The 2000 Sydney Games: What They Mean for Women's Pro Sports

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Aug 27, 2000

For men's sports, the Olympic Games are a competition among the world's top athletes who are fighting for glory for oneself and one's country. For women's sports, the Olympics mean much more. The success of U.S. women's teams in the Olympics can be a catalyst for the success and growth of the sport's professional team in this country.

The 1996 Atlanta Games were a showcase for women's sports. The U.S. women's soccer, softball and basketball teams quickly were thrown into the spotlight as they each won gold medals. The success of these national teams prompted the start of two professional basketball teams and a women's pro softball league. The American Basketball League (ABL) did not succeed but the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) is going strong in its fourth season. The Women's Professional Softball League (WPSL) has had a rocky road. In its third season, they had to reduce to four teams because of financing but the teams are providing the Women's National Softball Team with some great competition on its road to Sydney. The Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA) capitalized on the gold medal win as well as the 1999 World Cup victory, and they will being play in April of 2001.

So what do the 2000 Olympic Games mean for women's professional sports? The sports which will be under the most scrutiny at the Olympics will be soccer, basketball and softball because of the national teams' successes at the 1996 games and the professional leagues in this country. The national team with the best shot of winning a gold medal is the U.S. Women's National Basketball team. This team is composed of the best athletes in the WNBA. With international exposure and increased national television exposure, the WNBA can earn more fans, which will certainly help as the league continues to expand. The WNBA has a good fan base but success in the Olympics could help its attendance explode in the 2001 season. In addition, the exposure and success could influence more international players to join the WNBA and increase the level of talent of the league. Finally, the media coverage of the national team members will allow these athletes to become household names, something some of them may not be yet simply from the WNBA.

The Women's National Softball Team has a fairly good shot at defending their gold medal but will face some solid competition along the way. If this team can become personalities again like they did in the '96 Games, this could help the WPSL. If softball can popularity and success in the Olympics and the response from fans is positive, the WPSL could attract investors, sponsors and more fans. This attention would allow for league expansion, more marketing and as a result, more fans. Women's pro softball certainly has a place in American sports and the Olympics could help its visibility and expansion.

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