Hoya Women's Hoops

[BSM]

Little off the usual topics, but did anyone see that the women's team announced two new asst. coaches on 6/30, and the two first year assts. from last year have left? One asst. (ex-UMCP player) left to take over as Head Coach at her old High School--the same HS that Grant Hill was from.

The only Asst. left from last year is Niki Reid, who played for the Hoyas.

[EasyEd]

The assistant who left for "the same HS that Grant Hill was from" should have read "the same HS that Michael Jackson was from". Christy Winters and Michael Jackson (and Grant Hill) played at South Lakes HS, Reston VA.

[DFW HOYA]

This might be a good opportunity to pose this question: why is women's basketball so poorly supported by fans?

Georgetown spends more on women's basketball (over $1.2 million) than any sport at Georgetown other than men's basketball, and the attendance was 10th among the 12 schools and lower when the 16 schools are factored in.

It's too easy to say "it's a women's sport" when discussing attendance, or that smaller schools can't draw. Every other Big East Catholic school outside PC (which was winless in the conference) outdrew Georgetown.

Georgetown needs to do a better job at attendance in all its sports, but don't forget women's hoops as well.

[rccoleon]

i wrote an article last year on the profitability of women's athletics, specificially on women's basketball. i spoke with many people up at UCONN and found out that Connecticut runs a profit for their women's basketball program as do some schools in the Big 12 Conference. so it is possible to make women's basketball a revenue sport. what i found though is that it depends on the area, not just winning to get fans to support the women's basketball team. winning obviously helps but it is not the only factor.

[SirSaxa]

rccoleon said:

i wrote an article last year on the profitability of women's athletics, specificially on women's basketball. i spoke with many people up at UCONN and found out that Connecticut runs a profit for their women's basketball program as do some schools in the Big 12 Conference. so it is possible to make women's basketball a revenue sport.

With all due respect, if UCONN didn't make money on women's basketball, THAT would be a story. Is there any women's program in the country as successful as UCONN? Maybe TENN? Using those schools as a benchmark is not going to be of much use to the vast majority of programs.

As for GU... poor marketing and unremarkable on court performances. UCONN and Rutgers are in another league, are they not? Maybe our new AD can have an impact here.

[EasyEd]

There is a market in DC for women's basketball and so far it has resulted in the pro team, the Mystics, drawing a mob at MCI. I think they were first in the league in attendance last year. With a strong effort the Hoyas might be able to tap into that market.

[][-][ 0 `/ /-\ 5]

I think the Mystics are consistently the top drawing team in the WNBA

[StPetersburgHoya (Inactive)]

There definitely is a market in DC - it also depends on the strength of women's and girl's basketball at the high school and youth levels. I think that Connecticut and some of the Big 12 schools that have large fan bases (Oklahoma, Kansas State) have had very strong girls and women's basketball for many years before women's college basketball was market agressively. For example you can catch local high school girl's games on several of the local cable channels in Tulsa - this comes from an overall interest in high school sports, but nevertheless I have never seen anything like that in the DC area.

[rccoleon]

texas tech and Kansas State have profitable programs. K-State out drew their mens team for the past few seasons. the thing you have to look at for Mystics games is how many of those tickets are paid. its great that they can draw but its different if everyone was paying. without the NBA financial backing the WNBA would be finished.

[lichoya68]

you know to make money you need to win and be exciting.. to do that you need the horses... or phillies so to speak... uconn recruits most of the top high school womens bball players in the country ..and gives them who knows what... to spend four years in storrs conn... nb ever been there??? there aint much there.. so unless we have more resources who knows.. the athletic dept has consistantly said that in all sports lax etc.. we may give four or five or eitht schoolies and the competetion gives the full ncaa max.. i think thats the case in womens lax for instance.. we are a few under the max schollies that our top level competitors use.. and we compete but just a little off from a national championship...not sure if thats true for womens bball.. thats one mans opinion.. happy fourth go hoyas... even with your less support than most competitors...

[lichoya68]

ps there is absoulutley nothing else thats NOTHING ELSE to do in conn.. .mens and womens bball IS THE STATES SPORTS EVENTS THATS IS .. think that has a little to do with it.. no pro anything football... baseball bball even hockey now so lets be real thats an unuaual situation folks.. even my 83 aunt is a rabid uconn womens bball fan and she dont even like sports.. winning ... no other sports events thats what its about in conn .. ;D ;D

[JohnJacquesLayup]

ed said:

The assistant who left for "the same HS that Grant Hill was from" should have read "the same HS that Michael Jackson was from". Christy Winters and Michael Jackson (and Grant Hill) played at South Lakes HS, Reston VA.

Go Seahawks class of '99!!