Why doesn't NBA 2K push or promote the WNBA playoffs?

[Real2KInsider]

Quote: Originally Posted by vetmin

I'll take your word for it, but for all you know, your guy is one of the 4 devs who hated the idea of bringing in the WNBA, whereas the other 16 thought it was a great move and unbeknownst to all of them it was even such-and-such 2K executive who first had the idea over drinks with the company’s main NBA liaison. You just can’t know. I’ve had legit 2K sources too and they’ve been wrong / in the dark on the rollout of certain features that they thought they were informed about. It’s impossible to have a real understanding of what’s going on in an org without being there in some executive-adjacent capacity or having very open, consultant-type access, and I doubt your source has that or else they wouldn’t have risked their job gossiping about it to you (no offense).

I was a consultant. And gave training to the WNBA roster editor.

Lol but sure keep spitting theories about what I know / don't know.


(A crazy deadline like build a WNBA roster from scratch in six weeks is par for the course in the video game industry, FWIW. Nobody was crying about it. This is what we need done by X date).

[vetmin]

Quote: Originally Posted by Real2KInsider

I was a consultant. And gave training to the WNBA roster editor. Lol but sure keep spitting theories about what I know / don't know. (A crazy deadline like build a WNBA roster from scratch in six weeks is par for the course in the video game industry, FWIW. Nobody was crying about it. This is what we need done by X date).

So what you’re saying is that you had exactly the sort of rank-and-file access that I was suggesting may not give you a full understanding of a company’s strategic decision-making (and how the people who matter feel about it). By ‘consultant’ I meant like a “here’s everything about us, now help us downsize”-type of consultant, not a “get our new guy up to speed with what all these tendencies do” sort of a role (though it’s genuinely cool you got to have some influence in this area; I know you put a lot of effort into ratings).

Even if you’re secretly the CEO’s burner account though, I’ll reiterate what I said in my initial response to you: It doesn’t matter how much 2K really cares about the WNBA in their heart of hearts—whether they’re optimistic about its inclusion or have been brought along kicking and screaming—the point is that it’s a big fact of life for the game now and the company is failing to make the most of it (i.e., by forgoing utterly painless, zero
-risk, zero-additional-resource-requiring promotional opportunities).

[TarHeelPhenom]

Quote: Originally Posted by Real2KInsider

THEY didn't decide it. The NBA did. This was something that was forced upon 2K (with extremely short notice the year it was implemented - like 2 months). As such they're going to do the bare minimum until otherwise forced to. You're now asking the marketing etc team to do two jobs for the price of one. Because they're not going to hire additional staff until the numbers warrant it. Just to re-iterate, 2K didn't invest a dime into the WNBA, the NBA required them to SPEND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES to add it per the Licensing agreement (the 160 million they already spend per year) MyTeam is a money mode. They are going to cater to the crowd that spends money on packs. It's a Gacha game that literally hits the reset button once a year and people actually continue to participate. The marketing data has clearly shown them that people will buy packs for Fantasy characters like Shooting Shaq, etc. Even someone like Bol Bol is known way more than a WNBA star. That's just how it is until the NBA itself can get more people invested. You'd better believe those young males will tune out if the best players are ones they don't recognize. It's the same reason they never added Euroleague players when they had the Euroleague. Growing familiarity isn't going to grow their wallet. It would likely lose them millions in the short-term. If MyTeam were what it was in the initial years (pre-VC) then sure.

Facts over feelings.

[Real2KInsider]

Quote: Originally Posted by vetmin

i.e., by forgoing utterly painless, zero -risk, zero-additional-resource-requiring promotional opportunities).

And just to re-iterate, these are things they barely do for the NBA. Few if any in the company have a pulse on the modern NBA. How many do you think have one for the WNBA?

(What I just told you - that they had to bring in an OUTSIDE roster editor - and someone OUTSIDE the company gave them roster editing advice - should give us a pretty good idea)

Time is a finite resource. It's not zero additional resources when they likely have one marketing guy for two leagues (who also likely wears 2-3 other hats as well). There is always a give and take. Social media posts aren't a snap your fingers *voila* content. They do actually require time & investment to craft.

I'm pro-WNBA and support the growth of basketball worldwide. At the end of the day this is a business. If the NBA wants 2K to use their platform to grow their league for them, they should foot the bill.

Marketing the WNBA on 2K's platform certainly isn't growing 2K or generating purchases - it actually risks devaluing their platform by forcing undesirable content down the average fan's throat.

It is already a ginormous gift & promotion that the WNBA even exists in 2K.

[jd@os]

I don’t watch the WNBA (more so NCAAW) but jeebs, vetmin—you bring up some good points for consideration. Good food for thought.


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[jeebs9]

Quote: Originally Posted by jd@os

I don’t watch the WNBA (more so NCAAW) but jeebs, vetmin—you bring up some good points for consideration. Good food for thought. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I play the WNBA mode during this time of the year. I usually play a friend locally. When he comes over. We're always like why can't we play this online?

I know someone mentioned the Euro teams. I think I played that maybe once when they had them. That was to play with Luka or was it KP. I've logged way more hours playing WNBA since they added it.

[jd@os]

I see what you mean—your friend has to come over for WNBA gameplay but it would be nice to be able to play him (and others) online. Not having that option doesn’t make you angry; just makes you think. I get it.

And apparently enough people were “thinking” about mixing men and women footballers that EA gave it a shot in FC24. I wonder if that will be a feature that sticks around.


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[ggsimmonds]

The answer (its probably already been stated multiple times) is that doing so does nothing for 2k.

Its nearly at the point (if it isn't already) that promoting and marketing the WNBA isn't worth the effort. The attempts don't lead to sustained increases in viewership.

As for brining WNBA teams into PNO, probably also not worth the effort even if the effort is very small.