I strongly suspect they are worth more than any WNBA team. 2,$5.6 billion) and the Los Angeles Lakers (No. Said one league source: Logistically Toronto would be difficult until the league moves to charter flights. The earliest opportunity to amend the WNBA travel restrictions would be during the next CBA negotiations (which the league or WNBPA can opt out of in November 2024), and as of now, sources say, less than half of league owners have been vocal in their support of chartering flights. The Lynx have been in a talent re-stocking process the last few seasons, but still consistently make the playoffs. MVPs: Yolanda Griffith (1999) Low point: Having the distinction of being the only WNBA franchise to never make a playoff appearance. If the WNBA paid out the same revenue split as the NBA (50-50 . The consent submitted will only be used for data processing originating from this website. Frankly, Im using more of the most recent data. Even a comparison over a 2019 which we might call a more normal year but we were a different league back then than we are now.. Behind LAFC comes Atlanta United ($845 million) and LA Galaxy ($835 million). High point: The 2012 title gave the future Hall of Famer Catchings a WNBA championship, and her college coach Pat Summitt was in attendance for the clinching victory. Sources also have connected South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a Philadelphia native, to the group. Dallas Wings roster: Team signs forward Kitija 'Kit' Laksa | wfaa.com 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. She was also named one of the WNBA's top 20 players as part of the . In addition to the $12.3 million that the players receive, another $18 million comes from corporate sponsors. The WNBA also takes advantage of free agent opportunities when players want to switch teams. WNBA career stats leaders: Lisa Leslie in defensive rating (88.43) Forbes list of the most valuable NBA clubs - Wikipedia Low point: Missing the playoffs for a fifth consecutive season in 2009. Signing Chicago native Candace Parker as a free agent for this season was part of the Sky pushing their chips toward the middle of the table while she and the VanderQuigs are still in a championship window. 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. With the league celebrating its 25th season, we rank every franchise in each of its incarnations in different cities, all 23 of them. 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. New York made the first championship game (before the Finals became a series) in 1997, and then appeared in the Finals three more times. MVPs: None Bridgestone Arena could be a location for a WNBA expansion team. Such feats have undoubtedly increased her value and as such, she is now one of the highest-paid in the WNBA. League sources believe Philadelphia has potential as an eventual expansion city, but it would likely mean the involvement of the 76ers both financially and in terms of an arena. The Knicks have many assets, including World Class Talent, a passionate fan base, and their home arena, Madison Square Garden. She has served in Russian basketball clubs like BC Chevakata Vologda and PBC Nadezhda Orenburg. The average NBA team is now worth $2.86 billion, 15% more than a year ago, an impressive feat considering the stock market is down more than 15% over the same span. The Liberty lost Game 3 and the series, but "The Shot" lives on. Championships: Four (2004, 2010, 2018, 2020) Engelberts valuations, and the math to get there, give the WNBAs first public declaration of how much its teams are worth, or perceived to be worth, over the last few years. Portland has shown consistently that were at the top of the list in supporting womens franchises and events, Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler said. Houston would win just four more playoff games from 2001-2008 before folding after two seasons under owner Hilton Koch, who had bought the team from Alexander. In addition, corporate sponsorship revenues amount to $5 million while media rights fees bring in another $500,000. Regular-season record: 143-179 We have been actively exploring this for a long time, Lacob told the San Francisco Chronicle last year. Over that span, the league has made changes to sustain the WNBA as both a sports league and a profession for womens basketball players. WNBA salary: $170,000. The Warriors opened the Chase Center in 2019, a self-funded arena in San Franciscos Mission Bay area which could host a WNBA season if they bring in a team. Before Joe Lacob bought the Golden State Warriors, he was an investor in the American Basketball League, a competitor to the WNBA in the late 1990s. With an ownership group already vetted by the NBA and their own arena, the Warriors loom as a strong option if the league decides to enter the fray to bring an expansion team to the Bay Area. However, in nearly two decades since, a lot has changed as Oregon has become a burgeoning mecca for womens sports supporters. The wondrously talented Stinson is the franchise's all-time scoring leader but point guard Staley -- who came to the league in 1999 from the ABL -- became the heart of the team. Face of the franchise: Alyssa Thomas (2014-present) High point: Going 20-12 and making their lone playoff appearance in 2001, falling to New York. The information used to compile our valuations primarily came from the teams, sports bankers, media consultants and public documents, like arena lease agreements and bond documents. The Business Of Basketball List - Forbes At his highest, Joe Tsai was worth nearly $15 billion but over the past two years has . Bird has been a key factor for all four titles and is a primary icon of the WNBA. She tried for years to make a comeback but was beset with injuries and ended up playing just 53 games total. How much money do Major League Baseball teams make? Value: $4.6 billion. Most valuable NBA franchises heading into 2022-23 season 2002 Fleer Authentix WNBA Sue Bird RC #101 /2002. