The Dallas Wings are shooting their shot

Bibb joined the club in 2016, when the franchise moved to Dallas from Tulsa, and became CEO a year later — and he’s overseen massive growth in recent years. He said that coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the club’s grown each year and resets revenue records annually.

• But lately, its young superstars are adding rocket fuel to the club’s roster on and off the court. The increased attention is bringing new brands to the negotiating table, creating a perfect storm in a surging market.

• Bibb said the Dallas–Fort Worth region is the country’s fourth-largest metroplex that’s pushing 9M people — and by 2100, it could be the largest U.S. market. Its size and growth should be top of mind for brands, added Bibb, but they should also consider its historic “affinity for sports.”

Selecting Bueckers with 2025’s No. 1 overall pick was “[a] giant leap forward.” According to Bibb, drafting Fudd this year is “providing us another current boom in terms of our business” — for example, she was already endorsed by Geico, and when Dallas drafted her, the company expanded its partnership to the Wings, too.

• And that’s far from the only recent brand win: Last year, finance app Albert chose the Wings for a record jersey patch deal. In the last two months, the Wings have partnered with blue-chip brands like Geico, Kroger, and CVS Health. The momentum is palpable.

How do these young players command so much sway with brands? They aren’t just bringing their previous endorsements with them when they arrive in Dallas — they’re bringing their college fans, who represent a desirable demographic, and considerable cultural influence. See: the fascination with Fudd’s personal style, or Bueckers’ attendance at last Monday’s Met Gala.

• “I think we're at the intersection of sport and culture,” Bibb said. “Our athletes are unique in terms of how they transcend the lines of a basketball court and are influencing culture, whether that be fashion” or “the various social and digital platforms that they're helping to drive as influencers.”

Tapping into that cultural caché can help brands unlock women fans, whom Bibb nods to as powerful primary decision-makers. The Wings’ fanbase skews heavier toward women than other major sports teams at slightly over 50% — a trend reflected in the W’s broader fanbase, as well. “We can deliver the consumer making the decision in a more effective way than others,” he said.

With a booming market, a league on the rise, and some star players to the mix, Bibb says Dallas sells itself as a partner to brands. “They see the consumer buying decisions and the consumer buying power of the female audience. They see the trajectory of the WNBA and women's sports.”

• “They see, honestly, the value that they can get in and get meaningful partnership in terms of sales — in terms of scale and scope — at a relatively lower investment level than they would at traditional major sports. It's kind of a buy a promising stock early strategy.”

Their sponsorship roster is filling up fast, but “there are still a lot of categories open,” Bibb told us. “Any brand that wants to align with what the W stands for would be a good prospective partner,” he added, teasing some “really unique opportunities” in the works.

• Bibb specifically mentioned a naming rights opportunity for the team’s forthcoming practice facility available next year. He considers it “the ultimate opportunity in terms of brand alignment with the WNBA team…probably the most exciting opportunity for a brand with the Dallas Wings in the foreseeable future.”

We tend to see certain categories perk up at the mention of naming rights, especially healthcare. But as Bibb mentioned, there’s a lot of consumer categories interested in predominantly female fanbases, from Procter & Gamble to the bevy of beauty and fashion brands flocking to women’s basketball.

• “It's the unique opportunity to get not only the benefit of what one would receive through a traditional sports partnership, but to be able to engage, align, and partner with these athletes that are transcending sport is a unique value proposition.” A slam dunk.