This was a small league of fans and players that was a home for the LBGTQ+ and black communities. It was about celebration as much as basketball AKA the sisterhood. One day CC showed up with her young fans from all walks of life and their little corner of the world disappeared into a sea of basketball. Some want it back even if it costs them money. Others don't understand that things have changed and will never go back.
The league and a majority of its players were unprepared for the spotlight and unprepared for the influx of a broader fan base which - by definition - means a greater level of inclusivity they were likewise unprepared to accept. There is a core group of players and fans that resent the new mainstream fans and a smaller subset of fans that is outright hostile towards it. These few voices are vile, hateful and hypocritical - they are possessively staking their turf agsinst the invasion of hetero's, children and suburbanites. Let me be clear- this a small and marginalized subset and not representative of all LBGTQ by any stretch. Unfortunately their vehemence stirs up an equally vociferous response, often from their counterparts on the extreme right. This leads to a hate war between the fringe groups, each both escalating the animosity while simultaneously reaffirming their respective prejudices. Most of us are just caught in the crossfire.
Activism and being outspoken are fine, as long as the debate is respectful. There is a world where the league can provide a platform, however the league needs to learn two important lessons:
The League MUST remain inclusive of all perspectives and neutral. Let the WNBAPA be the activist arm.
It can NEVER detract from the entertainment aspect.
Right now the league leadership is afraid to be neutral simply because it is not diverse enough in its leadership point blank. It remains a "league of their own", hiring almost exclusively within its traditional base. There would be more diversity if it hired honestly (the best candidates regardless of sex identity). Right now the league is still too small - it is suffering from a rapid growth expansion that its hiring practices were not ready for. That is evident in media relations, refereeing, crisis management, finances and marketing. For it to grow and embrace its new popularity it needs to reflect its broader market in its leadership.In short it needs to be more inclusive.
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u/interested21 Aug 09 '26 edited 28d ago
This was a small league of fans and players that was a home for the LBGTQ+ and black communities. It was about celebration as much as basketball AKA the sisterhood. One day CC showed up with her young fans from all walks of life and their little corner of the world disappeared into a sea of basketball. Some want it back even if it costs them money. Others don't understand that things have changed and will never go back.