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. LeBron James' Los Angeles Lakers are now valued at $5.5 billion, joining the New York Knicks and the Golden State Warriors in the $5 billion club. Highest Paid WNBA Player in 2022 - How much do WNBA players earn? Face of the franchise: Jackie Stiles (2001-02) 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. Value: $1.58 Billion. Dolan put the Liberty on the market in 2017, and Brooklyn Nets owner Joseph Tsai bought them in 2019. We have all the money here in market in Toronto accessible.. She made it clear before being drafted No. 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. Deanna "Tweety" Nolan helped Detroit win three WNBA championships, and was the WNBA Finals MVP during the team's 2006 title run. Playoff appearances (record): Eight (30-19) That brought young post players Charli Collier, 21, and Awak Kuier, 20, who could blossom. Franchise journey: Madison Square Garden was a pretty special place with a likable and successful Liberty team in the late 1990s and early 2000s. (John Russell /, Alana Beard, a former WNBA star, is working to bring a franchise to Oakland. Teams cannot rely on a large national media rights deal. 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. Other notable stars: Vicky Bullett, Allison Feaster, Rhonda Mapp, Charlotte Smith, Andrea Stinson, Tammy Sutton-Brown. Meanwhile, Shock assistant Cheryl Reeve left to take over at Minnesota, starting a dynasty there. Austin Crumble. It is an attempt to not only suss out which cities have a chance to become a future WNBA outpost, but also to understand how much a franchise is worth in a league where team values are hard to ascertain. Championships: One (2012) Tulsa went 7-38 under Richardson, who resigned 11 games into his second season. MVPs: A'ja Wilson (2020) After two seasons playing in White Plains, New York, and last year in the bubble in Bradenton, Florida, the Liberty are now at Barclays Center full time. The Lynx stewed for a year after a heartbreaking one-point loss to the Sparks on Nneka Ogwumike's putback in the 2016 WNBA Finals. Championships: None They are well-positioned to bring a team to San Francisco if they decide to make a full-throttle pitch. Thats an increase from 2020, when the average team valuation crossed $2 billion for the first time, according to Forbes. Then Fowles, after seven seasons with the Sky, sat out the start of the 2015 season until she was traded to Minnesota, where she has won two titles. Low point: This season is pretty bleak: Hoped-for star Chennedy Carter is indefinitely suspended, the Dream have lost 10 in a row and they're about to miss the playoffs for the fourth time in five years. 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. Previous transactions have valued WNBA teams in that range, showing only middling growth in franchise values over the last 20 years. The stars from the final Detroit team in 2009 didn't come to Tulsa; in fact, Deanna Nolan and Cheryl Ford never played in the WNBA again. The WNBAs capital raise, she said, is further indication that now is the time to get involved with the league. . MLS averaged 277,000 viewers for its 2021 regular season games and 1.14 million viewers for its single, winner-take-all championship game. In 2011, 22 of the 30 teams were losing money, and the average operating income per team sat at $6 million. The presentation will show that Nashville has the infrastructure to support a team. Championships: None MVPs: Maya Moore (2014), Sylvia Fowles (2017) The Rose City attempted to house a WNBAfranchise for three seasons from 2000-2002, but it failed. Get the list of all the WNBA Teams along with the wins and losses stats and more on Basketball-Reference.com 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. Adding international commercial travel to league scheduling would only exacerbate the problem. The Finals have been played at the conclusion of the regular season and postseason bracket every year since the league's inception in 1997; the championship stage follows a 2-2-1 split format, giving the higher-seeded team a chance to host three games as opposed to just two. WNBA's 25th Season: It's Time to Start Paying Attention - Sports New York has had many great players come through its doors, but no single player has brought more joy to Knicks' fans than Michael Jordan. Joe Tsai. Face of the franchise: Liz Cambage (2011-13) Mark Davis Bio, Age, Parents, Net Worth, And More Championships: None Aerial Powers on her new WNBA team and changing esports culture: 'You WNBA Draft 2022: Biggest needs and potential prospect fits for all 12 teams