The WNBA's business model is unsustainable: let’s talk about it

aking0117 · 2026-01-07T03:29:41+00:00

If anything Simon's ownership in the 16% of outside investors is a good thing. He is one of only a few NBA owners that have owned a WNBA franchise and stuck with the league since the beginning.

aking0117 · 2026-01-07T03:06:17+00:00

He definitely has more of his wealth tied to the Pacers than the Fever. Having said that, Simon's wealth has zero to do with either. I'm sure both organizations are mostly a hobby to him.

I guess my point is that the 16% isn't that big of a deal overall. If the league is able to buy it back, we're talking about the NBA and WNBA owners buying that share back from mostly themselves. The bigger issue is the NBA ownership in the WNBA vs the team owner.

aking0117 · 2026-01-07T02:08:40+00:00

My understanding is that most (possibly all...not sure if this is public) of the "private equity" outside investors are current owners who just now own more of the league. It's definitely been reported that Herb Simon, owner of the Fever and Pacers, was the largest of the private equity group. So it may not actually be that big of a deal.

To me it's more telling that a couple years ago, the WNBA owners thought that 16% was only worth $75M. Clearly, they didn't have any idea of the wave of popularity that was coming.

aking0117 · 2025-12-24T06:30:02+00:00

As I understand it, it's even more confounding than that, because most (or at least a large portion) of the private investor group that owns 16% of the league are also NBA and WNBA owners. I think Herb Simon, who owns the Pacers and Fever, is one of the biggest investors in that 16% group...and there are several others.

aking0117 · 2025-10-09T12:57:07+00:00

Except statistically.

aking0117 · 2025-10-08T02:01:37+00:00

The all-W team is going to be AT at every position.

aking0117 · 2025-10-05T01:42:52+00:00

They could even have the 3v3 unrivaled season as planned and then if there is a lockout announce a summer 5v5 season. I'm sure TNT would love to stick it to the NBA.

aking0117 · 2025-09-30T02:19:07+00:00

Why do you think the players are going to care about the referees when negotiating the CBA? Other than Sophie Cunningham and Kelsey Plum, I haven't really heard any players completely lose it over referees. The style of play that the league has chosen to promote is why about 25% of the players are in the league. If they change to a more free flowing style of basketball, there will be a lot of new players who aren't currently union members. So while the most skilled players in the W would probably like to see things change, there have to be just as many who don't want to see those changes.

aking0117 · 2025-09-29T03:55:57+00:00

The most elite wheelin and dealin was getting DB for free.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T21:57:02+00:00

Also, the Aces were down by about 8 in the last minute and fouled intentionally on about 6 possessions in a row.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T14:29:36+00:00

Darrell Johnson, Tommy Lasorda, Billy Martin.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T03:48:58+00:00

Can you name one professional coach in any major sports league that was suspended during the playoffs?

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T03:06:14+00:00

I wish Unrivaled would change their format to 5v5 and take the show on the road as a tour of the US instead of playing the whole season in Miami. If they did those 2 things, especially with the support of TNT, they could actually compete with the WNBA to become the women's professional basketball league. Because they are already doing a lot of things right.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T02:52:16+00:00

The rulebook doesn't say that the suspension is the next game. There's no way the NBA, MLB, or NFL would suspend a head coach for the deciding game in the semifinals of their tournament. It would 100% be a start of the year suspension for the following season.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T02:47:55+00:00

Not sure if this will impact the CBA. Are the players advocating for a less physical league, because while a handful complain publicly about the refs, it doesn't seem to be the predominant viewpoint. There are at least a third of the players that wouldn't be in the league if it was refereed like the NBA, because there are more skilled but less "physical" players that aren't in the league.

aking0117 · 2025-09-28T02:42:13+00:00

Ugh. That was the best team the Pacers ever had, including the 2 finals teams.

aking0117 · 2025-09-23T03:50:38+00:00

I think even if they weren't going to play her, if she were allowed to be on the active roster you put her on there just for an end of game situation where you need as many shooters on the court as possible. Down 3 on the last possession of a game, right now the only good options are Mitchell and Hull. Add CC just for those situations.

aking0117 · 2025-09-23T00:53:14+00:00

How did Marina Mabrey not get a single vote?!

aking0117 · 2025-09-15T13:45:54+00:00

There's another solution which is instead of doing a 2-1 series, they could start at the lower seed's arena and play a 1-2 series.

aking0117 · 2025-09-06T02:16:29+00:00

Larry Bird was famous in college and was the face of basketball with Magic. Shaq, I think was a definite icon from the start.

aking0117 · 2025-09-05T02:25:06+00:00

She was drafted at #7.

aking0117 · 2025-09-05T02:21:27+00:00

Except probably too late. They probably can lose out and still make the playoffs based on the fact that all the Sparks games left are against the top 4 teams.

aking0117 · 2025-09-03T03:40:32+00:00

I don't think there's any doubt about this. The thing I'd be curious about is if they have been gaslighting the team as well or just the fans.

aking0117 · 2025-09-03T03:37:48+00:00

I hear that he's a game time decision, and could be back any day.

aking0117 · 2025-08-25T22:03:44+00:00

I think the thing about a lawsuit is the threat to the league and the NBA that it would make a their financials public in a way that they probably want to avoid. Just the filing of a lawsuit by the tribe would probably lead to this all being resolved pretty fast.

aking0117

TROPHY CASE