Phoenix team owner sets new bar with $100 million facility for WNBA players
Phoenix Mercury owner Mat Ishbia unveiled their $100 million team facilities in July this season, named practice court after Diana Taurasi.
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Diana Taurasi and her Phoenix Mercury teammates enjoy the new $100 million team facilities owner Mat Ishbia built
Throughout the history of the WNBA, it has been a shadow of a league, especially in front of its bigger brother men’s league. While owners pumped millions into their NBA franchises, the women’s teams often were left with nothing. But Phoenix Mercury and Suns owner Mat Ishbia has started a change.
In December 2022, the billionaire paid $4 billion to purchase the two Phoenix-based franchises. He went to work early with the Suns, bringing in Kevin Durant. That set the tone for the franchise as it looked to win its first championship.
But he did not overlook the Phoenix Mercury and set about constructing facilities that were to be used by the WNBA squad only. Earlier this year, that $100 million project was complete. When ESPN’s Shams Charania asked why he poured so much money into the women’s team, Mat Ishbia stated why:
I don’t want to have the best facility in the WNBA or in the NBA. I want to have the best for a year and then someone else builds one. Let’s continue to rise up. You have to invest in something to have a chance. I want to set that standard and tone of what we’re trying to build, cause we are all in with the WNBA and the Mercury.
Mat Ishbia to Shams Charania
He named the main practice court after Mercury great Diana Taurasi. Along with that, his investment means the Mercury have the best facility in the WNBA. His intentions have caught the attention of everyone in basketball.
Mat Ishbia started his vision before the WNBA exploded
Recently the Dallas Wings and the Los Angeles Sparks drew up plans to develop their own facilities. With the landmark media rights deal set to start after next season, WNBA teams will now have the funds to provide their players with such facilities.
The transformation the league underwent last season, thanks to the stellar rookie class featuring Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and others will also spur owners to bring changes. The next generation of college stars such as Paige Bueckers, JuJu Watkins and others are already creating significant buzz. Therefore, these investments will be justified.
Caitlin Clark managed to draw millions of viewers to the league. If more talented players can come in and help continue the transformation, it should not be long before the value of WNBA franchises blow up. Many investment groups have already foreseen this taking place.
This is why the league has received numerous applications for expansion teams. That was unheard of prior to this explosion of interest. All of this makes Mat Ishbia a pioneer, who thought about creating these facilities before the transformation started.
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Joseph Varghese
(2353 Articles Published)