WNBA franchise in Nashville

[markhollin]

Talks have been going on behind the scenes for an expansion WNBA franchise for Nashville. This would most likely be an expansion team, as the league is pondering growing from 12 to either 14 or 16 teams. One of the names being considered by the league is Nashville Notes (see some proposed logos below). 

The league normally has a 34 game regular season, meaning 17 home contests, and runs from mid-May to mid-Sept.  Most recently, the playoffs have been single elimination games in 1st and 2nd rounds, then best-of five in Semi-Finals and Finals.  This means if a team goes all the way to the finals with maximum amount of possible games that they could host as many as 8 playoff contests. 

The host arena would have to be finalized.   Here are the options as they currently stand:

- Bridgestone Arena (19,395 for basketball configuration) Since the Predators control The Stone, they may not wish to have another pro sports franchise there, but could still be a possibility.  Can close off the upper deck for more intimate capacity that would be in the 12,000 range. 

- Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym (14,316) has a great history of women's basketball, and is built specifically for b-ball, so it could be a possibility. However, there is not much there in the way of luxury boxes, premium seating, etc. Could probably close off some of the balcony levels to bring capacity down to the 8,000 range. 

- Municipal Auditorium (9,000) has hosted various defunct men's pro leagues as well as the Ohio Valley Conference Championship for years. Also lacking in luxury boxes.

- TSU's Gentry Center (9,100) is basketball-centric, but has no luxury boxes as far as I am aware. 

- Belmont University Curb Events Center (5,085) does have some luxury boxes, but is a bit on the small side overall.

- Lipscomb University Allen Arena (5,028), and like Belmont, has some luxury boxes, but is also smallish.

Average attendance in the WNBA pre-COVID (2019 season) was about 6,535. The highest was LA Sparks at 11,307, and the lowest the New York Liberty at 2,239. 

Average ticket price of a WNBA game is $47.  Highest is Washington at $73.  Lowest is LA at $24.

Other cities being considered for expansion include San Fran, Toronto,  Philadelphia, Miami, and Charlotte (which all currently have NBA teams as well). 

The current league members are:

Los Angeles Sparks
Phoenix Mercury
Minnesota Lynx
Seattle Storm
Connecticut Sun
Chicago Sky
Indiana Fever
Dallas Wings
Las Vegas Aces
Washington Mystics
Atlanta Dream
New York Mercury

More at TheTennessean here:

https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/columnist/mike-organ/2021/08/24/could-nashville-next-pro-sports-franchise-wnba-team/8207340002/

 

[nashvylle]

@markhollindoes the article have any mentions of who the potential owner would be?

[markhollin]

1 minute ago, nashvylle said:

@markhollindoes the article have any mentions of who the potential owner would be?

It does not.  I think the league itself is doing most of the initial research, and behind-the-scenes is courting some potential suitors. 

[BnaBreaker]

I'm surprised the WNBA is trying to expand, because I was under the impression that as an organization they're deep in the red every year.  

[Skyscrapergeek]

I’m sorry but the Notes???? 

[bigeasy]

Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym built specifically for b-ball?? Not sure if you wrote that, but whoever did, have they been in that facility? It is probably the farthest from a basketball specific venue as you can get. 

[markhollin]

7 minutes ago, bigeasy said:

Vanderbilt's Memorial Gym built specifically for b-ball?? Not sure if you wrote that, but whoever did, have they been in that facility? It is probably the farthest from a basketball specific venue as you can get. 

Whether you like the design or not, it WAS built specifically for basketball. 

[DDIG]

I'm on the fence about this. Don't know what the city's appetite is for it, especially if isn't at Bridgestone. The other venue options are meh at best.

I wish we could steal the Grizzlies, ha.

[Luvemtall]

4 minutes ago, DDIG said:

I'm on the fence about this. Don't know what the city's appetite is for it, especially if isn't at Bridgestone. The other venue options are meh at best.

I wish we could steal the Grizzlies, ha.

Get the Grizzlies, bring in a WNBA team , build Amazon Arena and call it a day!!

[DDIG]

1 hour ago, BnaBreaker said:

I'm surprised the WNBA is trying to expand, because I was under the impression that as an organization they're deep in the red every year.  

They lose greater than $10 million a year. NBA with its $7 billion+ in revenue helps to subsidize, but to what extent is not really known.

It appears their TV numbers are up, so maybe they are betting on the future with expansion.

[smeagolsfree]

Frankly, I couldn’t care any less about the WNBA than I do the NBA. But that’s just me. I am not a sports person. Looks like Municipal would be the place to do it if they do play and not build a specific arena for them as they will probably not survive as a league.

They are subsidized by the NBA by about 10 million a year and the women want equal pay and that is not going to happen because they don’t draw the crowds.

https://selfimprovementbase.com/does-the-wnba-make-money/

[MLBrumby]

34 minutes ago, markhollin said:

Whether you like the design or not, it WAS built specifically for basketball. 

