Sometimes, brand and business strategy align with cultural change—moving us all forward and proving impossible wrong.
Look no further than the WNBA (Women’s National Basketball Association).
Back in 1996, 25 years after Title IX became law, the NBA launched the WNBA as interest in women’s basketball surged. That year, the Olympic women’s basketball team won gold, led by Lisa Leslie.
The growth of the sport for women was like a breathtaking fast break. A dynamic and unstoppable transition. The kind of moment that gets everyone up on their feet. Hyped.
“We got next” was the tagline, and it caught fire.
As a brand and business, the NBA saw a chance to expand not only the fan base but the game of basketball itself, leveraging existing assets.
Of course, a vision for a successful women’s sports league—or any business or movement—isn’t a ticket to success. You need wholehearted, gut-level, feel-it-in-your-bones belief. From athletes, employees, fans, investors, media, and sponsors.
Emotional Barriers to Belief
At the heart of the WNBA is a deeply held belief in the power and importance of women as full human beings capable of greatness in all forms.
The league wasn’t just selling a product–and they had the talent for that. They were selling progress–which requires shared belief. Headwinds persisted.
For one, media coverage lagged. Audiences were not hearing the players’ stories, maintaining an emotional distance as a huge barrier to fanhood.
After all, when you think of Michael Jordan, you don’t picture a list of stats, except maybe the number six, his national championship tally. No, you appreciate the totality of the legend, shaped by personality and history.
It may come to mind that Jordan didn’t make Varsity his sophomore year in high school. You might remember his iconic flu game in the 1997 finals, The Shrug, winning a championship on Father’s Day after his own father’s murder, his singular high-flying style of play, and so much more.
There have been legends, dynasties, icons, and game-changers in the WNBA who remained in shadow. Media outlets, investors, and sponsors didn’t have the level of belief to elevate them.
Case in point: You probably don’t know that the Houston Comets are one of only five domestic professional franchises to win four straight titles.
The lack of belief undermined the vast potential for growth now being unleashed.
It can take time to establish roots and grow, but a single seed of belief holds multitudes. Its spread turns daring vision into new reality.
A New WNBA Era Built by Believers
While the arrival of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese supercharged the ascent, the WNBA had already been rising. Without a foundation of belief already established, the 2024 season would not have broken records.
For example, it was partly the glory of Maya Moore, Minnesota Lynx star from 2011 to 2018, that inspired Clark and Reese to see and believe in their WNBA dreams.
In turn, Moore credits another of the WNBA’s all-time greats for putting her on the path to greatness, saying, “That’s where I got my passion for the game, watching the WNBA on TV. Cynthia Cooper, Raise the Roof, We Got Next, I was into all of it.”
A lack of belief perpetuates itself. But so does the presence of belief. It builds.
Business is booming. In 2024, Deloitte forecasted women’s sports would bring in $1.3 billion. They were wrong—short by over half a billion, with the WNBA as a huge contributor.
The media is catching on. Last year, the WNBA signed a media rights deal for $2.2 billion over 11 years. At $200 million per year, that’s four times the value of the previous contract, with room to add more media partnerships. So that number will go up.
Sponsors are cashing in. For example, in 2023, New York Liberty guard Sabrina Ionescu, owner of numerous collegiate and WNBA records, became the first women’s basketball player with a unisex Nike signature collection. During the 2024-2025 regular season, the Nike Sabrina 2 was the second most worn sneaker by NBA players. That’s right–NBA players.
But here’s another stat. Around age 14, 40% of girls quit sports, with body dissatisfaction among the top cited reasons.
The WNBA serves as an antidote, showcasing fierceness and athletic ability in women of diverse sizes, ethnicities, and shapes. All of whom take up space unapologetically. On the court and off.
What happens when more girls believe in themselves enough to stick with basketball, or any pursuit they have a passion for? We’re finding out.
Next is now. Believe it.
Image: Caitlin Clark, playing for the Indiana Fever in 2024 (Photo credit: John Mac)
