Race relations in the WNBA

[kidrobinski]

I'm calling it like it is. You're right, she's taken over basketball even though she's not the best player by any means. Are you going to address the elephant in the room as to why that is? Was anyone outraged when Breanna Stewart won MVP as a white woman? No, because it was deserved. She's absolutely elevated the profile of the league, but why her & not who is maybe the best player in league history (A'ja)?

CC doesn't play basketball as a black-white thing, she plays it as a human thing. She's entertaining to watch. She's a marketable person. She's easy on the psyche. I had to look up who Breanna Stewart is. I would hazard a guess that were she not a former gamecock I would have to do the same for A'ja, as would most other people.

 

[JohnnySolo]

So why was there pushback to begin with for Tiger?

I don’t answer rhetorical questions.

 

[Forkcock]

The WNBA has a marketing problem.

 

[vacock]

The WNBA has a marketing problem.

Yeah, women don’t want to watch it.

 

[JohnnySolo]

Maybe like supergirl? Take an original idea and copy it for women. Doesn’t always work.

 

[CoachX90]

CC doesn't play basketball as a black-white thing, she plays it as a human thing. She's entertaining to watch. She's a marketable person. She's easy on the psyche. I had to look up who Breanna Stewart is. I would hazard a guess that were she not a former gamecock I would have to do the same for A'ja, as would most other people.

Noone plays from a racial standpoint. Who said that? I'm asking what makes her more marketable or palatable to the masses? Also, some of us are basketball fans in general & know the best players

 

[CoachX90]

I don’t answer rhetorical questions.

So you acknowledge that there's unfair treatment in terms of public perception and media coverage?

 

[adcoop]

So you acknowledge that there's unfair treatment in terms of public perception and media coverage?

As a player, I would be embarrassed that Congress would feel the need to step in and protect me from the other players playing hard against me. With that said, Clark and the Fever have been playing better lately. Most of their good play has been at home. They still need to prove that they can be a more consistent team on the road.

 

[Piscis]

As a player, I would be embarrassed that Congress would feel the need to step in and protect me from the other players playing hard against me. With that said, Clark and the Fever have been playing better lately. Most of their good play has been at home. They still need to prove that they can be a more consistent team on the road.

Politicians need to stop feeling the need to get involved in every aspect of life. Let the market decide if Clark is being abused or if the WNBA survives or if college athletes can transfer and/or get paid. I don't watch any of the WNBA, so I don't care that it is a joke. I can choose to watch or not watch and to pay or not pay for college sports.

The problem lies in 24 hour news coverage and social media.

 

[DannyTree1]

The WNBA has a marketing problem.

The 2026 WNBA season has seen record-breaking TV ratings, led by the Indiana Fever–Las Vegas Aces game on July 12, 2026, which averaged 2.64 million viewers and peaked at 2.8 million — the most‑watched WNBA game of the season.​

The 2026 season has produced historic audience growth across multiple networks.

 

[Forkcock]

The 2026 WNBA season has seen record-breaking TV ratings, led by the Indiana Fever–Las Vegas Aces game on July 12, 2026, which averaged 2.64 million viewers and peaked at 2.8 million — the most‑watched WNBA game of the season.​

The 2026 season has produced historic audience growth across multiple networks.

The Aces were good before Caitlin Clark joined the league and no one knew who Aja Wilson was. Yes, the WNBA has experienced growth in spite of their terrible marketing.

 

[kidrobinski]

The Aces were good before Caitlin Clark joined the league and no one knew who Aja Wilson was. Yes, the WNBA has experienced growth in spite of their terrible marketing.

And that growth ain’t due to the Aces.

 

[adcoop]

And that growth ain’t due to the Aces.

Thanks for the growth, but can the focus return to basketball now? Let Clark and all the other players play basketball and let the floor prove who the standouts are. No more talking about crowd size and commercial planes. All this emotional BS over one player is not good for the game either. She can't play by herself.

 

[Thunderstick]

I don’t know adcoop I’ve seen about 3 yrs worth of hip checks,blindsides,eye pokes,on Clark that I just don’t see on other players.I don’t know if there is a racial angle,a sex orientation angle or just plain ole jealousy but something is happening.
My solution is just don’t care to watch.Terrible unexciting brand of basketball.
i’ll stick to watching Dawn and her team for my allotment of women’s basketball.

It's racial.

 

[Thunderstick]

Of what? Kennedy Carter in Year 1. Dijonai Carrington poke in the eye in the playoffs of Year 1. Jacy Sheldon and Marina Mabrey in Year 2 (Both are White by the way. What is their problem?) and this. So, 4 incidents in her 3rd Year. None of which have been really that serious and there is a large body of evidence? Remember who you are talking to here. I actually watch the games. When it comes to the Fever, all of them because of Boston and now Raven being on the team. You are cherry-picking plays to confirm whatever bias you have. That is easy to do if you are not going to watch the games. All you know is the 4 plays I described. What about the thousands of other routine plays where nothing is going on but a basketball game.

