It is so refreshingly understated. Makes you wonder how it ever became a marketing campaign here in the roaring 2000s. As was written in "Freakonomics," ideas must he bold to become conventional wisdom, or risk being ignored if they reek of restraint and nuance. But if you sit down Sunday to watch the NBA All-Star game, you'll see the debut of the WNBA's new campaign, "Basketball is Basketball." It is produced by NBA Entertainment, runs 30 seconds and is shrewd in its simplicity.

But if you sit down Sunday to watch the NBA All-Star game, you'll see the debut of the WNBA's new campaign, "Basketball is Basketball." It is produced by NBA Entertainment, runs 30 seconds and is shrewd in its simplicity.Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Becky Hammon, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter and Katie Smith speak to the skill and athleticism that elite players bring to professional basketball. Now read that again: the skill and athleticism that elite players bring to professional basketball. The point of the spot is to illustrate that the core attributes of both NBA and WNBA are the same.

Sue Bird, Diana Taurasi, Tamika Catchings, Becky Hammon, Candace Parker, Cappie Pondexter and Katie Smith speak to the skill and athleticism that elite players bring to professional basketball. Now read that again: the skill and athleticism that elite players bring to professional basketball. The point of the spot is to illustrate that the core attributes of both NBA and WNBA are the same."We've already gotten a great reaction from 'civilians,' some friends and acquaintances who have seen it," WNBA marketing director Hilary Shaev said Friday from Dallas, site of the all-star game. "Everybody loves it and gets it. All players at the top of their games. That's it."

"We've already gotten a great reaction from 'civilians,' some friends and acquaintances who have seen it," WNBA marketing director Hilary Shaev said Friday from Dallas, site of the all-star game. "Everybody loves it and gets it. All players at the top of their games. That's it."Even better, Shaev said, the idea's base involves the fans. She said that in past years, fans created videos of split-screen comparisons between WNBA and NBA players. Last summer, WNBA interns were charged with creating a marketing campaign, which became a blend of similar ideas. The new spot does not use a split screen, but offers a more constant flow of the ball.

Even better, Shaev said, the idea's base involves the fans. She said that in past years, fans created videos of split-screen comparisons between WNBA and NBA players. Last summer, WNBA interns were charged with creating a marketing campaign, which became a blend of similar ideas. The new spot does not use a split screen, but offers a more constant flow of the ball.Basketball is basketball.

Basketball is basketball.An estimated 6.5 million are going to see the spot, perhaps offering more awareness and education to basketball fans who don't watch the WNBA or the women's college game. It's doubtful the majority of the 6.5 million will buy it. But some will. And that's how the women's game grows: one household at a time. Think about how many households watched women's basketball in 1990 as compared to now.

An estimated 6.5 million are going to see the spot, perhaps offering more awareness and education to basketball fans who don't watch the WNBA or the women's college game. It's doubtful the majority of the 6.5 million will buy it. But some will. And that's how the women's game grows: one household at a time. Think about how many households watched women's basketball in 1990 as compared to now.Basketball is becoming the most coeducational sport in the country. There is no women's professional baseball, football or hockey on television. No other women's college sport is televised as much. And so that means basketball is the first sport that crosses the (Anthony) Mason-(Tamecka) Dixon line. No other women's sport has even been an option for the male-dominated sports watching viewership.

Basketball is becoming the most coeducational sport in the country. There is no women's professional baseball, football or hockey on television. No other women's college sport is televised as much. And so that means basketball is the first sport that crosses the (Anthony) Mason-(Tamecka) Dixon line. No other women's sport has even been an option for the male-dominated sports watching viewership.Even here in Connecticut, where women's basketball has its biggest, loudest fan base, there is plenty of anti-women's sentiment, whether for UConn, the Sun, or both. Plenty of men's basketball fans watch the women's game with disdain, picking at its shortcomings to fortify their own predispositions and prejudices. It's almost as though they resent their sports sections being clogged with this stuff, evidenced by the day in January when the UConn-Pitt men's game wasn't the lead story in any state sports section because the Sun and Lynx just completed the Lindsay Whalen/Renee Montgomery trade.

Even here in Connecticut, where women's basketball has its biggest, loudest fan base, there is plenty of anti-women's sentiment, whether for UConn, the Sun, or both. Plenty of men's basketball fans watch the women's game with disdain, picking at its shortcomings to fortify their own predispositions and prejudices. It's almost as though they resent their sports sections being clogged with this stuff, evidenced by the day in January when the UConn-Pitt men's game wasn't the lead story in any state sports section because the Sun and Lynx just completed the Lindsay Whalen/Renee Montgomery trade.Women's fans, too, are plenty proprietary about their game. They like to lecture how women play better "fundamental" basketball. This just in: Women's basketball is plagued by missed layups and turnovers. And it's not like all men do is dunk.

Women's fans, too, are plenty proprietary about their game. They like to lecture how women play better "fundamental" basketball. This just in: Women's basketball is plagued by missed layups and turnovers. And it's not like all men do is dunk.But that's what might make the WNBA's new campaign a hit. Basketball is basketball. It just might bring us all closer to the town green where we can share some ideas, rather than merely yelling damnation at one another. Of course, some people like yelling damnation. Free country.

But that's what might make the WNBA's new campaign a hit. Basketball is basketball. It just might bring us all closer to the town green where we can share some ideas, rather than merely yelling damnation at one another. Of course, some people like yelling damnation. Free country.And so we offer the same disclaimer as always: If you don't like women's basketball, don't watch it. If you think our paper, or other papers, cover women's basketball too much, read something else.

And so we offer the same disclaimer as always: If you don't like women's basketball, don't watch it. If you think our paper, or other papers, cover women's basketball too much, read something else. But if you happen to tune into the All-Star game today, watch for the WNBA's contribution. It's a fan-inspired new marketing campaign that proves in brevity, there is poetry. Basketball is basketball.

But if you happen to tune into the All-Star game today, watch for the WNBA's contribution. It's a fan-inspired new marketing campaign that proves in brevity, there is poetry. Basketball is basketball.This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.

This is the opinion of Day sports columnist Mike DiMauro.