That means selling tickets and making it successful. WNBA started with just eight teams which were fully owned by the NBA. By the Forbes' 2020 list estimates, five NHL teams are worth at least $1 billion: the Rangers ($1.65B), Maple . 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. We'll never know, but Chicago has had a different kind of dynamic duo in guards -- and spouses -- Vandersloot and Quigley. The Fever haven't made the playoffs since she retired after the 2016 season. The Stars' struggles in their final years in San Antonio helped lead to consecutive WNBA No. 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. Other notable stars: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Ivory Latta, Tiffany Jackson-Jones, Glory Johnson, Sheryl Swoopes, Odyssey Sims, Riquna Williams. 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. Serena Williams and Brittney Griner were each honored at the NAACP Image Awards on Saturday, when Williams won the Jackie Robinson Sports Award and . She died at age 37 in 2011 after suffering a cardiac arrest while pregnant with her third child. That's when Sparks LA Sports, which included Laker legend Magic Johnson, stepped in to buy the team. WNBA team owned by the Mohegan Tribe Crossword Clue Answer. Low point: Having their best record (20-12) and making their first conference finals appearance in 2002 wasn't enough to keep the team in Utah. Forbes calculated the Knicks' value by applying an industry standard valuation method called "net asset value" or "NAV." In 2009, the Detroit Shock sold for approximately $5 million, based on legal documents filed by its then-owners. The Atlanta Dream is changing ownership hands, putting an end to more than a year's worth of controversy under its former co-owner, ex-Senator Kelly Loeffler. Championships: None Signing Chicago native Candace Parker as a free agent for this season was part of the Sky pushing their chips toward the middle of the table while she and the VanderQuigs are still in a championship window. People are right now investing in the potential of what it could be. MVPs: None They hosted the first WNBA game in 1997, and were part of the Jerry Buss-owned Los Angeles Lakers organization until 2006. Seven players from five different teams will earn the WNBA supermax salary of $221,450, per Spotrac. How much the team is worth: $1.575 billion. After Seattle took Australian star Lauren Jackson No. Nashville and the state of Tennessee just has such a strong history and support of womens basketball.. Playoff appearances (record): 13 (18-30) The offer was enticing enough that chairman Max Abrahams and his team put in an offer to acquire that franchise for a price of $3.5 million. Though that method of valuation is unusual in comparison to how other . Revealing those values is taboo across the league. 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. Franchise journey: The Dream are the last expansion franchise to join the WNBA, in 2008. The Tulsa Shock then moved before the 2016 season to Dallas to become the Wings. Curry remains one of the best players in the game (96), and the team sports a plethora of young, promising players in Jordan Poole (81) and Jonathan Kuminga (79). The Business Of Basketball. The presentation will show that Nashville has the infrastructure to support a team. Thats an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. At this point, despite a lot of success as a franchise, the Dream face a lot of questions. The Storm are owned by Paul Allen and his company, Index Investment Company. New York has had many great players come through its doors, but no single player has brought more joy to Knicks' fans than Michael Jordan. Welcome to the Farm! Franchise journey: The Miracle were part of the Orlando Magic organization and had some real talent in their short stay in Florida. And Brondello is the longtime coach of Phoenix Mercury. The latest ranking reported that the Golden State Warriors is the most . The fact that we were capable of raising $75 million at the league level validates sort of the trajectory of the WNBA, she said. Then Fowles, after seven seasons with the Sky, sat out the start of the 2015 season until she was traded to Minnesota, where she has won two titles. The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets were next with values of about $1 billion each. The lowest of . The 2023 WNBA free agency period opened on Jan. 21, which means teams are now allowed to meet with players and offer contracts. They officially were the "Silver Stars" from then through 2013, then just the "Stars" their last four seasons. Los Angeles Lakers. "I wish we . They already have done their due diligence on such a project. So that's one year, unprotected, at the . 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. Playoff appearances (record): Four (6-9) Other notable stars: Allisha Gray, Liz Cambage, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Isabelle Harrison, Glory Johnson, Marina Mabrey, Satou Sabally, Kayla Thornton. High point: Making the playoffs in their final season in Tulsa, 2015, before getting swept by Phoenix. - it's no wonder why Liz Cambage's earnings ar eup there. Joe Tsai. Over that span, the league has made changes to sustain the WNBA as both a sports league and a profession for womens basketball players. While the Fire lasted just three seasons, the surge in women's basketball's popularity in the state thanks to the success of the Oregon and Oregon State women's programs in recent years makes Portland a place many think the WNBA should reconsider someday. The average NBA team is worth $1.9 billion, up 13% over last year and three times the level of five years ago. 