The white paper and the women's game: What needs to be done

So we're told the women's game is in trouble, has plateaued and there is an enormous appetite for change, this according to the Val Ackerman report better known as the white paper.

We asked our coaches their thoughts and we have a few of our own. First, they have the floor.

From James Madison's Kenny Brooks: "In a nutshell, I thought it made for interesting reading. It was hard for me to take the report as a whole seriously because as soon as she was reeled me in with good suggestions she would make an outrageous one. I don't think administrators or fans will travel to Europe to see the Final Four nor do I want to inspect my kids body for new tattoos everyday. The adoption of a 24-second shot clock in my opinion would make the game sloppy."

From Radford's Mike McGuire: "We obviously need to take control of our game and become more defined in what we want to become. We need a clear direction and leadership in our game. We have lost focus on our game and as a result we have become stagnant ... from the grassroots to the collegiate level. Over the past few years, I am not sure the focus has been on our game and making it the best product possible."

From Liberty's Carey Green: "It’s great to have somebody with that much basketball knowledge to be a forerunner in reevaluating the direction that women’s basketball has been going over the past several years. I agree with her assessment that it’s time to get a clear mission and purpose for the game. Restructuring efforts will serve to be productive for the game. How effective her recommendations will be is to be determined, primarily because, based on her data, the overwhelming majority of sports enthusiasm is male-dominated. With the primary American sports being football, men’s basketball and baseball, the reality is, 'Where does the game of women’s basketball fit in that niche?' It’s interesting that she evaluated the seasons (fall, spring, etc.) of competition. The format and marketing of the NCAA Tournament, with so many options like a permanent site, dual tournament with men’s basketball or a dual tournament with Division II and III at the same site, with the purpose of trying to stabilize and maximize the event, are all interesting concepts that need to be evaluated. I also agree with her concepts of conference tournaments."

As for our thoughts ...

*One immediate thought: Ackerman talked to coaches, administrators, TV execs, college presidents, NCAA office presidents. ... what about fans of the games and those who aren't fans of the game? Seems like those are two populations deserving of input as well as players and former players. Why not talk to some real people?

*Her "Hertitage" track notes the need for the game to be more fan friendly. We couldn't agree more. We attended the regional in Norfolk, and what a shame it is that the NCAA keeps the athletes at such arm's length from the fans. There is no opportunity to watch practice as there used to be during the national tournament (unless you're ESPN). Skylar Diggins, among the most popular female athletes in the nation, was in town. No autograph session. No time to wish hometown girl Elizabeth Williams well or shake her hand. The teams were all business, a mandate the NCAA seems comfortable with.

*We need parity, right? Surprise! We have it. The sport has good teams like James Madison, Hampton, Marist, Bowling Green, Dayton ... all of whom would have had good chances for "upsets" if given a fair shake. Ask Brooks or David Six who wants to come to their gym to play. If you're not in a BCS conference, you're an outcast in this sport, and nobody wants to play you on your floor because, yowsa! What if they lose?

*Ackerman talks about the need for a younger demographic. We couldn't agree more. Where are the students at women's game, and how do we get them in the building? Is it as simple as having Hotdog night at Virginia? We've always like the idea of involving student clubs or frats in building the fan base. Challenge a select number of student organizations to put butts in the seats and award the "winner" a substantial prize.

*Ackerman favors the top 32 teams hosting, and we're in favor of it, too. The current format compromises the integrity of the bracket too frequently, with lower seeds hosting higher seeds, creating an unfair advantage. As always, neutral courts is the ideal, but we're not there yet, and the current system produces too many advantages for lower seeded teams.

*Two super regionals? Can we get one of them in the Commonwealth? (We're guessing one will always be in Storrs/Fairfield/Hartford/nebulous Connecticut city.

*We have other ideas ... we elaborated on them in an earlier post -- and we're planning another post later this week about what could be done to the actual game to create a better product.

What do you think? Let us know.

