Let's unlock the profitable business behind women's college basketball

Picture this: a world where college women's basketball receives an infusion of capital from institutions, businesses, and TV networks. Imagine the possibilities and the transformative impact it could have on recruiting, salaries, facilities, fan support, marketing efforts, ticket sales, and merchandise sales. It may sound like a lofty dream, but let's explore what it would look like if the stars aligned and the game got the recognition it truly deserves.

What if universities could allocate their spend differently or attract additional funding from institutions? Let's highlight 2 ideas that could reshape the landscape of women's college basketball for universities, making it a captivating and profitable experience.

1. Improve coverage of games: One of the biggest hindrances to women’s college basketball is the coverage. Only about 10 games are broadcasted annually during season, excluding March Madness. Even if a game is being televised, it’s limited to a certain region. Usually you can pay a monthly fee to a streaming service like Bally Sports, but even they do not show all games and there is always technical difficulties happening at the same time. So let’s start there. Most of these schools have kids who are going to school for broadcast journalism or have an interest in AV, or are just looking to pick up some additional cash. Use your new found capital and create your team’s own broadcasting service for your fans to indulge in. Use your school’s equipment, or purchase new equipment and leverage platforms like YouTube or Facebook to go live. If you keep it in house, the ones facilitating this can get the behind-the-scenes coverage that all fans appreciate. Advertise the crap out of this for free, or make it a subscription service where your fans/viewers pay $1/game or $5/month to access all of your streams. Get a couple of smaller sized businesses, your Mom & Pop, family owned businesses to invest a couple hundred bucks for some ad space during time outs, and there you go.

2. Fix your marketing: I’m telling you. Universities are overlooking free and cheap labor. Utilize the students going to school who are looking to go into a career in entertainment, journalism, marketing, any of those fields. Students studying entertainment, journalism, marketing, and related fields can offer valuable skills and fresh perspectives. This could involve creating engaging social media content, producing promotional videos, organizing events, and leveraging grassroots marketing strategies. By unleashing the creativity and enthusiasm of their own students, universities can greatly amplify the visibility and appeal of their women's basketball programs. “Word of mouth” works great here. Paid ads on social media are not that expensive, and could give teams a boost in recognition alone.

Let's dive into a scenario to forecast the potential financial increase for these programs based on some assumptions. Assuming a university has an average fan attendance of 500-1,000 fans, we can project the following financial outcomes:

Ticket Sales: With a 20% increase in ticket sales, we can anticipate a rise in attendance to approximately 500-1,000 fans per game. If the average ticket price is $20, this would result in additional revenue of $12,000 to $24,000 per game. Over the course of a season with, let's say, 15 home games, the total increase in ticket sales could range from $180,000 to $360,000.

Merchandise Sales: Increased fan engagement and a more captivating game experience can contribute to a 20% boost in merchandise sales. If we assume an average spending of $50 per fan on merchandise, the total increase in revenue from merchandise sales could range from $15,000 to $30,000 over the course of a season.

Sponsorships: With improved marketing efforts and a more prominent brand presence, the women's basketball program can attract new sponsorships. Assuming a conservative estimate of a 20% increase in sponsorship deals, we could expect additional revenue of $40,000 to $80,000 per year.

Fan Engagement: A 30% growth in fan engagement can lead to increased participation in game-day experiences and fundraising events. This could result in additional donations and contributions from passionate supporters, which could range from $15,000 to $30,000 per year.

By combining these factors, these women's basketball programs could experience a significant financial increase. In this scenario, the total revenue gains could range from $250,000 to $500,000 per season. These additional funds can be reinvested in various areas, such as enhancing coaching staff salaries, upgrading facilities, investing in player development programs, and expanding marketing initiatives. This cycle of growth and success will further attract talented players, engage fans, and establish the program as a formidable force in women's college basketball.

It's important to note that these numbers are estimates based on assumptions and individual circumstances may vary. However, they illustrate the potential financial benefits that can be achieved by implementing strategic improvements and investments in the women's basketball program.

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💰NIL Summit took place this week in Atlanta, GA. It can be expected that schools will follow state statues on NIL regulations rather than federal action, which could lead to uneven playing field among institutions. Athletes could also be classified as employees, working under union protection, and having a say in matters such as TV rights negotiations.