The Dream have struggled mightily these past three seasons; they are 21-60 in that stretch. Figures in USD $6200M for a 5-year period, so for the 2023 season this is USD $1240M for the League, $124M per team, $16.7M per match) Note that this is only the revenue from the sale of media rights to broadcasters. MVPs: Tina Charles (2012) Franchise journey: After the 2002 season the WNBA was ready for independent ownership outside of NBA franchises, and the Sun were the first to go that route. For example, last month the Brooklyn Nets landed a jersey patch dealreportedlyworth an NBA-record $30 million a year, one reason the value of the Nets rose 21% this yearmore than any other teamto $3.2 billion. Regular-season record: 490-323 Revealing those values is taboo across the league. Franchise journey: An original WNBA franchise, the Sting were first owned by the Charlotte Hornets and made the playoffs six of their first seven seasons. 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. Despite a pandemic thatkept arenas mostly emptyduring the 2020-21 season, the average value ofan NBA franchisehas risen 13%, to $2.48 billion,since Forbes last set of valuations, published in February. WNBA started with just eight teams which were fully owned by the NBA. Low point: There are so many options. This is a BETA experience. And Carter's future seems uncertain. Delle Donne missed last season and has been limited to just a few games this season by lingering back issues. 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. So, if you do the scales, its pretty tough to even fathom that. During his time in New York, Jordan won two NBA Championships (2000, 2002) and was named MVP of both events. Other notable stars: Tully Bevilaqua, Jessica Davenport, Katie Douglas, Briann January, Erlana Larkins, Tammy Sutton-Brown, Shavonte Zellous. Bevilaqua (with Seattle) and Walker (with Sacramento) both went on to be WNBA champions. Regular-season record: 87-99 The Ducks peaked at the No. The main ranking criteria are success and standout players, although franchise longevity played a factor, too. Low point: Having the distinction of being the only WNBA franchise to never make a playoff appearance. That has elicited demands from players for more roster space across the league. Manage Settings In all but one case -- Tulsa to Dallas -- the ownership was different when the franchise moved, and in all cases the teams have had distinct identities. Tulsa went 7-38 under Richardson, who resigned 11 games into his second season. Playoff appearances (record): Seven (8-18) The current salary cap for the NBA is about $75 million US dollars; this limit is set by each team in order to maintain financial stability. Sources say Sykes, who lives in Pennsylvania part-time, is a part of a group with interest in bringing an expansion team to Philadelphia. A representative for billionaire Kirk Brown said he is leading the bid to bring a WNBA team to Portland in this round of expansion. However, MLSE wouldnt confirm directly whether its directly involved with the bid put forth by New Media Sports & Entertainment. High point: Making the WNBA Finals in 2020 in the team's third season in Las Vegas. Meanwhile, Shock assistant Cheryl Reeve left to take over at Minnesota, starting a dynasty there. Regular-season record: 59-145 The WNBAhas seen significant growth in viewership over the last five years. Championships: None And its something that weve gotta do in the near future. Face of the franchise: Tamika Catchings (2002-2016) Beard was a four-time WNBAAll-Star and won a championship in 2016 with the Los Angeles Sparks. Get in touch with us now. 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. The Birch family also has interests in MLB's Chicago Cubs and MLS' Chicago Fire. Once again, the franchise is considered the most valuable of any of the NBA's 30 clubs, according to a report from Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes. Low point: The franchise folding, despite a committed fan base, after the 2009 season. The Star made the playoffs in seven of Hammon's eight years with San Antonio. Before Joe Lacob bought the Golden State Warriors, he was an investor in the American Basketball League, a competitor to the WNBA in the late 1990s. Face of the franchise: Alyssa Thomas (2014-present) MVPs: None A potential ownership group from Kansas City attempted to buy the Sting, but couldn't raise enough funds and the franchise disbanded. Franchise journey: Part of the league's second expansion in 1999, along with Orlando, the Lynx qualified for the playoffs just twice in their first 12 seasons. (Ray Chavez /The Mercury News via Getty Images), Could Scotiabank Arena be home to a future WNBA team? Data provided by HighPostHoops.com 2028 2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 "I wish we . Golden State Warriors: $4.7 billion. 2 draft pick in 1998, as a great guard-post combo. Even if your . 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. They have everything that they need to make sure that this happens.. Two-Way Tie Between Teams. 