At only 31 years old, she is a five-time WNBA All-Star, a three-time All-WNBA First Team honouree, the WNBA's Most Improved Player, and many other notable accomplishments. Every team . Owned by the Cleveland Cavaliers, their last season was the summer that LeBron James was the No. In mid-January 2022, CAA Icon presented the Sports Authority Board with a report that found solid interest in the initiative. After losing in the first round of the playoffs four out of five years between 1994 and 1999, the Knicks started to become popular again. 1 picks and drafted superstars with all four picks: Jackson (2001), Bird (2002), Loyd (2015) and Stewart (2016). Playoff appearances (record): 12 (30-28) MVPs: None For example, the value of the Los Angeles Clippers is $3.3 billion, 20% more than in our NBA valuations in February, in part because the team has broken ground on a new arena that is expected to significantly increase the teams revenue. The Forbes estimate does not include sales or sponsorship revenue which both teams enjoy, but instead focuses on the actual value of the Knicks' ownership interest. Then COVID hit. Seven players from five different teams will earn the WNBA supermax salary of $221,450, per Spotrac. The WNBA and its teams are now valued at $1 billion following a historic capital raise of $75 million, a source with knowledge of the investment's impact told Front Office Sports. Its amazing to see it all happening. 2002 Fleer Authentix WNBA brought the concept of serial-numbered Rookie Cards to the league with each getting 2,002 copies. And were also looking at our current WNBA franchise cities and comparing what lessons weve learned and whats worked and not worked over the last 25 years. Here Are The Top-10 Most Valuable NBA Teams In 2020. Mr. Allen is one of the richest people in the world, having earned over $10 billion dollars. The deal occurred only after the NBA asked several league owners to step in to take over the franchise because it had languished on the market for more than 14 months, sources said. The Lynx went 13-21, their last losing season. When the WNBA was first established in 1996, it had only two other major sponsors besides Nike: Coca-Cola and McDonald's. Though that method of valuation is unusual in comparison to how other professional sports leagues conduct their valuations, it also places the average value of a WNBA team at more than $43.75 million. 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. Powers, who won a title with the Washington Mystics in 2019, recently signed a new contract to join the Minnesota Lynx. It was the first title for the franchise and longtime WNBA coach Mike Thibault. It has just never been the right time. These are usually only available during the off-season since there is no collective bargaining agreement between the league and its players association like there is with the NBA so salaries cannot be discussed ahead of time. Playoff appearances (record): 13 (18-30) Bird has been a key factor for all four titles and is a primary icon of the WNBA. At its largest, the WNBA expanded to 16 teams, but has been at 12 since 2010. Finally, people are understanding the value of the WNBAand what we offer.. People are right now investing in the potential of what it could be. Basically, everything that could go wrong did go wrong for six mostly downbeat seasons. Face of the franchise: Elena Delle Donne (2017-present) 8. MVPs: None The recent capital raise was heralded by Engelbert as a boon. Top editors give you the stories you want delivered right to your inbox each weekday. A team can have more than one player make over the cap, but they can't have more than $113 million US dollars in total contract obligations. He also finished first or second in the MVP voting on eight other occasions. But at only an 83 overall, Thompson is severely underrated in NBA 2K22. As popular as the Liberty have been with their fans, they never seemed to mean as much to James Dolan, even though he owned them from their inception. Playoff appearances (record): Six (6-13) It was none other than the NBA itself who took the initiative of doing this. Whatbeganas nickel-and-dime advertising has rapidly increased into lucrative marketing agreements. 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. In the CAA Icon survey, residents favored Bridgestone Arena and the Nashville Municipal Auditorium. It was an enormous mistake by the Sting, who missed out on one of the WNBA's all-time greats by not waiting a year for her to recover. Playoff appearances (record): Two (5-8) 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. At this point, despite a lot of success as a franchise, the Dream face a lot of questions. 