Among those who passed through in Tulsa were fallen track star Marion Jones (13 years after she had played collegiate basketball at North Carolina) and Swoopes, who played her final season at age 40 for the Shock in 2011. Rookie Wire took a look at the NBA through the All-Star break and ranked each team from worst to first. Replacing Catchings has been most difficult for Indiana. Playoff appearances (record): One (0-2) Its amazing to be in the conversation, Beard said. Every team in the league is worth at least $1.5 billion, per Forbes' estimates. The WNBAhas seen significant growth in viewership over the last five years. We have been actively exploring this for a long time, Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle last year. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told The Athletic she hopes to identify one or two cities for an expansion franchise by the start of the WNBA playoffs in September or by years end at the latest. While the franchise ultimately ended up in other hands (and, according to Abrahams, went for a lower price in order for that franchise to stay in market), it got Toronto in the game early in terms of expansion talks with the league. Franchise journey: Detroit was in the first WNBA expansion wave with Washington in 1998, and made the playoffs just once in its first five seasons. In 2016, the Brooklyn Nets became the first new franchise to enter the league since 1976. All figures are in U.S. dollars based on the average U.S.-Canada exchange rates during the 2020-21 season. In the next few months, the most talked about issue in the WNBA should finally have some clarity. LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers are now valued at $5.5 billion, joining the New York Knicks . Regular-season record: 340-444 Franchise journey: Should the Wings really be ranked behind the long-gone Sting and Rockers? (Ray Chavez /The Mercury News via Getty Images), Could Scotiabank Arena be home to a future WNBA team? She has done so by bringing in new investors and partners, expanding media partnerships and a $75 million capital raise announced in February. Like Engelbert, Davis the Aces owner is fixated on revenue as his top priority. (Click here for our full list of values and additional information on every team.). Low point: This season is pretty bleak: Hoped-for star Chennedy Carter is indefinitely suspended, the Dream have lost 10 in a row and they're about to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. Regular-season record: 60-68 Other notable stars: Alana Beard, Tamecka Dixon, Chelsea Gray, Mwadi Mabika, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Kristi Toliver. League sources said the Liberty were sold with little new money changing hands and new owner Joe Tsai financing the transaction mostly by taking on debt, as well as stipulating fresh capital for MSG Sports if the Liberty hit certain revenue thresholds. But Davis has been very involved, so the change seems positive for the future. We have the eyeballs locked in. This is a BETA experience. League sources believe Philadelphia has potential as an eventual expansion city, but it would likely mean the involvement of the 76ers both financially and in terms of an arena. Low point: Having the distinction of being the only WNBA franchise to never make a playoff appearance. While the average highest listed price is $233. Theres no better time to invest in womens sports than now. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. This makes them the most valuable franchise in all of sports. And Carter's future seems uncertain. The team was owned by Russian billionaire Sergey Brin and Chinese investor Joe Tsai, who started out as employees of Google's China office. But forward/center Parker would be the No. It was an enormous mistake by the Sting, who missed out on one of the WNBA's all-time greats by not waiting a year for her to recover. Sabally at 22 has a bright future, and Gray at 26 has been one of the Wings' most dependable players the past five seasons. Franchise journey: The Utah Starzz were an original WNBA franchise in 1997, but the Utah Jazz were not a very engaged owner and the team moved to San Antonio to become part of the Spurs organization in 2003. having both surpassed the $4 billion mark for the first time this year. The league knows everything about what this is going to look like (regarding) Toronto.. Franchise journey: The Fire were owned by the Portland Trail Blazers' Paul Allen, but not for long. However, she added: Once the WNBAtakes a more definitive approach (to expansion), were confident that there will be an ownership group that comes forward.. Playoff appearances (record): Two (0-2) So much has changed during COVID with this league. With the league celebrating its 25th season, we rank every franchise in each of its