***CC22 and the Fever mega thread***

[AFM22]

I still say they need to throw as much at Collier as possible to get her to come, even if it means losing out on KM re-signing. Then they just need to find a starting SG that plays good defense so that CC is the worst defender on the team. You can't have a starting backcourt where Clark is the better defender between the two and expect to win in the playoffs.

Maybe RJ could step into that role.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Unfortuantely thats true. If they bring in a former player from the old guard, I don't think we'll see any real change. I've always like Cheryl Miller but I'm just scared of any past players being beholden to "the sistahood".

Considering that it seems that Miller doesn't want to coach anymore, I'm guessing that she won't want to be commissioner and deal with all of the public baggage that job comes with.

The commissioner works for the owners, not the players. I don't see the owners hiring a former player. I do see them trying to find someone that will maximize the value of their franchises though. Which means finding someone with a business background, or sports business at least.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Maybe RJ could step into that role.

At 5'8" and not a very good shooter I don't see her being a starting SG. But I could see her taking over the backup PG role full time and not needing to re-sign Ty Harris or finding some other veteran backup PG. That frees up 400k for other parts of the roster.

Boston 1.55MM
Billings 800,000
Lexie 803,2500
Clark 597,596
Raven 300,698
Timpson 305,250

That's $4,356,794 committed for next year assuming they don't give Clark an early raise. Dantas's contract isn't guaranteed and they have to cut her from next year's roster. Cap is likely going to be around $7.7MM next year, so that leaves $3.2MM for 6 roster spots for an average of $533k per player

PG Clark, Raven
SG ?, ?
SF Lexie, ?
PF Timpson, Billings
C Boston, ?
Bench ?, ?

Basically, they have to find a way to get Billings or Lexi off of the salary cap. And the WNBA does not allow a team to "eat" a portion of the cap hit for a player when trading them, allow cash considerations in a trade, like other leagues allow. So that means the Fever would have to sweeten the pot with a 1st round pick, which is equally bad for them because they need some of those cheap rookie contracts for the bench to help their salary cap.

If only there was an expansion draft this season.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

Considering that it seems that Miller doesn't want to coach anymore, I'm guessing that she won't want to be commissioner and deal with all of the public baggage that job comes with.

The commissioner works for the owners, not the players. I don't see the owners hiring a former player. I do see them trying to find someone that will maximize the value of their franchises though. Which means finding someone with a business background, or sports business at least.

While the commish works for the owners, the last one sure did NOT do anything "maximized their value". And she was not a former player either she was a partner and then CEO of Deloitte. Certainly the leagues franchises value rose, but it questionable how much she had to do with that.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

While the commish works for the owners, the last one sure did NOT do anything "maximized their value". And she was not a former player either she was a partner and then CEO of Deloitte. Certainly the leagues franchises value rose, but it questionable how much she had to do with that.

Remember, she was hired into that role when the WNBA was barely getting eyeballs on tv averaging 230k per game and franchises were flying commercial playing in front of crowds that averaged about 6500 fans. A peak game on tv was around 600-700k people watching.

The WNBA today is very different, averaging 11500 fans in attendance per game and 771k people watching on tv per game. The growth has been absurd because of the new players like Clark, Paige, and Reese entering the league and they have an opportunity to really increase value.

 

[Kceasthawk@77]

Remember, she was hired into that role when the WNBA was barely getting eyeballs on tv averaging 230k per game and franchises were flying commercial playing in front of crowds that averaged about 6500 fans. A peak game on tv was around 600-700k people watching.

The WNBA today is very different, averaging 11500 fans in attendance per game and 771k people watching on tv per game. The growth has been absurd because of the new players like Clark, Paige, and Reese entering the league and they have an opportunity to really increase value.

Exactly. BECAUSE of the new talent who got HUGE attention while in college. (Clark and Paige mostly). TEams moving to bigger buildings had nothing to do with the commish, it was the excitement of young players (mostly Clark) that sold those extra seats. You can go to any arena in the league and see people wearing 22 jerseys. Same thing with TV viewership. What did Englebert do that drove more people to watch? Then she basically let the games turn into roller derby or WWE, (while never taking any steps to resolve the overly physical, dirty play). which has pissed off as many fans (especially the new ones) more than anything. I'd say its more that Englebert was the place holder while being handed the golden goose, and did little to capitalize on the leagues good fortune.

 

[Gonzo_Bloor]

None of this is going to matter unless and until the WNBA ponies up and brings in actual full-time professional referees who aren't largely comprised of angry, petty, jealous women of color who are just itching to T CC up and foul her out of games. As long as we have these sh*tty, part-time contractor refs the game is going to continue to suffer and increasingly become unwatchable.

 

[huntinghawk]

This Wilson can literally do anything she wants. Leaves the floor to accost a fan. Draw fouls by: elbowing defender in her mouth on shot attempt, shoving people to the floor, stumbling when throwing up an off-balance shot or stumbling when trying to dribble up court.

