WNBL DESERVES DAY IN THE SUN
ERIN Phillips. What is the first sport that comes to mind when her name is mentioned?
I’m guessing unless you’re a rusted- on basketball fan the answer would be AFL after the Australian Opals star was named the inaugural AFL Women’s Best and Fairest.
It’s why the WNBL’s rise from obscurity on Fox Sports for the next three years will be the saviour for the league.
The head of the WNBL, Sally Phillips, admitted as much when the deal was announced this week which will see at least one game, plus finals, broadcast on the pay- TV provider.
“It’s definitely important for us that we weren’t forgotten — two years off TV, if we had have gone a third the damage could almost be irreparable,” she said.
It’s hard to argue. As the boom in women’s sport continues to gain momentum with the AFL Women’s, the Women’s Big Bash League and soccer’s W- League.
All have had the ability to get their product out there while the WNBL has been stuck in the abyss.
The old saying goes “you can’t be what you can’t see”. Australian girls could watch Erin Phillips dominate for the Adelaide Crows this year, but most couldn’t see her play for the Dallas Wings in the WNBA.
On and off court she’s an incredible role model but she has been inspiring girls to practise their banana kick and handballs in the backyard, not lay- ups, while the WNBL has been invisible.
I wrote during the WNBL finals that TV coverage helps attract sponsors, but you can’t have TV coverage without them.
It has been a massive week for the league with Opals superstar Elizabeth Cambage confirming she will return to the Melbourne Boomers after last playing for them in 2012.
Combined with the TV deal, it has ensured the league has received valuable mainstream media coverage in the midst of football season.
Fox Sports has revealed they will work with Basketball Australia to develop the commercial sponsorship, marketing and publicity aspects of the game.
But it’s also up to the clubs to capitalise on this huge opportunity to improve their brand.
Get your stories out there, don’t wait for the media to come to you. Anything that promotes the background of the athletes is more likely to get a run than “we’re expecting a tough match” style previews.
From my experience covering the league for the past seven years, the athletes are receptive to media and not as closed- off as some clubs in male leagues can be.
The fans also have a responsibility to fill the stadiums so the product looks good on TV.
And if you can’t, turn on the box because we want the ratings to not only give Fox Sports no choice but to eventually extend the deal, but hopefully entice a free- to- air partner to come on board.
It’s disappointing some have dismissed the WNBL as an “AFL Women’s feeder competition” after several former basketballers played in the league.
The Opals are No. 4 in the world, have won a swag of Olympic medals, and the WNBL is one of the best- quality leagues in the world.
There has been some criticism about the league finishing in February, a month sooner than normal, which will likely result in less games.
But it has been designed so players can have time to negotiate bigger salaries in Europe, which will hopefully result in more top- quality locals and imports in the WNBL.
I’ve witnessed the hard work these players put in first hand, and most of them do it for a pittance.
At the least they deserve a stage where they can showcase their skills and make their sacrifices worth it.