incarnations in different cities, all 23 of them. Championships: Three (2001, 2002, 2016) The global financial crisis of 2007-08 took a toll on the WNBA, which lost Charlotte in January 2007, Houston in December 2008 and Sacramento in December 2009. But the Liberty haven't been that far since 2002 and haven't had a winning record since 2017. It was named one of the WNBAs inaugural Gamechangers (an investor program launched by Engelbertin 2020), was an investor in the recent capital raise and owns equity in the league. The Finals have been played at the conclusion of the regular season and postseason bracket every year since the league's inception in 1997; the championship stage follows a 2-2-1 split format, giving the higher-seeded team a chance to host three games as opposed to just two. Ogwumike opened her appearance by calling Sykes a WNBA real one and gifting Sykes an Ogwumike jersey. We really want to set up new owners for success., Engelbert estimates an 18- to 24-month timeline from the identification of a new team to its inaugural season. Los Angeles Lakers. Championships: None As well as earned All-WNBA First Team and Second Team honors. They traded Smith, a future Hall of Famer, to Detroit in late July 2005. Robert Sarver - $800 Million. Low point: The sale of the franchise to Tulsa, which was a re-set with new ownership, new staff and none of the stars from Detroit. Los Angeles Clippers. After reading about how he increased his father's fortune from $750 million to an estimated $6-7 billion, I suppose you wouldn't expect anything less from him. Bridgestone Arena could be a location for a WNBA expansion team. They have everything that they need to make sure that this happens.. He loves watching all types of sporting events and has made it his personal mission to attend every game he can. Catchings was a 10-time All-Star and five-time WNBA Defensive Player of the Year, as iconic to the Fever as Bird and Taurasi have been to Seattle and Phoenix. Over that span, the league has made changes to sustain the WNBA as both a sports league and a profession for womens basketball players. However, Riley went on to win two championships playing for the Detroit Shock, and Lennox was the WNBA Finals MVP with the champion Seattle Storm in 2004. The city already has used this kind of financing for sports arenas. 1. Playoff appearances (record): Seven (8-18) There was definite fan interest and a good relationship between the Spurs and Stars. For example, if a game draws low ratings, then no money will be made on that game. That season, the Sparks had their fewest wins in franchise history, going 10-24. Regular-season record: 204-306 Three have been with single-digit victory totals, and they're closing in on the fourth. But the Wings haven't done much yet, losing single-elimination games in their two playoff appearances. UConn has appeared in the last 14 Final Four's, but that streak could be in jeopardy. MVPs: None Regular-season record: 390-397 Face of the franchise: Liz Cambage (2011-13) With the "face of the franchise" category, we list the years she was with that team, which is not necessarily how long she was (or still is) in the WNBA. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press via Associated Press). The Hornets moved to New Orleans after the 2001-02 NBA season, but the Sting stayed put. The Athletic spoke to more than 20 people in and around the WNBA with knowledge of league expansion and its financial picture to learn more about the leagues plans. Championships: Three (2007, 2009, 2014) League all-time leaders: Sue Bird in assists (3,031) and games (545) 1 pick, and got them to the WNBA Finals for six of the next seven seasons. The incoming WNBA team would be able to play at either the Moda Center, where the Blazers play, or Veterans Coliseum, a 12,000-seat arena next to the Moda Center. The W.N.B.A. As the WNBA looks to grow, Lacob and the Warriors are interested in bringing a team to San Francisco, whether thats an expansion team or even an existing one. The NBA has revenues of $8.3B/year, while the WNBA only generates $60M (as we said . The league currently gets an average of $2.66 billion a year from Walt Disneys ABC and ESPN and AT&Ts Turner Broadcasting. Among the new owners is former Dream star Renee Montgomery, who retired to fight for social justice. In order to break a tie, the following criteria will be utilized in the order set forth: They sometimes have to pay to appear on local TV, essentially debiting that outlay as a marketing spend just to air its games in its local market. Championships: None Lee Berke, an expert in media rights, tells Forbes, My projection is that the NBAs media deals will double in value, thanks in part to a substantial boost in streamed content.. She made it clear before being drafted No. MVPs: None She wanted to get