WNBA in Knox

#1
SeahawkVOL94

SeahawkVOL94

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#1
With the passing of Pat, I was thinking about how Knoxville and East TN is one of if not the biggest women's basketball hubs. In 2015, WNBA average attendance was around 7000, with some being as low 3000-4000. The Ice Bears average around 3300. It is also common for 4-6k to show up for weekend TN Smokies games. What do you all think about a team in Knoxville?
 
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#2
#2
Generally professional teams and college teams don't coexist. If a city staunchly supports college athletics, there isn't a major pro team, and vice versa.
 
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#3
#3
Could you imagine fans in Knoxville getting super psyched about drafting a UCONN player 2nd overall?
 
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#6
#6
I would settle for a good collegiate team at this point.

rimshot.jpg~c200
 
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#7
#7
cwbytruckers said:
Tell that to the Connecticut Sun
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There are exceptions. They're just that, though. Exceptions.

Almost all pro franchises are located in bigger cities while big universities tend to be in smaller cities or "college towns." Hell outside of Nashville and maybe Columbia (SC), every city in the SEC is basically just known for being the location where that SEC school is located
 
#8
#8
SeahawkVOL94 said:
With the passing of Pat, I was thiking about how Knoxville and East TN is one of if not the biggest women's basketball hubs. In 2015, WNBA average attendance was around 7000, with some being as low 3000-4000. The Ice Bears average around 3300. It is also common for 4-6k to show up for weekend TN Smokies games. What do you all think about a team in Knoxville?
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The dismal fan-numbers are caused by many things.

Just based on the WNBA experience of bringing the team to Atlanta... the community involvement to bring the team to a city is very in depth and widespread...Talent level has risen so slowly in the WNBA. Progression of the game has been minimal... Poor paydays make the women play in the USA, only as an off-season thing, Its not their highest income,overseas pays much more for women's BB... Poor marketing ploy. The NBA doesn't seem to want to foster growth, like the NBA they want it to grow gradually... Marketing strategy. When the WNBA is in big cities, it is also head to head with baseball and summer occasions and sports... It's not just a location-location thing. There are many factors... Yes Knoxville might be able to put more fans in the stadium, but would the general public be more apt to tune into a major metro area like the Atlanta Dream versus New York Liberty or Knoxville Rocky Top's. It may be a credibility of city-size thing.
 
#9
#9
I wouldn't imagine UT would want a pro team in Knoxville competing for dollars they count on, same with pro football...I do wish we still had a minor league baseball team though. That doesn't really compete against too much because it's in the summer, different animal.
 
#10
#10
I'm surprised the WNBA is still around, I never thought it would last 20 years. I know it gets help from the NBA but still a little shocked. I know womens hoops is really big overseas
 
#11
#11
I could see the WNBA working in Knoxville. Playing in the summer, it wouldn't be competing head to head for your entertainment dollar with the Lady Vols. I also don't believe it would affect the money people spend on football. It would basically give Lady Vols fans a summer team. Regarding city credibility, Connecticut has already shown Knoxville what to do. Name the team "Tennessee" instead of "Knoxville". For women's basketball, that would establish plenty of geographic credibility. If the average attendance is just half of what the Lady Vols draw, then they would be doing just fine. Dallas has a WNBA team now, but they're not playing in the Mavericks arena. The games are at UT-Arlington, if you can pardon my foreign use of "UT". That says a lot about how many fans WNBA teams hope to draw.
 
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#12
#12
vol66 said:
I wouldn't imagine UT would want a pro team in Knoxville competing for dollars they count on, same with pro football...I do wish we still had a minor league baseball team though. That doesn't really compete against too much because it's in the summer, different animal.
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uhhhhhhh
 
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#14
#14
ukvols said:
I could see the WNBA working in Knoxville. Playing in the summer, it wouldn't be competing head to head for your entertainment dollar with the Lady Vols. I also don't believe it would affect the money people spend on football. It would basically give Lady Vols fans a summer team. Regarding city credibility, Connecticut has already shown Knoxville what to do. Name the team "Tennessee" instead of "Knoxville". For women's basketball, that would establish plenty of geographic credibility. If the average attendance is just half of what the Lady Vols draw, then they would be doing just fine. Dallas has a WNBA team now, but they're not playing in the Mavericks arena. The games are at UT-Arlington, if you can pardon my foreign use of "UT". That says a lot about how many fans WNBA teams hope to draw.
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Yep, let them play in the coliseum.
 