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. Her fandom is not just performative. Face of the franchise: A'ja Wilson (2018-present) Bevilaqua (with Seattle) and Walker (with Sacramento) both went on to be WNBA champions. We and our partners use cookies to Store and/or access information on a device. MVPs: Tina Charles (2012) Were definitely looking to significantly enhance the financial performance of many of our teams, but many of our teams are still in big investment mode, she said. Along with its three titles, Los Angeles has two other trips to the WNBA Finals, falling to Detroit in 2003 and Minnesota in 2017, and has played in every postseason since 2011. Playoff appearances (record): One (0-2) Face of the franchise: Dawn Staley (1999-2005) That's when Sparks LA Sports, which included Laker legend Magic Johnson, stepped in to buy the team. These areas are supported by applying financial metrics such as debt and operating income to each one.. Franchise journey: They were the "Shock" in name only after leaving Detroit for Tulsa. The Storm are owned by Paul Allen and his company, Index Investment Company. Once again, the franchise is considered the most valuable of any of the NBA's 30 clubs, according to a report from Kurt Badenhausen of Forbes. Other notable stars: Alana Beard, Tamecka Dixon, Chelsea Gray, Mwadi Mabika, DeLisha Milton-Jones, Kristi Toliver. Value: $4.7 billion. Looming over this process, however, is the value of a WNBA franchise. The city could also serve as a gateway to the shoe companies that keep their headquarters nearby. Hammon is still in San Antonio, as a Spurs assistant. Two years later, Michael Alter reportedly paid $10 million for an expansion team in Chicago. Its amazing to be in the conversation, Beard said. And so, Im not using them at all. The next media rights contract will be vital for the league, not only in bringing in more money to each team but also in lifting up franchise values. That it came on the University of Minnesota's home court where Whalen played as a collegian (Target Center was being renovated) made it all the more memorable. "The way we are right now, this team, as it is right . Curry remains one of the best players in the game (96), and the team sports a plethora of young, promising players in Jordan Poole (81) and Jonathan Kuminga (79). Replacing Catchings has been most difficult for Indiana. We and our partners use data for Personalised ads and content, ad and content measurement, audience insights and product development. having both surpassed the $4 billion mark for the first time this year. Though Oakland is the 45th-biggest American city by population, its larger than two current WNBAmarkets (Minneapolis and Uncasville, Conn.), and the Bay Area comprising San Francisco, Oakland and San Jose is the nations sixth-largest media market. Franchise journey: An original WNBA franchise, the Sting were first owned by the Charlotte Hornets and made the playoffs six of their first seven seasons. It has deals in place with Amazon Prime and Twitter, along with its broadcast partnerships with ESPN/ABC and CBS, and she believes its next media rights deal will be more profitable. Our figures include revenue that team owners get from non-NBA events at their arena. The Mystics, who came into the WNBA with Detroit in the first wave of expansion in 1998, had 12 coaches in their first 15 seasons, changing leadership during a season four different times. In the last seven years of the Shock's existence in Detroit, they reached the playoffs each season, got to the WNBA Finals four times and won three titles. Franchise investors are looking past the dearth of fanswhich cut average revenue for the leagues 30 teams by 19% from the 2019-20 season, to $214 millionwith eyes on a big rebound: An increasein sponsorship revenue coupled with fans returning to arenas this season should push the leagues revenue to an all-time high of at least $10 billion,10% above the2018-19 campaign, the last full season before the pandemic. Los Angeles Lakers: $4.6 billion. By the Forbes' 2020 list estimates, five NHL teams are worth at least $1 billion: the Rangers ($1.65B), Maple . (Rich von Biberstein / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images), Warriors majority owner Joe Jacob has interest in bringing a WNBA team to San Francisco. By 2005, Brunson, Lawson, Powell and Walker joined the team and Sacramento won the title. Some of our partners may process your data as a part of their legitimate business interest without asking for consent. Franchise journey: Greatness is invariably accompanied by some luck. The capital raise valued the league at $475 million, according to multiple sources, and the WNBA gave away roughly 16 percent equity in itself to investors as a result of that process. And we know more about it than anybody else. And if we can do that, were gonna get a great next round of media deals.. 