back into the WNBA, but she had a different goal on her whiteboard: team ownership. In 2016, Verizon became the primary sponsor of the WNBA Finals. In order to identify the most viable places for a WNBA expansion team, the league will consider a number of priorities and categories and will run each city through 25 data points within five categories: demographics, psychographics (market research or statistics classifying population groups according to psychological variables), sports benchmarks, viewership and fan data. They went the distance in 2017, too, but this time Minnesota won the decisive fifth game for its fourth title. WNBA career stats leaders: Cynthia Cooper in scoring average (20.98), minutes per game average (35.19) and player efficiency rating (28.72) Mr. Allen is one of the richest people in the world, having earned over $10 billion dollars. With a maximum of 144 roster spots, and with the league carrying closer to 137 players because of salary cap restrictions, spots are at a premium lottery picks have been cut in their first season, beloved veterans whove played years in the league have been quietly waived during training camp and never played another minute. Though that method of valuation is unusual in comparison to how other . So, if you do the scales, its pretty tough to even fathom that. Other notable stars: Ruthie Bolton, Rebekkah Brunson, Kara Lawson, Ticha Penicheiro, Nicole Powell, Tangela Smith, DeMya Walker. The Storm launched soon after the demise of the Seattle Reign of the short-lived ABL, so there was already a professional women's basketball audience in place. Thats an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. WNBA started with just eight teams which were fully owned by the NBA. Other notable stars: Vicky Bullett, Allison Feaster, Rhonda Mapp, Charlotte Smith, Andrea Stinson, Tammy Sutton-Brown. While the 76ers play in the Wells Fargo Center, they do not own it and have a lease that runs through 2031. By far. They officially were the "Silver Stars" from then through 2013, then just the "Stars" their last four seasons. Memphis Grizzlies: $1.36 billion. Playoff appearances (record): Six (8-14) The Sun missed the playoffs for the next four seasons. The Forbes estimate does not include sales or sponsorship revenue which both teams enjoy, but instead focuses on the actual value of the Knicks' ownership interest. The initial plan was to have 12 teams with an average attendance of 5,000 fans per game. First-year Wings coach Vickie Johnson has a lot to work with, but it's also a tough league in which to be this young. Looming over this process, however, is the value of a WNBA franchise. According to people intimately familiar with these deals who spoke on the condition of anonymity, the implied enterprise value Marc Lore and Alex Rodriguez will pay for a controlling interest in the Minnesota Timberwolves is $1.6 billion, with the deal expected to happen in three tranches by the end of 2023. which wnba team is worth the most 1 in 2001, Charlotte bypassed Catchings with the No. Franchise journey: One of the original eight WNBA franchises, the Monarchs were affiliated with the Sacramento Kings and owned by the Maloof family, which for several years was very involved with the Monarchs. The New York Liberty, Las Vegas Aces and Atlanta Dream have all been sold in recent years, but the sales prices for all three franchises are in that range. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Auriemma doesn't see his team cutting down any nets this season. Bird has been a key factor for all four titles and is a primary icon of the WNBA. Serena Williams and Brittney Griner were each honored at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, when Williams won the Jackie Robinson Sports Award and . Data provided by HighPostHoops.com 2028 2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 That said, there's something to be said for perception, and also educated guesses. Well just continue to broaden the exposure for these players so that we can get this expansion done in the future., (Illustration: Wes McCabe / The Athletic; Photos: Jennifer Pottheiser / NBAE via Getty Images; Patrick Gorski / NurPhoto via Getty Images; Justin Sullivan / Getty Images). Mike Alter - $1.2 Billion. Playoff appearances (record): Six (6-13) At the end of the Dreams first season, the Houston Comets the franchise that won the WNBAs first four championships ceased to exist. Nolan, Smith, Ford and McWilliams-Franklin, who were still with the Shock in 2009, never moved with the organization. Considering they've already reached the Finals and had an MVP, the building blocks to long-term success are in place. Other notable stars: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Ivory Latta, Tiffany Jackson-Jones, Glory Johnson, Sheryl Swoopes, Odyssey