Adam Silver's challenge is to grow the WNBA
The surprise announcement that Laurel Richie is leaving her post as WNBA president puts NBA commissioner Adam Silver in the spotlight. It appears to be a new task he relishes, easy to understand for one of the architects of the original WNBA business plan 20 years ago.
“There are societal forces at work that are undeniable,” Silver told USA Today Sports. “But we wouldn't be doing this in the way we are if we, the WNBA and the NBA had the opportunity to influence consumer behavior, fan behavior and directly impact people's desire to watch women's basketball games in person, and watch the WNBA on television. So we believe that we can effect change. I believe that I personally can do more to grow the WNBA. I believe it is necessary, at least in the short-term, that I commit more of my time to the success of the league.”
Laurel Richie steps down as WNBA president
That commitment begins with leading up a search for Richie's replacement, which Silver said will involve the hiring of a national search firm. In the meantime, NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum will serve as WNBA president on an interim basis.
For Silver, the work comes just weeks after he made some public comments critical of the league's ability to break through on the business side, with attendance and ratings largely flat.
Silver emphasized that his comments were directed at how the league sells itself, not the product itself.
"Everyone who loves the game of basketball acknowledges how great the team play is on the floor," Silver said. "Anybody who watched the WNBA Finals came to the same conclusion. If we can get fans of the game of basketball to sample this product, they will come back. This is great basketball. There is no dispute. And in the early days of the WNBA, we had detractors who claimed that the quality of the basketball was not sufficient to sustain a league. No one is saying that anymore. It's entirely a business issue."
How the next WNBA president can take the league to a new level
But Silver stood by those comments, emphasizing the need for transparency to bring about growth for the league, and speaking directly to ESPN's John Skipper to see if the league's television partner can and will do more to promote its own product as well.
“I'm not looking for a miracle,” Silver said. “And I would say that I recognize in this business that growth comes incrementally. This is not a full court shot, and not even a halfcourt shot. This is about steady, incremental growth. And that's all the WNBA expect from the league. And that's all the NBA owners expect, because remember, they too fund the league. We all just want to see continued growth. But I just want to reaffirm—everybody is 100 percent behind this league. Laurel leaving is a bump in the road. But we'll pick up exactly where she leaves off. And the only change I can commit to is, I can do more, and I will be more.”