WNBA President: No Bigger Advocate for Equality Than Us
*By Michael Teich*
While some pro teams and athletes are shying away from confronting political and social inequality, the WNBA is stepping forward, says the league's president, Lisa Borders.
The WNBA launched the "Take a Seat, Take a Stand" initiative aimed at empowering women and girls by partnering with organizations like Planned Parenthood and It's On Us. Borders emphasized that "basketball is bigger than basketball," and that the WNBA has built a culture that encourages its players to speak up about their beliefs.
"Our players are speaking up and speaking out," Borders told Cheddar in an interview Thursday. "It’s basically encoded in our DNA."
One issue that has arisen in many the gender pay gap. And the WNBA has been criticized, including by its own players, for how it compensates athletes. Some critics say the league does not give players a fair share of league revenue.
Borders told Cheddar it is not a gender issue for the WNBA, but instead that the maturity of business doesn’t allow the league to pay that much and certainly not as much as the NBA pays male players.
This is an economic issue, she said, explaining that the NBA is able to pay its players a larger share of revenue because it has had a two-generation head start on the WNBA.
"When we have the economics to pay out more, trust and believe that we will."
Growing viewership will be the first step to improving the league's financial standing. The WNBA already lists ESPN and Twitter as broadcasting partners, but Borders said she wants to add "more platforms, more live-streaming" because younger viewers want more options.
Borders expects legalized sports betting will be another opportunity to expand the league's audience.
"We are not a casino, but will benefit indirectly," she said. "People will have to have knowledge. I expect it will bring in new and more informed demographic."
For the full segment, [click here.](https://cheddar.com/videos/wnba-president-no-bigger-advocate-for-equality-than-us)
Cheddar Innovates gets a look at the satellite that's searching for the earliest light from the big bang, plus a former Nike executive breaks down what the new era of sportswear looks like.
Stefan Olander, co-founder of sportswear company Omorpho, joins Cheddar Innovates to talk about his 'gravity sportswear' concept and why our workout clothes need an overhaul.
MARLOWE., the men's skincare and grooming brand, has announced 23-year-old professional boxer Ryan Garcia as "Chief Marlowe Officer" and co-owner of the brand. In this role, Ryan will help boost brand awareness, oversee product design, and strategize digital marketing content for his signature products. Ryan joined Cheddar to discuss the partnership and his boxing career.
A packed Thursday pod: Carlo and Baker cover the latest developments in the Ghislaine Maxwell, Jussie Smollett and Elizabeth Holmes trials. Plus, Dems are losing the Hispanic vote, Boris Johnson in trouble again, and is it possible that Adele has peaked?
Laine Higgins, college sports reporter for the Wall Street Journal, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell where she discusses the college football coaching carousel and says Lincoln Riley, Brian Kelly, and Mario Cristobal leaving for new schools this quickly is not normal.
The leading gaming organization and lifestyle brand 100 Thieves just raised $60 million in new funding closing its Series C. This new round of funding has raised the valuation of the organization to about $460 million. John Robinson, president and COO of 100 Thieves, joins Cheddar News to talk about what's next for the company.
Heather Smith, Founder and Chief Strategist at theHAUTEbar, discusses how the ski and resort industry is bouncing back after the pandemic; Mark Ellwood, Host of "Travel Genius" Podcast, breaks down the best travel destinations for winter sports before the 2022 Winter Olympics kick off; Cheddar gets a look at Curiosity Stream's 'Jeremy Jones' Higher.'