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. Beard, who is Black, said she wants to bring a team to Oakland, in part, to change the profile of who a team owner is and to create more access and opportunities for other women that look exactly like me.. This is the perfect time, she said. And for the upcoming 2021 season, ESPN has split the difference, dropping to 25 games. Here is what every team in the NBA is worth in 2021, according to Sportico: Nick Monroe/Handout Photo via USA TODAY Sports, Carmen Mandato/Pool Photo-USA TODAY Sports, Sign up for the The Rookie Wire newsletter to get our top stories in your inbox every morning. If on the other hand, if it draws high ratings then more money will be made than if they had played it during week one of the season when people were probably still getting used to the idea of women's basketball and didn't know who they were going to watch play. Getting a media contract was definitely one of the first things that is on my plate in my vision for this league to succeed, said Davis, who also owns the Raiders. 2 in 2011 that she didn't want to be there, and her brief presence (53 games) and long absences defined the franchise. "My wish is that ESPN would drive the push for the WNBA instead of waiting," says Lobo. WNBA career stats leaders: Diana Taurasi in points (9,161), field goals made/attempted (2,887 of 6,703), 3-point field goals made/attempted (1,203 of 3,286) and free throws made/attempted (2,184 of 2,508) Firstintroduced during the 2017-18 season and hovering about $150 million in total for the past couple of years,the agreementsare expected tobring inwellover $225 million across the leagues 30 teamsin 2021-22. Taurasi will continue with the Mercury, the only WNBA franchise for which she has played, in Season 19 in 2023. Local access to one or all of those companies could allow for a more fluid partnership between the businesses and players, potentially leading to endorsement deals that could help increase player pay outside of raising salaries through the collective bargaining agreement. Earvin "Magic" Johnson - $620 Million. The next media rights contract will be vital for the league, not only in bringing in more money to each team but also in lifting up franchise values. They are well-positioned to bring a team to San Francisco if they decide to make a full-throttle pitch. Finally, people are understanding the value of the WNBAand what we offer.. Then Connecticut fired Thibault after the 2012 season, and the Mystics finally had a long-term coach. The WNBA has one of the more flexible business models in sports. Adding international commercial travel to league scheduling would only exacerbate the problem. Trinity Valley Community College Is the Hoops Dynasty You . Low point: There hasn't been one, although the Aces were disappointed to be swept by Seattle in the 2020 Finals. Every team in the league is worth at least $1.5 billion, per Forbes' estimates. Delle Donne, wanting to be closer to her Delaware home, pushed for a trade to Washington after the 2016 season and has won a title with the Mystics. 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. Under the current CBA, teams can only fly commercially and players have increasingly voiced frustrations about delays and other travel issues. High point: Stiles, on the heels of a magical run to the Final Four with Missouri State, winning WNBA Rookie of the Year in 2001 -- yes, over Seattle's Lauren Jackson, which really shouldn't have happened. Like Engelbert, Davis the Aces owner is fixated on revenue as his top priority. Franchise journey: They were the "Shock" in name only after leaving Detroit for Tulsa. The Storm are owned by Paul Allen and his company, Index Investment Company. A clear choice as the WNBA's best point guard, Vandersloot earned back-to-back All-WNBA First Team nods on the strength of her record-setting assist rates. (John Russell /, Alana Beard, a former WNBA star, is working to bring a franchise to Oakland. They pay for the potential and so the WNBAis becoming a major part of the conversation as we speak.. Engelbert said that number does not account for the full value of the WNBA, only the league itself. It was the Sun's third trip to the Finals. Were a very different league when some of those transactions occurred. Value: $2.75 billion. We have scanned multiple crosswords today in search of the possible answer to the clue, however it's always worth noting that separate puzzles may put different answers to the same clue, so double-check the specific crossword mentioned below and the length of the answer before . In 2016, the Brooklyn Nets became the first new franchise to enter the league since 1976. 4 min read. It is just a timing process though. 