Championships: None Regular-season record: 71-113 The Chicago Bulls and Brooklyn Nets were next with values of about $1 billion each. WNBA salary: $170,000. Mark Davis Bio, Age, Parents, Net Worth, And More Return of The Goat! Taurasi Re-signs With Mercury Other notable stars: Skylar Diggins-Smith, Ivory Latta, Tiffany Jackson-Jones, Glory Johnson, Sheryl Swoopes, Odyssey Sims, Riquna Williams. And Carter's future seems uncertain. Brittney Griner's Plight Says More About America Than Russia In the next few months, the most talked about issue in the WNBA should finally have some clarity. Value: $2.75 billion. Get in touch with us now. Today, all but two teams are making a profit. She wanted to get back into the WNBA, but she had a different goal on her whiteboard: team ownership. Abrahams declined to specify which franchise, but the Dream were the only franchise available to buy in that window. Browns interest has support from the city and from the NBA team. But forward/center Parker would be the No. The Miracle's potential wasn't fully realized in four years in Orlando, but it blossomed when the Sun -- led by players like McWilliams-Franklin, Sales and Douglas -- made back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. Dolan put the Liberty on the market in 2017, and Brooklyn Nets owner Joseph Tsai bought them in 2019. No controlling interests of NBA teams have changed hands sinceour lastranking,but several minority stakes were sold at prices that show thefranchisesare a hot commodity, especially those in big markets. High point: Making their only WNBA Finals appearance in 2001, under coach Anne Donovan. Regular-season record: 383-341 During his time in New York, Jordan won two NBA Championships (2000, 2002) and was named MVP of both events. Brown made his fortune co-founding DiscoverOrg, a company now called ZoomInfo that he later left. Toronto Raptors - $2.1 Billion. 4 min read. The average NHL team is worth an estimated $930 million, compared to $3.5 billion in the NFL, $2.3 billion in the NBA and $2.2 billion in MLB. The deal helped spur other WNBA teams to land similar jersey deals while helping drive local revenue. 2 pick and took Kelly Miller. Other notable stars: DeWanna Bonner, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Candice Dupree, Brittney Griner, Cappie Pondexter, Tangela Smith, Penny Taylor. The Wings had the top two picks in this year's admittedly weak draft. She told The Athletic that the value of the WNBA's 12 individual teams plus the league itself is worth over $1 billion. 1 pick in the 1998 draft, she was a fan favorite in five seasons in Utah and the rest of her career in San Antonio, Connecticut and Los Angeles. Looming over this process, however, is the value of a WNBA franchise. In mid-January 2022, CAA Icon presented the Sports Authority Board with a report that found solid interest in the initiative. High point: Led by Diggins-Smith, making the playoffs in their second year in Dallas. The 20 Richest NBA Teams (Updated 2023) | Wealthy Gorilla She has served in Russian basketball clubs like BC Chevakata Vologda and PBC Nadezhda Orenburg. After a contentious final season under co-owner Kelly Loeffler in 2020, the Dream have new owners this year -- but are also on their third coach of the season and don't have a general manager in place. Regular-season record: 210-186 They went the distance in 2017, too, but this time Minnesota won the decisive fifth game for its fourth title. During the 2021 season, the Portland Thorns led the NWSL in attendance with more than 14,000 fans per game more than double the next closest team and through the early parts of the 2022 season, the club has averaged more than 13,000 fans per game, second only to expansion team Angel City FC (Los Angeles), which has a population more than six times Portlands. As interested investors wait for the WNBAto update them on where the process stands, it has become clear the league is asking two main questions when it considers new owners and cities: Where will the money come from and where will the new team play? Delle Donne day-to-day, sits out Mystics' win Sat. The Storm are owned by Paul Allen and his company, Index Investment Company. Seattle is our top-ranked franchise in part because it consistently has taken best advantage of its good fortune, and also because it has created such a positive, winning culture. DiscoLives4ever 6 yr. ago. The Business Of Basketball. Face of the franchise: Liz Cambage (2011-13) WNBA career stats leaders: Courtney Vanderslooot in assists per game (6.7) Franchise journey: Of the eight original WNBA franchises, Los Angeles and Phoenix are the two most successful remaining teams, with the Sparks having the most playoff appearances in WNBA history. