Women's basketball is experiencing a magical time.
The 2024 NCAA Women’s Final featuring Dawn Staley's undefeated South Carolina Gamecocks taking down the transcendent Caitlin Clark and Iowa averaged 18.7 million viewers, and for the first time eclipsed the Men’s Final for the number of viewers.
The 2024 WNBA Draft drew a record 2.45 million viewers, which is four times more than last year. Clark was the No. 1 overall pick for the Indiana Fever. Other big personalities, like former LSU rebounding marvel Angel Reese going to the Chicago Sky, helped attract a boatload of viewers.
So when the Dallas Wings and the city of Dallas announced a probable move to the city in 2026 this week, there were some news stations guilty of running highlights of Caitlin Clark to accompany the story. Such a decision might indicate some believe Dallas wooing the Wings to town had something to do with Clark’s burgeoning fame. But the timing simply doesn't add up.
"These conversations have been ongoing for the better part of two years," explained Dallas Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb to KRLD. "Really about two years ago, was the first time we got together when mayor (Eric) Johnson and city leadership outlined, previewed their vision for the city of Dallas, the convention center district, and how they wanted the Wings to be a part of it."
Bibb knows Clark is making a gigantic impact on the WNBA, and women's basketball as a whole, but emphasized the team's trajectory toward growth had already been set in motion.
"Listen. I’m Caitlin Clark’s biggest fan...she has certainly helped ignite the growth that we're experiencing," Bibb said. "She has done a tremendous amount of good for our sport and will continue to do so. But as we previously discussed, these conversations have been ongoing for the better part of two years...long before most of the world was tuning in to see Caitlin Clark hit logo threes."
The Dallas Wings are already coming off their best season in team history. The team finished 22-18 in 2023 and won a first-round playoff series against the Atlanta Dream, before falling in the WNBA semifinals to the eventual champion Las Vegas Aces.
The Wings' growth trajectory doesn't seem to be slowing down, evidenced by the staggering increase in ticket sales and overall community engagement.
"Our season tickets year to date are up 173%," Bibb said. That number reflected a sellout in season ticket memberships, by the way. And the enthusiasm extends beyond seasonal tickets as individual ticket sales have skyrocketed by 1,221%.
Bibb said the team's May 3 preseason game against Clark and the Indiana Fever is sold out. The regular season opener on May 15 against the Chicago Sky is sold out. And many more Wings home games are close to selling out.
"Last summer was a record-setting summer for us. Now this year, we will break all those records, but our business has been growing for some time," Bibb added. "Caitlin Clark and all the fandom and attention and engagement she's bringing to the sport certainly helps, but it is not a new phenomenon."
The Dallas City Council on Wednesday approved a resolution for the Dallas Wings to play in the city. The measure is a 15-year use agreement for the Wings to play at Dallas Memorial Auditorium, which is attached to the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. The agreements are near completion and will require approval from the WNBA. But Bibb is extremely confident the move will happen.
As for the physical move to Memorial Auditorium, while the city holds the reins, Bibb confirmed that the Wings would have essential input.
"We will have a seat at that table," he assured, stressing their commitment to ensuring the venue meets world-class standards for athletes and fans alike. He promised diverse amenities and experiences regardless of the ticket price, maintaining that "whether you spend $200 on a ticket or $20 on a ticket, you’re going to feel like you’re part of the action."
All in all, there's a lot to look forward to whether you've been a Wings fan since they moved to North Texas from Tulsa, or if you're new to following the hometown WNBA team.
“It is an unbelievable growth trajectory for the Wings, but not just the Wings. The WNBA, this is happening all across their league, and then women’s sports in general," Bibb said.
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