1 pick, and got them to the WNBA Finals for six of the next seven seasons. Ticket sales account for $50 million, or more than 83 percent of the WNBA's overall revenue. PHOENIX - The three-time WNBA Champion Phoenix Mercury today re-signed the face of the franchise and the Greatest of All-Time, Diana Taurasi, to a multi-year contract, the team announced. The brothers also own NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, and before that, had an interest in the Indianapolis Pacers of the NBA. You just look at the rookies who are doing so great this year. The W.N.B.A. (Nathan Denette / The Canadian Press via Associated Press). It was none other than the NBA itself who took the initiative of doing this. That's an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. High point: The Mystics and Delle Donne overcoming her back injury and a tough Connecticut team to win the 2019 WNBA Finals. WNBA career stats leaders: Lisa Leslie in defensive rating (88.43) Laksa plays in the forward position and was originally . MVPs: Tamika Catchings (2011) WNBA career stats leaders: Cheryl Ford in total rebound percentage (20.47) If and when we do it, which we are interested in doing, we want to do it right. Three have been with single-digit victory totals, and they're closing in on the fourth. Championships: None The league billed the raise as the biggest ever for a "women's sports property." It includes a roster of A-list investors from the basketball community, as . We had to build a (Warriors) team and business organization. Force 10 has never wavered in its commitment to the WNBA and the Seattle community. In 2019, it was $74,349. The Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks produced the most income in the NBA, with 474 million US dollars and 421 million US dollars, respectively. How much is the Houston Astros franchise worth? Though 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have bought a number of franchises outside of the Sixers, anything linking the 76ers ownership group to a WNBAexpansion franchise would be premature, a source said. Other notable stars: Swin Cash, Taj McWillliams-Franklin, Plenette Pierson, Ruth Riley, Katie Smith, Kedra Holland-Corn. And if we can do that, were gonna get a great next round of media deals.. Other notable stars: Ruthie Bolton, Rebekkah Brunson, Kara Lawson, Ticha Penicheiro, Nicole Powell, Tangela Smith, DeMya Walker. Headquarters for Adidas and Under Armour are in Portland, and Nike is headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., which is just eight miles west of Portland. 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. 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. 8. MVPs: Breanna Stewart (2018), Lauren Jackson (2003, 2007, 2010) Championships: None High point: Despite going 15-19 in the 2014 regular season, the Sky got hot at the right time, beating Atlanta and Indiana to reach the WNBA Finals. They had been the Orlando Miracle, affiliated with the Orlando Magic, and were just getting established after four seasons. The WNBA has whittled its list to 10 to 12 cities, Engelbert said, after it began with 100 possible locations for its new franchises. 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. Regular-season record: 108-112 But with an abundance of talent, increased womens basketball television viewership and college players rising notoriety with new Name, Image, Likeness legislation, expansion is finally again on the horizon. 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. Seattle is our top-ranked franchise in part because it consistently has taken best advantage of its good fortune, and also because it has created such a positive, winning culture. . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. WNBA career stats leaders: Elena Delle Donne in free throw percentage (93.9) and offensive rating (124.85) Elena Delle Donne - $221,450. Here is what every team in the NBA is worth in 2021, according to Sportico: 30. UConn has appeared in the last 14 Final Four's, but that streak could be in jeopardy. The wondrously talented Stinson is the franchise's all-time scoring leader but point guard Staley -- who came to the league in 1999 from the ABL -- became the heart of the team. Other notable stars: Jewell Loyd, Alysha Clark, Camille Little, Swin Cash, Tanisha Wright, Betty Lennox. having both surpassed the $4 billion mark for the first time this year. Previous transactions have valued WNBA teams in that range, showing only middling growth in franchise values over the last 20 years. From 2007-2013, the Sparks were owned first by Gemini Basketball and then Williams Group Holdings, but there was concern in late 2013/early 2014 that the franchise might move when Williams opted out of ownership. Other notable stars: Katie Douglas, Shannon Johnson, Elaine Powell, Nykesha Sales. This amounts to a profit margin of 17%. So Dallas has its fate in its hands, and could move up quite a lot in the next few years. Playoff appearances (record): 16 (32-25) As popular as the Liberty have been with their fans, they never seemed to mean as much to James Dolan, even though he owned them from their inception. The WNBA has said that it intends to keep ticket prices affordable. Low point: Diggins-Smith insisting on a trade before the 2020 season, a year after Cambage had done the same thing. Shortly after losing out on that relocation bid, New Media Sports & Entertainment began putting together another bid this time for an expansion team. Arctos Sports Partners nabbed a 17% stake in the Sacramento Kings at a $1.84 billion valuation last month,just above our February estimate of $1.825 billion. The Liberty lost Game 3 and the series, but "The Shot" lives on. With the 2021 WNBA season tipping off Friday, we took a look at the league's highest-paid players. Playoff appearances (record): One (1-2) This makes them the most valuable franchise in all of sports. Dolan put the Liberty on the market in 2017, and Brooklyn Nets owner Joseph Tsai bought them in 2019. Championships: One (2019) But going 3-31 in 2011 in Cambage's rookie season was pretty hellish. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. 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. As previously noted, the WNBA generates an average of $60 million in income every year. Considering they've already reached the Finals and had an MVP, the building blocks to long-term success are in place. Here Are The Top-10 Most Valuable NBA Teams In 2020. So that's one year, unprotected, at the . Franchise journey: Should the Wings really be ranked behind the long-gone Sting and Rockers? Regular-season record: 210-186 How much money do Major League Baseball teams make? The next two seasons, Washington went 11-57. Owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers, their last season was the summer that LeBron James was the No. Three teams the Knicks, Warriors and Lakers are now worth over $5 billion each, according to Sportico, while the average NBA team is valued around $2.4 billion. MVPs: None High point: Finishing 16-16 in 2000 and making their only playoff appearance. There were even discussions about having some games played in Europe. The Mystics, who came into the WNBA with Detroit in the first wave of expansion in 1998, had 12 coaches in their first 15 seasons, changing leadership during a season four different times. Low point: Going 14-20 in 2012, their seventh consecutive season missing the playoffs with a losing record since the franchise launched in 2006. Theres no better time to invest in womens sports than now. The Mohegan Tribe in Connecticut, which had an arena at the Mohegan Sun Casino and wanted to capitalize on the popularity of women's basketball in the state thanks to UConn, bought the Miracle. She has served in Russian basketball clubs like BC Chevakata Vologda and PBC Nadezhda Orenburg. They made the playoffs six times during this often-chaotic period, starting the stretch at 3-27 in 1998 and ending it 5-29 in 2012. The city already has used this kind of financing for sports arenas. has raised $75 million from more than two dozen investors in a bid to revamp its business model as players call for expansion, higher salaries and better benefits. Championships: None Though that method of valuation is unusual in comparison to how other . MVPs: None He came back to New York for one final season in 2009 before announcing his retirement. All figures are in U.S. dollars based on the average U.S.-Canada exchange rates during the 2020-21 season. 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. Low point: The Fever are in it now -- their fifth consecutive losing season. After a contentious final season under co-owner Kelly Loeffler in 2020, the Dream have new owners this year -- but are also on their third coach of the season and don't have a general manager in place. Powers, who won a title with the Washington Mystics in 2019, recently signed a new contract to join the Minnesota Lynx. In 2016, Verizon became the primary sponsor of the WNBA Finals. The best player in franchise history, Australia's Penny Taylor, was there for just three seasons before being taken in the dispersal draft by Phoenix, where she played 10 seasons and won three WNBA titles. 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. Even if 76ers ownership were to get involved, they do not control dates at the building. He is known for being one of the founders of Microsoft and also owns the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA. The Wings had the top two picks in this year's admittedly weak draft. Additional research by Justin Teitelbaum. Franchise journey: Of the eight original WNBA franchises, Los Angeles and Phoenix are the two most successful remaining teams, with the Sparks having the most playoff appearances in WNBA history. Browns interest has support from the city and from the NBA team. When Alana Beard retired from the WNBA she had a number of potential career routes, including coaching, available to her after a 15-year playing career. 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. Other notable stars: Janeth Arcain, Kim Perrot, Michelle Snow, Tina Thompson. Bridgestone Arena could be a location for a WNBA expansion team. In order to break a tie, the following criteria will be utilized in the order set forth: For picks No. New York made the first championship game (before the Finals became a series) in 1997, and then appeared in the Finals three more times. The league-wide average of $2.2 billion per team in 2021 is a new record for Forbes' valuations. Memphis Grizzlies: $1.36 billion. 