Mystics players held an autograph session for fans at Capital One Arena after the game was cancelledgetty images
The WNBA ruled that the Las Vegas Aces must "forfeit their game Friday at the Washington Mystics after deciding not to play because of health and safety concerns following almost 26 hours of travel," according to Sam Gordon of the LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL. The forfeit is the "first in the WNBA’s 22-year history, the result of the first cancellation of a game in league history." The Aces "spent more than 25 hours" traveling from Las Vegas to DC on Thursday and Friday before "arriving about 4 1/2 hours before the scheduled start of the game." The Aces in conjunction with the WNBPA decided "not to play." The NBA’s CBA "includes a provision that prevents teams from playing a game on a day in which they traveled across two time zones." There is "no such provision" in the WNBA’s CBA (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 8/8). The AP's Paul Newberry notes no one with the Aces "expressed regret about taking a stand" and not playing. Aces G Kayla McBride said, “We stand by our decision.” Newberry notes there have been "only a handful of instances over the past few decades in which major-league teams had to forfeit a game." The WNBA said that it "'worked extensively' with both teams to find a 'workable solution,' but there wasn’t enough time left in the season to find a date in which the arena was available and would be fair to both teams." The WNBPA "hopes the league will take up its offer to form a group that will develop scheduling and travel guidelines" (AP, 8/8). In DC, Gene Wang notes the WNBA has "not said if it is considering further action against the Aces, whether in the form of a fine or impacting what could be a lottery selection in this year’s WNBA draft if Las Vegas misses the playoffs" (WASHINGTON POST, 8/8).
TO PLAY OR NOT TO PLAY? ESPN.com's Mechelle Voepel wrote the Aces "should have played," as there were thousands of fans "on their way to the game, another team was expecting to play, and the league has just over two weeks left in its regular season with no time to reschedule." The Aces "could have made strong points via media and social media, documenting their concerns as part of future collective bargaining negotiations." But ESPN.com's Sean Hurd wrote while some fans "think the playoff race is all that matters for WNBA players," the reality is "it's not." After the WNBA season, players "splinter off to different countries around the world where their seasons continue." Player health is "paramount, and putting that at risk for a single game simply is not worth it in the current WNBA." It is a "tough pill to swallow for fans of the league." By choosing "not to play, and documenting their experience, the Aces also brought attention to the issues of commercial travel as well as the demanding compacted schedule, which shortens the season by three weeks" (ESPN.com, 8/7). The AP's Tim Dahlberg wrote fans "don't want to hear about how tough it is to play basketball for a living." They just "want players to show up and play." The WNBA "struggles enough to draw fans without inconveniencing and alienating those who have actually bought tickets for a game." Dahlberg: "Score one against a players' union that doesn't seem to understand the WNBA is not the NBA, no matter how much the players want it to be" (AP, 8/7).
A BETTER WAY TO FLY: ABC's Ryan Smith noted the WNBA's decision on the matter has drawn "outrage" from some fans and media members. The move has brought to light the "disparity between the way the WNBA handles travel compared the NBA," as men "get chartered flights while women fly commercial" (“GMA,” ABC, 8/8). ESPN’s Ryen Russillo said the WNBA does not have chartered flights because the league "doesn’t make any money” (“Get Up!,” ESPN, 8/8). USA Today's Christine Brennan said WNBAers “would love to be getting the perks that the men get,” but “unfortunately, women’s sports just aren’t there yet” (“GMA,” ABC, 8/8). ESPN’s Jalen Rose expressed his “disappointment” for WNBAers “getting treated like second-class citizens in relation to the NBA when they’re a subsidiary.” It is “one thing to have them flying commercial but it’s another thing when they have travel issues to not take accountability for them not being able to perform” (“Get Up!,” ESPN, 8/8).