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. It has been nearly 15 years since the WNBA last expanded, adding the Atlanta Dream as its then-14th team before the 2008 season. The WNBA has one of the more flexible business models in sports. Golden State Warriors: $4.7 billion. Browns representative declined further comment. The information used to compile our valuations primarily came from the teams, sports bankers, media consultants and public documents, like arena lease agreements and bond documents. Los Angeles Lakers: $4.6 billion. Face of the franchise: Sheri Sam (2000-02) Regular-season record: 204-251 The NBA has gained undeniable traction over the last decade, at least from a financial standpoint. At his highest, Joe Tsai was worth nearly $15 billion but over the past two years has . Franchise journey: The Aces are this low only because they're in just their fourth season in Las Vegas. High point: Weatherspoon swishing a heave from just beyond half court to win Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals 68-67. Other notable stars: Liz Cambage, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Kayla McBride, Angel McCoughtry, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young. Transactions occur in a black box, unlike most other professional leagues, in which teams are sold and their prices are eventually leaked or announced. Houston would win just four more playoff games from 2001-2008 before folding after two seasons under owner Hilton Koch, who had bought the team from Alexander. 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. Alibaba is responsible for around 70% of mail packages in China. MVPs: Diana Taurasi (2009) It is currently estimated that the WNBA generates approximately $60 million in revenue, while $12.3 million of that revenue is distributed to its players. In 2013, Nashville unveiled plans for a minor league baseball stadium, First Horizon Park, which included tax-increment financing as a part of the investment. Low point: Failing to follow up their postseason breakthrough, going 13-19 in 2001. 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 WNBA's average base salary is around $130,000, with the rookie minimum at $60,471 and the veteran minimum at $72,141. . Playoff appearances (record): One (0-2) Championships: Four (1997, 1998, 1999, 2000) The coronavirus pandemic may have caused NBA owners to take a hit on gate revenues throughout 2020 and into the new season, but NBA franchise values continue to climb nonetheless. She joined Penicheiro, the team's No. 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. The team's 2019 championship run definitely gave the team the edge in the rising value, seeing their value grow more than 400% since 2012 when the team's estimated worth was $400 million. Other notable stars: Janeth Arcain, Kim Perrot, Michelle Snow, Tina Thompson. Brown made his fortune co-founding DiscoverOrg, a company now called ZoomInfo that he later left. For example, a citys population, political affiliation and policies, and generational demographics will be factors, Engelbert said, as the league knows it already skews to young and female fans. Franchise journey: If you became a Mystics fan sometime in the last nine years, you missed the roller coaster of ups and downs and carousel of coaches that preceded that. 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. Apr 11, 2022 at 7:36 pm ET 10 min read. Listing the top salaries, cap hits, cash, earnings, contracts, and bonuses, for all active WNBA players. High point: Finishing 16-16 in 2000 and making their only playoff appearance. Chicago Bulls: $3.3 billion. The No. The WNBA has closed on $75 million in funding that values the league and its teams at $1 billion, according to people familiar with the raise. Very successful.. Regular-season record: 422-390 The WNBA is presently anticipated to earn $60 million in income, with $12.3 million of that money given to its players. Hammon is still in San Antonio, as a Spurs assistant. Get in touch with us now. Based on team websites' listed starting point prices, the average minimum in 2019 was also $17. Face of the franchise: Alyssa Thomas (2014-present) Austin Crumble. However, in nearly two decades since, a lot has changed as Oregon has become a burgeoning mecca for womens sports supporters. Sykes could not be reached for comment. The Knicks have many assets, including World Class Talent, a passionate fan base, and their home arena, Madison Square Garden. Two years later, Michael Alter reportedly paid $10 million for an expansion team in Chicago. Help Accessibility The remaining 24.2 percent were moderately interested. When asked to rate their interest in a particular sport on a scale of 1 to 5, womens professional soccer was the favorite option while womens professional basketball ranked second. 29. He also owns the Rangers baseball team. 