WNBA Chicago Sky's Call for Fans Says A Lot About Gender Sport Society

My best friend and former high basketball teammate got me thinking about this.

She went to a Chicago Sky basketball game a couple of days ago with her mom.

During half-time, an announcement was made saying that if you renew your season tickets by a certain deadline, you could get to go bowling with some of the players on the Chicago Sky team.

If I was an avid WNBA fan, nonetheless a Sky fan, I wouldn’t mind jumping onto that deal with no hesitation.

Unfortunately, I’m not a loyal fan.

The shocking part is that the organization would go as far into letting fans hangout with members of the team as an incentive to boost the fan base.

It might not sound as shocking, but consider the other moves that the organization could’ve done, like given prizes, coupons and other incentives that didn’t have to involve the players.

The fact that they involved the players is like saying that these female athletes aren’t as busy as NBA male athletes for them to go as far as to actually interacting with their fans.

Sure, male basketball players will sign autographs or shoot around with you before a game, but you wouldn’t get to bowl with them if you renewed your season tickets.

This might sound unfair because I’m comparing apples to organges. But my point is that the incentive that the Sky organization used to build its fan base says a lot about the gender sport society.

Recently, the Sky moved their home games from the University of Illinois in Chicago gym to the All State Arena, where many concerts are held and where the Chicago Wolves hockey team plays. 

That was one move that showed that the organization is serious about caring for its fans and building a storied franchise. But there are little bits and pieces of actions that might seem more like acts out of desperation.