Brondello: 'WNBL is everyone's responsibility'

WNBA champion New York Liberty head coach Sandy Brondello declared it would take nothing short of "everybody" to take the WNBL to the next level in Australia.

Australian Opals coach  believes the WNBA’s popularity explosion in the past 12 months has laid a blueprint that the WNBL can — and should — be following.

"I think our (WNBL) players should be more household names and that’s a passion of mine," Brondello said.

"I’ve been watching a few games around here (in Australia) and I see it building, it starts with the clubs and investment from above, and commitment to excellence, it takes everybody.

"It’s all about how you do that. Number one, you need deep pockets, and you need a commitment."

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Brondello's support comes after the of Wollemi Capital Group Syndicate (WCGS) and the National Basketball League (NBL) consortium buying a majority stake in the WNBL. The transfer happens on April 2, 2025.

Australian Women in Music Awards chair Jennie Sager was appointed the next Chief Executive Officer of the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) this week. Sager starts on January 2, 2025.

The WNBA had a record year in 2024, powered by the arrival of Iowa superstar Caitlin Clark and LSU's NCAA champion Angel Reese, as well as the title run of major market franchise, New York Liberty. The Liberty's WNBA title was coach Brondello's second championship.

2024 WNBA By The Numbers (WNBA.com)

• Most-Watched WNBA Regular Season on ESPN Platforms Ever
• Set Single-Game Attendance Record and Highest Total Attendance in 22 Years –
• All-Time Records for Digital Consumption and Merchandise Sales –

VIEWERSHIP: The WNBA attracted an all-time record of more than 54 million unique viewers across ABC, CBS, ESPN, ESPN2, ION and NBA TV. A record 22 regular-season game telecasts averaged at least one million viewers. It was the most-viewed regular season ever across ESPN platforms with an average of 1.19 million viewers, a 170% increase from last season. The 2024 season featured the top seven most-watched WNBA games ever on ESPN, the two most-watched WNBA games ever on ABC (2.23 million, Seattle Storm at Indiana Fever on August 18, 2024; 1.71 million, Indiana Fever at New York Liberty on May 18, 2024; and the most-watched WNBA game ever on ESPN2 (2.12 million, Indiana Fever at Connecticut Sun on May 14).

CBS Sports delivered its most-watched regular season ever with an average of 1.10 million viewers, up 86% from last year, as well as the most-streamed season ever on Paramount+. CBS had its five most-watched games ever, led by 2.25 million viewers for the Chicago Sky (Reese) at Indiana Fever (Clark) on June 16, 2024.

NBA TV more than quadrupled its viewership from 2023 and had its 13 most-watched WNBA games ever, topped by the Las Vegas Aces at Indiana Fever on September 11, 2024 (678,000 viewers).

ATTENDANCE: The WNBA had its highest total attendance in 22 years (2,353,735), up 48% from last season. The league’s 154 sellouts marked a 242% increase from last season (45). The WNBA averaged 9,807 fans per game, up 48% from last season (6,615 fans). The Indiana Fever vs. Washington Mystics matchup on September 19, 2024 at Capital One Arena set a WNBA single-game attendance record of 20,711.  It was one of three games to draw at least 20,000 fans this season, along with 20,366 for Indiana vs. Las Vegas on July 2 and 20,333 for Indiana vs. Washington on June 7.‍

Indiana Fever total home attendance of 340,715 fans was a single-season record for a WNBA team, surpassing the previous home attendance record of 250,565 set by New York in 2001 in 16 games. All 12 WNBA teams enjoyed at least double-digit year-over-year growth in attendance this season, led by Indiana (+319%), Los Angeles (+69%) and New York (+64%).

MERCHANDISE: WNBA merchandise sales both online at WNBAStore.com and the flagship location in New York City were up a combined 601% from 2023. In addition, merchandise sales at Dick’s Sporting Goods increased by 233% compared to last season.‍

INTERNATIONAL INTEREST: With the next generation of players from around the world playing in the WNBA, the league is making strides to improve the accessibility of games in different regions. Opening-night rosters featured 34 international players, including Australia, from 19 countries outside of the United States.
WNBA games aired or streamed in 207 countries and territories. New international distribution deals for the 2024 season included the UK (TNT Sports), Taiwan (Videoland), China (OPG), Brazil (YouTube) and the Philippines (TapDMV).

Sandy Brondello's legacy

Australian Opals head coach Sandra Brondello, the 56-year-old Australian basketball icon, has made significant contributions to the sport as both a player and coach, shaping the landscape of women's basketball not only in Australia but globally.

Brondello's remarkable career spans the entire spectrum of basketball excellence — from her days as a sharp-shooting guard to her role as one of the most respected coaches in the game, and two-time WNBA champion.

Her journey embodies the evolution of women's basketball over the past three decades, and her ongoing contributions continue to shape the future of the sport.

Portions of this article have been republished with the permission of Code Sports Basketball.