Before what can only be described as a rant, some business.
First up: Rutger from Stuttgart, the next chapter in my novel, the lucky 13th. This may be the most explosive yet: How does a mostly gay man end up with 3 children, one being named Rutger? In the mid-1960s, no less? You’ll have to read nearly 3,000 words to find out, or you can start from the very beginning:
Next: Tomorrow, Julie and I begin a two week house- and dog-sitting stint for some friends with a Diamond Certified retirement home in Del Boca VistaSun City, northeast of Sacramento. For those interested in such things, Sun City in California opened in 1962 and was the second of Del Webb’s 55+ retirement communities, the first being the confusingly named Sun City in Arizona opened a year or two earlier.
And like Arizona, it is indeed sunny in Sun City; here’s our first week’s forecast.
For those familiar with the weather in my beloved SF now and who followed my shenanigans from Palm Springs in 2021, you’ll understand why we’re completely jacked for this trip. Except in Sun City, our friends have a hot tub, in addition to a pool, and it’s directly on the golf course. Did I mention they just completed a to-the-studs remodel and the home is an f-ing showplace?
But why let all of those great vibes spoil some cynicism? As in:
Must I have the WNBA shoved down my throat?
My typical disclaimer: If you interpret my question to mean I am opposed in any way to equal rights for women, you may be suffering from a sickness. That sickness is called Psycho Woke.
And for the record, I also don’t like hype, whatever its gender or race. And the WNBA is now going into the red zone in terms of false excitement.
With that out of the way, I am going to share a dirty little secret: men and women are different. This may be news to some, but women are built differently and do certain things better than men.
Indeed, here is a list perplexity.ai, in research mode, gave me when asked to list things women do better than men (I’ve retained the links to the underlying research used by perplexity.ai for those that would like to go deeper):
Women tend to excel over men in several areas, supported by scientific studies and research:
Learning and Academic Performance: Women generally have a better approach to learning, showing greater attentiveness, task persistence, flexibility, and organization, which helps them perform better academically125.
Multitasking: Women are better at handling multiple tasks simultaneously, demonstrating superior cognitive control in planning, monitoring, and inhibition15.
Pain Tolerance: Women have a higher pain tolerance, as demonstrated by studies like the MythBusters ice water test where women endured pain longer than men15.
Immune System Strength: Women have stronger immune systems, partly due to estrogen blocking enzymes that cause inflammation, leading to better health and longevity125.
Investing and Financial Management: Women tend to be more cautious and long-term oriented investors, often achieving better returns than men145.
Stress Handling: Women cope better with stress, including stressful situations like job interviews, partly due to higher oxytocin levels25.
Memory: Women have better memory retention over short and long periods5.
Sensory Perception: Women have a more finely tuned ability to distinguish colors, scents, and sounds35.
Emotional Openness and Affection: Women are generally more emotionally open and physically affectionate with friends3.
Driving and Safety: Women are safer drivers, with fewer accidents and fatalities, leading to lower insurance premiums5.
Leadership and Management: Women often make better leaders and managers due to superior listening, mentoring, problem-solving, and multitasking skills45.
Finding Lost Items: Women are better at spatial navigation using landmarks, helping them find misplaced objects more effectively35.
Better Doctors and Police Officers: Studies indicate female doctors adhere more closely to guidelines and female police officers excel in communication and negotiation5.
Longevity: Women live longer on average than men, partly due to stronger immune systems and better health management13.
But do you know what women can’t do as well as men?
Play basketball.
And yes, that includes the sainted/anointed/deified Caitlin Clark and her designated antagonist, Angel Reese. And while I absolutely understand the quality of the women’s game has been improving steadily, it is not at the level of the NBA, nor is it likely to ever be.
And that’s creating a problem.
Because of course the players in the WNBA should be treated as well as their counterparts in the NBA. That includes things like much higher pay than before, real training facilities, chartered vs. commercial flights, and better hotels on the road. If women are going to be encouraged to do something, it must be fair.
But that’s the rub: Doing so costs money. A lot of money, and the fact is, the WNBA doesn’t generate much. And while that may change to a degree with some new TV deals in 2026, they have an incredible amount of ground to make up, at least relative to the NBA:
Revenues, 2023, WNBA: $200 Million
Revenues, 2023, NBA: $10 - $13 Billion
A reminder that the WNBA is primarily owned by the NBA, and they subsidize their losses. Is there anything comparable in the rest of sports?
So is it a stretch to imagine some smart person at NBA HQ saying, “Hey, why don’t we use our marketing and branding power and leverage with the TV networks to make the WNBA a thing? Maybe lose less money?
“And holy shit, we have Caitlin Clark now!”
Fair enough, and I am sincerely happy that women professional basketball players are being treated properly. And yes, I see the chicken and the egg aspect of this, too: How can the league (founded in 1996) grow if it doesn’t receive exposure?
But judging by what our local WNBA team, San Francisco’s Golden State Valkyries, is offering, it’s going to be expensive. The cheapest, even marginally acceptable seat (yet still way, way up high, in the second bowl) is $70, and anything in the lower bowl is $300 or more - a lot more.
That’s way too much for a WNBA game, so I think I’ll pass and buy a $20 ticket to see my Giants play baseball next door at Oracle Park. Or watch the NBA playoffs on TV?
I am not sure of the correct answer to this problem, but how about this:
Not everything that can be marketed and sold should be.
Or: If women can play basketball at a level that draws a large enough audience such that their league can be independently successful, I’d be as happy as anyone. But that’s not the case, and instead we’re getting the NBA’s marketing engine firing on all cylinders, to convince us that America and the world needs the WNBA.
But after 28 years, wouldn’t we know that by now? Should women’s professional sports be subsidized, even privately?
Have a great weekend, and by Monday, I will be able to answer the important question: How are my poolside Daiquiris?
FROM THE UNWASHED MASSES
If I knew writing about my wife would garner so much interest, I would have done it sooner. Clearly, many can relate.
From a future Mother of the Year, Nicki Belgium:
I guess I take after Julie, I double-check the locked door every night!
