WNBA: Not Just a Punch Line Anymore

As it heads into its All-Star break, the WNBA celebrates its 13th season on the heels of higher ratings and attendance, and bigger endorsement deals

By Rick Horrow and Karla Swatek

1. Courted: Women Command Spotlight at WNBA All-Star Game
As the WNBA All-Stars take the court July 25 for the league's annual festivities, the vibe at Connecticut's Mohegan Sun Arena will be eerily familiar, a skinnier sibling of the NBA's bash last February in Phoenix.

Yes, the players will participate in WNBA Cares and Toyota Project Rebound service projects in the community. You bet they'll step up to the All-Star Pregame Challenge presented by Toyota (TM), including a three-point shooting competition. But no player will take a cue from Dwight Howard, don a Wonder Woman costume, and show off her best dunk moves…seeing as only two players in the league can dunk, and one of them just had a baby.

Nonetheless, the WNBA reaches the midpoint of its 13th season in a year in which the men's Arena Football League has been suspended indefinitely and the NCAA Women's Final Four posted better-than-ever ratings. Does that bode well for the survival of the league?

It's certainly good for the players, especially such high-profile stars as the Los Angeles Sparks' Lisa Leslie, who commands more than $1.25 million per year in salary and endorsements, and the Indiana Fever's Tamika Catchings, who ranks as the top vote-getter in WNBA All-Star balloting presented by T-Mobile USA.

But one player absent from the 2009 All-Star roster happens to be the current face of the league and the model for its longevity. Los Angeles' Candace Parker, who didn't get an All-Star nod because of said baby, is aiming to be the first $10 million woman in professional team sports. Parker currently rakes in about $3 million a year in salary and endorsements from such stalwarts as Adidas (ADSG.DE) and Gatorade (PEP), and she's stated repeatedly that her goal is to be the "female MJ…with crossover appeal." The $10 million annual number is key, as only four female athletes have reached that mark: tennis' Maria Sharapova ($25 million), Venus Williams, and Serena Williams; and golfer Michelle Wie.

Parker's dunks as a college star at Tennessee, during her rookie year in L.A. last season, and her second practice session following her maternity leave have impressed more than her opponents—last week, ESPN premiered a new SportsCenter ad starring the forward, one of only a handful of such spots over the years to feature a female athlete.

And Parker has delivered for the Sparks. Last season, L.A.'s home attendance was up 10%, and road game crowds were three times bigger for the Sparks than other WNBA teams. The league's TV ratings climbed 19%, and Parker's No. 3 jersey is the league's best seller by far.

Parker's stature may be influencing other leagues. Last week, Amway Global signed a contract with Marta Vieira da Silva, star forward for the Los Angeles Sol of Women's Professional Soccer, to endorse its Nutrilite and Artistry brands. Marta is a three-time FIFA Women's World Player of the Year and has anchored the Brazilian national team. Amway also serves as the jersey sponsor for the Sol, which played in the first-ever WPS match Mar. 29.

Off the court, on July 16 CBS' Lesley Visser was voted as the No. 1 female sportscaster by the American Sportscasters Assn. NBC's Andrea Kremer ranked No. 2, while ESPN's Robin Roberts, Michele Tafoya, and Hannah Storm rounded out the top five. A good couple of weeks for women in sports, for sure.

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