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. For example, the value of the Los Angeles Clippers is $3.3 billion, 20% more than in our NBA valuations in February, in part because the team has broken ground on a new arena that is expected to significantly increase the teams revenue. Auriemma doesn't see his team cutting down any nets this season. Alibaba is responsible for around 70% of mail packages in China. The Nets played their home games at the Barclays Center until they moved into their new arena, called Atlantic Avenue Arena &; Factoring Office Building, in 2019. We have all the money here in market in Toronto accessible.. The 6'8" center for the Los Angeles Sparks has been selected to the All-Star team three times. But they fell to Charlotte in the East semifinals. Championships: Four (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) Championships: One (2005) The Seattle Storm were able to turn around their financial situation and start making money. Then COVID hit. 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. By 2005, Brunson, Lawson, Powell and Walker joined the team and Sacramento won the title. High point: Going 6-0 in the 2000 playoffs, sweeping Sacramento, Los Angeles and New York to win their fourth consecutive title. 2 spot during the 2019-20 season with 10,852 fans per home game. Try a week on us. 1 pick in the 1998 draft, she was a fan favorite in five seasons in Utah and the rest of her career in San Antonio, Connecticut and Los Angeles. 1 pick. It actually wouldnt be thoughtful to be using old data like that. The other four originals -- the Charlotte Sting, the Cleveland Rockers, the Houston Comets and Sacramento Monarchs -- are gone, but not forgotten by fans. So much has changed during COVID with this league. With an ownership group already vetted by the NBA and their own arena, the Warriors loom as a strong option if the league decides to enter the fray to bring an expansion team to the Bay Area. The Business Of Basketball. 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. 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. The presentation will show that Nashville has the infrastructure to support a team. League all-time leaders: Sue Bird in assists (3,031) and games (545) Bonner, Delle Donne and Diggins-Smith all . 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. The NHLs Predators, the arenas main tenant, have publicly supported the Nashville Sports Councils Women in Sports Initiative, which indicates they would be open to discussing sharing Bridgestone Arena if an ownership group came forward. Seven players from five different teams will earn the WNBA supermax salary of $221,450, per Spotrac. But there just wasn't a strong commitment from Heat ownership to the Sol. One sports investor said it helped change the leagues position dramatically. Thibault is now in his ninth season with Washington, which also traded for Delle Donne before the 2017 season. Its amazing to see it all happening. While WNBA statistics have yet to be revealed, a number of those teams are said to have been supported by NBA ownership. The league knows everything about what this is going to look like (regarding) Toronto.. Portland has shown consistently that were at the top of the list in supporting womens franchises and events, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. 2002 Fleer Authentix WNBA Sue Bird RC #101 /2002. One league source believes that the company was responsible for a substantial portion of the $75 million raised. The deal occurred only after the NBA asked several league owners to step in to take over the franchise because it had languished on the market for more than 14 months, sources said. In 1998, there were only two teams who were making money: the Houston Comets and the Charlotte Hornets. From there it's a fair drop off to Seattle Sounders on $705 million and New York City on $655 million. Which is the most valuable team in the WNBA? But McCoughtry was injured late in the 2018 season, didn't play in 2019 and left as a free agent for Las Vegas in 2020. A big name in men's basketball, he wasn't prepared to run a WNBA team. While the 76ers play in the Wells Fargo Center, they do not own it and have a lease that runs through 2031. The fact that doesnt happen in the WNBA as quickly or freely makes it difficult to assess the market worth of a team; it can also confound potential buyers about how much they need to get into the league. The Sparks are owned by Hollywood entertainment industry couple Harry and Pamela Manheimer. Other, smaller pieces of teams where the buyers obtained no path toward control also changed hands at prices above our last edition of NBA valuations. Austin is a true sports fan. February 18, 2023. Other notable stars: Vickie Johnson, Ann Wauters, Sophia Young-Malcolm, Kayla McBride, Jia Perkins, Ruth Riley, Danielle Robinson. Other notable stars: Rushia Brown, Suzie McConnell Serio, Chasity Melvin, Eva Nemcova, Penny Taylor, Ann Wauters. High point: Weatherspoon swishing a heave from just beyond half court to win Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals 68-67. Jerry Reinsdorf, Chicago Bulls: $1.5 Billion . They've been part of the Phoenix Suns organization since their inception as one of the eight original franchises, first under owner Jerry Colangelo and then Robert Sarver.