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. Playoff appearances (record): 12 (30-28) WNBA career stats leaders: Sylvia Fowles in rebounds (3,640), rebounding average (9.81) and field goal percentage (59.6) Still, Philadelphia holds lots of appeal. Low point: The franchise folded during the height of the global financial crisis, after the 2008 season. Playoff appearances (record): Two (2-5) Value: $2.75 billion. Shortly after losing out on that relocation bid, New Media Sports & Entertainment began putting together another bid this time for an expansion team. 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. The Dream have struggled mightily these past three seasons; they are 21-60 in that stretch. Other notable stars: Essence Carson, Shameka Christon, Becky Hammon, Vickie Johnson, Rebecca Lobo, Betnijah Laney, Tari Phillips, Cappie Pondexter, Crystal Robinson, Tina Charles, Sue Wicks. Regular-season record: 59-145 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. MVPs: None By far. Three teams in the Minnesota Lynx, Houston Comets and Seattle Storm have won the most titles, combining for nearly half of the WNBA's 25 championships. However, MLSE wouldnt confirm directly whether its directly involved with the bid put forth by New Media Sports & Entertainment. 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. Franchise journey: The Sol are one of the two "if you blinked, you missed them" franchises in the WNBA, along with Portland. And its something that weve gotta do in the near future. 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. 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. It was the first title for the franchise and longtime WNBA coach Mike Thibault. 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. And on senior night, No. Mark Davis bought the Aces from MGM last year for a little over $2 million. WNBA career stats leaders: Cheryl Ford in total rebound percentage (20.47) Bonner, Delle Donne and Diggins-Smith all . We have been actively exploring this for a long time, Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle last year. You just look at the rookies who are doing so great this year. And if we can do that, were gonna get a great next round of media deals.. During his time in New York, Jordan won two NBA Championships (2000, 2002) and was named MVP of both events. If a team has any excess space on its roster, it can sign players to minimum contracts or trade them away. having both surpassed the $4 billion mark for the first time this year. Considering they've already reached the Finals and had an MVP, the building blocks to long-term success are in place. That's an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. MVPs: None The Ducks peaked at the No. MVPs: Sheryl Swoopes (2000, 2002, 2005), Cynthia Cooper (1997, 1998) In 2011, 22 of the 30 teams were losing money, and the average operating income per team sat at $6 million. At only 31 years old, she is a five-time WNBA All-Star, a three-time All-WNBA First Team honouree, the WNBA's Most Improved Player, and many other notable accomplishments. Franchise journey: The Sky launched in 2006 and for two seasons had two superstars who were both No. In 2016, the Brooklyn Nets became the first new franchise to enter the league since 1976. Regular-season record: 210-186 Nine players were named to all four of the WNBA's honorary teams named during milestones in the league's history - the All-Decade Team in 2006; Top 15 Players in 2011; Top 20@20 in 2016, and . 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. Championships: None It has just never been the right time. The Raptors are worth a reported $2.74 billion making them the country's most valued sports franchise. Florida grad Jones gets credit as the only player who was with the Rockers start to finish. One sports investor said it helped change the leagues position dramatically. The NBA has revenues of $8.3B/year, while the WNBA only generates $60M (as we said . Along with its three titles, Los Angeles has two other trips to the WNBA Finals, falling to Detroit in 2003 and Minnesota in 2017, and has played in every postseason since 2011. The WNBA approved the sale of the . 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). Championships: None WNBA career stats leaders: Tamika Catchings in win shares (93.66), defensive win shares (36.52), steals (1,074) and steals per game (2.35) Revenue and operating income (earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization) are for the 2020-21 season and are net of revenue sharing and arena debt service. standings, wnba, wnba standings, women's basketball, records, table . (Click here for our full list of values and additional information on every team.). Since then, the league's landscape has shifted several times, including to ownership outside the NBA. Playoff appearances (record): 12 (42-24) Add in Young-Malcolm as the No. 