The growth of the WNBA, converging with this year’s historic draft class, has brought more attention to the league and greater scrutiny. People already have a lot to say about WNBA salaries, and now the conversation has moved to charter flights. Again.
Charter flights are a known problem that became a hot topic after a Brittney Griner incident last year but resurfaced with the introduction of stars like Caitlin Clark.
At some point – perhaps when players can opt out of the current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) by November 1, 2024 – the WNBA will need to fully address charter flights.
If Brittney Griner and her teammates being harassed at DFW Airport in 2023 — to the point where legitimate security concerns surfaced — wasn’t enough to change the conversation, perhaps Caitlin Clark, Aliyah Boston and their Fever teammates passing through this same airport in 2024 could do it. help the whispers become full-fledged screams.
JUSTIN: #CaitlinClark arrived in Dallas ahead of her WNBA debut against the @DallasWings!
She and her friend @IndianaFever players were seen leaving @DFWAirport a few moments ago.
They face the Wings in a pre-season friendly tomorrow night!
(@wfaa) pic.twitter.com/pXXQFV4gVk
– Matt Howerton (@HowertonNews) May 2, 2024
In 2023, the league announced it would offer charter flights during back-to-back regular season games and during the playoffs. Sure, it helped, but it won’t immediately solve security concerns or many other problems associated with athletes flying commercial, including extra travel hours and lost recovery time, as the star pointed out of the Dallas Wings, Satou Sabally, last season.
Additionally, the high price tag associated with providing charter flights for all 12 WNBA teams could make it an eyesore for a while.According to ESPN’s Mike VoepelWBNA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert acknowledged that paying that bill could be an uphill battle.
Here’s what Engelbert shared last year:
“And what some people are missing is that it’s not one-year funding,” Engelbert told ESPN. “It’s something you have to fund – I mean in perpetuity – but let’s say you have to make sure you have a business model to fund it for at least a decade.
“So even if you bring in a sponsor to fund it for one year… sponsors can come and go. So you need to make sure you have a feasible business model to finance it in the long term.
The charter flight conundrum won’t be solved just yet, but this may be the year that finally raises the standard of care for WNBA athletes. WNBA Players’ Association President Nneka Ogwumike will almost certainly raise this question in CBA discussions once the season ends, and you’ll want to grab your popcorn to hear the league’s response .
