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CNN Saturday Morning News
Interview With Val Ackerman, Chamique Holdsclaw
Aired July 13, 2002 - 07:44 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
MILES O'BRIEN, CNN ANCHOR: The women will take to the court for the WNBA All-Star game on Monday. The best women's basketball players in the world, gearing up to hoop it up at the MCI Center in Washington. It's a sellout; so don't bother trying to get tickets now.
Joining us from Washington WNBA All-Star -- now four times, right?
CHAMIQUE HOLDSCLAW, WNBA ALL-STAR: That's correct. Four times.
O'BRIEN: Chamique Holdsclaw. And WNBA President Val Ackerman. Good to have you both with us this morning.
VAL ACKERMAN, WNBA PRESIDENT: Hello, good morning.
O'BRIEN: Chamique, let's talk about the good news first. Sold- out All-Star game and we're talking, what, six years in that league now?
HOLDSCLAW: Yeah, six years and actually for the franchise in Washington, this will be its fifth season. And, things are just going great. I'm really excited that the All-Star game is here.
O'BRIEN: Tell us about the crowds, tell us about the feel. Do you get the sense that the WNBA has attained critical mass, if you will?
HOLDSCLAW: Yeah, I think it's on the rise. I know for the Washington franchise, we've led the league in attendance three out of four seasons. So, the fans are really going to come out and support the All-Star game this year.
O'BRIEN: And do you think that the fans are getting their money's worth when they come to see WNBA basketball?
HOLDSCLAW: Definitely. They're getting an opportunity to watch some of the best women's basketball players in the world.
O'BRIEN: Val, what do you think about it? It's still here, it's ... the crowds appear to be healthy. Would you like to see more, though?
ACKERMAN: Well, I expect that in five years or ten years or twenty years the WNBA is going to be in a much different spot than it is today. We're really, now, in just the early stages of seeing support -- spectator support for women's team sports. It's just something relatively new in our country. Women's individual sports have been supported for really many decades and what we're doing now with team sports is something that's very new but clearly, the early results are very encouraging.
O'BRIEN: What is, Val, your biggest stumbling block to getting people interested in watching women's sports? I guess, for one thing, really you wouldn't have gotten to this level if you didn't go all the way back, really, to Title IX. There's some lag-time in this whole process. But, the level of play is up, but what other issues need to be addressed to get -- to attain -- real parity with the NBA and the WNBA?
ACKERMAN: Well, I think some of it will just be a process of time passing. As I said, it's a relatively new thing for people to be supporting women who are playing team sports. But, I think our challenge is a promotional challenge. We think if we can get the word out, if we can market the league aggressively, if we can make sure that more and more people are aware that we have something very exciting to offer in terms of the best women players in the world playing a game that Americans seem to love, that just lends itself to great spectator interest, that more and more people will come to learn about it and will give it a try. Hopefully, when they come to a game they'll want to come back.
O'BRIEN: Chamique, I assume you're a student of the NBA game as well. Is it as fun to watch as the NBA? And, you're allowed to be self-serving here.
HOLDSCLAW: Oh, definitely. I think it's exciting and I think we do a great job as far as going into communities. We're more hands-on with the fans and I think a lot of fans appreciate that. I know here in Washington, you know, we get a lot of support from the community and a lot of people come watch us play because they want that up close and personal relationship.
O'BRIEN: When you say up close and personal, because it's not as -- quite as -- packed, you can get closer to the court, that kind of thing?
HOLDSCLAW: Yeah, you know the people can get closer to us, the security is not as demanding as far as pushing the fans back, you know, they can get a little closer as if we were a NBA player.
O'BRIEN: And, many fewer players under indictment, of course.
HOLDSCLAW: Yes, definitely.
O'BRIEN: Val, before you get away. What are the plans for growth, if any, and when are you going to bring a team to Atlanta?
ACKERMAN: Well, we have grown, actually, significantly since we launched in 1997. We started that year with eight teams. Washington, Chamique's team, joined us our second year in 1998. So, we have doubled since the first year. We now have 16 teams. Our schedule has grown a bit, and I expect that will continue to happen, we'll have more games.
O'BRIEN: What about other cities, though?
ACKERMAN: And, our plans to expand are ongoing. We have...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: What about Atlanta? I'm being self-serving here, now. It's my turn.
ACKERMAN: I hope and expect that some day we'll be in Atlanta. We have a team there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: You know it's a good market.
ACKERMAN: We have the Atlanta Olympics there...
(CROSSTALK)
O'BRIEN: I've heard of that...
ACKERMAN: ...and that really was -- women's professional basketball, women's basketball in general on the map, so I expect some day that we'll be in Atlanta as well.
O'BRIEN: All right, Chamique, are you ready for the big game? The All-Star game, you try not to get hurt or anything, but you're going to go for it?
HOLDSCLAW: Actually, I'm not in the All-Star game, I'm not...
O'BRIEN: That's right, you're not playing, I forgot. I apologize. You were nominated, but you're not playing. Are you hurt?
HOLDSCLAW: Yeah, I had a high ankle sprain, so I'll be out at least two more games.
O'BRIEN: Well, enjoy watching the game. Chamique Holdsclaw, Val Ackerman, the WNBA. Thanks very much for being with us this morning on CNN Saturday Morning.
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