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. The WNBA and its teams are now valued at $1 billion following a historic capital raise of $75 million, a source with knowledge of the investment's impact told Front Office Sports. Playoff appearances (record): Two (5-8) Championships: None Other notable stars: Rebekkah Brunson, Napheesa Collier, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Katie Smith, Lindsay Whalen. For example, if a game draws low ratings, then no money will be made on that game. Three have been with single-digit victory totals, and they're closing in on the fourth. High point: Defeating Connecticut 3-1 for the championship in the league's first best-of-five WNBA Finals series in 2005. Continue with Recommended Cookies. Frankly, Im using more of the most recent data. They traded Smith, a future Hall of Famer, to Detroit in late July 2005. The three highest earners in the WNBA, including Diana Taurasi of the Phoenix Mercury, each received an average of 228.09 thousand U.S. dollars for their . The valuation was calculated using the sales price of all sports teams, which is estimated to be worth $230 million. It averaged 75,000 viewers per regular season game in 2017, according to Nielsen, but that more than doubled to 162,000 viewers per nationally televised game last season. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. Joe Tsai is a co-founder of China's biggest e-commerce company, Alibaba Group. 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 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. She was also named one of the WNBA's top 20 players as part of the . Low point: Going 12-22 in 2014 and missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. The Miracle's potential wasn't fully realized in four years in Orlando, but it blossomed when the Sun -- led by players like McWilliams-Franklin, Sales and Douglas -- made back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. Playoff appearances (record): Six (6-13) Championships: Four (2011, 2013, 2015, 2017) Five franchises will pay their top earner less than $200,000 for the upcoming campaign. 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. The arena is owned by the city, which would allow for necessary upgrades through tax increment financing. Bill Laimbeer, with his third WNBA franchise after Detroit and New York, knows what it takes to win in this league. During that time, Taurasi joined the team, and she led the Mercury to their breakthrough championship in 2007. But they fell to Charlotte in the East semifinals. 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. So Dallas has its fate in its hands, and could move up quite a lot in the next few years. The other four originals -- the Charlotte Sting, the Cleveland Rockers, the Houston Comets and Sacramento Monarchs -- are gone, but not forgotten by fans. 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. 9 UConn (26-5) eked out a 60-51 win over Xavier, a team that is 7-22 on the season and 0-20 in conference play. MLS averaged 277,000 viewers for its 2021 regular season games and 1.14 million viewers for its single, winner-take-all championship game. Abrahams said that New Media Sports & Entertainment actually needed to get clearance from MLSE in order to begin acquisition negotiations in 2019, which likely means the arena that has been approved by the WNBA is Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors arena which is owned and operated by MLSE. 2 pick and took Kelly Miller. Third on our list is the Seattle Storm. In 2019, New Media Sports & Entertainment got approached by a representative for the then-ownersof a WNBA team about acquiring that team and relocating it to Toronto. She would go on to win two championships with the Shock, while the three players obtained for her played just 37 combined games for Minnesota. Regular-season record: 72-44 Delle Donne day-to-day, sits out Mystics' win Sat. If you look at the NFL, were getting $10.1 billion a year for television and the WNBA is getting $30 million a year. 4. Finally, people are understanding the value of the WNBAand what we offer.. Between our citys innate love of basketball, and our ardent support of womens sports, this feels like a natural fit for our community.. This allows more people from different economic backgrounds to attend basketball games. The Stars then won Game 3 and made their only WNBA Finals appearance. In 2016, Verizon became the primary sponsor of the WNBA Finals. 1 pick. Both were in existence for just three seasons before folding. Basically, everything that could go wrong did go wrong for six mostly downbeat seasons. Adding international commercial travel to league scheduling would only exacerbate the problem. Additional research by Justin Teitelbaum. Currently, CAA Icon is putting together its WNBA-specific report that it hopes to present to the league this month. This is below the cost of most NBA games today. 1 pick in 2022. 2,$5.6 billion) and the Los Angeles Lakers (No. The team was owned by Russian billionaire Sergey Brin and Chinese investor Joe Tsai, who started out as employees of Google's China office. League all-time leaders: Sue Bird in assists (3,031) and games (545) A team can have more than one player make over the cap, but they can't have more than $113 million US dollars in total contract obligations. We have some sort of a fan perspective, sponsorship perspective, social movement perspective, everyones locked in on sort of the value of womens sports.. Engelberts primary responsibility through the first three years of her tenure has been to transform the WNBAs economics. Portland Trail Blazers: $1.91 billion, https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/gallery/nba-franchise-values-what-every-team-is-worth-in-2021/. Get the list of all the WNBA Teams along with the wins and losses stats and more on Basketball-Reference.com