The state of WNBA

[bags27]

As someone who once refereed in an extremely competitive and highly skilled industrial league, and was quite deservedly (and thankfully!) fired after maybe a dozen games, I have deep appreciation for how difficult a job it is. Besides knowing the rules, and being in the flow and yet being in control, it takes a certain type of mind to be absolutely consistent in making calls while the situations are themselves rarely consistent.

The pass interference call in the NFL is so critical to outcomes that you'd think that's one thing they'd get right. But it's a disaster for pretty much the same reason: angles of vision, movement, situations are all changing rapidly, and even the most experienced referees can't process this consistently. Or think about professional tennis, where all the line judge has to do is watch the line itself, to see where the ball hits. Nope: now they have instant replay challenges even for that.

The problem isn't that referring has got worse. Rather, the stakes on outcomes have grown higher, as sports has become increasingly more important emotionally for us fans and more enriching for the players. Secondarily, because of that stress on outcome, players are far more skilled and push all the envelopes of what they can do, legally and not so much. Lastly, instant reply makes us all armchair second guessers. Refereeing, then, has got harder and the commensurate mistakes have become more exaggerated in their consequences.

 

[CamrnCrz1974]

The records don't concern me as much as the quality of play. Seeing way more "unforced errors" than I think there should be in a pro league. And I am not a fan of physical play. I would like to see the games called more like the college games in terms of the amount of contact allowed. I think (after the initial foulfest while everyone adjusts) it would create a more open, flowing, and, to me, more appealing game.

Switching to the quarter system (instead of halves) and a huge increase in talent have both increased the quality of play and the free-flowing game.

In 2003, only one team (out of 14) scored over 73.5 points per game (Detroit Shock, 75.1 ppg). Nine teams averaged in the 60s for ppg and 12 out of 14 averaged less than 70.3 ppg.

In 2006, 9 out of 14 teams averaged at least 74 ppg, with two teams in the 80s, five teams over 75 ppg, and only teams at less than 71.5 ppg.

In 2011, 7 out of 12 teams averaged at least 77 ppg. Four teams averaged more than 80 ppg, and only three teams averaged less than 74 ppg.

In 2016, to date, 6 out of 12 teams average at least 84 ppg. 9 out of 12 average at least 80 ppg. 11 out of 12 average at least 77 ppg.

And it is not a foul fest that is contributing to the increased scoring. Here are the league averages for total free throw attempts per team by season, with the league average for free throw percentage:
2003: 625 (74.3 percent)
2006: 698 (74.8 percent)
2011: 641 (77.0 percent)
2015: 631 (79.5 percent)

Free throw attempts are actually down from ten years ago, while scoring is up. But free throw makes are significantly higher (I used 2015, as the last full season for a more accurate comparison).

 

[MilfordHusky]

I think the talent in the WNBA is great as far as players. I think the coaching is inconsistent and the refs are really sub-standard.

Agreed on all 3 points.

 

[Orangutan]

To me, the product isn't any different this year than in previous years, for better and for worse. I agree with some of the criticisms, particularly regarding the quality of officiating but I don't expect that to change.

One big problem I see with the WNBA is organizational incompetency. For example:



Some people who have league pass couldn't watch the Lynx-Sparks game. It was bad enough that the game was a weekday afternoon game so that most of us 9-to-5ers couldn't watch it. But plenty who tried to also couldn't!

The WNBA doesn't have enough fans that they can afford to make their product inaccessible to their existing fans.

 

[mkwstar23]

I'm tiring of the WNBA and I used to be a big fan.

i watch Uconn all season and see the best basketball on the planet, the fluidity to it, the execution and intensity and them when you watch the WNBA nothing flows...foul after foul...holding and grabbing...to much bodying up...call fouls...cll a 100 fouls a game and after three games end with 2 on 2 play they will stop fouling...call it like the college game..i was a huge Wnba fan at first but now rarely watch it...i am ready for the women's college season already...if it were not for Maya and DT and Stewie i would not watch at all...it is slow moving and boring most of the time...just an opinion

 

[Roger G]

I've been impressed with the quality of play and shooting this year. That said, I think San Antonio lacks scoring punch, Connecticut lacks shot selection, and Phoenix lacks energy. Minnesota, Los Angeles, and New York (at times) have looked very good. Even Seattle has had stretches when they look great. Most of the UConn alums have looked very, very good.

Totally agree that the UConn alums have looked great, with the exception of KML. I don't think the Uconn alums have ever looked quite this good in a particular year. That has been great fun.

 

[Roger G]

Switching to the quarter system (instead of halves) and a huge increase in talent have both increased the quality of play and the free-flowing game.

In 2003, only one team (out of 14) scored over 73.5 points per game (Detroit Shock, 75.1 ppg). Nine teams averaged in the 60s for ppg and 12 out of 14 averaged less than 70.3 ppg.

In 2006, 9 out of 14 teams averaged at least 74 ppg, with two teams in the 80s, five teams over 75 ppg, and only teams at less than 71.5 ppg.

In 2011, 7 out of 12 teams averaged at least 77 ppg. Four teams averaged more than 80 ppg, and only three teams averaged less than 74 ppg.