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. MVPs: None A year later, the Sacramento Monarchs which had won a championship just four seasons earlier ceased operations after it failed to secure a relocation bid. In 2003, the Mohegan Tribal Gaming Authority paid $10 million as an expansion fee for the Connecticut Sun, according to an SEC filing. They got four Hall of Fame players in Cooper, Swoopes, Thompson and Arcain, an experienced, successful coach from the college game in Van Chancellor, committed ownership (at least initially) from the Houston Rockets' Leslie Alexander and an energetic fan base. Previous transactions have valued WNBA teams in that range, showing only middling growth in franchise values over the last 20 years. Theres no better time to invest in womens sports than now. The former Michigan State star caught up with For The Win to discuss the big . Delle Donne missed last season and has been limited to just a few games this season by lingering back issues. Help Accessibility They had an engaged fan base that loved the "Bad Girls" style reminiscent of Laimbeer's "Bad Boys" playing days in Detroit, plus the explosive skill of Nolan, who was from nearby Flint, Michigan. While the appeal to expand to Canada is obvious the ability to join the NBA, MLB and NHL as international leagues as well as supporting the growth of womens basketball in Canada the travel involved would complicate an already-difficult issue the league faces domestically. But McCoughtry was injured late in the 2018 season, didn't play in 2019 and left as a free agent for Las Vegas in 2020. The Aces are on their second owner in Sin City as Las Vegas Raiders boss Mark Davis bought the team from MGM Resorts International earlier this year. In the league, were in big investment mode. Regular-season record: 72-44 The buyers, Mark Walter and Todd Boehley, have a path to eventually buying out controlling owner Jerry Buss Family Estate at some point in the future. Replacing Catchings has been most difficult for Indiana. 2 draft pick in 1998, as a great guard-post combo. The Dream made their eight playoff appearances in a 10-season stretch from 2009-2018, and they were a victory away from the 2018 WNBA Finals. Also in September, the Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers inked patch deals reportedly worth $20 million and more than$10 million per year, respectively. Under the current CBA, teams can only fly commercially and players have increasingly voiced frustrations about delays and other travel issues. Now, a Portland entrepreneur is trying to bring a WNBAteam back to the city. We have some sort of a fan perspective, sponsorship perspective, social movement perspective, everyones locked in on sort of the value of womens sports.. List of all the WNBA Teams | Basketball-Reference.com Heres a look at the six markets that seem the most prepared and probable to be on the short list for WNBAexpansion: During the fall of 2019, the Nashville Sports Authority board commissioned CAA Icon a consulting firm that works with venue owners and operations, professional sports franchises and sports leagues to conduct market research on the viability of and interest in a professional womens sports team in the city. They had been the Orlando Miracle, affiliated with the Orlando Magic, and were just getting established after four seasons. Force 10 has never wavered in its commitment to the WNBA and the Seattle community. Face of the franchise: Deanna Nolan (2001-2009) High point: The Mystics and Delle Donne overcoming her back injury and a tough Connecticut team to win the 2019 WNBA Finals. Whatbeganas nickel-and-dime advertising has rapidly increased into lucrative marketing agreements. LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers are now valued at $5.5 billion, joining the New York Knicks . We'll never know, but Chicago has had a different kind of dynamic duo in guards -- and spouses -- Vandersloot and Quigley. Minnesota Timberwolves: $1.43 billion, 15. Trinity Valley Community College Is the Hoops Dynasty You . Franchise journey: The Sol are one of the two "if you blinked, you missed them" franchises in the WNBA, along with Portland. The Golden State Warriors and the New York Knicks produced the most income in the NBA, with 474 million US dollars and 421 million US dollars, respectively. Franchise journey: They were the "Shock" in name only after leaving Detroit for Tulsa. While the Fire lasted just three seasons, the surge in women's basketball's popularity in the state thanks to the success of the Oregon and Oregon State women's programs in recent years makes Portland a place many think the WNBA should reconsider someday. While the franchise ultimately ended up in other hands (and, according to Abrahams, went for a lower price in order for that franchise to stay in market), it got Toronto in the game early in terms of expansion talks with the league. If on the other hand, if it draws high ratings then more money will be made than if they had played it during week one of the season when people were probably still getting used to the idea of women's basketball and didn't know who they were going to watch play. Top 10 highest-paid WNBA players in 2021: Who makes the most money? - TUKO The value of their franchise is $125 million. That's an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. Low point: The franchise folding, despite a committed fan base, after the 2009 season. This would be the first time the league has added an expansion team since the Atlanta Dream were founded in 2008. Even though she was 34 when the league started, Cooper was still playing at an elite level after more than a decade of stardom overseas, and