attraction to players one has to get to know them or learn things about them.
h.. Ensure that all ticket reps and greeters are educated and trained in customer service and are helpful and friendly.
i.. Clean up the players. Most women don't want to be exposed or have their children exposed to blue hair, tons of tattoos, nose rings, gangster looks etc. Model after the Connecticut program and players.
j.. Clean up the language on the floor by the players and coaches.
k.. Try to get the NBA more involved financially and promotionally. With all the money taken in by the NBA, they can easily step in to make the game more attractive and financially better.
l.. The WNBA definitely needs to provide more information, timely information and continued information during the women's basketball season and all year.
m.. The WNBA definitely needs to promote their players during the off season to inform and educate the fans as to the players off-season ventures and accomplishments.
l. Etc., Etc., Etc...
Last edited by RavenDog on 03/18/18 12:08 pm; edited 1 time in total |
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calbearman76
Joined: 02 Nov 2009
Posts: 5155
Location: Carson City
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| Posted: 03/24/18 3:20 pm ::: |
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| SpaceJunkie wrote: |
| Randy wrote: |
| That is probably the best way to avoid any ugly mob scene of Liberty fans who might be picketing or burning Dolan in effigy on draft night. |
The WNBA is probably preparing for the near future for when all WNBA games will be closed to the public. :o |
And the Mystics would still announce a crowd of 9000.
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willtalk
Joined: 13 Apr 2012
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Location: NorCal
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| Posted: 04/02/18 10:40 am ::: |
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| Most of all sell the sport for what it is and quite trying to mimic what the NBA uses as a selling point. The Women can not compete in those areas so they shouldn't even try. Like making a big deal out of dunks. Last time I checked dunks only counted as two points. Actually most of us that watch the women's game do so because they do not promote flash at the expense of substance that the game of basketball once was.
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Aladyyn
Joined: 23 Jul 2017
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toad455
Joined: 16 Nov 2005
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| Posted: 04/03/18 8:52 am ::: |
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Locks to get invited to the draft? Last year only saw 10 invites & 2016 saw only 12. Considering the depth of this year's draft, there should be 15 or 16 invites.
Locks:
Wilson
Stevens
Mitchell
G. Williams
DeShields
Vivians
Canada
L. Brown
Nurse
Russell
Billings
Possible invite:
Mavunga
Gulich
Hines-Allen
Atkins
J. Barta
M. William
Nared
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jimmyk
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
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myrtle
Joined: 02 May 2008
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| Posted: 04/04/18 10:30 pm ::: |
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I think Toad's top 9 are clear invites. After that it will be a coin toss.
Will Diamond be in the States? I thought her team in Turkey was still playing.
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Richyyy
Joined: 17 Nov 2005
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Location: London
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| Posted: 04/04/18 11:08 pm ::: |
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| Yeah, the Turkish season is a long way from over. Unless Cukurova allow her to make a special trip back for it, DeShields will presumably not be at the draft. |
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Luuuc
#NATC
Joined: 10 Feb 2005
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| Posted: 04/05/18 6:44 pm ::: |
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Top 12 Draft Prospects from the Storm website, including some highlights & stats for each
http://storm.wnba.com/news/top-12-wnba-draft-prospects-of-2018/
| Quote: |
A’JA WILSON
Let’s get straight to the point – Wilson is bound to be a premier post in the WNBA. As a junior in 2016-17, the 6-5 lefty led South Carolina to its first NCAA championship, and, during her senior season, collected nearly every national award, including – Citizen Naismith Women’s Player of the Year, Lisa Leslie Award, SEC Defensive Player of the Year (second time), SEC Player of the Year (third time) and Associated Press (AP) National Player of the Year. After cashing in 2,389 points and 1,195 rebounds during her illustrious career at South Carolina, it’s no secret why the AP and panel of WNBA coaches and general managers tabbed Wilson as the top pick in this year’s draft.
Position: Center
Height: 6-5
College: South Carolina
2017-18 stats: 22.6 PPG, 11.8 RPG, 54.2 FG%
<iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/MNn6oPSV5Xo" frameborder="0" allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen></iframe> |
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CamrnCrz1974
Joined: 18 Nov 2004
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| Posted: 04/06/18 3:08 pm ::: |
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Some of the positions listed - especially for Gabby Williams and Azura Stevens - are a little suspect, but it is a good summary of the perceived top prospects, with highlights to boot.
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