Scoop: Athletes Unlimited hoops league will return to Nashville
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Kia Nurse goes up for a shot during an Athletes Unlimited game. Photo: Mary Kate Ridgway/courtesy of Athletes Unlimited
The Athletes Unlimited Pro Basketball league reached a multi-year deal to continue playing in Nashville.
Why it matters: Athletes Unlimited gives fans the chance to see some of the best women's pro basketball players in the world.
What they're saying: Athletes Unlimited CEO and co-founder Jon Patricof tells Axios that encouraging community support and strong attendance inspired the league to return to Nashville.
- "The season has far exceeded our expectations," Patricof says. "We're talking about really big improvements and growth over what we've seen in the prior year."
By the numbers: The season is ongoing, but organizers say attendance for games at Municipal Auditorium is projected to be up 77% compared with last season in Dallas.
- Season ticket sales are up 260%. Merchandise sales and social media engagement are up as well.
Zoom out: Nancy VanReece, a former Metro Council member and current auditorium board member, tells Axios she's encouraged to hear the league created 906 seasonal jobs.
- She says the auditorium board "is beyond thrilled to have been able to see both the incredible community gathered in our space and important seasonal employment for our treasured hospitality industry."
Between the lines: Athletes Unlimited is a professional league featuring players from the WNBA and Olympic squads. Alysha Clark, who played for Mt. Juliet High followed by Belmont and Middle Tennessee State, is one of the local stars participating in the Athletes Unlimited league this season.
- Athletes Unlimited uses a creative approach that tracks players' individual performances, kind of like a fantasy hoops.
What's next: The success of Athletes Unlimited comes at the same time a local ownership group is seeking to bring a WNBA expansion franchise to Nashville. The support is another sign of Nashville's appetite for women's pro sports.
- "Now having this relationship (with Nashville) in place allows us to build on that for the long term," Patricof says. "We have fans coming from the region and the country and we will now have the runway to begin those efforts to market, promote the upcoming season and also build deeper relationships."
If you go: The season concludes Sunday and tickets are still available for the final round of games.