In a Barbie World

The GIST: The WNBA is looking to leverage all available tools to build interest in the game, and that means taking a winning move out of the men’s sports playbook. ESPN announced yesterday that for the first time ever, the WNBA’s opening night doubleheader will be available on Disney+ in addition to streaming on ESPN2 and ESPN+.

The details: The two May 14th Disney+ matchups each feature one of the WNBA’s most popular teams: the Las Vegas Aces — dubbed StubHub’s most in-demand team after becoming the first to sell out season tickets — and the Indiana Fever, who have seen historic interest thanks to the addition of Caitlin Clark.

The strategy: Although the majority of American Disney+ subscribers (65%) don’t live in households with children, 45% of Disney+ users in the U.S. are under 18 years old, the most active demographic on the platform. And since Clark has been credited for inspiring an entire generation of kids, it’s a smart move for the WNBA to meet these young fans where they are.

The context: Since 2021, the NFL has been cultivating the next generation of fans by teaching them the complexities of football in a fun, relatable way: with Spongebob and slime cannons. CBS kicked off the kid-friendly sports simulcast trend with its NFL on Nickelodeon broadcast during the 2021 NFL Playoffs, becoming a hit with young viewers and millennials alike.

• Its success prompted other networks to do the same, such as ESPN’s 2023 Toy Story simulcast. And it worked: 4% more viewers aged 2 to 11 and 5% more fans aged 12 to 17 tuned into these broadcasts. The NFL’s four Nickelodeon broadcasts averaged 900K viewers, and the Toy Story simulcast was the biggest live event to date for Disney+.

Zooming out: The W knows its fans are young, diverse, and tech-savvy, and now that the league is gaining access to elite broadcast resources, it’s thinking about how to best reach them. Plus, women’s basketball has an advantage over other sports: it already has highly coveted Gen Z viewers.

• A Disney+ broadcast also positions the W to make headway with Gen Alpha, a generation that may be even more purpose-driven and gender-conscious than their progressive Gen Z predecessors. Offense is the best defense.

The GIST: The spotlight might be bright on Caitlin Clark, but Chicago Sky rookie Angel Reese is also becoming a cultural force — on Monday, she became the first WNBA rookie to make a Met Gala appearance. Reese is uniquely positioned to become a sports and fashion icon, reflecting a moment where women athletes are appreciated for their marketing and trend-setting potential.

The star: Chi-Town Barbie has been quickly embraced by her new city, which fueled outrage when the Sky’s first preseason game was unavailable to stream. Reese has already established herself as a premier influencer and has turned her popularity into paydays as the face of brands like Reebok, a strategy she’s replicated by repping up-and-coming designers.

• She dropped her W draft declaration in Vogue wearing Zankov, stunned on the orange carpet in Bronx and Banco, and wore 16Arlington to the Met. She’s also inspired rap lyrics, appearing in Latto and Cardi B’s “Put It on Da Floor Again.” Coulda went to LSU.

The brands: In addition to her Reebok deal, Reese has repped brands such as Beats By Dre, Tampax, and Mielle, along with posing for Sports Illustrated’s swimsuit issue in 2023. She left LSU with $1.8M in NIL valuation thanks to deals she believes will continue through her W career — Beats and Reebok have already made it clear they’re in it for the long haul.

The takeaway: NBA players often transcend the game to influence culture, but Reese’s ascent is a rare W for women ballers. Clark’s celebrity is rooted in skill, but Reese is known for skill and style, giving her status that goes beyond the game. In a Barbie World.