Factors Influencing the Geography of US National Women's Basketball League
Factors Influencing the Geography of the US National Basketball Team (WNBA)
This case study purposely places the spotlight on female professional sports and provides several detailed resources and activities that help students examine the geographical issues that influence and impact the location of teams and the WNBA's fan base. The lesson deals with the business politics of sports franchises, gender bias in media coverage as well as the gender pay gap and the factors leading to the 'brawn drain' of American female basketball players. It also examines the demographics of both the players and fans and the challenges of increasing its popularity in a male-dominated industry.
Enquiry Question
What factors influence the geography of the WNBA?
Lesson Time: 1 Hour
Lesson Objectives:
- To examine the factors affecting the geography of the WNBA, including the location of its hierarchy of teams and the distribution of supporters
Starter Activity - The US National Basketball League - Processes
Can you name the US National Basketball League?
Did you say the NBA- The National Basketball Association
What about the WNBA? - The Women's National Basketball Association
Why do you think this is the case?
Student Activity - Map of the National Basketball Associations - Patterns, Processes and Places
Study the following maps and comment on the patterns shown.
What surprises you most?
Student Activity - What is a Sports League Franchise - Processes and Places
Watch the following video from up to 1.12 which explains how the NBA operates as a Sports Franchise League
the WNBA is operated in the same way and partly subsidized by the NBA
"Sports franchise" means the contractual right granted to any person or persons to own or operate a sports team in a specified location. State of Virginia
Student Activity - Factors Influencing the Number and Location of Franchises - Processes and Places
Read the following adapted article and identify the factors that influence the number and location of franchises in the WNBA
WNBA FranchisesStudent Activity - Comparing the Status of WNBA with NBA - Processes and Places
Study the following table and comment on the key differences between the WNBA and the NBA.
What factors do you think explain these differences? Consider social, economic and political factors
Read the following news report that explains how the league scores so high in the Racial and Gender Report Card
Note down the reasons why the WNBA scores so highly.
Student Activity - The WNBA Wage Gap - Processes and Places
Watch the following video on the wage gap in the US
Identify the problems that lead to the wage gap in the US game.
Student Activity - The WNBA 'Brawn Drain' - Processes and Places
Study the following flow line map showing the WNBA out-migration to international leagues
Read the following Guardian Article, There's no Break, which refers to how two-thirds of the WNBA players played abroad for a second club through the winter
Student Activity - The WNBA Fan Appeal - Processes and Places
Watch the following promotional video from the WNBA Who are they appealing to and why?
Read the following quotes by Adam Silver of the NBA on some of the challenges of the WNBA. Discuss each one.
Student Activity - Challenges and Geography of the Fan Base - Processes and Places
Study the following photograph, which shows a typical WNBA attendance. Describe its demographic
Conduct a quick search of WNBA fans to see if this photographic is representative of the fan demographic
Study the gallery of graphs and for each graph write a summary of what it shows. Add data to each short sentence
Use the following resource as a cut, allocate one perspective to each student.
Read the card of information and summarize the issue raised regarding the WNBA fan base.