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calguy

(5,354 posts) Wed May 8, 2024, 02:43 PM May 8

The Caitlin Clark effect: WNBA to begin full-time charter flights for ALL teams [View all]

The WNBA plans to commit $50 million over the next two years to provide full-time charter flight service for its teams during the season, commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced Tuesday in a move that addresses years of player safety concerns.

Engelbert said in a meeting with sports editors that the league will launch a charter program "as soon as we can get planes in places." She said it's projected to cost around $25 million per year for the next two seasons.

That means no more long security lines, bodyguards in public spaces, cramped legroom or layovers for the professional athletes who have been lobbying for better travel long before Caitlin Clark's celebrity brought newfound interest to the league.

The WNBA has never been more popular thanks to rookies like Clark, who helped the NCAA reach its best viewership in history for women's basketball, with nearly 19 million fans watching the title game, along with Angel Reese, who went to the Met Gala on Monday night, and Cameron Brink.

WNBA teams also have been moving games against Clark and Indiana to bigger arenas because of increased demand. The defending champion Las Vegas Aces became the first WNBA team to sell out its allotted season tickets in March after leading the league in attendance in 2023.

https://www.espn.com/wnba/story/_/id/40102075/wnba-begin-full-charter-flights

27 replies

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The Caitlin Clark effect: WNBA to begin full-time charter flights for ALL teams [View all] calguy May 8 OP

Excellent. Thank you Caitlin!!!! You brought so much to women's basketball. jimfields33 May 8 #1

She majored in Marketing at Iowa calguy May 8 #4

However she did it, it will benefit future woman's basketball and that matters. jimfields33 May 8 #5

The entire league benefits from her profile - hope most of the players understand that. NoMoreRepugs May 8 #2

That may be an issue Ontheboundry May 8 #8

I just wanna say. Yay! Women's sports. They can't keep us all the way down forever Walleye May 8 #3

Nobody kept wnba down Ontheboundry May 8 #6

I just read that they will now be getting charter flight to all the games. And not have to fly coach Walleye May 8 #17

Do any of you attend WNBA games or watch them on TV? Bonx May 8 #7

Very few before this year Ontheboundry May 8 #9

Don't forget Cameron Brink out of Stanford calguy May 8 #11

Clark's preseason Ontheboundry May 8 #13

I never watched even a full quarter of any women's basketball game before last year calguy May 8 #10

I have watched them on TV, because Elena Delle Donne is a hometown favorite and she was a star Walleye May 8 #18

I've never attended or watched any basketball game. Torchlight May 8 #21

So, do the players get raises too? Bmoboy May 8 #12

No, and they won't for a while Ontheboundry May 8 #15

And the $50 million comes from where? Bmoboy May 9 #25

So last year they made money for the first time Ontheboundry May 9 #26

I meant to add Ontheboundry May 9 #27

They are crediting Clark, but this has been in the works for a while. Renew Deal May 8 #14

Before this year Ontheboundry May 8 #16

I Question This ProfessorGAC May 8 #19

The charter deal was Ontheboundry May 9 #22

Unconvinced ProfessorGAC May 9 #23

I absolutely know Ontheboundry May 9 #24

unfortunately unless we start supporting women's sports more the league will continue to lose money berkerly6240 May 8 #20