It's overt racism.

 

[Lurker123]

It's overt racism.

Don't forget, shes straight too. There's room for all sorts of prejudices against that Clark lady.

 

[atl-cock]

WNBA is a lot like WWE wrestling. It seems to be all about personalities and manufactured "good" and "bad" guys.

I guess they have to have something to keep interest up. The play is so bad it surely won't keep fans tuned in.

Sounds like the NFL from the 1960s.

 

[DannyTree1]

The Aces were good before Caitlin Clark joined the league and no one knew who Aja Wilson was. Yes, the WNBA has experienced growth in spite of their terrible marketing.

I think the ratings growth would outweigh any concern the WNBA and tv execs have about the subjective opinions of the quality of their marketing.

 

[CreekSnake]

All of this stuff draws attention to the WNBA.Whether that translates into long term fans remains to be seen.No doubt CC has drawn more eyeball to the telecast but how many have turned into true WNBA fans and how many are Caitlin fans.We won’t know till she is no longer around.

 

[Lurker123]

All of this stuff draws attention to the WNBA.Whether that translates into long term fans remains to be seen.No doubt CC has drawn more eyeball to the telecast but how many have turned into true WNBA fans and how many are Caitlin fans.We won’t know till she is no longer around.

They do certainly seem to foster the drama, thinking that brings attention.

 

[Lurker123]

I think the ratings growth would outweigh any concern the WNBA and tv execs have about the subjective opinions of the quality of their marketing.

I think they dont really care, because like the past 30 years, they have the NBA paying their way.

If they had to stand on their own, I think that marketing would suddenly become very important.

 

[adcoop]

It's racial.

How many games have you sat down and actually watched? I have watched every game that Caitlin has played in the WNBA. .....and there have been about four fouls that you could call flagrant in three years. Only two of those would I say were intentional. One of those was by Chennedy Carter who doesn't even have a WNBA job right now. I bet you don't know why a player as talented as Carter does not have a job. She is a head case that has been cut by about 4 teams. She has even threatened to kill one of her teammates and she was Black. Any player or fan that knows anything about the WNBA could have told Caitlin to leave Chennedy alone. However, Caitlin, being oblivious to who she was talking to, talks crap to Chennedy and you know what happens next. Chennedy is just cray cray and she will attack the Black players. The one by Alyssa Thomas was most likely intentional and she was rightly suspended, but it wasn't an out of the ordinary play. It's a big asserting her physical dominance on a small after Caitlin had pushed her in the back the night before. Happens in basketball games nightly on every level. Finally, you guys are going on about getting poked in the eye? Another common occurrence in basketball. Why did Kareem wear goggles? James Worthy? Anthony Davis? They did it because they were getting constantly poked in the eyes. I understand that most of you guys don't watch the games. That's okay. People like what they like. However, don't just lie on a group of girls over a couple clips because you find it expedient to a certain narrative.

 

[kidrobinski]

Saying that geese fly in formation is not a ‘narrative’, it’s a repetitive observation.

 

[DannyTree1]

How many games have you sat down and actually watched? I have watched every game that Caitlin has played in the WNBA. .....and there have been about four fouls that you could call flagrant in three years. Only two of those would I say were intentional. One of those was by Chennedy Carter who doesn't even have a WNBA job right now. I bet you don't know why a player as talented as Carter does not have a job. She is a head case that has been cut by about 4 teams.

People like what they like. However, don't just lie on a group of girls over a couple clips because you find it expedient to a certain narrative.

I barely watch the NBA or WNBA. I will watch a clip or two on the news- maybe. I don't sit down and watch games and barely watch college basketball games outside of our women's team because we are so good I enjoy the wins. It's fun that we are likely going to beat the mess out of almost everyone we play. I am spoiled and I know one day this run will end and I am enjoying it as much as I can.

But I don't sit around whining about the WNBA or players, or coaches.

People get an idea in their head and no amount of video, reality, facts, etc will change the narrative they have set up in their minds, even when people who watch the game religiously and follow it closely tell them they are way off base.

 

[Lurker123]

People get an idea in their head and no amount of video, reality, facts, etc will change the narrative they have set up in their minds,

It would have served you to keep reading the thread before replying that. Since it was posted:

"Saying that geese fly in formation is not a ‘narrative’, it’s a repetitive observation."

But I understand you dont like to acknowledge something that doesnt fit your narrative.

 

[kidrobinski]

People get an idea in their head and no amount of video, reality, facts, etc will change the narrative they have set up in their minds, even when people who watch the game religiously and follow it closely tell them they are way off base.