#15
#15
crusse10 said:
uhhhhhhh
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Yes...I see the mistake, the error of my ways if you will...didn't realize it started so late, my bad. Should have just left it at, I can't imagine UT would want a pro team in Knoxville.
 
#16
#16
I have no idea whether a WNBA team in Knoxville would work or not...but I always thought college football and NASCAR ruled the South.
 
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#18
#18
Maybe they could draft M. Simmons. She seems to be getting as much playing time in the WNBA as Graves and Burdick. Simmons didn't get off the bench today. Coach Warlick needs to do a better job preparing her players for the next level.
 
#19
#19
LVJeff said:
I have no idea whether a WNBA team in Knoxville would work or not...but I always thought college football and NASCAR ruled the South.
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I would love for The South, or at least the New South (TN,GA,NC...even tho NC and the entire region is the birthplace of NASCAR), would lose the stereotype that everyone down here loves NASCAR. I know plenty of NASCAR fans reside in the south, but it's not as popular as stereotypes would have you believe...maybe 20 years ago, but I'd say NASCAR viewership per region has changed quite a bit in that time frame.

I hardly know anyone that watches it or even respects NASCAR as a sport...now I'm in my late 20's and live in the Nashville area, mboro to be specific, but at least w Southerners that live and grew up in a more urban/suburban environment and w the young adult crowd, it doesn't seem that NASCAR is near as popular as cfb or even the NFL or NBA.
 
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#20
#20
paradox89 said:
I would love for The South, or at least the New South (TN,GA,NC...even tho NC and the entire region is the birthplace of NASCAR), would lose the stereotype that everyone down here loves NASCAR. I know plenty of NASCAR fans reside in the south, but it's not as popular as stereotypes would have you believe...maybe 20 years ago, but I'd say NASCAR viewership per region has changed quite a bit in that time frame.

I hardly know anyone that watches it or even respects NASCAR as a sport...now I'm in my late 20's and live in the Nashville area, mboro to be specific, but at least w Southerners that live and grew up in a more urban/suburban environment and w the young adult crowd, it doesn't seem that NASCAR is near as popular as cfb or even the NFL or NBA.
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^ Sarcasm meter broken
 
#21
#21
82_VOL_83 said:
^ Sarcasm meter broken
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Ummm there was some actual truth to his statement whether he was being sarcastic or not. CFB, SEC football to be precise, does rule the South, and in many people's minds so does the competition (refuse to acknowledge NASCAR as a sport...it's as much of a sport as pro gamers are...requires skill and practice, but that doesn't make it a sport) of 2000 left turns.
 
#22
#22
Hoya Saxa said:
Maybe they could draft M. Simmons. She seems to be getting as much playing time in the WNBA as Graves and Burdick. Simmons didn't get off the bench today. Coach Warlick needs to do a better job preparing her players for the next level.
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Such as working a job in non-basketball field? I think they program does a pretty good job in that, as the former players come out with degrees they can use.
 
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#23
#23
SeahawkVOL94 said:
With the passing of Pat, I was thinking about how Knoxville and East TN is one of if not the biggest women's basketball hubs. In 2015, WNBA average attendance was around 7000, with some being as low 3000-4000. The Ice Bears average around 3300. It is also common for 4-6k to show up for weekend TN Smokies games. What do you all think about a team in Knoxville?
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There are several reasons why not. First is Knoxville's questionable track record with professional sports. You mentioned the Ice Bears average attendance. The Cherokees averaged higher during their time. So mentioning that is evidence against, not favoring.

Funny you mention the Smokies. They left Knoxville because of the next reason against: facilities. Knoxville's willingness to provide pro sports and entertainment venues is horrid. Though the women's pro schedule might allow TBA to be used, I really doubt UT would be on board to allow it.

Last, the entertainment tax still in effect in Knoxville to fund building TBA would cut too deep into any profits the team might generate. Until that goes away, there are plenty of other cities better suited than Knoxville.
 
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