In 2016, to date, 6 out of 12 teams average at least 84 ppg. 9 out of 12 average at least 80 ppg. 11 out of 12 average at least 77 ppg.

And it is not a foul fest that is contributing to the increased scoring. Here are the league averages for total free throw attempts per team by season, with the league average for free throw percentage:
2003: 625 (74.3 percent)
2006: 698 (74.8 percent)
2011: 641 (77.0 percent)
2015: 631 (79.5 percent)

Free throw attempts are actually down from ten years ago, while scoring is up. But free throw makes are significantly higher (I used 2015, as the last full season for a more accurate comparison).

If all your data are correct, that is an excellent post.

 

[Roger G]

I love the WNBA in some ways more than watching UConn. There have been a plethora of overtime games lately (even double and triple OTs) which speaks to the parity in the league. (Not that I agree that UConn is bad for basketball as some heretics have said. I love watching them crush the competition). The quality of play has gone up over time as documented by CamrnCrz above. Yet there are still too many unforced turnovers for a professional league. And too often, the games lack energy. In part this may be because of the year-round rigors that the players go through.

Also, as many have stated already, the officiating is terrible. I recognize it is a very difficult sport to referee, but too many phantom fouls and uncalled muggings. In short, inconsistency. That's all players and coaches want. I think the NBA is much better in that regard.

(As an aside, my thinking is that all basketball should do away with "fouling out" and leave the stars on the court. If someone is out of hand fouling, they can still be ejected. And simply award an extra shot to a player fouled by someone over the personal limit.)

The coaching in the WNBA, too, is wanting. I was just saying to my wife the other day, how I wish that Geno, when he has had enough of coaching UConn, would spend a couple of years coaching in the W. He would show them how to do it. But I must say that Minnesota and LA are playing in a manner that is close in style to the Huskies, a lot of ball movement and assists. I think also that the Sun coach wants his team to play something akin to Uconn ball and they seem to be starting to get it. If the coaches generally would make a better effort at employing an Auriemma style and the league would better train their referees (or remind them to put in their contact lenses) the talent is there for it to be a really great and entertaining league.

P.S. Watching the UConn alums is so much fun!

 

[CocoHusky]

If all your data are correct, that is an excellent post.

There are no If, Ands or Buts about Cam's post. Believe..............that!

 

[UcMiami]

Bags - very good points re the difficulty of the task of being a ref in any sport. A couple of additional points:
1. The athletes are very much better than they used to be - faster, quicker, and more agile - so pretty much every sport is played at a faster pace making the whole thing harder to comprehend in real time for the refs.
2. For the most part the refs remain amateurs working for little more than meal money and love of the sport - even in the most profitable leagues they get paid chump change compared to all but the ball boys.
3. Not just replays, but HD cameras and a lot more of them, creating lots of different angles. The NFL replay situation has I think created an interesting situation where the quality of the refs is actually being confirmed - the number of overturns even with 3 or 4 different angles is really very low.
4. With an emphasis on offense taking over in all sports, the level of defensive contact allowed has become incredibly minor, making it harder to really determine what is and isn't a foul in many sports.

All that said, I am still finding the WNBA refs hard to take - as a whole they seem to be the least consistent of any league I have ever watched, college or pros. And they are inconsistent within the group working the game so the baseline refs are making different calls at each end. And the 'late whistle' situation is terrible.

I am a new convert to watching the WNBA in season this year - first time I bought league pass and I have seen more games in the first month than I have seen probably in the last twenty years combined. (Couldn't resist being able to continue watching Moriah, Morgan, and Breanna!) I am certainly hoping that by the end of the year teams will be playing better team basketball. I haven't decided yet, with all the talent on the floor, why only a few teams play a beautiful brand of basketball. It is pretty easy to understand why most of the Olympic team is chosen based on the consistency and team oriented players on display - the USA members generally stand out pretty clearly on the floor - and I am not talking about the 'candace' situation as LA is playing nice basketball, just in general - the USA decisions make sense. There are maybe 20 players who fit into that mold with some more getting there. (By the way - been impressed with the way Angel has interacted with her teammates this year, when things are going well and when they wheels are falling off. Her relaxed facial expression always looks a little sour, but her actions have been positive.)

 

[bags27]

Consistent effort of WNBA players is what I'm talking about .

What you may be describing, CocoHusky, is b-ball burnout. They play nearly year-round and travel from city-to-city, country-to-country, continent-to-continent. They barely know their teammates, or what city they're in, or the play of the court and basket, etc. If they could play for real money and have a real off season, and a longer pre-season practice, the game would improve.

 

[HuskiesU]

Consistent effort of WNBA players is what I'm talking about . I understand why many on this board might not be able to relate because this is NEVER a problem within the UCONN program and hardly ever a problem with former Huskies. In the past couple of weeks I have been very disappointed by the effort of 3 of my favorite WNBA players Catch, DT, Brittney. I know what effort form these three looks like and the effort is not there.
My league pass money is a sunk cost. I do not have a WNBA team in Philly so for me that means going to DC or NY. MoJeff comes to the Verizon center on Wednesday I'll be there. Catch comes on Sept 11th- I'll????

