Caitlin Clark not going to a Paris

It is crazy how these sports teams work when it comes to the investment. I think you are right about it as well. That said...the WNBA is only an investors dream assuming the NBA will always be there to subsidize it. There is just a major difference in the quality of entertainment between men's basketball and women's basketball. I sadly do not really watch either anymore. And basketball was my sport growing up. Still remember the pickup games with Terry Jackson/Percy Harvin/Louis Murphy/Orien Greene/Udonis/Brent Wright/Alex Brown/Big Money/etc...

With that said...I am confident any franchise owner would want Clark on the olympic team!

 

The NBA's contribution is only like $10-15 million (from a multi billion dollar business), and they are a part owner of the league, so unless they sell their stake, or decide to tank their own property, I don't think that is going anywhere.

 

Likely they are not going anywhere. But has history has shown. They have not been able to get the WNBA to turn a profit. And Clark is the one thing that might actually make that happen currently. Now can they sustain it?

 

That's not quite true, there have been individually profitable teams for well over a decade now. For the owners its a great situation, and if it grows too much ,then they have to deal with bigger labor costs, etc. Explosive growth is the last thing they want, because then the players can ask for a lot more money and power overnight. As with MLS soccer, the owners are content with "slow growth" vs. losing control over labor costs (that's why they bought in in the first place, control). I feel like there are competing things here. There are people who really do want the game to grow, which means better pay and power for players, but there are people who want for lack of a better term, "managed" growth, in which owners maintain their advantages and the lions share of the revenue.

 

Interesting thoughts. I do not disagree all the way with them at all. But when you get a player like this...you take advantage of it. Seriously take advantage of it. This is how you get the star player in softball/soccer/etc to choose basketball instead.

Reality is the WNBA is not profitable. It never has been. And if it is going to ever get there...now is a ripe opportunity to build on the most influential player since the beginning. There have been some big names. But none moved the needle like Clark has...

 

It’s really remarkable to me how many touchstones her whole story seems to hit. She’s just a basketball player in a league that has had players, and even white players who have accomplished things she might not ever get close to. Have no idea how or why she became whatever she is today.
I would also say to her credit, for all the swirl around her on every imaginable side, she has handled the attention really well off the court. It’s everyone else that seems to trip up and make things bigger and/or worse. I almost feel bad for her, she in a maelstrom she has almost zero control over.

 

Sure, nobody is talking about the team at all right now. So nobody will tune in to watch her sit on the bench and we are up to page 7 of talking about the team. Mission accomplished?

 

I am just responding to those that keep wanting to talk about it. You know it would be better for Women’s basketball if she was on the team. But this is your MO. Keep a thread alive just to say something.

Do you honestly believe that it would be better for Women’s basketball for her to not be on the team? If you do. Your opinion is surly in the minority.

 

Solid observation if you ask me!

 

She wore heels to the draft. That's why she's not going to Paris.

 

Well if

Also routine.

 

I believe it makes no difference whatsoever. As you pointed out, here you are responding over and over again to people wanting to talk about it on page 7. She would help provide viewership if she played but not the end of the bench. All sticking her at the end of the bench would do would make casual fans complain about that.

 

Well maybe she'll get an invite to the '28 games.

 

LOL! Trying to put this on me. I will say. Long run. You are probably right as women’s basketball is a tough watch if you ask me. But you actually have a player who is currently transcendent. One that got me to actually tune in for a minute. About right that you think that should be put to the side.

 

It's weird how the MAGA crowd want to make her a culture war issue.

 

Guy I went to HS had a son who signed a pro contract at 16 to go play in Europe as well.

 

Yes, the world doesn't revolve around you. About right that you think it does. But the reality is that a good coach takes the best team that they can take and doesn't stick a young player on the end of the bench in the hopes that somebody who doesn't care about the sport tunes in to see her sit there.

 

Could someone help me out please. I'm super anti-MAGA. Do I like this women's basketball player or not?

Thanks

 

LOL!!!

Your ignorance just gave me the best laugh I have had all year!!!

 

I heard an amazing speaker (Ken Williams, Start With The Crown) do a thought experiment. He asked us to pick the most important five characteristics for a point guard from a list of 10 or 15 characteristics. If we were the coach, what were we looking for in our starting point guard. Stuff like height, wingspan, shooting percentage, shooting range, court vision, speed, quickness, passing, turnovers, ball handling, defense, a whole bunch of stuff. Gave us a few minutes to talk about our five key things with the people around us. Then he asked how our list would change if they players was from a poor family. Or how our list would change if they came from a broken family. Or how our list would change if the player was from a background that didn't play a lot of basketball.

Let me add another, how would our list of key expectations for a point guard change if the player was really popular?