Basketball: Sandy Brondello details how the WNBL can emulate the WNBA’s popularity surge

Opals coach Sandy Brondello has witnessed the explosion of the WNBA first-hand, now she reveals how the WNBL can follow a similar trajectory. Find out more.

Australian Opals coach Sandy Brondello believes the WNBA’s popularity explosion in the past 12 months has laid a blueprint that the WNBL can – and should – be following.

Brondello has had a literal courtside seat to the WNBA boom, and is fresh off leading the New York Liberty to a historic WNBA championship, her second as head coach.

“I think our (WNBL) players should be more household names and that’s a passion of mine,” Brondello said while speaking at the Basketball Australia Schools Championships on the Gold Coast.

“It’s all about how you do that. Number one, you need deep pockets, and you need a commitment.”

Head coach Sandy Brondello of the New York Liberty speaks during the Championship ticker tape parade and victory rally. Picture: Elsa/Getty Images/AFP.

Brondello detailed how in the space of four years the Liberty went from playing at the 5,000-seat Westchester County Center to selling out an 18,000-seat arena.

She credited the investment and vision of Brooklyn Nets owner Joe Tsai who bought into the club.

“I was like, ‘okay, this is underselling the value’,” she said of playing at Westchester.

“It’s obviously an investment, you have to spend money, but they had commitment and they had a vision.

“We went back to where the men play and four years later we’re playing in sellout arenas, the who’s who want to be a part of it, the product goes to another level and the media gets behind it.

“Now we win our championship and New York’s going crazy, that’s the vision that I have for the WNBL, it really can grow.”

Team Australia head coach Sandy Brondello gives instructions at the Olympic Games Paris 2024. Picture: Gregory Shamus/Getty Images.

In 2024, the WNBA attracted 54 million unique viewers and 22 regular season games recorded over 1 million viewers. It also achieved 154 sellouts and a total attendance of over 2 million at an average of 9,807 people per game.

The WNBA’s profile has been seriously enhanced in the past year by the likes of megastar rookies Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.

Earlier this year, the WNBL reported that it had an overall fan base of 2.5 million, with a total attendance of over 150,000 across the 2023/24 season.

“I’ve been watching a few games around here (in Australia) and I see it building, it starts with the clubs and investment from above, and commitment to excellence, it takes everybody,” Brondello said.

“I’ll continue to do my part because finally overseas these women are becoming household names and the appreciation that they get, NBA stars are all talking about us now.

“It is one big community and we have to all support each other to get to where it needs to be.”

Originally published as Basketball: Sandy Brondello details how the WNBL can emulate the WNBA’s popularity surge