Im disappointed that there isnt more games played on Tv or the highlights isnt on Sportscenter. They need to advertise more and have more games on Tv

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I saw the Linx vs Sparks #1 on NBATV at 3pm but can't find Linx vs Sparks #2 on TV at 7pm, it's listed on LEAGUE PASS!
You would think the "Suits" in WNBA would want to showcase such a great matchup on ESPN or ESPN2 on Friday!
I see games listed all the time on DIRECTV on MSG, FoxSW, Foxsouth, etc. all blacked-out for League considerations!
They should be trying to get MORE people to watch, not LESS!

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I understand how hard it is to referee a WCBB or WNBA game but that makes it even more important that the league have a thorough post-game evaluation by neutral ex- NBA refs of every official sent to Conference offices in WCBB or WNBA offices to be graded and games awarded to the highest ranked refs!
Now it seems that evaluators are ex-refs evaluating their buddies! People with knowledge but NO ties to the Leagues should do the evaluating!
wbbstate.com is a great site during WCBB season for all facts on college refs, games refereed, # of fouls called, etc.

 

[Roger G]

I saw the Linx vs Sparks #1 on NBATV at 3pm but can't find Linx vs Sparks #2 on TV at 7pm, it's listed on LEAGUE PASS!
You would think the "Suits" in WNBA would want to showcase such a great matchup on ESPN or ESPN2 on Friday!
I see games listed all the time on DIRECTV on MSG, FoxSW, Foxsouth, etc. all blacked-out for League considerations!
They should be trying to get MORE people to watch, not LESS!

I agree, the blacking out is ridiculous. I did find, however, that the second showing of a Liberty game (the first replay) on MSG is not blacked out. I hope that's helpful.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

Hey this morning I just saw on my DIRECTV schedule on NBATV at 8pm is the Sparks vs Linx 2nd game!
It previously was NBA draft at that time but they wised up and put the Linx game on!
At least for DIRECTV customers, I don't know if other sources switched to the game?

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I have league pass but it's not the same as 26" HDTV than on iphone or my PC!
I watched San Antonio vs Dallas on my iphone last night.

 

[Roger G]

I have league pass but it's not the same as 26" HDTV than on iphone or my PC!
I watched San Antonio vs Dallas on my iphone last night.

I hook my computer to my tv with an HDMI cable. There may be other ways too. It's still not the same as regular tv most of the time, but it's better than the computer or phone screen.

 

[Bliss]

I watched the Sparks wear out the Lynx last night on NBA-TV. If not for Maya the game would have been a laugher.

 

[MilfordHusky]

I watched the Sparks wear out the Lynx last night on NBA-TV. If not for Maya the game would have been a laugher.

Is the rest of the team getting old? I'll see them in person tomorrow.

 

[RSHERMVIKES]

I finished watching the Fever at Dallas game and though close it was ridiculous with the fouls being called and not being called! There were the fouls equal to a punch that nothing was called then 80' from the basket a touch foul was called.
I realize that everyone loves Tamika Catchings, even the refs I guess, on a drive by Diggins, Catchings hacked her across the arms knocking her down, and no call, even TC was expecting a call!
There is no reasoning you can use in what is or isn't a foul, you can run over a player and no foul then 5 seconds later the same 2 players reverse the play and a foul will be called!
It really takes the enjoyment out of the game!

 

[MilfordHusky]

I finished watching the Fever at Dallas game and though close it was ridiculous with the fouls being called and not being called! There were the fouls equal to a punch that nothing was called then 80' from the basket a touch foul was called.
I realize that everyone loves Tamika Catchings, even the refs I guess, on a drive by Diggins, Catchings hacked her across the arms knocking her down, and no call, even TC was expecting a call!
There is no reasoning you can use in what is or isn't a foul, you can run over a player and no foul then 5 seconds later the same 2 players reverse the play and a foul will be called!
It really takes the enjoyment out of the game!

I've been watching a lot this season, and I agree that the WNBA officiating may be the worst I've seen. It makes WCBB officiating look stellar.

 

[KnightBridgeAZ]

I agree, the blacking out is ridiculous. I did find, however, that the second showing of a Liberty game (the first replay) on MSG is not blacked out. I hope that's helpful.

That would be correct, replays are not generally blacked out.

This season, I have not been able to get into the "W". My wife is hoping that the Mercury / Liberty game on NBA-TV (no local TV in Arizona) will not be blacked out, but I think it might. Certainly if the game was on locally (Fox Sports AZ) then I don't get the NBA-TV feed, of course that doesn't matter.

 

[Bliss]

Is the rest of the team getting old? I'll see them in person tomorrow.

I think they just ran out of gas. Could be a result of key older players but L.A. just played better.

 

[UcMiami]

Is the rest of the team getting old? I'll see them in person tomorrow.

13-1, I wish I was aging like that!
Don't think age had anything to do with it. Renee had a terrible game and she is one of the younger players, and Kristi Toliver had 'one of those days'.