A few night ago, I was watching Outside The Lines. It's a sports show on ESPN for those of you who don't know. They were talking about the WUSA going under and what is it about women's sports that make the less desirable to wach than men's sports. They had a focus group and some of things the men were saying were borderline sexist. One guy said the WNBA was basketball on crack. And I'm a little ashmaed to admit it, but I do agree with the assesment that women's sports just aren't as entertaing as men's sports. They can't hold my attention. And for the most part the rest of the nation feels this way. The only reason the WNBA is still around is because has the fincial backbone of the NBA to support it. The only time most people pay real attention to women's sports is during the Olympics. That's once every four years! What do you think it would taketo generate more interest in women's sports? Do you enjoy watching?

i watch them all the time and i dis - agree with that
many lable the women sport because you don't see
all that fighting as to men and yes they love the Dunks
where as women don't do all that we have some very talented
sistah out their playing the game and i see WNBA growing down the line this year championship games was wild and i enjoyed it
how a last place team a year ago is crown champs one year later
this was basketball playin some of those ladies was very sharp and can out play some men in the NBA too.

I don't know about them out playing some of the men in the NBA. I do agree that the sistahs are talented, but who's really watching? And there have been other women pro basketball leagues before the WNBA and they all failed. The difference so far is that the WNBA has the NBA to help support it.

OK...where do I begin? I'll start with Sayword. I do understand your point of not keeping your attention. I've been playing basketball for 20years now and I can't watch all of womens basketball, but at the same time, I can't watch all of an NBA game either. It's usually for the same reasons. I don't mind a woman doing a layup all the time and I don't expect a man to dunk every single time he has the ball. I have caught myself feeling embarrassed watching womens basketball and that's because I'm comparing it to mens basketball. I had to learn that it's the same game, but the strengths are in different places. Men have a down low power (that some woman do have and some woman can dunk, but don't...reasons unknown, but I know a lot of females that dunk for fun) and that's their strength. Womans ball is more fundamental. Free throws, jump shots and dribbling. I also learned growing up playing basketball with women coaches ironically is not always a good thing. As a girl loving the game of basketball especially in the 80's men were your role models. I used to go behind the back, cross folks over and all the rest of that stuff and my female coaches would tell me to stop. That's not the way women should play the game. My men coaches always encouraged me to do different. I never understood why, but woman's basketball is very very new. I don't know if you all are familiar with the one dribble game and two players weren't allowed to pass half court. It was a mess, but very recent. So we have to give props for women coming so far in so little time.

I did see the Outside the lines show and it was a bit much. I can understand the WUSA folding because soccer is a huge game, but not in the U.S. Mens soccer isn't even that hot.

I've been side tracked at work, so I hope this makes sense, I'll talk a little more later.

Makes pefect sense. And you are right. Women's sports and men's sports have different strenghts, so you need to look at them differently. But I'm not a big fan of looking at the women's game. I think men's sports are more aggressive. And that's why people are big sports fans. That's probably why you enjoyed your men coached more than your female coaches. They taught you to be more aggressive. If women's sports got more aggressive, I think I'd be able to watch it a little more.

That's true. Men's sports are aggressive, but I wouldn't say more. Women are dirty players, we just do it a little more on the down low. There is mad Sh** talking. I could give you players to watch in the women's game that would make you think a little different about the aggressiveness. When you watch men's basketball we tend to break down player by player. We know Avery Johnson (nice person, kind, etc) vs Charles Barkley (Sh** talking, aggressive and physical). They are two different players, but both can change the dynamics of any game. Avery was probably the worst analogy I could of used, but my point is we see the women's game as one huge player. There are so many different personalities. We didn't stop watching the NBA because of Stacy King, Scott Williams and Cliff Levingston. They played well every other 6th game (whatever that means), but we tuned in every night. I can give you female players with mad attitude because we have to break it down by talent for us to see it. Come to Chicago. I'll take you to a Marshall vs Whitney Young game and I'm not talking men's basketball. This is Chicago Female High School Basketball....you'd be amazed. These girls (who look like boys sometimes) are RAW!!!! I can give you glimpses of the womens game that could help you learn to love it.

Football. Women are not to play football period. That's a man's game. I bow down. I love the heck outta football too and I swear some men shouldn't be allowed to play. Like the bears last night. I can get beat on the long ball....but I won't discuss that right now.

Sayword, I say you take baby steps. Watch only the championship games for womens b-ball. College preferably. Only because they show the most heart.