Problem with that is broadcasters, former women players, men players, former men players, and other public figures, some of whom DO at least watch albeit maybe not religiously, see the same thing the ‘idea in head’ folks see. Because its there.

 

[Thunderstick]

How many games have you sat down and actually watched? I have watched every game that Caitlin has played in the WNBA. .....and there have been about four fouls that you could call flagrant in three years. Only two of those would I say were intentional. One of those was by Chennedy Carter who doesn't even have a WNBA job right now. I bet you don't know why a player as talented as Carter does not have a job. She is a head case that has been cut by about 4 teams. She has even threatened to kill one of her teammates and she was Black. Any player or fan that knows anything about the WNBA could have told Caitlin to leave Chennedy alone. However, Caitlin, being oblivious to who she was talking to, talks crap to Chennedy and you know what happens next. Chennedy is just cray cray and she will attack the Black players. The one by Alyssa Thomas was most likely intentional and she was rightly suspended, but it's wasn't an out of the ordinary play. It's a big asserting her physical dominance on a small after Caitlin had pushed her in the back the night before. Happens in basketball games nightly on every level. Finally, you guys are going on about getting poked in the eye? Another common occurrence in basketball. Why did Kareem wear goggles? James Worthy? Anthony Davis? They did it because they were getting constantly poked in the eyes. I understand that most of you guys don't watch the games. That's okay. People like what they like. However, don't just lie on a group of girls over a couple clips because you find it expedient to a certain narrative.

TL;DR
It's racial.

 

[DannyTree1]

Problem with that is broadcasters, former women players, men players, former men players, and other public figures, some of whom DO at least watch albeit maybe not religiously, see the same thing the ‘idea in head’ folks see. Because its there.

ha- well- I mean they can have their opinions too- for every one with a particular opinion- there is typically one with the opposite opinion. I don't think finding some players or former players with any particular opinion is very convincing

What they do have going for them is that here on july 30th, a message board that would not have had one single WNBA topic on it 4-5 years ago under any circumstances now has 3 topics just on the front page.

From the "if they are talking about you at all" file....

 

[Lurker123]

What they do have going for them is that here on july 30th, a message board that would not have had one single WNBA topic on it 4-5 years ago under any circumstances now has 3 topics just on the front page.

Ha.
Someone is new to this message board.

 

[Piscis]

ha- well- I mean they can have their opinions too- for every one with a particular opinion- there is typically one with the opposite opinion. I don't think finding some players or former players with any particular opinion is very convincing

What they do have going for them is that here on july 30th, a message board that would not have had one single WNBA topic on it 4-5 years ago under any circumstances now has 3 topics just on the front page.

From the "if they are talking about you at all" file....

LOL. You are obviously new around here. This place is, first and foremost, a WBB board. No other school's sports message board devotes more space to women's sports than this place.

 

[JohnnySolo]

So you acknowledge that there's unfair treatment in terms of public perception and media coverage?

It was very short lived. They realized the audience he brought in and did what the WNBA should have done and embraced him.

 

[DannyTree1]

LOL. You are obviously new around here. This place is, first and foremost, a WBB board. No other school's sports message board devotes more space to women's sports than this place.

Gamecock women's sports- or something related to it - obviously - given we were winning national championships then.

I doubt 4-5 years ago there were 3 topics on the main page regarding the WNBA as there are right now which was my point. My point wasn't that no one ever discusses our women's basketball program or their opponents.

 

[Lurker123]

Gamecock women's sports- or something related to it - obviously - given we were winning national championships then.

I doubt 4-5 years ago there were 3 topics on the main page regarding the WNBA as there are right now which was my point. My point wasn't that no one ever discusses our women's basketball program or their opponents.

And you would be wrong. Hence the joke about you being new here. Maybe just acknowledge the opinion of the people who were actually around then instead of telling them how they are wrong about something when you have no knowledge of the topic.

I do understand that this would be new territory for you.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Sophie takes an elbow to the face. Gets called for the foul.

Replay of Sophie Cunningham foul call has WNBA fans outraged | Sporting News

A replay showed Sophie Cunningham taking an elbow to the face before officials called the foul on the Indiana Fever guard.

www.sportingnews.com

 

[Piscis]

Sophie takes an elbow to the face. Gets called for the foul.

Replay of Sophie Cunningham foul call has WNBA fans outraged | Sporting News

A replay showed Sophie Cunningham taking an elbow to the face before officials called the foul on the Indiana Fever guard.

www.sportingnews.com

She hit the other players elbow with her face, obvious foul.

 

[18IsTheMan]

She hit the other players elbow with her face, obvious foul.

They need a subcategory of foul based on white privilege.