Why the WNBA Needs to Make 4th of July Their Day

The NBA has Christmas and they have  Valentines Day weekend with the NBA All-Star game.

The NFL owns Thanksgiving, and now, apparently, Christmas too. They also have Super Bowl day.

The MLB is all about the 4th of July.

The NHL claims New Year’s Day.

The PGA Tour? Labor Day with the Tour Championship.

And the NCAA? Well, they have New Year’s Day with the College Football Playoff.

So, what does the WNBA have? Well, not much. Yet. But they could have Mother’s Day and the 4th of July.

While the rest of the world is soaking up the sun and grilling burgers on the 4th of July, the WNBA could stake its claim to that sweet summer real estate. Think about it: no real competition from other sports on that day. It’s the perfect time for the WNBA to stand out, flex its star power, and have its own moment to shine.

What Could the WNBA Gain?

(Here’s the Million-Dollar Question…)

Picture this, you have your family outside in the backyard. Everyone is grilling and eating good barbecue. Maybe, your family is inside of the home doing the same. But everyone is gathered and then one of your family members yells out “put on the Caitlin game, put on the Angel game.”

Picture that the WNBA already has the ugh marquee matchups scheduled all day long.

Can you imagine having a marquee slate of games that feature the leagues best players?

• Caitlin Clark vs Angel Reese

• Breanna Stewart vs. Napheesa Collier

• A’ja Wilson vs. Kelsey Plum

• Kahleah Cooper vs. Arike Ogunbowale

A list of high-energy WNBA showdowns between the leagues best players. You’re telling me that’s not the perfect setup for a day of epic sports drama?

This is the kind of day that could become an annual WNBA tradition.

The energy from having some of these rivalry games will be like a staple for the fans and players alike.

The league could start with having all of their prime matchups at 2 PM, 5 PM, 8 PM, 10 PM. Additionally, making it into a real 4th of July spectacle. The day could become complete with basketball, food, and fireworks (well, literally and figuratively).

Stats That Prove It’s a Winning Idea

Holiday programming is a proven money-maker.

Just take a look at how the NBA, NFL, and MLB have owned their respective holidays:

•NBA Christmas: More than 7.9 million viewers for some games.

•NFL Thanksgiving/Christmas: Ravens vs. Texans hit 24.3 million viewers.

•MLB on the 4th of July: In 2023, they pulled in 2.7 million viewers, even with a little competition from fireworks and NASCAR.

What do all these leagues have in common?

They’ve turned their holiday games into must-watch events.

And guess what? The WNBA can do the same.

Just even outside of the holidays, The WNBA, would be interesting to host their games on certain days. The NFL plays Sunday, Monday, Thursday. Giving fans an appointment that they must make to see their games. The WNBA could fall into the same sphere and give their fans appointment based scheduling, making it a marquee event throughout the week.

Look, we all love basketball, but let’s not forget this is America, where the more entertainment, the better!

The WNBA could take a page from the NBA’s book and sprinkle in live performances from artists that actually get the crowd hyped.

Imagine Megan Thee Stallion popping up between games, or a performance from Beyoncé. Who doesn’t want to see her in July?

By combining basketball with live entertainment and pop culture, the WNBA could continue to become the event that people look forward to every 4th of July.

Why Now?

First of all, if Not Now, When?

The WNBA is hot right now. The 2024 season saw a 115% viewership spike in the Finals compared to 2023, and ESPN averaged 1.2 million viewers per game, up 170%!

The numbers for the league has been record-breaking numbers. So, if there’s ever been a time to snag that 4th of July spotlight, it’s now.

The 4th of July could quickly become the WNBA’s marquee event, just like Christmas is for the NBA. It’s time to turn this hot streak into a full-fledged tradition. Additionally, If the WNBA doesn’t grab this opportunity, someone else might!

Moving forward, this could be the decade the 4th of July officially becomes synonymous with women’s basketball.

While the rest of the world is soaking up the sun and grilling burgers on the 4th of July, the WNBA could stake its claim to that sweet summer real estate. Think about it: no real competition from other sports on that day. It’s the perfect time for the WNBA to stand out, flex its star power, and have its own moment to shine.

If there’s ever a time to start making bigger moves around a flagship date as the 4th of July spotlight, it’s now.

The 4th of July could quickly become the WNBA’s marquee event, just like Christmas is for the NBA.

Hopefully the WNBA will get on board with this plan.

They have a golden opportunity to make this their flagship day.