You guys have higher expectations for Katie Nolan than I do.
As for the WNBA, I don’t enjoy the product. I watched the Finals the first couple of years, but in the many years since I just don’t enjoy it enough to watch.
I wonder about significantly changing the WNBA rules with ideas to make it a more enjoyable product.
1. You could institute the 4 point line.
2. You could add a continuation play (Malcolm Gladwell brought this up on Bill Simmon's recent podcast). Basically, both teams keep playing even after a foul to see what happens. Instead of blowing the whistle and killing the play every foul, you allow the game to keep moving. This might add a more free-flowing game, especially in women's basketball.
3. You could lower the hoops. This is admittedly gimmicky, but it might mean more dunks or interesting plays at the rim.
4. You could institute power play rules like hockey when someone fouls.
5. You could use smaller basketballs. I always thought the women's sized basketballs were not in the same ratio to a women's hand as a men's basketball is to a man's hand. This would allow women greater control over the basketball, which would likely lead to less turnovers, more ball-handling wizardry, and easier shooting.
6. You could decrease the number for fouling out, which would force defenses to be less physical.
I admit, most people aren't gonna go for these options. But, as we've seen in the NBA this season, one small rule change can lead to drastically higher scoring games.
I'll take it a step further and ask a question about demographic. It seems to me like the NBA is in a groove with its demographic, but I would think that the WNBA's demographic would be different. Maybe their marketing is all wrong?