TAMPA — In a sense, we’re getting a Seinfeld stand-up tour in 1995. We’re being treated to a Nirvana show in the grunge era. We’re ringside for a Tyson fight, circa 1988.
In other words, the bay area is being treated to women’s basketball’s signature event at the apex of the sport’s popularity.
Here in the contrails of the Caitlin Clark phenomenon, Tampa is set to host its fourth Women’s Final Four, April 4-6 at Amalie Arena. For our region, the timing couldn’t be more exquisite: The game’s new wave of stars such as Clark and Angel Reese has lured more eyeballs to the game than ever.
Last year’s NCAA final between South Carolina and Iowa drew a record 18.9 million viewers — four million more than the men’s final. ESPN, which owns the WNBA’s broadcast rights, reported the league’s playoffs averaged 1.1 million viewers – up 139 percent over the previous year – to make it the most-viewed WNBA postseason in 25 years.
Moreover, parity is prevailing at the college level. A sport once owned by Connecticut and Tennessee, who combined for eight national titles in a 10-year span from 2007-2016, has had five national champs in the last six seasons (excluding the COVID year).
“Gosh, I think we couldn’t be in a better place right now,” longtime University of Tampa women’s coach Tom Jessee said. “I think the game has really taken on a lot of eyes. It’s a great time to be in women’s basketball.”
Yet a few warts remain visible. Deliberations about when — or if — college women’s players will achieve financially equality with their male counterparts persist, officiating quality is questioned, and some point to an over-reliance on the 3-point shot (but in fairness, that’s an issue in the NBA too).
As the Final Four looms, we reached out to a handful of veteran women’s and girls coaches in our area, picking their respective cerebrums about the popularity and problems in the sport. Here’s what they had to say on a smorgasbord of topics.
State of the game
(What kind of place is college/girls basketball in these days?)
“I love where we’re at. The other question is, where are we going? That’s the next thing. We’re in a really good place. The WNBA’s got the stage set, the college game’s got the stage set for women’s basketball, high school and all down the chain; it’s an exciting time for us. But now where do we go? You get one shot at this, normally speaking, to take the next step.” — Jessee
“I think it’s in a great place, and I am so thankful that I have the opportunity to be the vice president of the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association; and then I’m going to become the president. And the Final Four being here in Tampa, and the Tampa (Bay) Sports Commission, and being involved with USA Basketball, I couldn’t be happier at this point of my career, seeing how much this game’s grown, and the support the women’s game has.” — USF women’s coach Jose Fernandez
“I think it is in a very good place. I think up-and-coming females have a better opportunity than my generation of players had. And I feel that, wow, the upside of it all, did we ever expect women to make a million dollars for playing the game?” — Lakewood girls coach (and Spartans alumnus) Necole Tunsil, who led Iowa to the 1993 Women’s Final Four
The Caitlin Clark effect
(What impact did the uber-popular Iowa/WNBA star have on the sport?)
“I think that has changed a lot of things. I think you have an average, humble, driven female that knows what can be accomplished. It’s not like she jumps out of the gym or has been blessed with these innate physical abilities, but it’s someone that has worked hard and shows humility and has been driven to accomplish great things. And I think it’s a great role model for young girls to be able to see and be able to follow that.” — Keswick Christian girls coach Karrmayne King, who recently coached her 1,000th game at the school
“I think that what Caitlin Clark did was amazing, but I also feel that Angel Reese and … and (Connecticut’s) Paige (Bueckers) and all of those women have to get some credit for building the game. (USC guard) JuJu Watkins, the young lady at Texas (Madison Booker). I think they all came up at the right time and impacted the game in a time when people were focused on equality. So I think they just took advantage of the opportunities, and they’re getting what they deserve.” — Tunsil
“What she did for the WNBA is ridiculous. And the fact that they’re traveling even 10% better, they’re not traveling like they should, but they’re traveling better and they’re eating better — it’s just amazing. Everywhere she goes, it’s like the Beatles, so it brings a lot of positivity. And look, everybody doesn’t love her, but she does a lot of positive things for the sport that a lot of kids look up to, and in the end that’s the most important part.” — Saint Leo women’s coach Anthony Crocitto, a women’s college coach for nearly three decades
“I was sitting in Dallas at the (2023) Final Four when Caitlin and South Carolina and LSU were playing, and when all the antics started with Angel Reese and Caitlin back and forth. … I think the women’s game needed a couple things to happen to take the next step. We’ve been really elevating, but it was kind of a slow trajectory. I thought the game needed a Larry Bird and a Magic Johnson. It needed a rivalry, two people that had personalities. And those two personalities became very obvious there that day. … It carried right on into the WNBA for the fan base.” — Jessee
Financial equity
(Financially, will women’s basketball be treated equitably when revenue sharing takes effect in Division I?)
