WNBA announces partnership with Sylvain Labs

Photo Credit: Kirby Lee/USA Today Sports

With the 22nd WNBA regular season on the horizon, renewed attention is being given in the mainstream media – instead to the players, teams, coaches, and fans that will make rendition #22 one to remember – on the W’s negatives.

On the heels of NBA commissioner Adam Silver’s comments that the WNBA needs to fix its issues with marketing to young women, the W announced that it will partner with Sylvain Labs in working towards “long-term growth” and “new marketing opportunities.”

We are delighted to work with Sylvain Labs to help us meet these objectives and continue the WNBA’s growth for our 22nd season and beyond, with an increased emphasis on engaging a young female audience through rich storytelling.

–WNBA president Lisa Borders

The league’s press release mentions how the New York City-based Sylvain Labs has assisted companies in the past such as Nike, Google, and Samsung find new and innovative ways to market themselves.

Silver was not the only one who shined a new spotlight on the WNBA’s marketing status. Elena Delle Donne did so in a recent interview with ESPN’s Outside the Lines.

I just believe that young women haven’t seen us. And you can’t follow something that you haven’t seen.


–Elena Delle Donne

People know so much about the NBA guys off the court – about their style about their interests, about their wives, and all about their lives. But with us, you don’t know that, Seimone Augustus collects old cars. That’s a cool interest.

Cappie Pondexter, Stefanie Dolson, they’re huge into fashion. Like, huge. That’s something that for sure would connect with women our age.



By: Akiem Bailum (@AkiemBailum on Twitter, Instagram)