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WNBA players make CBA statement with t-shirts<\/p>\n
USAT’s Meghan Hall shares how the WNBA players make a huge statement during CBA negotiations with t-shirts at the All-Star game.<\/p>\n
Sports Seriously<\/p>\n
INDIANAPOLIS \u2014 WNBA players want to get paid, that much is obvious after an All-Star weekend that became as much about the ongoing contract negotiations as the game itself.<\/p>\n
The players are looking for higher salaries and better revenue sharing, and rightfully so. They see very little of the money that\u2019s pouring into the WNBA now from expansion fees, media rights and sponsors.<\/p>\n
Those aren\u2019t the only issues on the table, however. Here are four other problems that must be addressed for the WNBA to continue to thrive:<\/p>\n
Officiating<\/p>\n
Complaining about officiating is as much a part of sports as uniforms and scoreboards. In this case, however, the critics have a point.<\/p>\n
The W is, was and always will be a physical league. But the refs haven\u2019t kept pace with the players\u2019 speed and the strength, and it\u2019s resulted in too many games getting out of control. They\u2019ve also missed calls and made the wrong ones.<\/p>\n
And for the love of God, turn reviews over to a replay center \u2014 like in the NBA. The calls and consultations this season have felt excruciatingly long and disrupted the flows of games.<\/p>\n
\u201cOur game is growing \u2026 and I feel like as the game grows, we need the officiating to grow with us,\u201d Las Vegas Aces center A\u2019ja Wilson said. \u201cSometimes that takes time, and I know they’re human, they’re going to make mistakes. But I think at some point we’re going to have to start meeting each other at the middle.<\/p>\n
\u201cI mean, James Harden created a whole other look of a step back, but refs understood that and was like, `OK, this is how the game is played. It’s legal. Let’s try to work from there,\u2019\u201d Wilson said. \u201cWe just got continue to grow together. We are getting really, really, really good at what we do, so we need them to be the same.\u201d<\/p>\n
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert didn\u2019t throw the refs under the bus. But she acknowledged hearing the complaints and said the league is actively working to make officiating better.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery play is reviewed. We spend hours and hours and hours (doing that). We use that then to follow up with officials (and) training,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working hard to make sure we’re putting the best product out on the court and our officiating has to follow that.\u201d<\/p>\n
Schedule<\/p>\n
The Minnesota Lynx\u2019s schedule before the All-Star Game was a nightmare. Eleven games between June 24 and July 16, including a stretch with five games in eight days. Two sets of back-to-backs during the stretch. Four noon starts in the five games between July 9 and 16.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhen we received the schedule, we thought it was about as illogical as you can get,\u201d Minnesota coach Cheryl Reeve said. \u201cEvery team has stretches for sure, but this one’s illogical.\u201d<\/p>\n