The WNBA is growing - but so is media bias and racism from within. We need to talk about it!
To start, I am going to break this down into five categories.
\#1 - The Numbers
A study done in 2020 by Nicole Melton and Risa Isard from UMass Amherst found that Black players received significantly less media coverage than White players - when the league is predominantly Black.
Black players averaged 52 media mentions, while White players average 118.
80% of the postseason awards were won by Black athletes, including: MVP, ROTY, DPOY, MIP, SWOY. The most major award categories won by Black athletes, yet they still did not get much media attention.
The last thing from the numbers category, A'ja Wison, who won the 2020 WNBA MVP received half as much media coverage than Sabrina Ionescu, who was a top pick but was injured in her third game and missed the remainder of the season.
\#2 - The Human Aspect: Sarah Chan
Sarah Chan is a former women's basketball player who played college basketball in the United States at Union University in Jackson, Tennessee. She then went overseas and competed professionally in Europe and across Africa.
In her story though, she recalls getting spit in the face by a man in Algiers due to the color of her own skin. Due to this among other things (I will post links below) she started the Home At Home/Apediet Foundation which was aimed at mentoring yoith and fighting child marriage through education and sport.
Chan is now the first woman to manage African scouting for an NBA team (Toronto Raptors), but her road was difficult to navigate and filled with obstacles that no one should have to endure.
\#3 - National Origin Bias Too?
Due to the fact that many women's basketball leagues existed prior to 1997 when the WNBA was founded, many international stars were already dominating which led to them getting the first look at the WNBA. This led to some American players feeling overlooked in their own country.
\#4 - Caitlin Clark vs. Angel Reese and Cathy Engelbert's Weak Response
In an interview in September of 2024, Cathy Engelbert, the WNBA Commissioner was asked about the rise of fan toxicity amid the Caitin Clark/Angel Reese rivalry. Her answer? She compared to the situation to Magic Johnson/Larry Bird.
Her exact quote: "It is a little bit of that Bird-Magic moment if you recall from 1979... one white, one Black."
Instead of condemning racism and harassment, she chalked it up to just a rivalry. Players and the WNBPA were upset and called her out and said her remarks were a "disservice". Engelbert later issued an apology and admitted that her comments "missed the mark."
\#5 - We Are The Next Generation
This is bigger than just basketball. If we care about the league, then we need to care about the players and the discrimination they face on a daily basis.
Whether it is personal stories like Sarah Chan, media bias, racial double standards in fan behavior, we have to stand up and realize there is a clear problem.
Change is not just from the top, it happens when we speak up!
Sources:
[https://spokesman-recorder.com/2021/06/12/study-exposes-more-sports-media-bias/](https://spokesman-recorder.com/2021/06/12/study-exposes-more-sports-media-bias/)
[https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-63841874.amp](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-63841874.amp)
[https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15270025241260030](https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/15270025241260030)
[https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/\_/id/41212291/engelbert-response-interview-said-disservice-wnba](https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/41212291/engelbert-response-interview-said-disservice-wnba)
Would love to hear your thoughts! Do you see these disparities? Do you think the WNBA is doing enough to address them?
Let's talk!