Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is a professional basketball league in the United States, established in April 1996 by the National Basketball Association (NBA). The league was formed in response to the growing popularity of women's basketball, particularly following the success of the U.S. women's team at the 1996 Summer Olympics. Initially featuring eight teams, the WNBA has since expanded, reaching twelve teams by the late 1990s. The Houston Comets won the inaugural championship in 1997, and the league has continued to grow despite facing financial challenges compared to men's sports.
The WNBA is notable for being the longest-running women's professional basketball league in the U.S. and has made significant contributions to the visibility of women's sports. However, it has struggled with issues such as salary disparities and competition from other leagues, like the American Basketball League. The establishment of a players' union in 1999 marked a significant milestone for women in professional sports. Over the years, WNBA players have emerged as role models, contributing to increased interest in women's basketball at various levels. Despite ongoing challenges, the league remains a pivotal platform for female athletes and continues to influence the landscape of professional sports.
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Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Identification Professional U.S. women’s basketball league
Date Established in 1996; league play began in 1997
Although it was not the first professional women’s basketball league in the United States, the WNBA was the first such league to be formally backed by the men’s National Basketball Association (NBA) and the first to receive significant, ongoing television and news coverage.
In April 1996, the National Basketball Association announced the formation of a new Women’s National Basketball Association, which would initially consist of eight teams in two conferences, playing in cities with existing NBA “partner” teams. The new league hoped to capitalize on the U.S. women’s basketball team’s undefeated gold medal run during the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia. Several of the star Olympians, including Sheryl Swoopes and Rebecca Lobo, signed on to the WNBA immediately, and the league’s first president, Val Ackerman, was named. The regular season ran from June to August, and in September 1997, the Houston Comets won the first of what would become four consecutive WNBA championships. Shortly thereafter, WNBA officials announced that four new teams would be added for the 1998 season, bringing the league total to twelve teams.
The WNBA was not the only women’s professional basketball league in the late 1990s. The rival American Basketball League (ABL) was also formed in 1996 and had attracted several of the sport’s most talented women players in part because of its higher salaries. Ultimately, however, the ABL could not compete with the WNBA in the limited market for professional women’s sports, and it folded in 1998, at which time many of its players moved over to the WNBA.
By the end of the 1990s, the WNBA had doubled in size, adding two teams in 1998 and another two in 1999. Another milestone was the institution of a collective-bargaining agreement, or players’ union, at the start of the 1999 season; this was the first such agreement for any American professional women’s sport.
As of 2017, the league has twelve teams: the Atlanta Dream, Chicago Sky, Connecticut Sun, Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever, Los Angeles Sparks, Minnesota Lynx, New York Liberty, Phoenix Mercury, San Antonio Stars, Seattle Storm, and Washington Mystics.
Impact
As a relatively young league, the WNBA has struggled financially and its players do not receive salaries or lucrative product endorsements equivalent to those of professional male athletes, prompting some leading players to skip WNBA seasons in order to play for teams in other countries, which offer much higher salaries. Despite these challenges, the WNBA has persisted and has significantly increased the visibility of professional women’s sports. Its players have become role models for many American girls, and the league has helped to increase the popularity of basketball as a high school and college sport for female athletes. The league, which is the longest-running women’s professional basketball league in the United States, celebrated its twentieth season in 2016.
Further Reading
Araton, Harvey. “As W.N.B.A. Opens Its 20th Season, Key Figures Recall the First Game.” The New York Times, 13 May 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/05/14/sports/basketball/wnba-opens-its-20th-season-recall-los-angeles-sparks.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2017.
Berri, David. “Think the WNBA Is in Trouble? Let’s Talk Some NBA History.” The Huffington Post, 3 June 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/david-berri/think-the-wnba-is-in-trouble-lets-talk-nba-history‗b‗10279354.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2017.
Payne, Marissa. “NBA Commissioner Adam Silver on the WNBA: ‘It’s Not Where We Hoped It Would Be.’” The Washington Post, 17 Sept. 2015, www.washingtonpost.com/news/early-lead/wp/2015/09/17/nba-commissioner-adam-silver-on-the-wnba-its-not-where-we-hoped-it-would-be/. Accessed 25 Jan. 2017.
Ponti, James. WNBA: Stars of Women’s Basketball. New York: Pocket Books, 1999.
Sandomir, Richard. “After Two Decades, W.N.B.A. Still Struggling for Relevance.” The New York Times, 28 May 2016, www.nytimes.com/2016/05/28/sports/basketball/after-two-decades-wnba-still-struggling-for-relevance.html. Accessed 25 Jan. 2017.
Terzieff, Juliette. Women of the Court: Inside the WNBA. New York: Alyson, 2008.