Sims, Riquna Williams. Unlike other professional leagues, like the NFL and NBA, where playoffs are determined by conference or division winners, the WNBAplayoffs are determined by the teams that finish with the top eight records, so adding a single team wouldnt change that much of the equation. Just as he cited the old American Football League in explaining why he chose to make Becky Hammon the leagues first million-dollar salaried coach, he used it to explain the need for more revenue. The estimated net worth of Mark Davis, an American businessman and owner of a professional sports team, is $1.9 billion. Sources also have connected South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a Philadelphia native, to the group. That growth has been steady during the playoffs and finals too, though not as steep the WNBAaveraged 346,000 viewers per playoffs and finals game in 2017, 258,000 in 2019, and 367,000 last season. Championships: None In addition, corporate sponsorship revenues amount to $5 million while media rights fees bring in another $500,000. But the next year brought Taurasi as the No. The Aces are on their second owner in Sin City as Las Vegas Raiders boss Mark Davis bought the team from MGM Resorts International earlier this year. In 2003, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority paid $10 million as an expansion fee for the Connecticut Sun, according to an SEC filing. The fact that we were capable of raising $75 million at the league level validates sort of the trajectory of the WNBA, she said. The Warriors opened the Chase Center in 2019, a self-funded arena in San Franciscos Mission Bay area which could host a WNBA season if they bring in a team. She died at age 37 in 2011 after suffering a cardiac arrest while pregnant with her third child. Franchise journey: Many things went right for the Comets from the start. It is just a timing process though. Under this method, the value of any company is determined by evaluating its assets - in this case, the Knicks - along with its liabilities and equity. Fourth is the Los Angeles Sparks. The organization did not respond to a request for comment from Forbes. The Birch family also has interests in MLB's Chicago Cubs and MLS' Chicago Fire. There has been a critical error on this website. In 2017, the franchise was worth 3.3 billion US dollars, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were worth just a bit less than the Knicks. Other notable stars: Allisha Gray, Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Isabelle Harrison, Glory Johnson, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Kayla Thornton. Low point: Becoming the first of the original eight WNBA teams to fold, after the 2003 season. High point: Making their only WNBA Finals appearance in 2001, under coach Anne Donovan. The city could also serve as a gateway to the shoe companies that keep their headquarters nearby. Regular-season record: 87-99 10. High point: Going from worst to first and winning the 2003 championship. Today, all but two teams are making a profit. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Franchise journey: The Starzz, owned by the Utah Jazz, never caught on in Salt Lake City. A year later, the Sacramento Monarchs which had won a championship just four seasons earlier ceased operations after it failed to secure a relocation bid. The WNBA has one of the more flexible business models in sports. When compared to the NBA, the WNBA generates a far bigger portion of its revenue from ticket sales. Monica Fawknotson, the executive director of Nashvilles Sports Authority Board, said that while groups have shown interest in ownership, the presentation will not include a definitive ownership group. It was the first title for the franchise and longtime WNBA coach Mike Thibault. She joined Penicheiro, the team's No. Regular-season record: 71-113 What might the Sky have become with more seasons of these two playing together? The average price of a ticket is just over $100. The Dallas Wings are continuing to build their roster ahead of the 2023 WNBA season with the team's newest addition of Kitija "Kit" Laksa. Diggins-Smith's net worth is estimated to be 324,162, with a salary of 184,691 plus endorsement deals with Roc Nation Sports, Nike, Body Armor and Puma. They had an engaged fan base that loved the "Bad Girls" style reminiscent of Laimbeer's "Bad Boys" playing days in Detroit, plus the explosive skill of Nolan, who was from nearby Flint, Michigan. But there was always a fascination league-wide with Dydek, the tallest woman to play in the WNBA at 7-foot-2. Other notable stars: Vickie Johnson, Ann Wauters, Sophia Young-Malcolm, Kayla McBride, Jia Perkins, Ruth Riley, Danielle Robinson. Philip Anschutz sold his 27% stake in the Lakers in July at a $5 billion valuation, with an implied controlling