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. Face of the franchise: Margo Dydek (1998-2002) Said Abrahams: They know weve done our financial model, they know whos involved with our group. MVPs: Sheryl Swoopes (2000, 2002, 2005), Cynthia Cooper (1997, 1998) Welcome to the Farm! Diggins-Smith's net worth is estimated to be 324,162, with a salary of 184,691 plus endorsement deals with Roc Nation Sports, Nike, Body Armor and Puma. The global financial crisis of 2007-08 took a toll on the WNBA, which lost Charlotte in January 2007, Houston in December 2008 and Sacramento in December 2009. But the Wings haven't done much yet, losing single-elimination games in their two playoff appearances. High point: Weatherspoon swishing a heave from just beyond half court to win Game 2 of the 1999 WNBA Finals 68-67. 1 draft pick for Los Angeles the next year. Face of the franchise: Alyssa Thomas (2014-present) Third on our list is the Seattle Storm. Also in September, the Lakers and the Philadelphia 76ers inked patch deals reportedly worth $20 million and more than$10 million per year, respectively. It may come as a surprise to learn that the two highest profile owners in the sport don't make the cut. Cooper's career ended after Houston's fourth consecutive title in 2000 (she returned at age 40 to play four more games in 2003), and that was when other teams in the league caught up. Oregon has a great track record of embracing and promoting womens sports in an authentic and meaningful way, and it is no surprise to us that there may be interest in bringing a WNBA team to the market.. What you need to know about the Chicago Sky. MVPs: Breanna Stewart (2018), Lauren Jackson (2003, 2007, 2010) Playoff appearances (record): Two (0-2) 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. 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: $2.75 billion. Other notable stars: Liz Cambage, Chelsea Gray, Dearica Hamby, Kayla McBride, Angel McCoughtry, Kelsey Plum, Jackie Young. The Comets were 98-24 in the regular season and 16-3 in the playoffs in the league's first four years. which wnba team is worth the most They have everything that they need to make sure that this happens.. They officially were the "Silver Stars" from then through 2013, then just the "Stars" their last four seasons. Regular-season record: 340-444 Regular-season record: 204-251 Try a week on us. 1 pick in 2022. Sources also have connected South Carolina coach Dawn Staley, a Philadelphia native, to the group. Playoff appearances (record): Two (2-5) Regular-season record: 490-323 If the WNBA paid out the same revenue split as the NBA (50-50 . The Miracle's potential wasn't fully realized in four years in Orlando, but it blossomed when the Sun -- led by players like McWilliams-Franklin, Sales and Douglas -- made back-to-back WNBA Finals appearances in 2004 and 2005. An unlucky injury for Tennessee star Catchings -- she tore her ACL, which prematurely ended her senior season -- was fortuitous for the Fever. Tulsa went 7-38 under Richardson, who resigned 11 games into his second season. The average salary this season for a WNBA player is $120,648. They are well-positioned to bring a team to San Francisco if they decide to make a full-throttle pitch. WNBA started with just eight teams which were fully owned by the NBA. Others who had been with the 2009 Shock but did go to Tulsa -- such as Plenette Pierson, Shavonte Zellous and Kara Braxton -- were traded during that first season by coach/general manager Nolan Richardson. The Yankees and Knicks have the same owner: James Dolan. Heres a look at the six markets that seem the most prepared and probable to be on the short list for WNBAexpansion: During the fall of 2019, the Nashville Sports Authority board commissioned CAA Icon a consulting firm that works with venue owners and operations, professional sports franchises and sports leagues to conduct market research on the viability of and interest in a professional womens sports team in the city. 3,$5.5 billion). Furthermore, she has played for many prominent teams. But Pistons/Shock owner Bill Davidson died in March 2009 and Laimbeer left for an NBA assistant's job shortly after. During that time, Taurasi joined the team, and she led the Mercury to their breakthrough championship in 2007. The Liberty lost Game 3 and the series, but "The Shot" lives on. Toronto Raptors - $2.1 Billion. Abrahams said that New Media Sports & Entertainment actually needed to get clearance from MLSE in order to begin acquisition negotiations in 2019, which likely means the arena that has been approved by the WNBA is