December 4, 2011
Women's Basketball Matures, but Not Without Growing Pains
As the season tips off, questions swirl about marketing and ties to the men's game
Bill Frakes, Sports Illustrated, Getty Images
Victory is sweet: Conseco Fieldhouse, in Indianapolis, erupted when Texas A&M beat Notre Dame in the NCAA women’s basketball championship last year, but that enthusiasm has yet to be felt on campuses, where marketing the women’s game, and filling the seats, have proved challenging.
College Park, Md.
When the women's basketball teams from Texas A&M and Notre Dame squared off for the national title in April, the game capped a three-week NCAA tournament that drew the highest television ratings since ESPN began airing the event more than 15 years ago.
The sport's rise hasn't happened by accident. Colleges are pouring money into women's basketball, and while that investment hasn't resulted in profits, the television exposure alone—ESPN and other networks will broadcast some
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