The WNBPA has called on Commissioner Cathy Engelbert to "remove" U.S. Sen. Kelly Loeffler, (R-Ga.), as Atlanta Dream co-Owner, after Loeffler "urged Engelbert in a letter to put an American flag on the jerseys for the league's restart rather than the planned anti-racism messages of 'Black Lives Matter' and 'Say Her Name,'" according to Aria Gleeson of USA TODAY. Following the letter yesterday, Loeffer later tweeted out a link to the story and "called for the WNBA to 'unite around the American flag' and not Black Lives Matter." In response to the story, the WNBPA tweeted, "E-N-O-U-G-H! O-U-T!" Engelbert released a statement saying that Loeffler is "no longer involved in the day-to-day operations of the team, though she has not been removed as an owner" (USA TODAY, 7/8). Loeffler in the letter said that she "thinks adding the American flag to jerseys and licensed apparel would be a 'common sense' solution." A number of current and former WNBA players, including Sheryl Swoopes, Skylar Diggins-Smith, Natasha Cloud, Alysha Clark and Sue Bird, have asked Engelbert to remove Loeffler as Dream co-Owner (ESPN.com, 7/7).
UNITY OR BUST: ESPN’s LaChina Robinson said the “reaction from the WNBA players that I spoke to was one of shock and disgust” over the comments from Loeffler, where a “co-owner of a team and a league that’s 80% black women would oppose the Black Lives Matter movement." Robinson said there is a “common theme” on WNBA players’ social media platforms which is “they want her gone from the WNBA altogether." Robinson added players and the WNBPA are “all making very strong statements that they don’t feel like the WNBA is a place for Kelly Loeffler" (“SportsCenter,” ESPN, 7/8). L.A. Sparks F Candace Parker said, "There's no place (for Loeffler) in the WNBA, a league that is the majority minority. We've had a number of people that have stepped forward and listened and have taken initiative and taken action and we've had those that haven't and continue to make comments and show why we're still in this situation" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 7/8). ESPN’s Trey Wingo: “The majority of the WNBA are African-American women and I just don't understand why she would want to go down that road knowing who the players on that team are.” ESPN Radio’s Mike Golic Jr. said the “irony of somebody asking to keep politics out of sports when this clearly feels like a political statement.” Wingo said the “whole thing seems like a political stunt” (“Golic & Wingo,” ESPN Radio, 7/8).