was crucial to getting the WNBA off the ground. Explained How Team Ownership In The WNBA Works, The Owners And How It Both were in existence for just three seasons before folding. Championships: None Engelberts primary responsibility through the first three years of her tenure has been to transform the WNBAs economics. The deal occurred only after the NBA asked several league owners to step in to take over the franchise because it had languished on the market for more than 14 months, sources said. Regular-season record: 224-200 Does the WNBA Make Money? [2022 Salaries, Revenues, Profit] Franchise journey: If you became a Mystics fan sometime in the last nine years, you missed the roller coaster of ups and downs and carousel of coaches that preceded that. 1. Forbes compiles the finances of all 30 NBA teams to produce an annual ranking of the best franchises in terms of valuation.The valuations are composed of the monetary worth of the sport, market, stadium deals, and brand. 2 in 2011 that she didn't want to be there, and her brief presence (53 games) and long absences defined the franchise. Signing free agents such as McCoughtry in 2020 (although she is out this season with a knee injury) and Gray this year were big moves, as was obtaining Cambage via trade in 2019. Face of the franchise: Seimone Augustus (2006-2019) Franchise journey: Should the Wings really be ranked behind the long-gone Sting and Rockers? When you think about NBA teams or MLB teams, NFL teams, people paid for what the value is, not necessarily what they are worth in that moment. After all, Dallas is a contemporary team and has a lot of young talent, led by scoring sensation Ogunbowale. But there just wasn't a strong commitment from Heat ownership to the Sol. And on senior night, No. Engelbert named the NHL, NASCAR and MLS as peers in terms of viewership numbers but also as leagues with annual rates five to 15 times higher than the WNBA. The Yankees and Knicks have the same owner: James Dolan. Other notable stars: Tully Bevilaqua, Sylvia Crawley, Kristin Folkl, DeMya Walker, Sophia Witherspoon. When comedian Wanda Sykes guest-hosted Jimmy Kimmel Live last July, Sparks forward Chiney Ogwumike was a guest on the talk show. Face of the franchise: A'ja Wilson (2018-present) Though 76ers owners Josh Harris and David Blitzer have bought a number of franchises outside of the Sixers, anything linking the 76ers ownership group to a WNBAexpansion franchise would be premature, a source said. MVPs: None And were also looking at our current WNBA franchise cities and comparing what lessons weve learned and whats worked and not worked over the last 25 years. Face of the franchise: Lisa Leslie (1997-2009) So which WNBA franchise is the best in league history? One of the most storied franchises in WNBA history, the Liberty began play as one of the WNBA's eight original teams and took part in the league's inaugural game, defeating the Los Angeles . The Tulsa Shock then moved before the 2016 season to Dallas to become the Wings. 1 pick in the NBA draft. Get Forbes daily top headlines delivered straight to your inboxfor news on the worlds most important entrepreneurs and superstars, expert career advice and success secrets. High point: Going 6-0 in the 2000 playoffs, sweeping Sacramento, Los Angeles and New York to win their fourth consecutive title. These are usually only available during the off-season since there is no collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players association like there is with the NBA so salaries cannot be discussed ahead of time. After reading about how he increased his father's fortune from $750 million to an estimated $6-7 billion, I suppose you wouldn't expect anything less from him. After losing in the 1998 WNBA Finals, the Mercury missed the playoffs seven of the next eight years. Powers, who won a title with the Washington Mystics in 2019, recently signed a new contract to join the Minnesota Lynx. The coronavirus pandemic may have caused NBA owners to take a hit on gate revenues throughout 2020 and into the new season, but NBA franchise values continue to climb nonetheless. 10. The league announced Friday afternoon that it had approved sale of the franchise. Championships: Four (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) Playoff appearances (record): Two (2-5) Three teams the Knicks, Warriors and Lakers are now worth over $5 billion each, according to Sportico, while the average NBA team is valued around $2.4 billion. Minnesota Lynx World's Richest WNBA Team With Value Of $4 - The Onion Then everything changed in the 2010 season: Cheryl Reeve was hired as head coach, forward Brunson was picked in the Sacramento Monarchs dispersal draft and a trade brought point guard Whalen home to Minnesota. But, fast forward to 2020, and every team in the league was profitable, with average operating income surging to $62 million. High point: Winning the franchise's fourth title in 2020 during a pandemic-shortened season in an unprecedented "bubble" location in Florida. In 2013, Nashville unveiled plans for a minor league baseball stadium, First Horizon Park, which included tax-increment financing as a part of the investment. Face of the franchise: Teresa