Basketball has never really been shown through a female lens, and the WNBA had the authority and platform to finally make it happen.
In 2025, if you’re still not paying attention to women’s sports, you can see yourself out. From the (quite literal) atmospheric ascendance of individual athletes like Simone Biles, A’Ja Wilson, Sha’Carri Richardson, and Trinity Rodman, to the continued success and growth of our domestic women’s professional sports leagues such as the NWSL and WNBA, women’s sports are finally reaching the heights in our culture that its athletes deserve. It’s long, long overdue.
The success of these athletes, teams, franchises, and leagues hinges upon far more than what goes down on the field or court. Just like in any industry, investment, marketing, advertising, design, and branding all play a massive role in reflecting and bolstering what the athletes are accomplishing in games. I’ve already written at length about both missteps and achievements made in the women’s sport branding space, highlighting the WNBA as the trailblazer.
But, of course, it’s been a long journey for the WNBA to get to where it is today. The current prestige of the WNBA is the culmination of years and years of work—previously flying under the radar and under-supported. The modern-day position of the WNBA in our culture is, first and foremost, a reflection of the players on the court, but also a testament to the branding work the league sought out a few years back from the strategy and design company SYLVAIN. Below, Merideth Bogard, partner of strategy, and Ilana Bondell, senior director of strategy at SYLVAIN, reflect on their branding work for the WNBA. (Interview lightly edited for length and clarity).
What was the brief the WNBA came to you with for this rebrand? What were their top goals?
Today, everyone’s talking about the WNBA. But what some have called “meteoric” success has actually been years in the making. Let’s take a step back.
The WNBA used to live in the shadow of the NBA, often met with skepticism and indifference. When SYLVAIN first started working with the league, Black-ish had recently aired an episode with a quip, joking, “God is everywhere! Except WNBA games. Nobody goes to those.” Despite excellence in women’s professional basketball, the WNBA wasn’t breaking through with mainstream fans.
The league came to us with a bold challenge: How do you re-envision a women’s professional sports league to connect with fans and deliver long-term profitability? Of course, they sought to drive fans to games, but most importantly, they wanted the brand to seize its rightful place in culture.
What was the ideation process like for your team to develop the direction you landed on?
First, we got inspired. We spent time getting to know the players, who are at the heart of the league. We were moved by their strength and power on and off the court. We then identified a new design target of future fans— socially active, culturally engaged, and deeply influential women of color and their allies. While they weren’t “traditional” basketball fans, they were ready to back game-changing women who were bigger than the ball. We visited their communities, hosting co-creation sessions that ultimately unlocked a range of creative territories. This guided our ideation as we explored the full potential of the brand. We consistently reconnected with players throughout this process to ensure their voices were integral in guiding the brand and its expression in the world.
Can you walk me through the decision-making behind the design, visuals, look, and feel of the rebrand? What were the considerations around the color palette, typography, and overall visual tone?
The previous WNBA brand identity was a powerful metaphor for how many players felt muted and misrepresented. For the rebrand, we designed for girls and women who never really see themselves, their style, or their perspective represented in basketball imagery and content. Basketball has never really been shown through a female lens, and the WNBA had the authority and platform to finally make it happen.
The rebrand brought a new logo woman that takes up more space— she’s literally broken free of her previous box. She was designed to represent an idea and an ethos— the power of women, optimism, hard work, progress. Her realistic body form, with her hair up in a bun, better represented how players saw themselves on the court. She’s in movement, with her face looking up to the sky.
In tandem, a new all-caps custom typeface was created (by Hélène Marian) that stretched and moved to also take up space, with a vibrant new color palette that was expansive and distinctive, both fierce and fresh. From a new brand voice that was of the culture to authentic storytelling, the intent was to reflect the players as the powerhouses they are. It worked— see the iconic orange hoodie.
“Make Way” was born from a fundamental truth: It was time for the WNBA and its players to own who they are and redefine basketball on their terms.
How did you land on the ”Make Way” tagline? What message do you intend this simple yet powerful phrase to communicate?
“Make Way” was born from a fundamental truth: It was time for the WNBA and its players to own who they are and redefine basketball on their terms. For too long, they thrived in spaces too small for their greatness. It was time for a new kind of basketball. A kind that holds space, not just for the players and their game, but for all that they are: skilled players, dynamic women, champions of culture.
“Make Way” was a call to action. It needed culture to make space for its power. We wanted it to be more than just a tagline— it had to feel like the start of a movement, signaling a shift toward a league that is unapologetically itself and demands the respect it has always deserved.
It was clear that the business model of the league wasn’t broken or flawed; the players, their spirit, and excellence of the game just needed a better platform to connect with fans.
Your team was also instrumental in developing a new business vision and growth strategy for the organization. Can you shed more light on those aspects of the project and your involvement in the WNBA’s larger strategy?
The key question on our minds was: How should this business and brand shift for success? The core challenge centered on a question of how the WNBA should transform to make it work in a world where it didn’t seem to quite fit. In actuality, we worked with the league to reaffirm that the WNBA didn’t need to change who it was. It didn’t need to transform. The WNBA needed to be given the space to own who it had always been. This is where we focused our efforts.
It was clear that the business model of the league wasn’t broken or flawed; the players, their spirit, and excellence of the game just needed a better platform to connect with fans. This meant key elements like the bolder identity, a more human tone of voice, a sharper approach to social and content, and culturally relevant partnerships that aligned with the league’s values. The impact of these changes is evidenced in part by the league’s increased resonance and growth: raising $75M in a first-ever funding round, valuing the entire league at $1B— the largest ever capital raise for a women’s sports property. Games now see 170% more viewers, with average viewership topping 1M in 2024. And perhaps most importantly, the WNBA players got their own version of a love letter to basketball.
What aspect of this project are you proudest of?
This rebrand wasn’t just about a new look— it sparked a fundamental shift in how the WNBA operates and shows up in the world. It’s been amazing to see the league take action, to stand behind its mission and values— from a new, historic WNBA Collective Bargaining Agreement to the WNBA Social Justice Council to the WNBA Changemaker Collective. We feel a sense of pride every time a new, like-minded partner like Nike, Google, Glossier, or SKIMS doubles down and stands with the league.
This rebrand wasn’t just about a new look— it sparked a fundamental shift in how the WNBA operates and shows up in the world.
And, above all, it’s been so moving to witness WNBA fandom take root in culture— seeing the arenas full of hyped-up, passionate fans, the chatter and exchange on social media. Not only have perceptions of the brand changed, but the WNBA has become a cultural phenomenon, proving that when a brand embraces who it truly is, it can create lasting change. The league has fully stepped into its power, and the impact is undeniable.
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