A hundred years ago this fall, Harold “Red” Grange played his last university football match at the University of Illinois. The Upstart National Football League wanted to benefit from Grange’s ability on the field, but also his ability to sell tickets.
Grange was signed by the Chicago Bears, then, after a year in New York, went back to Chicago for the rest of his professional career and attracted an evils where he played everywhere. In essence, he was the Caitlin Clark of his time.
Fast forward to this week’s news, because a new property group was announced for the WNBA Connecticut Sun. News reports suggest that the team has its current house in Uncasville, Conn. And to Boston, Mass, will move.
In terms of marketing for women’s basketball, this is a strange choice. The word “connecticut” represents a gold standard for ladies’ hoops, because the college team in Storrs has 12 NCAA Division I championships.
When the Connecticut Sun was formed, it was hoped that the team in terms of marketing would be a professional springboard for alumnae of the UConn program, just like Red Grange rise from the University of Illinois to the Chicago Bears.
But as time passes, not many UConn stars have played for the sun. Paige Bueckers is in Dallas and Breanna Stewart, for example, is in New York.
Unfortunately, the sun did not provide the concept that the same bustle that the gampel -pavilion would fill, would come to the Turn Stone to see the Pro game.
But the sale of the sun comes with an interesting problem. When it comes to basketball, it is the men’s game that has the richest history.
Of course, the first basketball matches for women were held at Smith College in 1893, about 90 miles west of Boston. But despite a carpet of collegial women’s teams in the Greater Boston area, none of the I-Teams division in i-495 has the kind of success built at the University of Connecticut.
Instead, you have to go all the way to Division III to find a Massachusetts team that has won a title: Amherst College has a number of national titles, and the second team in the last two years is none other than the cradle of the Game of Women’s Hoops, Smith College.
I just wonder if the relocation of the sun to Boston will improve the product on the field or attract enough fans, especially with the upcoming start of the Boston Legacy of the NWSL.
We will see.
#August #2025de #Wnba #Waadt #centuriesold #problem