The WNBA has undoubtedly had a historic season with a devoted but largely new fan base breaking records in attendance, viewership, and curiosity. Most not too long ago, the WNBA playoffs have been incomes among the highest viewership numbers ever seen within the league’s post-season video games, per The New York Times. The eye has been thrilling, but in addition unveiled among the racism that continues to stain the sport.
At a post-conference interview following Sept. 25’s first-round playoff recreation, the place the Indiana Fever had been defeated by Connecticut Solar, Connecticut Solar ahead Alyssa Thomas expressed her sentiments concerning the racism and harassment that she and fellow gamers expertise. She referenced many feedback made on social media that exacerbate the difficulty. “In my 11-year profession, I’ve by no means skilled the racial feedback … I’ve by no means been referred to as the issues I’ve been referred to as on social media, and there’s no place for it,” Thomas stated, per ESPN. Thomas spoke candidly concerning the ache of these experiences and the way the WNBA wanted to do one thing to guard gamers; she additionally referred to as out the Indiana Fever group to examine its followers.
Thomas’s feedback prompted the WNBA to launch an announcement on Instagram stating that racism won’t be tolerated – main many commenters to ask what took the league so lengthy, given the truth that the gamers have been coping with and calling consideration to the vile rhetoric acquired all through all the season.
Moreover, earlier this month the WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert got here below hearth when she was referred to as out for not talking out concerning the racism the gamers have skilled. When requested concerning the fan rhetoric changing into extra racist, connecting it to what Angel Reese had been experiencing within the conversations concerning the Reese-Caitlin Clark rivalry, Engelbert’s response referred to it as “just a little of that Hen-Magic second.” She famous that “the one factor I find out about sports activities, you want rivalry. That’s what makes folks watch,” seemingly specializing in how athletic rivalries can profit the league, as experiences the Los Angeles Times. Following backlash, Engelbert issued a follow-up comment stating, “To be clear, there may be completely no place for hate or racism of any type within the WNBA or anyplace else.” However for a lot of gamers, it felt too little too late. New York Liberty ahead Breanna Stewart stated the commissioner’s phrases had been “disappointing to listen to,” based on AP News.
On Sept. 26 Reese, who had an incredible rookie season earlier than it was reduce brief as a result of harm, expressed feedback in assist of Thomas and different gamers who’re additionally experiencing the racism that she’s handled all season. “I’m sorry to all of the gamers which have/proceed to expertise the identical issues I’ve,” Reese wrote on X. It’s properly documented that Reese has received the most vile comments on the Internet, together with loss of life threats being made towards her. “For the previous 2 years, the media has benefited from my ache & me being villainized to create a story. They allowed this,” Reese shared, reflecting on how racism has been normalized inside the league.
For a recreation that’s experiencing historic development, the occasions of this previous season have been marred by the racist tropes and stereotypes which were skilled by the gamers, and noticed by the followers, coaches, and media who cowl the WNBA. Contemplating over 70 p.c of WNBA gamers are Black, ESPN experiences, it will likely be vital for the league to set a precedent and clear boundaries round what is suitable fan conduct. The league should emphasize that critiques that transcend a participant’s basketball recreation, that assault their racial identification, are unacceptable and have to be condemned, and there have to be penalties for followers who perpetrate them. Racism shouldn’t be excused or tolerated to advance income and ticket gross sales.
The WNBA has been a champion for variety, fairness, and inclusion efforts with a strong show of activism on social issues – however that was largely pushed by the Black ladies who make up the most important demographic inside the WNBA. The time is now for all the league, from the commissioner and house owners to the entrance workplace, to take a agency stand – to not solely shield its gamers but in addition to protect the way forward for its legacy. They need to take actions corresponding to instituting a costume coverage in sporting arenas that bans clothes with racist language, ejecting racist followers who hurl racism, and doing extra to average social media accounts, together with banning offending customers and cross-referencing their info with ticket-holders, simply to call a couple of.
It’s additionally vital for gamers who will not be experiencing these assaults to talk up and communicate out too, as usually one’s silence will be mistaken for permissiveness or acceptance.
What Reese, Thomas, and different gamers have skilled is really shameful and unacceptable. Racist, sexist, and discriminatory assaults don’t have any place in ladies’s basketball, and definitely won’t develop or advance the sport into the longer term. However, simply as with something in America, till we confront our ugly previous we can not study from it, change, and positively form our future. The following technology is watching this unfold, and what’s not stated or performed could have an immeasurable impression on the evolving fan base and the longer term success of the sport. So whereas the WNBA’s assertion could have come up brief and too late for a lot of, let’s hope it’s not the final time the league and those that run it communicate as much as shield its gamers. Above all, the gamers need to play in a protected setting that champions ladies and the game of basketball.
Ralinda Watts is an creator, variety professional, marketing consultant, practitioner, speaker, and confirmed thought chief who works on the intersection of race, identification, tradition, and justice. She has contributed to quite a few publications corresponding to PS, CBS Media, Medium, Yahoo Life, and the Los Angeles Instances.