• The New York Times , Friday, June 9, 2006 11:30 AM

The National Basketball Association has decided that basketball is not just for male fans, and has launched a new marketing effort in an attempt to get more women to watch games. The new effort focuses on the players rather than the action on the court, underscoring the NBA's belief that women are more interested in the game's personalities than in the game itself. The campaign targets women 18-34, and encourages them not only to watch games--but also to talk about players and wear the jersey dresses, leather jackets, pink caps, and tank tops with Swarovski crystals. To reinforce the strategy during the NBA playoffs, which culminate with last night's start of the finals between the Dallas Mavericks and the Miami Heat, the league is advertising in several magazines--People, US, In Touch Weekly, and Entertainment Weeklyto stoke viewership among women. The goal to reach more women is supported in research that the N.B.A. has culled to demonstrate that women are the dominant consumer decision-makers, that basketball is the most popular team sport for girls and young women in the United States, and that TV viewership is growing for the National Collegiate Athletic Association women's basketball tournament.

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