Plans to bring a WNBA team to Portland have fallen through

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Reep said:
Does any WNBA team actually run a profit? Aren't they all heavily subsidized by the NBA? I'm sure some people would want a WNBA team, but it sounds like a really poor business decision if your business is about making money.

"Does the WNBA make money? The league does make money annually and that too a good amount. It just has not been able to turn a profit.

The only reason that the WNBA has not folded even when incurring such huge losses is because it is a subsidiary of the NBA. If it was not for the NBA, the WNBA would have run out of business a long time back."

https://sportslulu.com/wnba-profits-by-year
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Remember, the WNBA was the second kid on the block, beating out the ABL only because it had the NBA's financial backing. That's actually sort of a trick question, because I couldn't even remember the name of the initial league... The topic has barely come up the past 20 years. I think the ABL ran into problems securing arena use due to NBA pressure? (Edit: Actually, I think the main issue was the NBA pressuring media outlets to not give the ABL coverage.) Ironic then that the WNBA is pulling back out of Portland over arena availability issues.

Long story short, the WNBA has never been a business model that could stand on its own.
 
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crandc said:
I would rather watch paint dry than read moronic posts by sexist assholes.
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Okay, hear me out for just a minute. One of my absolute favorite sports to watch is Women's college volleyball. Super athletic and competitive. I prefer it much better than the men's game because the women hit hard but can still defend. The men's game is just boring because they hit so hard there aren't any good rallies. Having said that, for reasons I don't understand, women's basketball just looks much less athletic and less interesting to me. So, for me, it isn't about the gender, it is more about the gender-sport fit. For me, women's volleyball is a fantastic fit, women's basketball just isn't. Just my opinion.
 
I disagree with @Reep but he had the courtesy to explain his views. We disagree. Fine. Another person said he (I presume he) would rather watch paint dry than women playing ball. That does sound like a gender issue. More precisely, a MCP issue. Also irrelevant. If someone doesn't like a given sport, don't watch it. I dislike boxing and wrestling and auto racing but if someone wants to watch them,no skin off my nose. But a number of sexists opine they dislike women's sports so no one should have the opportunity to watch them.
 
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Maybe the WNBA is concerned about a different location if the team sells?
 
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HailBlazers said:
This is why we need a new owner and a revitalized Rose Quarter. Could be a great place to hangout in the summertime if there was more to do.
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Two problems with that. First, Memorial Coliseum is a landmark and has to be kept as is. Second, Paul tried very hard to buy the land across from the Rose Quarter in order to develop it into something similar to the area around the arena in Los Angeles or Key Arena in Seattle. Was told the owners were not budging. No doubt I think Paul would have loved to have built that up.
 
THE HCP said:
I wonder if you would care if you we did get a team, you would get a $30,000 raise. Wonder if that would help you get thru your anger issues?
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These reasons are exactly why getting new sports venues in Portland are important. Even the Hops bring in revenue. Both the men’s and women’s soccer leagues bring in revenue. Goes just the same for baseball.
 
Hoopguru said:
Maybe the WBA is concerned about a different location if the team sells?
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This is the real reason. With the Blazers moving to Seattle, and the Moda/MC complex being torn down to build a homeless camp, the WNBA didn't want to commit to PDX.

barfo
 
Reep said:
Okay, hear me out for just a minute. One of my absolute favorite sports to watch is Women's college volleyball. Super athletic and competitive. I prefer it much better than the men's game because the women hit hard but can still defend. The men's game is just boring because they hit so hard there aren't any good rallies. Having said that, for reasons I don't understand, women's basketball just looks much less athletic and less interesting to me. So, for me, it isn't about the gender, it is more about the gender-sport fit. For me, women's volleyball is a fantastic fit, women's basketball just isn't. Just my opinion.
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There are a few sports that I enjoy watching women play for sure. Soccer is number 1 with me, but also golf and tennis!
 
THE HCP said:
There are a few sports that I enjoy watching women play for sure. Soccer is number 1 with me, but also golf and tennis!
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I agree on tennis (which has come a long way in the last 40 years) for sure, and would add track.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
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How the WNBA-to-Portland plans fell apart days before expected announcement

Portland’s dreams of landing a WNBA expansion franchise fell apart more than a week before the league announced it was holding off on awarding the city a new team, when millionaire and prospective owner Kirk Brown left the project over a host of issues with the league.

A source close to the project told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Brown, the co-founder of the company that is now ZoomInfo, pulled out days before an announcement scheduled for Oct. 26, leaving the team without a principal owner and without the $50 million expansion fee the league requires.

“This thing fell apart because Kirk pulled out, not any other reason,” one source said.

The Oregonian/OregonLive’s attempts to reach Brown this week have been unsuccessful. A representative declined to comment throughout the week and in response to follow-up messages Wednesday and Thursday.

Among the issues that derailed the plans were a difference of opinion between Brown and the league over the team’s name and branding, sources said. One source said Brown wanted the team to be called the Rose City Royalty, while WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was thought to be uncomfortable with the connotation.

Another issue was Brown’s ownership stake in Shoot 360, a basketball training center with locations across the country. A source said the WNBA saw that as a potential conflict of interest and wanted him to give up that investment, which Brown refused to do.

The issues created an icy relationship between Brown and Engelbert, sources said. According to multiple sources, Brown was uncomfortable with the many conditions of joining the ranks of WNBA ownership, leading him to withdraw at the 11th hour.

Since The Oregonian/OregonLive first reported Wednesday that plans for a new WNBA franchise had fallen through, sources have equated the deal to a football team not scoring from the 1-yard line, Ben Simmons passing up an open layup and a wedding being called off right before “I do.”