That last one was the most egregious shat I've ever seen. The screw job is so OBVIOUS and yet nothing seemingly can be done about it. Enjoy your ratings dive, W.

That Charmin soft b**** should be fouled ut in the first half every game she's no MVP without the special whistle.

 

[chipackhawk]

Considering that it seems that Miller doesn't want to coach anymore, I'm guessing that she won't want to be commissioner and deal with all of the public baggage that job comes with.

The commissioner works for the owners, not the players. I don't see the owners hiring a former player. I do see them trying to find someone that will maximize the value of their franchises though. Which means finding someone with a business background, or sports business at least.

The problem is that many of the owners in this league are activists themselves. And when your job is to support the owners, you do what they say or you get the pink slip.

 

[Legend12]

I still say they need to throw as much at Collier as possible to get her to come, even if it means losing out on KM re-signing. Then they just need to find a starting SG that plays good defense so that CC is the worst defender on the team. You can't have a starting backcourt where Clark is the better defender between the two and expect to win in the playoffs.

 

[Herky T Hawk]

Exactly. BECAUSE of the new talent who got HUGE attention while in college. (Clark and Paige mostly). TEams moving to bigger buildings had nothing to do with the commish, it was the excitement of young players (mostly Clark) that sold those extra seats. You can go to any arena in the league and see people wearing 22 jerseys. Same thing with TV viewership. What did Englebert do that drove more people to watch? Then she basically let the games turn into roller derby or WWE, (while never taking any steps to resolve the overly physical, dirty play). which has pissed off as many fans (especially the new ones) more than anything. I'd say its more that Englebert was the place holder while being handed the golden goose, and did little to capitalize on the leagues good fortune.

I agree and maybe my post came across as holding up Engelbert in a high manner which was not my intent. The success of the last few years of the league had nothing to do with her. My point is that hiring a commissioner today is very different than when she was hired. They have to hire someone that can keep this success going from a business standpoint. The league is on the precipice of actually being self-sustaining if it can get its head out of its own *** and actually run like a legitimate league instead of a farcical league that plays favorites with players and has no interest in unbiased refereeing or application of rules. That means not hiring a former player just because they were a good player. That means hiring someone with business acumen.

I say all of this and then remember that Team USA hired Sue Bird to run the show for them rather than an actual executive with team management experience. Her first major move was to hire a coach for Team USA that is what most of us would call, ok but not great. So maybe women's basketball is just a joke once the players get out of college

 

[huntinghawk]

Remember, she was hired into that role when the WNBA was barely getting eyeballs on tv averaging 230k per game and franchises were flying commercial playing in front of crowds that averaged about 6500 fans. A peak game on tv was around 600-700k people watching.

The WNBA today is very different, averaging 11500 fans in attendance per game and 771k people watching on tv per game. The growth has been absurd because of the new players like Clark, Paige, and Reese entering the league and they have an opportunity to really increase value.

You could have stopped at Clark few tuned in because of reece and paige

 

[Hawksfor3]

I agree and maybe my post came across as holding up Engelbert in a high manner which was not my intent. The success of the last few years of the league had nothing to do with her. My point is that hiring a commissioner today is very different than when she was hired. They have to hire someone that can keep this success going from a business standpoint. The league is on the precipice of actually being self-sustaining if it can get its head out of its own *** and actually run like a legitimate league instead of a farcical league that plays favorites with players and has no interest in unbiased refereeing or application of rules. That means not hiring a former player just because they were a good player. That means hiring someone with business acumen.

I say all of this and then remember that Team USA hired Sue Bird to run the show for them rather than an actual executive with team management experience. Her first major move was to hire a coach for Team USA that is what most of us would call, ok but not great. So maybe women's basketball is just a joke once the players get out of college

As long as the NBA continues to subsidize them, where is the incentive to become self-sustaining?

 

[doughuddl2_rivals]

Considering that it seems that Miller doesn't want to coach anymore, I'm guessing that she won't want to be commissioner and deal with all of the public baggage that job comes with.

The commissioner works for the owners, not the players. I don't see the owners hiring a former player. I do see them trying to find someone that will maximize the value of their franchises though. Which means finding someone with a business background, or sports business at least.

With this of candidates I don't see much change


CandidateCurrent / Notable RoleBackground Highlights

Swin Cash -
Basketball Hall of Famer / Front Office - Former WNBA player, executive experience with New Orleans Pelicans

Keia Clarke -
CEO, New York Liberty -
Long tenure with Liberty since 2011, business degrees from NYU and Harvard

Bethany Donaphin -
SVP, Head of WNBA League Operations -
Deep internal league operations background

Jess Smith -
President, Golden State Valkyries - Franchise-level executive leadership for expansion team

Mark Tatum -
NBA Deputy Commissioner and COO -
Previous experience as WNBA interim president

Tanya Hvizdak -
VP of Global Sports Marketing, Nike -
Corporate and brand marketing background