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WNBA Players Sound Off on Inequality

Online trolls went wild when it was announced that the WNBA will be featured in the popular NBA 2K video game franchise. For players and coaches, this dismissal of the women's game is growing tiresome. 🏀

All 12 WNBA teams and players are making their debut in NBA 2K20

Online trolls targeted the NBA 2K video game series for its landmark decision to include WNBA players in its newest title. For members of the team Chicago Sky, this kind of sexism is nothing new. In its 23 years, the WNBA has seen lower attendance viewership coverage by media outlets. Only ahead during the 2019 season has social media pressure resulted in more favorable TV deals, and a rating rise of 64% according to data from the WNBA. Players say they haven’t seen this translate into an uptick in financial support. Still inspiration has come from the World Cup-winning U.S. women’s soccer team, as well as seeing a general shift towards equality.

“Media outlets don't normalize women's basketball on them. It's 50 men's posts for every one women's post. And, you know, if people were to continuously put us on there as much as they put men's and it would become normal. And people wouldn't feel the need to go out of their way to hate it. But. People put less and less of it because of the amount of hate without realizing that's not helping the problem,” explains Katie Lou Samuelson

Facebook, forums like Reddit, personal Twitter handles, YouTube, and even 2K’s own blog hasn’t been spared but the developers have said that it’s proud of its decision to include women in the upcoming title. “Our franchise has always been rooted in capturing the true essence of basketball – it doesn’t matter who is playing – if you love the game, you love the game,” said a spokesperson. “As true lovers of basketball, we take great pride in bringing the women’s game to the millions of NBA 2K fans around the globe.” The moderator claimed that he had to remove dozens of sexist posts in a matter of hours. On Twitter, players like Breanna Stewart and Candace Parker continued to face harassment over the addition.

Brut.

08/24/2019 12:01 PM
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790 comments

  • Will F.
    03/12/2020 13:59

    And if they want to bring up the US women’s soccer team, well people actually watch that. It is an entertainment product that many people want to purchase, as opposed to WNBA. Maybe you should try playing soccer instead?

  • Will F.
    03/12/2020 13:55

    Be real. The people on this video are delusional. It has nothing to do with online marketing. Everyone’s aware women’s basketball exists. We all went to either college, high school, or at least middle school, where at every level they shove down your throat the fact that all these sports exist. People choose not to watch because it does not interest them enough.

  • Paul K.
    03/12/2020 10:51

    She just disrespected bowling tho

  • Brian J.
    03/12/2020 05:17

    why are they not fighting to play with the same size ball? i feel like it's kinda degrading. i mean, girls soccer plays with the same ball.

  • Mangekyo S.
    03/11/2020 01:17

    I mean women don’t even support women’s basket.

  • Anna D.
    03/10/2020 15:03

    They need more support. Some of these women are even better than the big names in the NBA! I had a friend that gave up on her bball dreams bc what's the point noone goes to wnba games đŸ˜Ș

  • Jade R.
    03/10/2020 14:19

    That's wack because the first thing I did when I turned my game on was was play with the WNBA...... I started with Liz Cambage....then hooped with Maya Moore, Skylar Diggins, Diana Taurasi, Sue Bird and Elena Dellavedova, before I played with any NBA teams.đŸ€·đŸŸđŸ’Ż

  • DeAndre B.
    03/10/2020 11:44

    Watching women's basketball is like watching a scrimmage game out in the park. There's a lot of talent there but there's no excitement.

  • Kevin B.
    03/09/2020 18:40

    No disrespect to you I don’t even watch the men’s sports I don’t even sit through the super bowl or World Series let alone basketball if there is a pick up game of something I like playing but watching unless it’s one of my kids not interested in watching.

  • John D.
    03/09/2020 17:27

    Could it be cuz it's boring? Not sexism?

  • Nathan M.
    03/09/2020 12:56

    Or maybe women sports suck except cheerleading and gymnastics other than that men dominate all others its facts aint nobody wanna play a basketball ball game with no dunking in it.

  • Geoffrey M.
    03/09/2020 06:05

    What is tiresome is the WNBA thinking they are equally entertaining, and bring in as much revenue as the MEN! They are not equal so stop pretending to be.

  • Skyler T.
    03/09/2020 01:26

    In all honesty why shouldn’t the WNBA have its own game wouldn’t that help inspire young girls to have dreams and goals

  • Gregory M.
    03/09/2020 01:13

    Hahahahaha. She just disrespected bowlers !!!!

  • Russ W.
    03/08/2020 20:24

    I love WNBA! Amazing athletes! I hate the whiny NBA athletes making millions then acting like they're something special, arguing with the refs, pretending to be hurt, etc. 7 feet tall and can dunk? That must be rough. The real skill is in the womans game!

  • Jim M.
    03/07/2020 23:48

    People dont dislike the WNBA because they are female, its because they dont like the style of play. You cant guilt people into liking something they dont

  • Mark L.
    03/07/2020 21:15

    You want to get watched/paid like the best in the world - play like the best in the world. No one is paying/watching minor league players in any sport (even when it's all men).

  • Tim B.
    03/07/2020 17:00

    The truth is the WNBA is failing. The league is not making money. It's sad that , that is the reason. It's all about money.But yet I don't fully understand why people are upset about the wnba players being featured in a videos game. Isn't that a good thing. Only asking. Bit being a jerk at all.

  • Stuart C.
    03/07/2020 12:16

    Well, when high school boys teams are better than WNBA teams, its probably why no one wants to watch.

  • David R.
    03/07/2020 02:33

    I would much rather watch a Women's basketball game than a men's basketball game, I think the women's game is is more like real basketball, I get tired of all the dunking and crap that men do.