Scotiabank Arena, the Raptors arena which is owned and operated by MLSE. Low point: Going 12-22 in 2014 and missing the playoffs for the first time in 10 seasons. Joe Tsai. In 2017, the franchise was worth 3.3 billion US dollars, followed by the Los Angeles Lakers, who were worth just a bit less than the Knicks. Many WNBA stars work in other countries during the WNBA's off-season because doing so is more lucrative than playing in the U.S. Griner is reportedly earning more than $1 million to play for her . Unlike other professional leagues, like the NFL and NBA, where playoffs are determined by conference or division winners, the WNBAplayoffs are determined by the teams that finish with the top eight records, so adding a single team wouldnt change that much of the equation. In the WNBA, Vandersloot holds the records for most assists in a season, most assists-per-game in a season, and most career assists-per-game. Low point: Star center Leslie missing the 2007 season on pregnancy leave. Regular-season record: 390-397 The New York Knicks are also the most valued franchise among the National Basketball Association's 30 franchises (NBA). A representative for billionaire Kirk Brown said he is leading the bid to bring a WNBA team to Portland in this round of expansion. After arena debt service . Elena Delle Donne - $221,450. This is a BETA experience. Ogwumike opened her appearance by calling Sykes a WNBA real one and gifting Sykes an Ogwumike jersey. The 31-year-old female professional basketball player was in 2014 named the ambassador for Special Olympics.. On top of that, Ellena has won two WNBA Most Valuable Player Awards (2015 and 2019) and became the first WNBA player to join the 50-40-90 club.She has not played much professionally overseas, only taking part in the regular basketball season in the U.S. Franchise journey: The Utah Starzz were an original WNBA franchise in 1997, but the Utah Jazz were not a very engaged owner and the team moved to San Antonio to become part of the Spurs organization in 2003. Regular-season record: 87-99 Bonner, Delle Donne and Diggins-Smith all . The Chicago Sky are owned by Joe and Michael Birch. Both were in existence for just three seasons before folding. Nashville Municipal Auditorium seats only 8,000, but it currently only hosts home events for the Nashville Roller Girls on a monthly basis so scheduling would be easier than at Bridgestone. There was definite fan interest and a good relationship between the Spurs and Stars. And Carter's future seems uncertain. Stiles had a strong rookie season but had the first of many major surgeries when it ended and played just 21 more games in the WNBA, all in an injury-plagued 2002 season. However, nothing can be officially signed until Feb. 1, when the . Originally part of the NBA's Seattle SuperSonics organization, the Storm franchise was bought by a Seattle-based, all-women ownership group, Force 10 Hoops, in 2008 to keep the WNBA team in place when the NBA team moved to Oklahoma. The community is very supportive and excited about the opportunity for the WNBA. The former Michigan State star caught up with For The Win to discuss the big . Teams cannot rely on a large national media rights deal. In 2011, 22 of the 30 teams were losing money, and the average operating income per team sat at $6 million. Championships: Three (2007, 2009, 2014) From 2007-2013, the Sparks were owned first by Gemini Basketball and then Williams Group Holdings, but there was concern in late 2013/early 2014 that the franchise might move when Williams opted out of ownership. The oldest player is 28-year-old Thornton. Championships: None That was a rough 4-30 season, but McCoughtry was the No. Three have been with single-digit victory totals, and they're closing in on the fourth. The Sparks are owned by Hollywood entertainment industry couple Harry and Pamela Manheimer. Since the Knicks haven't posted their financial statements online like most other teams, they were given an exemption by Forbes to be able to calculate their value. The Raptors are worth a reported $2.74 billion making them the country's most valued sports franchise. High point: Reaching the 2013 WNBA Finals -- for the third time in four years -- despite a .500 regular-season record. High point: Going 6-0 in the 2000 playoffs, sweeping Sacramento, Los Angeles and New York to win their fourth consecutive title. The Lynx resembled their parent organization, the NBA's Minnesota Timberwolves, in lack of success. One person familiar with running a WNBA team and how its finances work said that breaking even is usually the goal for a franchise. 4 pick in the 2006 draft, and a trade for Wauters in 2008, and the Stars had the core of their best team, which went 24-10 in 2008.