The WNBA is launching an effort to stop hate speech directed at league gamers. WNBA officers are placing collectively a process pressure to fight vitriol spewed on-line or throughout video games. The league made the announcement Monday, forward of the 2025 draft.
“We wish to make sure that the WNBA stays an area the place everybody — gamers, followers and company companions — really feel protected, valued and empowered,” league commissioner Cathy Engelbert mentioned, per ESPN.
The WNBA has seen a surge in consideration and tv rankings within the final yr. That is partly because of the emergence of recent stars, like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese.
The down facet of that new recognition is that there’s additionally extra hate speech being directed at gamers. This contains racial and homophobic slurs being directed at gamers, Engelbert mentioned.
The spouse of New York Liberty participant Breanna Stewart obtained an e mail final season with anti-gay rhetoric, per ESPN. In one other incident, a person with a digital camera harassed former Chicago Sky guard Chennedy Carter whereas she exited a workforce bus.
“There is no area for hate, and I feel there’s simply persevering with drain on all of us, on gamers, on employees, employees on our groups,” Engelbert added. “After final yr, I feel we simply actually needed to do one thing … it was time to place this process pressure collectively and actually hit it head-on, so that is what we will do.”
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The 2025 WNBA season begins Might 16.
What’s going to the WNBA hate speech process pressure seem like?
There are a number of points to this new process pressure. The group will first monitor social media to pinpoint what’s being mentioned to gamers that will contain hate speech. WNBA officers are utilizing expertise to assist sift by social media posts to realize that goal.
Different objectives of the duty pressure embody increasing psychological well being service entry for gamers, growing safety at arenas, and strengthening conduct requirements. WNBA officers plan to work with each gamers and groups to meet all these targets.
The duty pressure is anticipated to be comprised of each officers inside the WNBA, in addition to exterior organizations. Time will inform how efficient this group can be at stopping hateful rhetoric.