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COLUMN: Dissecting Adam Silver’s WNBA comments

By Alex Simon

WASHINGTON - JULY 14: (L-R) NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver talks with Alana Beard #20 of the Washington Mystics during the WNBA Nike Court Refurbishment press conference on July 14, 2007 at the Boys and Girls Club Clubhouse 14 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images)
WASHINGTON - JULY 14: (L-R) NBA Deputy Commissioner Adam Silver talks with Alana Beard #20 of the Washington Mystics during the WNBA Nike Court Refurbishment press conference on July 14, 2007 at the Boys and Girls Club Clubhouse 14 in Washington, DC. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2007 NBAE (Photo by Ned Dishman/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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NEW YORK,NY – SEPTEMBER 29 : Mascot ‘Maddie’ of the New York Liberty gets the crowd pumped up against the Indiana Fever during game Three of the WNBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 2015 in New York, New York NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK,NY – SEPTEMBER 29 : Mascot ‘Maddie’ of the New York Liberty gets the crowd pumped up against the Indiana Fever during game Three of the WNBA Eastern Conference Finals at Madison Square Garden on September 29, 2015 in New York, New York NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2015 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

What’s the purpose of the complaint?

But for Silver, perhaps he should gripe with some of the ownership groups and teams in the WNBA over what is sure to be major attendance dips in the near future. And it all has to do with venue changes.

As David Berri broke down for Forbes in February, the New York Liberty’s move from Madison Square Garden to the 5,000-seat Westchester County Center means they’ll take their 9,899 fans per game average and tell half of them, “So long.” In addition, the Washington Mystics are planning on moving to a 4,200-seat arena in 2019 that they’ll share with the G-League team, which will cut off close to half of their 2017 average crowd 7,771 fans.

It could be a move that works for a solid environment. Silver’s words were about “empty seats in our buildings,” which could be a way to hint at these moves to make the crowds look bigger by playing in smaller environments. To call back to the NWSL, not everyone can be like Portland and fill a 20,000-seat venue.

Still, it feels like a move where the league is disposing of a significant number of fans per game, just for appearances. And, unless they go back to the larger venue for things like summer camp games or other major promotional events, it feels like Silver’s comments are just complaining for the sake of complaining.

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