“With what you’re seeing at higher (Division) I schools, and now the WNBA and professional leagues and some of that kind of stuff, I think that will trickle down. I think they’ll see the importance of the women as role models for their companies and things like that. As that continues to grow, I think that will be right up there with the men.” — King
“I probably won’t be alive to see that when it comes to equality as far as NIL is concerned. And then simply because, contrary to what most people believe, there’s a difference in the men’s game when you compare it to the women’s game. There is a difference in the boys’ game when it comes to girls. There’s a difference in female boxing and men’s boxing. So it’s all different, and I just don’t think that we put enough butts in the seats for it to be equal.” — Tunsil
“I’m not worried about it. Here at South Florida, we’re treated like a Power Four basketball program in the way that we travel, the way that we’re supported, so I’m not worried about it.” — Fernandez
“Not confident. Listen, are we going to say (women will be compensated) ‘fairly’ or ‘better?’ I think the better word is ‘better.’ The (Four) football and the top 40 basketball (teams), where is it going? Is it becoming a straight-up IBM/Microsoft business, and does it start to neglect being a college down the road and just being a (preparatory) land of NIL for the NBA and the NFL? They make so much money that to use the word ‘fairly’ is tough because it’s going to be nowhere near a 30-70 (split). But if we can get to 25-75 compared to where we are in terms of treatment, I think that would be pretty good.” — Crocitto
Ruler for a day
(What changes would you make in girls/women’s basketball?)
“Sounds stupid, but the referees in women’s basketball are way too worried about assistant coaches standing up and talking. They’re way too worried about the ladies on the bench celebrating a 3-pointer or coming on the court after a made basket. My job at the Final Four this year is to have those committees that voice opinions on how we can be a little more like the men’s game. I’m not saying coaches should cuss referees out. … I don’t know if it’s the skill level of the referees, but women’s basketball at Division I can’t celebrate or enjoy this game as much as the men get away with. It’s embarrassing.” — Crocitto
“I think we have to do a better job of recruiting quality officials. … At the high school level, we’re getting whoever signs up for it, right? And then at the collegiate level, it’s whoever has time to go to the training. And I’m sure it’s the same at the professional level. The trainings and the who-knows-who and that kind of thing, and not so much the quality that the game deserves.” — Tunsil
“I would really look at how we evaluate teams for the NCAA Tournament. I think margin of victory and style of play and efficiency…I’d be fine if it were (based on) the RPI; that’s a true form. You win games and lose games — home, away, neutral. You’ve got all these other analytics that goes into the NET (NCAA Evaluation Tool) rankings.” — Fernandez
Grassroots talent
(With the advent of AAU and travel programs, are girls players generally more talented once they arrive at high school?)
“No. I don’t believe that they could have played against myself, (Gibbs’) Maria Teal, (Pinellas Park’s) Tamika Coley. … When we practiced, we worked out at Lakewood practice, and then we would go and play with the boys…and then we would come back and play at Childs Park or Campbell Park. So it was like a six-hours-a-day type of thing. Some girls are passionate enough about it to put in some extra time, but I’m just saying the grit, the grind, the heart, accepting the challenge of winning. … These kids really don’t address the game the way that we did.” — Tunsil
“I think the point guard play has gone down because it’s the most fundamental, team-first concept that was taught better in the ’80s and ’90s.” — Crocitto
“I think you might get a couple that have really gone and worked on their craft. We start with programs here in our elementary (school); we run a Saturday youth league and that kind of stuff, so we’re starting to get hands-on a little bit even from the younger grades on up. And then some will gravitate and really go out and go to some of the other AAU (programs), or get some individual workouts.” — King
Contact Joey Knight at jknight@tampabay.com. Follow @TBTimes_Bulls
Women’s Final Four
April 4-6, Amalie Arena. TV: ABC/ESPN
Semifinals: April 4, 7 p.m., 9:30.
Final: April 6, 3 p.m.
Information: wfftampabay.com
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