Los Angeles Sparks Nneka Ogwumike said on social media Monday evening that the WNBA’s “transformational growth” is hampered by ongoing immigration issues and what she sees as “tired arguments” against potential remedies.
Ogwumike and the Sparks had a trip to Dulles Stadium in Virginia on Sunday after their win over the Washington Mystics. After two delays, Sparks’ flight was canceled and rescheduled for Monday morning.
“First time in 11 seasons I’ve ever slept in an airport,” Ogwumike said in a video posted to social media in the early hours of Monday. “Half of us are sleeping in an airport, half of us are in a hotel. There weren’t enough rooms after our flight was delayed, delayed (again) and then canceled at 1 p.m. Now it’s 1:44, and we’ll be here until 9 a.m.
Sparks boarded a flight Monday morning and returned to Los Angeles by noon; They will host the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night as the WNBA wraps up the final week of the regular season.
Several sources told ESPN that every Sparks player has indeed been given a hotel room, but not all at the same hotel because a limited number of rooms are available. However, due to the late flight delay and the need to return to the airport, some players chose to stay at the airport. Sparks player Lexie Brown also confirmed this on social media.
According to a CNN report, more than 900 flights were canceled across the country on Sunday, and nearly 700 were canceled on Saturday as airlines continue to deal with issues such as staff shortages and weather. .
The travel situation in the WNBA continues to be an issue for players to express on social media, and Ogwumike has drawn much attention as the president of the players’ union’s executive committee has added attention to her position.
The WNBA does not have charter flights due to prohibitive costs, league president Cathy Engelbert has said several times. But the league will host all WNBA Finals games, she announced at a press conference before July‘s All-Star Game. The WNBA may also choose to cut early playoff games if teams cross multiple time zones with limited time between games.
The WNBA’s latest collective bargaining agreement, signed in January 2020, does not include a charter, and the league’s rules prohibit any of the 12 teams from individually choosing terms because that could create a competitive disadvantage. It was announced earlier this year that the New York Liberty were fined $500,000 for using a charter last season. Engelbert also denied a report that Liberty owner Joseph Tsai presented the league with a plan to acquire charters covering all WNBA teams.
In her prominent role in the organization, Ogwumike was instrumental in getting the CBA passed, but she pointed out in a statement on social media that a lot has changed in air travel since the spread of COVID-19, and that should be taken into account.
“In these unprecedented times, the demanding nature of business travel remains a huge burden on our athletes and their bodies,” Ogwumike posted. “It is a serious health concern that must be addressed.
“Competitive advantage is a tired argument that has outstayed its welcome. It’s a rhetoric that prevents the transformative growth of our league. New and emerging ownership groups have shown the ability and willingness to invest the resources necessary to develop this league in areas of need. is the most common.”
In July, Minnesota Lynx coach Cheryl Reeve expressed dismay at what she felt was the league’s slow reaction to the Lynx’s travel issues going into Washington for a game. When asked about it, Mystics coach Mike Thibault initially said he was “tired of hearing” about the WNBA travel delay and that he didn’t feel bad for the Lynx because it happens to every team. However, he later apologized for his statement.
On Sunday Sparks issues, Ogwumike, who has the support of the union, wrote on social media on Monday that she hopes this will lead to more improvements in travel.
“We reiterate our continued invitation to the league and club ownership to work together to find a manageable solution to this complex, but easy-to-treat problem,” Ogwumike wrote. “It’s time to allow teams to invest in charter flights between games, starting with all of the 2022 WNBA playoffs, and continuing with a smart, full-season solution starting in 2023.
“And in the spirit of partnership, we are calling on both private and commercial airlines to recognize this bold opportunity to lead: American, Delta, JetBlue, Southwest, United, NetJets, Wheels Up, JetSuiteX, and others: We encourage you to meet us. We’re at the table and partnering with WNBA players to help eliminate the toughest team they face each season: travel.”
