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Mechelle VauperESPN.com
Los Angeles Sparks stand out Neka Ogumike The WNBA’s “transformative growth” is hampered by ongoing travel issues and what she sees as a “tired debate” over possible remedies.
Mike Ogu and Sparks struggled to get around at Dulles Airport in Virginia on Sunday after their win over the Washington Mystics. After two delays, the Sparks flight was canceled and rebooked for Monday morning.
“It’s the first time in 11 seasons that I’ve had to sleep at an airport.” Ogwumike said in a video posted to social media early Monday.“Half of us sleep at the airport, half at the hotel. After our flight was delayed, delayed (again) and canceled at 1am, we didn’t have enough rooms. Now it’s 1am.” 44 minutes. I’ll be here by 9am.”
Sparks boarded a Monday morning flight and was back in Los Angeles around noon. As the WNBA wraps up its final week of the regular season, they’ll be hosting the Connecticut Sun on Tuesday night.
Multiple sources told ESPN that all Sparks players were indeed offered hotel rooms, but not all were in the same hotel due to the limited number of rooms available. . However, some players chose to stay at the airport because it was late and they had to return to the airport with a very short travel time for their rescheduled flight. Sparks player Lexi Brown also said via social media:.
More than 900 flights were canceled nationwide on Sunday, and nearly 700 on Saturday, as airlines continue to grapple with issues such as staffing shortages and weather, according to a CNN report.
The WNBA’s travel situation continues to be an issue players raise on social media, and Ogwumike’s prominence as chairman of the players’ union executive committee drew attention to her post.
League commissioner Kathy Engelbart has repeatedly said the WNBA doesn’t have charter flights because of the exorbitant costs. But the league will charter all WNBA Finals games, she announced at a press conference ahead of the All-Star Game in July. , could also be chartered early in the playoffs.
The WNBA’s latest collective bargaining agreement, signed in January 2020, does not include charters, and league rules prohibit any of the 12 teams from individually choosing charters. It was revealed earlier this year that the New York Liberty had been fined $500,000 for several uses of the charter. Engelbart also denied reports that Liberty owner Joseph Tsai offered the league a plan to cover charters for all WNBA teams.
While Ogwumike played a key role in the union and helped pass the CBA, she said in social media statements that a lot has changed about air travel since the COVID-19 pandemic and that needs to be taken into account. pointed out that there is
“In these unprecedented times, the required form of commercial travel is taking a toll on players and their bodies,” Ogwumike posted. “This is a serious health and safety concern that must be remedied.
“Competitive advantage is an over-welcome and tired argument. It is a phrase that hinders the transformational growth of the league as a whole. It shows the ability and willingness to invest the necessary resources, which is the best.”
In July, Minnesota Lynx coach Sheryl Reeve expressed frustration over what she felt was the league’s slow reaction to problems with the Lynx arriving in Washington for the game. Sus coach Mike Thibaud initially said he was “tired of hearing” about the WNBA’s travel delay and said he didn’t feel sorry for the Lynx. However, he later apologized for his remarks.
In light of Sunday’s problems with Sparks and with the support of the union, Mike Ogu wrote on social media on Monday that he hopes this will lead to more travel improvements.
“We reiterate our call to league and team owners to work together to identify manageable solutions to this problem, whose causes are complex yet easily resolvable,” Ogumike wrote. “Starting with the entire 2022 WNBA playoffs, it’s time to continue with the common-sense full-season solution beginning in 2023, allowing teams to invest in charter flights between games.
“And, in the spirit of collaboration, we are leading this partnership with both commercial and commercial airlines, including American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, JetBlue Airways, Southwest Airlines, United Airlines, NetJets, Wheels Up and JetSuiteX. We call on you to recognize the bold opportunity, and we are at the table to partner with WNBA players to help eliminate the most formidable opponent they face each season: travel.”
