WNBA gamers and their union spoke out towards Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s latest feedback on a TV present that didn’t condemn racist and bitter criticism from followers towards the Caitlin Clark-Angel Reese rivalry.
Engelbert made an look on CNBC’s “Energy Lunch” on Monday and was requested by anchor Tyler Mathisen about what he known as the “darker” tone taken by fan bases on social media that brings race and typically sexuality into the dialog.
“How do you attempt to keep forward of that, attempt to tamp it down or act as a league when two of your most seen gamers are concerned — not personally, it will appear, however their fan bases are concerned — in saying some very uncharitable issues concerning the different?” Mathisen requested.
Engelbert responded by saying, “There’s no extra apathy. All people cares. It’s a little of that Hen-Magic second in the event you recall from 1979, when these two rookies got here in from an enormous faculty rivalry, one white, one Black. And so we’ve got that second with these two.
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“However the one factor I find out about sports activities, you want rivalry. That’s what makes folks watch. They need to watch video games of consequence between rivals. They don’t need all people being good to 1 one other.”
WNBPA govt director Terri Jackson issued a press release Tuesday disagreeing with Engelbert’s feedback.
“Right here is the reply that the Commissioner ought to have offered to the very clear query relating to the racism, misogyny, and harassment skilled by the Gamers: There’s completely no place in sport — or in life — for the vile hate, racist language, homophobic feedback, and the misogynistic assaults our gamers are going through on social media,” the assertion mentioned.
The union assertion went on to say that fandom ought to “carry up the sport, not tear down the very individuals who deliver it to life.”
Engelbert clarified her preliminary remarks on social media late Tuesday evening, writing, “To be clear, there may be completely no place for hate or racism of any type within the WNBA or anyplace else.”
Clark and Reese have introduced new consideration to the WNBA this season with attendance and scores hovering. The pair have been rivals on the court docket since their faculty days when LSU topped Iowa within the nationwide championship sport in 2023.
Union vp Breanna Stewart was upset in Engelbert’s preliminary feedback.
“To be sincere, I noticed the interview right this moment, and have been in talks with Terri on the WNBPA,” Stewart mentioned after a win over the Dallas Wings. “I believe that it’s type of disappointing to listen to as a result of the way in which that the followers have surged, particularly behind Caitlin and Angel coming to this league, but in addition bringing, like, a race facet, to a special stage.
“And you already know, there’s no place for that in our sport. I believe that’s actually what it’s. We wish our sport to be inclusive for race, for gender, and actually a spot the place folks will be themselves. So we want, clearly, Cathy would have used her platform otherwise, and have made that just a little bit higher, type of simply telling the followers sufficient is sufficient.”