Some thoughts on growing the game

Val Ackerman

Dear Val:

We're thrilled to hear you've been hired as a consultant and advisor by the NCAA for women's basketball. Improving marketing and overall attendance is said to be one of your priorities. We have some thoughts to share on that.

Admittedly, we're not the audience you're trying to market to. We follow this sport, go to games, write about the story lines and have interest in the outcomes. We find fun nuggets in box scores, and when we hear the Final Four, we have to kick ourselves to remember that other Final Four -- the men's one.

In doing all this, there are times when we feel we toil and enjoy this game in oblivion. It is not unusual for us to be in gyms so empty, we can hear every word the coach is saying. Often we can do our own head count. And while we take a statewide approach to our teams in the Commonwealth, we find that to be one that few fans embrace. They love their team and only their team. While it's easy to find a Virginia fan or an Old Dominion fan, it's not so easy to come by a fan of women's basketball. That's most evident during the NCAA Tournament, when empty seats are more the norm than the exception especially for the early rounds but too frequently at the regional level as well.

To be fair, the sport has enjoyed commendable growth over the three-plus decades that the NCAA has been involved. But the game can only sell itself to a point, and it appears as though we've reached that point.

So what should you do about this? Our thoughts:

*Find more creative ways to get fans in the door. Think out of the box or sometimes think simply. Hot dog night drew in excess of 10,000 fans a couple years ago at John Paul Jones Arena. Years ago, we attended a charity event by tennis player James Blake that combined the music of John Mayer with the tennis of James Blake and Andy Roddick. Fans of two completely separates interests combined to enjoy one gala event. We wonder, might Victoria Justice get a few fans in the door?

*Women's basketball needs students in the seats. Students can get inside the head of other students. Let student clubs, and on campuses where Greek life is  do the marketing for you. Get a pool of the top student clubs at each university and ask each club to be responsible for promoting one game. Incentivize it. The club responsible for bringing in the most fans receives something of value -- simple recognition isn't enough --  at the end of the season.

*Women's basketball players are largely excellent role models. Engage women's leadership organizations to partner with women's hoops players. Pursue sponsorships with those groups. Tailor your marketing to different professional groups as well. Make one night a "Music teachers night," another a "Dental hygienists night." Give discounts.

*Use your alumni base. Schedule alumni events at games and theme the games around those events. If it's classes from the '70s, include some KC and the Sunshine Band over the PA.

*Schedule a skills camp after an afternoon game and market to middle school, high school and recreational teams. When the kids are there, make sure the players are fully engaged with them.

*Contests, promotions, giveaways -- everybody likes to get something for very little.

*Make the experience memorable for the fans who do come. Too often women's games lack atmosphere. While it's hard for every school to match the mirth that goes on during timeouts at Thompson-Boling Arena, too often there's nothing at women's hoops games beyond the game. Make every second fun; involve kids in on-court contests.

*Buy one, get one. Buy three, get two. Make a dollar night. It's a bad economy. Make it easier -- and cheaper -- to go to the games.

*Use your players to build a grassroots presence in the community. Almost every school has its players engage in some type of community service, but that's not enough. Players need to be visible around campus recruiting fans in dining halls, dorms, outside of classroom. Make women's basketball cool.

*Should the rim be lowered? We hear advocates in support of that, and while we don't think lowering the rim a few inches would cause Armageddon, we're not sure it would have much impact on attendance. Again, this goes back to one thought: The product -- and we stress it's a product we love -- doesn't sell itself in this case. You've got to find some other way to get them in the door.

*Social media is the rage. Use it as a marketing tool and engage the players in social media, too. We know how overloaded players are with priorities during the season, but we also know that the cell phone rarely leaves their hand. Increasing attendance isn't just a marketing issue. It's an issue that affects the future of the sport, and the current ambassadors of the sport are its coaches and players.

*One more thing. We don't have all the answers. In fact, we might not have any of them. So ask questions. Engage the marketing staff to ask those who don't go to women's games why they don't and then ask quite simply, what would it take? We might all learn something that way.

We wish you great success in the position, Val. We'll be rooting for you.

Sincerely,

LadySwish