Paige Buecker’s draft entry creates various opportunities for new WNBA sponsors

The GIST: The hype around projected No. 1 WNBA Draft pick Paige Bueckers is reminiscent of last year’s frenzy around aforementioned Fever star Caitlin Clark. Her entry into the league spurred spending around the Fever, the W, and Clark herself, and it seems the same is expected for Bueckers and her potential landing place, the Dallas Wings. Score.

The precedent: Leaguewide, Clark drove the WNBA’s highest game attendance and viewership in years, which encouraged brands to sponsor her home team. The Fever led the W in brand partnerships (up 43% YoY) and saw a 415% jump in its social media following.

• Two weeks after the draft, Indiana-based pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly committed to a multiyear jersey patch deal, which drove the $8.1M the brand earned in sponsor media value (SMV) last season. Two weeks after that, FanDuel became the team’s official sportsbook partner, and Cheez-It signed as its first official snack.

The future: Like those Fever deals, sponsors will likely partner with whichever team drafts Bueckers, which should be the Dallas Wings. Bueckers is already banking her own personal deals like Ally’s extensive WNBA partnership that adds Bueckers to its Team Ally roster.

• Ally — which associates Bueckers with financial literacy and education after her recent Intuit deal — is also rolling out a 30-second ad starring Bueckers during the draft broadcast. The bank plans to air the ad as close to today’s draft pick announcement as possible in order to maximize their launch momentum.

• Plus, it was reported yesterday that Bueckers is signing a three-year deal with Unrivaled where she’ll make more in year one than her first four WNBA seasons.

Zooming out: Like Clark, Bueckers is expected to drive more partners to activate around the W, but not every deal will focus on around Bueckers specifically. Her arrival is set to uplift both Dallas and her fellow players, as the increased spotlight on the W will introduce brands to other athletes that suit their campaigns.

• Last year, 155 brands from 27 different categories activated in the W, with 70% YoY growth from cosmetic and skincare brands. Everyone wants to win over WNBA fans, making it more important to carve out dedicated space to stand out from the crowd whether it’s at the draft, at All-Star Weekend, or during Ally’s new Rivals Week. Squabble up.