Numerous sources were floored to read Engelbert’s letter to Sen. Ron Wyden on Wednesday, suggesting that the WNBA was holding off on awarding an expansion franchise to Portland over concerns about the timing of the Trail Blazers’ renovations to Moda Center. Those renovation plans have been well known for months and would not have been a surprise to the WNBA.

In the 10 days or so since Brown’s stunning about-face, groups in Portland have been working desperately to salvage the deal, including trying to recruit a new ownership group. It is unclear who might step forward to try to win back a bid or whether the WNBA would even entertain it. Many close to the deal feel the WNBA has backed itself into a corner by pinning the decision on Moda Center renovations.

“It just makes it look like they didn’t do their due diligence,” a source said.

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2...-apart-days-before-expected-announcement.html
 
SlyPokerDog said:
How the WNBA-to-Portland plans fell apart days before expected announcement

Portland’s dreams of landing a WNBA expansion franchise fell apart more than a week before the league announced it was holding off on awarding the city a new team, when millionaire and prospective owner Kirk Brown left the project over a host of issues with the league.

A source close to the project told The Oregonian/OregonLive that Brown, the co-founder of the company that is now ZoomInfo, pulled out days before an announcement scheduled for Oct. 26, leaving the team without a principal owner and without the $50 million expansion fee the league requires.

“This thing fell apart because Kirk pulled out, not any other reason,” one source said.

The Oregonian/OregonLive’s attempts to reach Brown this week have been unsuccessful. A representative declined to comment throughout the week and in response to follow-up messages Wednesday and Thursday.

Among the issues that derailed the plans were a difference of opinion between Brown and the league over the team’s name and branding, sources said. One source said Brown wanted the team to be called the Rose City Royalty, while WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was thought to be uncomfortable with the connotation.

Another issue was Brown’s ownership stake in Shoot 360, a basketball training center with locations across the country. A source said the WNBA saw that as a potential conflict of interest and wanted him to give up that investment, which Brown refused to do.

The issues created an icy relationship between Brown and Engelbert, sources said. According to multiple sources, Brown was uncomfortable with the many conditions of joining the ranks of WNBA ownership, leading him to withdraw at the 11th hour.

Since The Oregonian/OregonLive first reported Wednesday that plans for a new WNBA franchise had fallen through, sources have equated the deal to a football team not scoring from the 1-yard line, Ben Simmons passing up an open layup and a wedding being called off right before “I do.”

Numerous sources were floored to read Engelbert’s letter to Sen. Ron Wyden on Wednesday, suggesting that the WNBA was holding off on awarding an expansion franchise to Portland over concerns about the timing of the Trail Blazers’ renovations to Moda Center. Those renovation plans have been well known for months and would not have been a surprise to the WNBA.

In the 10 days or so since Brown’s stunning about-face, groups in Portland have been working desperately to salvage the deal, including trying to recruit a new ownership group. It is unclear who might step forward to try to win back a bid or whether the WNBA would even entertain it. Many close to the deal feel the WNBA has backed itself into a corner by pinning the decision on Moda Center renovations.

“It just makes it look like they didn’t do their due diligence,” a source said.

https://www.oregonlive.com/sports/2...-apart-days-before-expected-announcement.html
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If this is true it's pretty shitty that the WNBA Commissioner decided to place the blame on the Blazers and the Moda Center.
 
THE HCP said:
I wonder if you would care if you we did get a team, you would get a $30,000 raise. Wonder if that would help you get thru your anger issues?
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I'd like 30k, I still wouldn't watch the WNBA though.
 
Reep said:
Okay, hear me out for just a minute. One of my absolute favorite sports to watch is Women's college volleyball. Super athletic and competitive. I prefer it much better than the men's game because the women hit hard but can still defend. The men's game is just boring because they hit so hard there aren't any good rallies. Having said that, for reasons I don't understand, women's basketball just looks much less athletic and less interesting to me. So, for me, it isn't about the gender, it is more about the gender-sport fit. For me, women's volleyball is a fantastic fit, women's basketball just isn't. Just my opinion.
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Have you seen women's basketball in person? I do not find the WNBA entertaining on TV but would definitely go to a game. Same goes for G League basketball. For less popular sports, getting better seats definitely adds to the value. Have not sit in them yet but have second row seats for the Remix. Here is the view from my row A Thorns seats. If I had to choose, the Timbers and Blazers would be first to go before I give up either of my significantly lower priced Thorns or Remix season tickets.

386741056_10160117994699830_6630491550214391895_n.jpg
 
Charcoal Filtered said:
Have you seen women's basketball in person?
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Yes. Certainly this is my opinion, but to me women's volleyball looks 10% less athletic than mens. Women's basketball looks 90% less athletic to me. I appreciate WNBA players have good fundamentals though. The net in women's volleyball is lower than the mens. Maybe if they lowered the rim for women it would help make it look better?
 
Reep said:
Yes. Certainly this is my opinion, but to me women's volleyball looks 10% less athletic than mens. Women's basketball looks 90% less athletic to me. I appreciate WNBA players have good fundamentals though. The net in women's volleyball is lower than the mens. Maybe if they lowered the rim for women it would help make it look better?
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That is fair. Not sure if they have tried that or not. The high level women's game I watched were two national teams. Thought the play was pretty entertaining.
 
SlyPokerDog said:
One source said Brown wanted the team to be called the Rose City Royalty, while WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert was thought to be uncomfortable with the connotation.
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Someone want to help me understand what uncomfortable connotation exists here?
 
PtldPlatypus said:
Someone want to help me understand what uncomfortable connotation exists here?
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I'm reeeeeeally reaching here, but some people's negative views of the royal family? Seems like a very stupid reason if that was it.
I could see if it was something like, the Kings play in Sacramento, so it'd be weird to have another "royal"-ish name elsewhere?
 
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