Weatherspoon (1997-2003) Other notable stars: Ruthie Bolton, Rebekkah Brunson, Kara Lawson, Ticha Penicheiro, Nicole Powell, Tangela Smith, DeMya Walker. Only tangentially related, but Atltico Bucaramanga is with around $10 million. Playoff appearances (record): None The NBA's Most Valuable Teams - Forbes A big name in men's basketball, he wasn't prepared to run a WNBA team. High point: Taking the 2019 WNBA Finals to a decisive fifth game before falling to Washington. And so, Im not using them at all. High point: Going from worst to first and winning the 2003 championship. Playoff appearances (record): Eight (17-21) WNBA Draft 2022: Biggest needs and potential prospect fits for all 12 teams Record last year: 12-10 (6th out of 12 teams) Team goal: Win the . Playoff appearances (record): 16 (32-25) Ranking the top 25 WNBA players for 2021 - ESPN.com MVPs: None Sources say Sykes, who lives in Pennsylvania part-time, is a part of a group with interest in bringing an expansion team to Philadelphia. Nolan, Smith, Ford and McWilliams-Franklin, who were still with the Shock in 2009, never moved with the organization. Bird has been a key factor for all four titles and is a primary icon of the WNBA. And its something that weve gotta do in the near future. Very successful.. The league called it "the largest-ever capital raise for a women's sports property." . 2022 WNBA Stat Leaders | ESPN Franchise journey: The Fire were owned by the Portland Trail Blazers' Paul Allen, but not for long. That means selling tickets and making it successful. WNBA's 25th Season: It's Time to Start Paying Attention - Sports In order to identify the most viable places for a WNBA expansion team, the league will consider a number of priorities and categories and will run each city through 25 data points within five categories: demographics, psychographics (market research or statistics classifying population groups according to psychological variables), sports benchmarks, viewership and fan data. but the NHL's Washington Capitals, two arena football teams, a WNBA team and Capital One Arena. Low point: The Liberty losing No. Championships: None High point: Despite going 15-19 in the 2014 regular season, the Sky got hot at the right time, beating Atlanta and Indiana to reach the WNBA Finals. The Ducks peaked at the No. Those four made up the core of the 2004 and 2005 teams that advanced to the WNBA Finals. Lee Berke, an expert in media rights, tells Forbes, My projection is that the NBAs media deals will double in value, thanks in part to a substantial boost in streamed content.. An example of data being processed may be a unique identifier stored in a cookie. The Charlotte Sting, Cleveland Rockers, Houston Comets, and New York Liberty were in the Eastern Conference. Low point: Failing to follow up their postseason breakthrough, going 13-19 in 2001. All figures are in U.S. dollars based on the average U.S.-Canada exchange rates during the 2020-21 season. Low point: The sale of the franchise to Tulsa, which was a re-set with new ownership, new staff and none of the stars from Detroit. In the last seven years of the Shock's existence in Detroit, they reached the playoffs each season, got to the WNBA Finals four times and won three titles. Headquarters for Adidas and Under Armour are in Portland, and Nike is headquartered in Beaverton, Ore., which is just eight miles west of Portland. Transactions occur in a black box, unlike most other professional leagues, in which teams are sold and their prices are eventually leaked or announced. When not at the game you will find Austin on Twitter live tweeting his excitement for whatever team hes rooting for. But the Liberty haven't been that far since 2002 and haven't had a winning record since 2017. While the average highest listed price is $233. Engelbert wouldnt confirm the expansion value, but she told The Athletic that fee sounds low, based on recent transactions and revenue multiples average revenue of a WNBA franchise if you take it on a multiple it would be higher than what you described. A second league source seconded Engelberts point. MVPs: Elena Delle Donne (2015) Revealing those values is taboo across the league. Now, Beard is the frontwoman for the African American Sports & Entertainment Group, a collective trying to bring a franchise to Oakland, with local entrepreneurs like Ray Bobbitt and NBA super-agent Bill Duffy on board and Loop Capital as a financing partner. Over that span, the league has made changes to sustain the WNBA as both a sports league and a profession for womens basketball players. 