The Women's National Basketball Association, or WNBA, the official sanctioning body for women's professional basketball in the United States, was established on April 24, 1996 by the NBA Board of Governors. Beginning with eight teams in its inaugural 1997 season, the WNBA, as of December 2010, fields 12 teams in major markets throughout the U.S. and attracts an average of over 7,500 fans at each game. According to Sports Media News, over 500,000 television viewers watched the 2010 WNBA finals.
Early History
The game of basketball traces its roots to Springfield Massachusetts, where, in 1891, Dr. James Naismith created it as an athletic outlet for aggressive young men. One year later, gymnastics instructor Senda Berenson adapted the game for the young women of Smith College. According to the WNBA, the first official women's basketball game was played in 1892 between the University of California at Berkeley and Miss Head's School.
Establishment of the League
The WNBA came into existence 47 years after the the formation of the NBA in 1949 and 18 years after the first women's professional basketball game was played under the auspices of the short-lived Women's Professional Basketball League, or WPBL. Closing after three years, the WPBL was followed in 1991 by the Liberty Basketball Association, which itself closed after one year. As the number of collegiate women's basketball players increased following the 1972 Title IX legislation, the demand for a women's professional league increased and was addressed by the NBA's Board of Governors in 1996 with the establishment of the WNBA.
The Early Years
The WNBA's first game took place on June 21, 1997 between the Los Angeles Sparks and New York Liberty. The Liberty won. The league consisted of eight teams with most of the players having been recruited from American colleges and universities. The first professional players signed by the WNBA were Sheryl Swoopes from Texas Tech University and Rebecca Lobo from the University of Connecticut.
Growth
The WNBA has grown into a successful professional sports organization, as of 2010, with 12 teams organized into an Eastern and Western Conference. The league has secured major television contracts and outdraws professional soccer in total viewership. Committed to community outreach, the WNBA sponsors initiatives that support children's health and fitness, literacy skills and breast cancer awareness under the umbrella of its WNBA Cares program.
Member Comments