WNBA Still Doesn't Get It

[DGS49]

WNBA Announces Decision On League's Officiating Problem

The WNBA has been facing severe officiating criticism throughout the 2025 season. Several of the league's top players, including Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese, have been founding off on the league's referees. Even many of the league's top coaches have been sounding off, too. WNBA commissioner...

sports.yahoo.com

The problem isn't CONSISTENCY in officiating. The problem is that the league's policy on play accepts "jungle basketball" as the norm.

The players need to be told, and the officials need to enforce the BASKETBALL principle that, No, you cannot grab, push, and/or hold players as a method of guarding them. It works in the NBA because they are MEN. But basketball by the book is a NO CONTACT sport. If there is INCIDENTAL CONTACT in connection with a shot or going for a rebound, that is fine - although a foul may be called if it interferes with the shot - but grabbing, pushing, and holding an offensive player are not "playing defense." They constitute a foul that will be called.

It will take the players about half of one game to get the message, and when they do, it is possible that WNBA games may be watchable. And sorry for saying this, but enforcing the rules as written will allow that Clark woman (and others with actual talent) to showcase her basketball talent in games.

That would be a good thing, right?

 

[Oddball]

tree hockey....meh

 

[task0778]

Maybe the WNBA needs to call more flagrant fouls and increase the penalties for that in terms of fines and suspensions. Throw an elbow? Hit somebody in the face reaching for the ball? Blatantly run over somebody? Ejected.

 

[leftwinger]

They lost $40M last year. $10M loss AVG every year before? Big TV contact coming ($150M, thanks Clark) now they wear shirts wanting more pay?

Do the owners get to make back losses first? How does that work?

Does the NBA quit funding 3% of NBA money now?

 

[Rocko]

I don’t think changing anything about the product will make it watchable for me.

 

[The Sage of Main Street]

They lost $40M last year. $10M loss AVG every year before? Big TV contact coming ($150M, thanks Clark) now they wear shirts wanting more pay?

Do the owners get to make back losses first? How does that work?

Does the NBA quit funding 3% of NBA money now?

WNBA Motto: DYKES DON'T DUNK

 

[Leo123]

Wimmins play basket ball? Who knew?

 

[Votto]

Uh-Oh: WNBA Players Demand To Be Paid What They're Worth And Now They Owe The NBA $400 Million​

U.S. — Collective bargaining agreements for the WNBA took an unexpected turn as players demanded to be paid what they are actually worth and now owe the NBA $400 million.

Owners were shocked and delighted by the players' demand, immediately accepting and handing over a sheet showing the players' actual worth to be negative four hundred million dollars.

"We may have made a mistake here," said WNBA player Angel Reese. "Can we go back to having a bunch of the guys' money? It turns out I really like not getting paid what I'm worth and taking free money from a man. Please?"

According to sources, the owners responded that, as always, there are no take-backs. "I am so, so happy to finally be able to pay these players what they are really worth," said team owner John Pavlovitz. "Now, every month I can just hand over their checks to one of the NBA players who spent the last twenty years paying their salaries. After all the whining I've put up with about having to fly coach and sleep in a Holiday Inn, I am thrilled for my players to get to make what they have actually earned. Better gas up those Subarus, ladies!"

At publishing time, the owners had graciously offered an alternative option where player salaries could all go to the one person who gets people to watch the WNBA, Caitlin Clark.

 

[DGS49]

With the new contract next year the WNBA will be profitable and there will be money to pay the babes a lot more than they do now. The question is, will audiences continue to tune in and go to games when they realize that CC is just a pretty good player, and not the Babe Ruth of wimmins' basketball. That is, assuming she stops lollygagging and pretending to be hurt.