ROY

I don't discount that women's sports are aggressive in their own way. When I watch basketball, part of me looks up to these athletes. Wishing that I could do what they do. When I look at women's sports, I don't emulate them. I know tons of women who prefer watching men's sports. Of couse there is sh*t talking in women's sports. I wouldn't expect anything less. But trash talk doesn't make you an aggressive athlete, just means you have a fast mouth. The strenghts of the women's game doesn't appeal to me, and it looks like it doesn't appeal to a very large majority of the sports watchers. You're right, the WUSA was doomed to failure. But in all honesty, the WNBA is still around just because it has the fincial backing of the NBA. Clevland has already dumped it's franchise because it keeps losing money. Just like every other team in the WNBA. It's not that I don't think women's sports shouldn't exist, but I don't understand how they will survive. My orginal question was how could women's pro sports generate more interest? And if anyone really enjoys watching it?

Royal_T you know i feel you because i know a lot of them gurls from Marshall that was rugged and hard tought and mean
and like i said can break a man down some of these same young ladies are pro's now ....i love sports so i guess facts never hit me
but watching the women WNBA championship and games through out the season made me like it more some men just don't see women as an agressive ball player like men games
just like women football that's crazy !!.......but yes the women are
as good and aggressive as men if you watching the right team or game you would see and feel the same vibe as a man game .

I wrote a long response. My computer froze and I lost it all. I'm working on my motivation to put up my response!!! That just ruined my hour.

I'm sorry to hear that Royal_T. You know how I love reading your responses. I hope you get the motivation.

yeah ! your imput means a lot and i love what you have to say
in sports ...

I am an athlete myself and I would have to say that I watch women's sports as much as I can. It give me the inspiration that watching high school sports and rec leagues can never give me. They are never broadcast as much as other sports. Like, recently this weekend, I just watched a volleyball game for the first time since the beginning of the season. I have been going to practice and coming home late and miss it each time. I really do wish that they make more sports for women to give athletes like myself something to look foward to.

yes i too watch basketball , track and all sports
not just of men but women as well they both have
their own unique impact and style .....yes very much

I don't discount that women's sports are aggressive in their own way. When I watch basketball, part of me looks up to these athletes. Wishing that I could do what they do. When I look at women's sports, I don't emulate them. I know tons of women who prefer watching men's sports. Of couse there is sh*t talking in women's sports. I wouldn't expect anything less. But trash talk doesn't make you an aggressive athlete, just means you have a fast mouth. The strenghts of the women's game doesn't appeal to me, and it looks like it doesn't appeal to a very large majority of the sports watchers. You're right, the WUSA was doomed to failure. But in all honesty, the WNBA is still around just because it has the fincial backing of the NBA. Clevland has already dumped it's franchise because it keeps losing money. Just like every other team in the WNBA. It's not that I don't think women's sports shouldn't exist, but I don't understand how they will survive. My orginal question was how could women's pro sports generate more interest? And if anyone really enjoys watching it?

ok, ten years later I have a response for this. Women emulate men playing sports because that's what we have to look forward to. It feels sooooooo good to see women's basketball on television. I'm not talking late night on Fox Sports. I'm talking Saturday afternoon double headers. That's unheard of in this country. You don't emulate women playing ball because you don't have to. You relate more to men of course...so that's what you gravitate too naturally. Something like women and their daughters and men and their sons. As a man you wouldn' t love your daughter any less than your son, but your son is a different bond all together. I brought in the point of trash talk because people tend to look at women's sports like we paint our nails and then go shoot layups for 4 quarters. There is a lot of hard work, mental and physical toughness involved in it. These women have been dedicated for years. Your point of the WNBA being supported by the NBA is so true, but how long did it take the NBA to walk alone. The ABA didn't make it...Why not? The women's game will survive because you have bigger, badder and a tougher generation coming strong from junior high and high school teams across the nation. That will boost the college game to a new level and off to the WNBA so it can walk alone. These young girls see women on T.V. and for the past 7 years, the WNBA has been breeding attitudes of domination. It's a different attitude all together coming up. Chicago just sent female athletes to Tennessee, UCONN and some other big namers teams and these young girls are dunking in high school. I'm blabbing again as usual, but for the first 10 years ...they just want young females to take hold of the idea. The years after that...it will walk alone. I just know it will.

oh and i guess it would be nice to answer your question straight up.

Women's sports will generate more interest with more talent and time. Most people didn't pay attention to the Bulls before Jordan. He came along and brought his team to the forefront of the world. One by one people pick up on what others are watching and paying attention too.

And yes people do enjoy watching it. That's what more and more sell out crowds from high school to the WNBA to the French Open are proving. Folks are slowly coming around.

ROY ..............again..... :hammer:

I agree women sports is more live now then before and every
side of it is as time continue and more great talent is produced
you will see the numbers grow in women sports like basketball

This is a site that I recently found based on all the news based on women sports. This really helps to get the update on everything going on in women sports.

...the best place on the Internet to read about the notable challenges and accomplishments of female athletes.

http://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/cgi-bin/iowa/athletes/index.html

Thankz for this link Eisha