1,$5.8 billion), the Golden State Warriors (No. Beard, who is Black, said she wants to bring a team to Oakland, in part, to change the profile of who a team owner is and to create more access and opportunities for other women that look exactly like me.. Sykes said, In my opinion, the WNBA saved our democracy, then asked Ogwumike what could be done to get more people involved and interested in the WNBA. For the 2016-17 season, Forbes reported, NBA revenue was $7.4 billion. The WNBAhas seen significant growth in viewership over the last five years. As well as earned All-WNBA First Team and Second Team honors. Learn more about troubleshooting WordPress. Sabally at 22 has a bright future, and Gray at 26 has been one of the Wings' most dependable players the past five seasons. MVPs: Diana Taurasi (2009) Originally part of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics organization, the Storm franchise was bought by a Seattle-based, all-women ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, in 2008 to keep the WNBA team in place when the NBA team moved to Oklahoma. The Sun haven't broken through for a title yet, but they're a strong contender to challenge for a championship again this year under coach Curt Miller, despite Alyssa Thomas missing the season with an Achilles injury. It was none other than the NBA itself who took the initiative of doing this. Regular-season record: 390-397 Nashville has this reputation and has earned it well just looking at Major League Soccer, from moving from the bottom of the list to the top, Fawknotson said, referencing Nashville FC. Browns representative declined further comment. Figures in USD $6200M for a 5-year period, so for the 2023 season this is USD $1240M for the League, $124M per team, $16.7M per match) Note that this is only the revenue from the sale of media rights to broadcasters. As an organization, we embrace anyone whose mission is to grow basketball in our region, and with a WNBA team, we would look forward to expanding the reach of our great game together, the Blazers said in a statement. Apr 11, 2022 at 7:36 pm ET 10 min read. High point: Defeating Connecticut 3-1 for the championship in the league's first best-of-five WNBA Finals series in 2005. New Orleans Pelicans: $1.35 billion. Just two years later, WNBA was formed to promote the women's sport and officially had its commencement in 1997. Under this method, the value of any company is determined by evaluating its assets - in this case, the Knicks - along with its liabilities and equity. For example, the value of the Los Angeles Clippers is $3.3 billion, 20% more than in our NBA valuations in February, in part because the team has broken ground on a new arena that is expected to significantly increase the teams revenue. Even if 76ers ownership were to get involved, they do not control dates at the building. When the league began in 1997, it was not expected to be profitable or even break even. Championships: None NY Liberty offseason news: Marine Johannes re-signs with the team The fact that doesnt happen in the WNBA as quickly or freely makes it difficult to assess the market worth of a team; it can also confound potential buyers about how much they need to get into the league. February 18, 2023. 1 pick in 2022. 2,$5.6 billion) and the Los Angeles Lakers (No. Engelbert said that number does not account for the full value of the WNBA, only the league itself. She has also played in WCBA and Turkish League. The oldest player is 28-year-old Thornton. Another reason for the jump is the high expectations for the next round of national media deals, which would begin with the 2025-26 season. Playoff appearances (record): Six (6-13) "My wish is that ESPN would drive the push for the WNBA instead of waiting," says Lobo. Laksa plays in the forward position and was originally . It moved to San Antonio after that season. Most Valuable NBA Teams 2020: Lakers, Warriors In $4B Club Abrahams has been told that the rate will be somewhere between $15-20 million, and he says his team has that capital in hand as well as the capital required for annual operating costs. There has been a critical error on this website. Standings - WNBA - Women's National Basketball Association The report estimated the franchise's value at $2 billion, making it the most expensive team in the league. Plum and Hamby are the key players from San Antonio still with Las Vegas. As popular as the Liberty have been with their fans, they never seemed to mean as much to James Dolan, even though he owned them from their inception. The Storm launched soon after the demise of the Seattle Reign of the short-lived ABL, so there was already a professional women's basketball audience in place. Portland Trail Blazers: $1.91 billion, https://therookiewire.usatoday.com/gallery/nba-franchise-values-what-every-team-is-worth-in-2021/. The Sparks are owned by Hollywood entertainment industry couple Harry and Pamela Manheimer. The latest ranking reported that the Golden State Warriors is the most . Ticket sales account for $50 million, or more than 83 percent of the WNBA's overall revenue. We have been actively exploring this for a long time, Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle last year. Meanwhile the average overall WNBA ticket price is $47 on SeatGeek. Data provided by HighPostHoops.com 2028 2027 2026 2025 2024 2023 2022 2021 2020 2019 2018 2017 2016 2015 2014 2013 2012 2011 Other notable stars: Tina Charles, Katie Douglas, Margo Dydek, Jonquel Jones, Asjha Jones, Kara Lawson, Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Renee Montgomery, Nykesha Sales, Jasmine Thomas, Lindsay Whalen, Courtney Williams. The WNBA also takes advantage of free agent opportunities when players want to switch teams. Welcome to the Farm! He is known for being one of the founders of Microsoft and also owns the Portland Trail Blazers of the NBA.