Summertime Blues

I’m sure very few of you know, but June 6, 2009 was a day of significance. It was the kickoff to the 2009 WNBA season. The real question is, does anybody care? In a league where the most a player can be paid for the 2009 season, outside of incentives, is $97,000. This is also the same league that has just 14 teams, (not even half as many as the NBA) and the regular season consists of 34 games played over the course of the summer.

I don’t mean to be repetitive, but this is the same league where its best player, Candice Parker, is taking a leave of absence because she gave birth to a baby girl in May. (By the way, I’m sure most of you are wondering, just as I am, how Sheldon Williams is the father of that child). By no means did she do anything wrong, its just frustrating when, in a league with few players worth watching, the best is taking a leave of absence.

Even with my love for basketball, I find it very hard to follow the WNBA. When it comes down to it, I just don’t care. In the summer I’d rather watch a NBA Summer League game…and as far as women’s basketball goes, I prefer college.

I will say however, the WNBA finals have been increasingly entertaining for the past few years. But still, this is a league, and one entertaining series just isn’t good enough for me. Since the pay is so low in the U.S., most of the players play overseas for the majority of the year. I once read in an article that the WNBA is more of a summer league for these players. If this is truly the case, I’d rather see the WNBA turned into a best-of-seven tournament, with possibly a loser’s bracket. At least in this case, every game would be meaningful and could possibly generate more entertaining basketball.

I’m a fan of women’s basketball but the WNBA is in need of a change.