Memorial Gymnasium was built to be a multi-purpose facility ('arena'), designed to be PRIMARILY a basketball court, hence the name "gym".  I think Bigeasy might have been referring to one of the uses Edwin Keeble intended for Memorial Gym, which was to be a proscenium stage. That's why the floor is above the first few rows of seats. No doubt it was much better suited to concerts in its early, smaller form. 

[nashvylle]

1 hour ago, BnaBreaker said:

I'm surprised the WNBA is trying to expand, because I was under the impression that as an organization they're deep in the red every year.  

Expansion fees + more markets leading to more lucrative TV contracts?

[Nash_12South]

Women's basketball, at least high school and college level, has a good following in middle TN, from what I've seen.  We watch the WNBA.

Municipal Auditorium lost the OVC because it was so crappy, interior wise. It would be a good spot, if the luxury boxes and badly needed updates could be done.  I would hope Bridgestone could be worked out. 

At Bridgestone, it would be a decent draw for tourists, already downtown. 

Edited August 25, 2021 by Nash_12South

[donNdonelson2]

Has Vanderbilt added air conditioning to Memorial Gym in recent years? If not, having a WNBA team play there seems out of the question, due to their summer season schedule.

[MLBrumby]

Still NO! 

3 minutes ago, donNdonelson2 said:

Has Vanderbilt added air conditioning to Memorial Gym in recent years? If not, having a WNBA team play there seems out of the question, due to their summer season schedule.

 

[Rick Dalton]

Can we please get the Grizzlies? NBA in Bridgestone would be great

[Sean blackdog]

I find it out online from WNBA. 
The Nashville Notes
This concept has to be one of our favourites. Tying into Music City’s deep roots has us saving up money in hopes that this expansion happens in the near future so we can purchase a jersey. From using a guitar pick and string into the logo to using music notes as lettering, on top of tying in the three stars representing the state’s Grand Divisions. We simply need this jersey concept NOW.

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Sean blackdog

[LA_TN]

8 hours ago, markhollin said:

Whether you like the design or not, it WAS built specifically for basketball. 

 

7 hours ago, MLBrumby said:

Memorial Gymnasium was built to be a multi-purpose facility ('arena'), designed to be PRIMARILY a basketball court, hence the name "gym".  I think Bigeasy might have been referring to one of the uses Edwin Keeble intended for Memorial Gym, which was to be a proscenium stage. That's why the floor is above the first few rows of seats. No doubt it was much better suited to concerts in its early, smaller form. 

@MLBrumbyis correct. Memorial Gym is well known as the worst basketball venue in the SEC and one of the worst in the USA. The 2 biggest issues are 1) the player/team benches that must be at the end zones instead of the sidelines and 2) the raised floor. It is also a bad setup for TV coverage

 But, regardless, it was designed to be a multi-purpose facility

 

[markhollin]

RE: Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt: The facility is favored by many basketball purists as an example of a facility designed primarily for that sport—and has been called the "Fenway Park of College Basketball." ("The Mystique and Aura of Memorial Gym" from Commodore Nation Magazine, 2013. 

[DDIG]

2 hours ago, markhollin said:

RE: Memorial Gym at Vanderbilt: The facility is favored by many basketball purists as an example of a facility designed primarily for that sport—and has been called the "Fenway Park of College Basketball." ("The Mystique and Aura of Memorial Gym" from Commodore Nation Magazine, 2013. 

It is an  unique venue and different experience, which certainly has its appeal in College sports. I definitely wouldn't call it a nice venue though, which I think you'd want as part of the package of an expansion professional team to help drive attendance.

[Nash_12South]

Didn't Commodore Nation Magazine also call the Vandy football stadium "unrivaled in all of sports with the possible exception of the Colosseum in Rome".....Kidding, kidding, kidding.....

[Mr_Bond]

I wonder if the homeschool band can earn any royalties from the team.

https://www.nashvillenotes.org

[smeagolsfree]

All “kidding” aside as the WNBA is a money loser all the way around! 

[bigeasy]

20 hours ago, markhollin said:

Whether you like the design or not, it WAS built specifically for basketball. 

Straight from Vanderbilt's website "Dedicated in 1952 as a memorial to all Vanderbilt men and women who served in World War II, the arena was built as a combination gymnasium and concert hall by the late master architect Edwin Keeble."  Also, I doubt a magazine called "Commodore Nation" is biased at all haha. But this really doesn't matter to the topic at hand. I just originally wanted to point out that the gym is not a basketball specific venue, and I don't think anybody (outside of maybe Vanderbilt fans) would argue that it is a good facility. It is just unique. 

 

Back to the topic though, would Nashville have any risk to adding a team? I think it is common knowledge that the WNBA doesn't bring in money. So I wasn't sure if there would be any reason to avoid this. I just can't come up with a scenario in my head to where it makes sense financially. 

Edited August 26, 2021 by bigeasy