The WNBA has been the talk of the sports world for the better part of the last two seasons. Particularly last season, with the additions of Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese to the fold, the talent pool is deeper than ever. As much as the WNBA has seen record growth in their regular season viewership, as well as their playoffs, they’re now seeing growth elsewhere, too. What I’m realizing during the WNBA’s preseason is that their cultural imprint is deepening. As I stated last year, they’re really starting to take advantage of the players’ personalities.
Let’s take Ellie the Elephant, for example. She’s the New York Liberty’s mascot, and quite honestly, maybe the most notable mascot in sports today. After the Liberty’s WNBA Championship win this past summer, she lands a State Farm commercial. Furthering her own brand, players now look forward to mixing it up with Ellie.
Caitlin Clark also played a preseason game at her alma mater, the University of Iowa. And never to be outdone, Nike also dropped a captivating ad for A’ja Wilson’s first shoe. Not only was this spot directed by Malia Obama, but the first batch of the “A’One” sold out in a matter of minutes after its release. The investment in optimizing the happenings in the sport of women’s basketball is here, and it’s clear.
A’ja Wilson’s Nike commercial is beautifully curated
As Nike has done with all of its other signature athletes, it tells a story. Upon my first viewing of it, I could already tell, they’re taking this campaign seriously. Wilson is only the 13th WNBA player with her own signature shoe. So, it’s clear that Nike wants to make it a part of contemporary culture with the introduction of Wilson that they gave us.
With WNBA collective bargaining negotiations on the horizon, it’s a good time as ever they highlight the league’s potential. Murmurs of a player walk-out should help entice owners to do right by the players and help give them a bigger piece of the pie. Surely the logistics go way beyond my pay grade. But with all of the positive energy surrounding this league and its literal expansion, the new CBA should be a breeze. You can call it wishful thinking, but I’d just call it necessary.
