The WNBA has always been a hotbed for controversy, whether it’s players kneeling during the national anthem or speaking out against social issues. But recently, the league has come under fire for a different reason – racial bias among its fans.
Legendary sportscaster Bob Costas recently spoke out about the issue, specifically in light of foul incidents involving Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. While Clark, a white player got the sympathy of fans for being body-checked, Reese, a Black player, didn’t receive nearly as much sympathy for a similar incident.
During their teams’ first meeting in the WNBA season, Reese‘s teammate Chennedy Carter body-checking Clark resulted in a ton of backlash.
While many complained about opponents targeting the rookie sensation, Costas called out the lack of outrage when Reese was on the receiving end of a worse foul on May 25. While going up for a rebound, Connecticut Sun player Alyssa Thomas grabbed the former LSU star by the neck – as a result, Reese slammed her back on the hardwood.
‘The reason why that doesn’t spark as much conversation isn’t just that Caitlin Clark is a bigger star than Alyssa Thomas,’ Costas said on CNN on Monday.
‘It’s because it’s a Black on Black incident, and you don’t have that dynamic that people can comment on, yes, but also exaggerate and make the entire story sometimes.’
Thomas’ foul on Reese resulted in a flagrant-2 and an ejection, which Costas pointed out in the same segment. On the other hand, Carter got charged with a common foul – which was later upgraded to a flagrant-1 – after aggressively ramming her shoulder on Clark’s back.
Cari Champion – who was also in the segment – praised Costas for acknowledging the problem and added emphasis to his argument.
‘No one cared about the WNBA when women of a certain color were beating up and bruising each other because it’s been happening since the league’s inception,’ Champion stated.
‘We have the star, this person that people love. They wanna protect her, so now the new fans, new analysts, and new people have so much to say.’
‘I’ve seen it in every sport,’ Costas responded. ‘A newcomer is tested and to some extent resented.’
Hopefully, Bob Costas’s bold take on the issue will serve as a wake-up call for WNBA fans and the media to confront their biases and strive towards a more just and equal playing field for everyone.
Flip to the next page to watch Bob Costas speak…
