The document discusses opportunities for growth in the WNBA by analyzing market sizes in professional sports franchises and growth of women's sports participation due to Title IX. It notes that the largest NFL franchise is worth $1.4 billion while all major sports franchises combined are worth over $12 billion. Title IX led to increased opportunities and participation in women's college basketball, which has seen phenomenal growth. Attendance at WNBA games has grown from 1 million total in 1998 to 1.8 million in 2005, and TV ratings have grown to rival the NHL, showing an unsaturated and growing market for women's professional basketball.

1. WNBA Franchise September 2006

2. Market Size $194.64B spent last year on sports Spectator spending totals ~$27B Largest franchise is worth $1.4B – Washington Redskins - NFL ( http://www.sportsbusinessjournal.com/images/random/SportsIndustry.pdf )

3. Sports Franchise – Market Size The teams in the NBA, NHL, MLB, and NFL are worth a combined more than $12 billion. “Over the next decade, professional sports team values are going to rise to unpredictable level… In particular, the media revenue will increase up to the unthinkable position.” ( http://www.thesportjournal.org/2002Journal/Vol5-No3/econimic-values.asp )

4. Opportunities – Title IX Growth as a result of Title IX in female sports: “Participation Opportunities for Female Athletes Nationwide, more college women have more athletic teams available to them than ever before.” Basketball is the most frequently found college varsity sports for women. ( http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/issues/part/article.html?record =906 )

5. Opportunities – Title IX (cont) As a result of Title IX growth in Women’s basketball has been ‘phenomenal’: “In 2004, the women's basketball Final Four drew a sellout crowd of 28,210 fans in New Orleans, fans who were willing to pay nearly $150 per ticket for an event covered by 600 media members .” (http://www.doubleazone.com/25%20years%20ago.htm)

6. Yearly Attendance – Seattle Storm http://www.kenn.com/sports/basketball/wnba/index.html

7. WNBA Growth Grown from 1,082,093 (season total) fans in 1998 to 1,806,362 (season total) in 2005 WNBA TV ratings have grown to parallel NHL Women are paid far less, however, showing signs of a unsaturated and growing market http://www.kenn.com/sports/basketball/wnba/index.html http://www.harlemlive.org/shethang/stories/femaleathletics/athletes.html