Keeping dream alive
The WNBA gives young players a league in which to fulfill their aspirations.
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
Ticha Penicheiro remembers the unrealistic dream she shared with thousands of girls learning to dribble a basketball.
She yearned to win championships in an established, competitive basketball league. Although at the time she was thinking of the NBA, Penicheiro finds herself playing out just that dream as the Monarchs look to repeat as WNBA champions in Wednesday's Game 4 of the Finals at Arco Arena.
"It's just such a great thing that girls growing up now have something to look forward to, something to dream about," Penicheiro said. "Boys have always had that. Women our age dreamed of the NBA, and that's just an unrealistic goal."
In its 10th season, the WNBA is still ironing out issues while skeptics wonder whether the league will make it another decade. The whispers of ultimate failure aren't without reason, as other women's leagues have yet to survive the longevity test, rising and folding without gaining their financial footing.
"The WNBA has been here for 10 years. and some people still don't give us a chance," Penicheiro said. "What we say is, 'Give us a try, give us a chance.' It's played the way basketball should be played, as a team sport."
However, this year, fewer people saw it that way -- at least until August.
Attendance this season dropped for the fourth consecutive year. The 14 franchises averaged 7,476 fans for the 34-game regular season. Those figures are based on announced attendance, which includes all tickets sold, not fans in seats. The league's attendance peaked in 1998 with an average of 10,869.
Much of this year's decline was from sluggish early season attendance. After the All-Star break, the league saw a 8 percent rise in attendance.
"We were a little slow coming out of the box this year," WNBA President Donna Orender said. "But I'd rather be slow to start than slow to finish."
Nine of 13 teams this season encountered a decrease in attendance, while the newest addition to the league -- the Chicago Sky -- averaged 3,390 fans. Sacramento was one of the steadiest teams, averaging 8,691 fans during the regular season.
Viewership for games ABC carried in the regular season was up 8 percent while playoff games on ESPN2 have seen a 10 percent increase, according to WNBA officials.
Orender said this year's total playoff attendance figures have already surpassed last year's. So far this postseason, 151,136 fans have attended games with an average attendance of 8,890 at 17 playoff games. That is up 10 percent from last year.
Detroit brought in a record 15,218 people to the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., for Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, but had just 9,581 fans attend Game 1. The Palace seats 22,076.
"You always want to fill your buildings," said the charismatic Orender, who is in her second year at the helm of the league. "That said, I think as we look at our fan base, our attendance, our business model, our resources across the board, I think we are pretty confident that the investment that we are making will prove really good results and solid results that we can continue to build on in the next 10 years."
Changes are on the horizon. Orender said the league hasn't ruled out moving out of the summer season.
"I happen to think it's great (playing in the summer)," Orender said. "But we reserve the right to look at it."
Orender would like to see the league expand each year with another franchise and said she currently has interest from five non-NBA cities. She said she sees the league leveling off around 20-24 teams. Of those currently interested, Bentonville, Ark., is the most vocal about gaining a franchise. City officials from Bentonville say they are more than willing to pay the $10 million for the rights to own a franchise.
Monarchs coach John Whisenant said there is enough talent to expand.
"This league has matured into a very competitive league," Whisenant said. "In the last four or five years everyone says there is much more parity."
Whisenant said even looking at his own roster, he knows if he played rookie Kim Smith more often she would be a playmaker.
"I think Kim Smith would be an outstanding player in this league, but she's not getting much of a chance (behind more veteran players)," Whisenant said. "I think in the next 10 years you'll see a lot of players you can expand with."
And, as Orender pointed out, it all starts with giving players something she never had.
"I never had the dream to dream," she said.
=================
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/monarchs/story/14317892p-15237775c.html
The WNBA gives young players a league in which to fulfill their aspirations.
By Melody Gutierrez -- Bee Staff Writer
Ticha Penicheiro remembers the unrealistic dream she shared with thousands of girls learning to dribble a basketball.
She yearned to win championships in an established, competitive basketball league. Although at the time she was thinking of the NBA, Penicheiro finds herself playing out just that dream as the Monarchs look to repeat as WNBA champions in Wednesday's Game 4 of the Finals at Arco Arena.
"It's just such a great thing that girls growing up now have something to look forward to, something to dream about," Penicheiro said. "Boys have always had that. Women our age dreamed of the NBA, and that's just an unrealistic goal."
In its 10th season, the WNBA is still ironing out issues while skeptics wonder whether the league will make it another decade. The whispers of ultimate failure aren't without reason, as other women's leagues have yet to survive the longevity test, rising and folding without gaining their financial footing.
"The WNBA has been here for 10 years. and some people still don't give us a chance," Penicheiro said. "What we say is, 'Give us a try, give us a chance.' It's played the way basketball should be played, as a team sport."
However, this year, fewer people saw it that way -- at least until August.
Attendance this season dropped for the fourth consecutive year. The 14 franchises averaged 7,476 fans for the 34-game regular season. Those figures are based on announced attendance, which includes all tickets sold, not fans in seats. The league's attendance peaked in 1998 with an average of 10,869.
Much of this year's decline was from sluggish early season attendance. After the All-Star break, the league saw a 8 percent rise in attendance.
"We were a little slow coming out of the box this year," WNBA President Donna Orender said. "But I'd rather be slow to start than slow to finish."
Nine of 13 teams this season encountered a decrease in attendance, while the newest addition to the league -- the Chicago Sky -- averaged 3,390 fans. Sacramento was one of the steadiest teams, averaging 8,691 fans during the regular season.
Viewership for games ABC carried in the regular season was up 8 percent while playoff games on ESPN2 have seen a 10 percent increase, according to WNBA officials.
Orender said this year's total playoff attendance figures have already surpassed last year's. So far this postseason, 151,136 fans have attended games with an average attendance of 8,890 at 17 playoff games. That is up 10 percent from last year.
Detroit brought in a record 15,218 people to the Palace in Auburn Hills, Mich., for Game 2 of the WNBA Finals, but had just 9,581 fans attend Game 1. The Palace seats 22,076.
"You always want to fill your buildings," said the charismatic Orender, who is in her second year at the helm of the league. "That said, I think as we look at our fan base, our attendance, our business model, our resources across the board, I think we are pretty confident that the investment that we are making will prove really good results and solid results that we can continue to build on in the next 10 years."
Changes are on the horizon. Orender said the league hasn't ruled out moving out of the summer season.
"I happen to think it's great (playing in the summer)," Orender said. "But we reserve the right to look at it."
Orender would like to see the league expand each year with another franchise and said she currently has interest from five non-NBA cities. She said she sees the league leveling off around 20-24 teams. Of those currently interested, Bentonville, Ark., is the most vocal about gaining a franchise. City officials from Bentonville say they are more than willing to pay the $10 million for the rights to own a franchise.
Monarchs coach John Whisenant said there is enough talent to expand.
"This league has matured into a very competitive league," Whisenant said. "In the last four or five years everyone says there is much more parity."
Whisenant said even looking at his own roster, he knows if he played rookie Kim Smith more often she would be a playmaker.
"I think Kim Smith would be an outstanding player in this league, but she's not getting much of a chance (behind more veteran players)," Whisenant said. "I think in the next 10 years you'll see a lot of players you can expand with."
And, as Orender pointed out, it all starts with giving players something she never had.
"I never had the dream to dream," she said.
=================
http://www.sacbee.com/content/sports/basketball/monarchs/story/14317892p-15237775c.html
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