stake valuation of around $5.5 billion; Forbes valued the team at $4.6 billion in February. Former Vanderbilt standout Sam led the Sol in scoring all three of their seasons. Nashville Municipal Auditorium seats only 8,000, but it currently only hosts home events for the Nashville Roller Girls on a monthly basis so scheduling would be easier than at Bridgestone. Engelbert would not disclose the number of teams projected as profitable for the 2022 season. Oregon has a great track record of embracing and promoting womens sports in an authentic and meaningful way, and it is no surprise to us that there may be interest in bringing a WNBA team to the market.. We'll never know, but Chicago has had a different kind of dynamic duo in guards -- and spouses -- Vandersloot and Quigley. This amounts to a profit margin of 17%. Regular-season record: 490-323 4. They've also had one of the most involved fan bases in the X Factor, which fell in love with the likes of Jennifer Gillom, Bridget Pettis and Australia's Michele Timms in the early years. The valuation was calculated using the sales price of all sports teams, which is estimated to be worth $230 million. Joe Tsai is a co-founder of China's biggest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group. 1-4 in the 2022 WNBA Draft, the base salary is expected to be $72,141 in year one. That means selling tickets and making it successful. Low point: The franchise folding after going 15-17 in 2002. The Sparks were originally based in San Francisco but moved to Los Angeles in 2005. Low point: Losing the 2012 Eastern finals to Indiana, after which coach Mike Thibault was fired and went to Washington. Franchise journey: Madison Square Garden was a pretty special place with a likable and successful Liberty team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban ( $4.2 billion) falls just short and Charlotte Hornets owner Michael Jordan ( $1.6 billion) is well outside the top 10. High point: A franchise-best 29-5 regular-season record plus a 7-1 playoff mark in the Mercury's 2014 championship season. Playoff appearances (record): 12 (42-24) Davis owns the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders and has been a proponent of spending more . The Lynx stewed for a year after a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Sparks on Nneka Ogwumike's putback in the 2016 WNBA Finals. The Wings had the top two picks in this year's admittedly weak draft. No controlling interests of NBA teams have changed hands sinceour lastranking,but several minority stakes were sold at prices that show thefranchisesare a hot commodity, especially those in big markets. We had to build a (Warriors) team and business organization. Low point: Failing to follow up their postseason breakthrough, going 13-19 in 2001. The latest ranking reported that the Golden State Warriors is the most . Net Worth: $400,000; WNBA Team: Washington Mystics That it came on the University of Minnesota's home court where Whalen played as a collegian (Target Center was being renovated) made it all the more memorable. Championships: None Even a comparison over a 2019 which we might call a more normal year but we were a different league back then than we are now.. That's an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. Theprivate equity firmalsobought just under 5%of the Golden State Warriorsat a$5.5 billion valuation in April, thehigh-water markfor a minority stake and 17% above our last estimate. Portland has shown consistently that were at the top of the list in supporting womens franchises and events, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. The Sun haven't broken through for a title yet, but they're a strong contender to challenge for a championship again this year under coach Curt Miller, despite Alyssa Thomas missing the season with an Achilles injury. After Seattle took Australian star Lauren Jackson No. To view the purposes they believe they have legitimate interest for, or to object to this data processing use the vendor list link below. High point Young-Malcolm's desperation shot at the buzzer in Game 2 of the 2008 Western Conference finals against Los Angeles keeping San Antonio alive. The Yankees and Knicks have the same owner: James Dolan. Meanwhile the average overall WNBA ticket price is $47 on SeatGeek. Another reason for the jump is the high expectations for the next round of national media deals, which would begin with the 2025-26 season. USATI. 1 draft picks was on the way. Though that method of valuation is unusual in comparison to how other professional sports leagues conduct their valuations, it also places the average value of a WNBA team at more than $43.75 million. She has broken the WNBA mark for assists . She has also played in WCBA and Turkish League.
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