New York, NY – Since its inception in 1998, the WNBA has struggled to attain the popularity held by its male counterpart, the NBA. The unevitable comparisons have hurt the women’s game, as it is saddled with less than exciting games, few marketable personalities, and a huge legion of lesbian fans. Sports insiders speculated that the WNBA was heading towards extinction after next season’s television contract with NBC expires.
Two major events have raised public awareness of the WNBA, and may help keep the league in business for a long time. First, WNBA star Lisa Leslie dunked during a game, a play that some are calling “historic” in the fight for the women’s game to equal the men’s. Critics call the dunk unspectacular and failed to see the importance of a single play in resurrecting an entire league. Either way, Leslie’s dunk brought much needed media and public attention to the WNBA, and attendance and television ratings increased.
Last Friday night, however, outside of a nightclub in Manhattan, the WNBA took its biggest step towards equaling the men’s game. It was there that NY Liberty forward Tammy Rivera was arrested for assault and drug charges stemming from an altercation that began inside the club. While the exact cause of the fight remains unknown, one witness claims that it began when Rivera complimented another woman on her flannel shirt, and began to feel the material with her large hands. “The other girl didn’t like that”, said the witness, “and neither did her girlfriend”.
The three were ejected from the club, and the fight continued on the sidewalk outside. Police arrived on the scene to find Rivera holding the two women in headlocks, one with each arm. During a routine search of the suspects, police discovered a half-ounce of marijuana in the front pocket of Rivera’s corduroy pants, and the star was immediately arrested on drug possession charges. Assault charges were later filed after medical examinations of the other women uncovered missing clumps of hair, as well as facial and breast tissue bruises.
While Rivera’s future is uncertain, the arrest is undoubtedly a milestone for the WNBA, as similar arrests have been a staple in the NBA for years. Said WNBA spokesperson Alice Taylor, “Finally, one of our players has been arrested for drugs and assault. Now Tammy Rivera will be mentioned in the same breath with NBA greats like Robert Parish, Allen Iverson, Jayson Williams, and Jason Kidd. The publicity will undoubtedly generate plenty of excitement (for the WNBA). Tammy Rivera has done our league a great service, even though she will most likely spend the next six to nine months behind bars.”
Not wanting to lose its momentum, the WNBA is asking its players to take on other traits associated with popular NBA players, including wearing gang-like attire to press conferences and sporting oversized, brightly colored suits when arriving at arenas for league games. In addition to league encouragement, several teams are reportedly offering incentives to players who get tattoos that are visible when the player is in uniform.
WNBA player Allison Willis is excited about the future of the league. “I think it’s about time we face the fact that the public, for some reason, loves the NBA. Since we can’t really play like the guys, we may as well act like them off the court and hope that the public notices.”
Given the publicity over the Rivera arrest, it appears that the public is taking notice, and the WNBA’s reputation as a league full of lesbians with limited talent is beginning to disappear. Said Taylor, “There may be a high percentage of lesbians in our league, but now we’ll be known as a league full of drug-taking, aggressive lesbians, and we think that can only help us.” |
