Politics Brittney Griner

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I didn't say we should feel sorry about anything. We should feel ashamed that American women in their positions are forced to make those decisions.

It's shameful in the wealthiest country in the history of the world. No doubt about it.

Earns $120k in 3 months.

Hey, I can make a million dollars in 6 months playing in Siberia in addition to that. cool.

The struggle. Its a shame that these women have to be tortured like this.

 

[Phatguysrule]

So if we subsidize the WNBA players, then you would be for banning them from participating in any other professional basketball league?

Maybe we should ban them from international travel, for their own safety too?

This really comes off sounding bad...

 

[Phatguysrule]

I don't think that's really fair....I considered what you posted and just simply don't agree with you. Nothing shameful about it..I voiced why I feel that way and disagree because it's a failed model pretty much trying to crack the market...not unlike ping pong or volleyball or many sports...it's not getting an audience. It very well may someday but it's not a financial priority...personally I'd love to see more academic scholarships and fewer sports scholarships...it's entertainment but not anything like being a doctor or any other profession where equal pay should be a given..the profits don't leave that kind of money in the WNBA..hopefully one day they will have a brand that large audiences want to watch. I also never understood the draw of Nascar or Golf....sure is popular but man I'd rather watch paint dry than either of those sports.

You're also not vehemently opposed. Or at least you didn't seem to be. I didn't sense the same vitriol from you some others are bringing to the table.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Has nothing to do with them being "girls", has to do with the revenue of their league. You are trying to make it out that just because they are women, not girls, they should get extra.

No, they are already getting less because they are girls. They get less favorable media contracts than other sports leagues that they are competitive with.

Just like actresses get smaller contracts than actors.

It's the same bullshit. And it's simply because they are girls.

 

[riverman]

You're also not vehemently opposed. Or at least you didn't seem to be. I didn't sense the same vitriol from you some others are bringing to the table.

I really haven't sensed much vitriol...some sarcasm but that's a given with some folks...I'm not against the WNBA but I'm not a fan so.....it's pretty simple..

 

[twobullz]

Yeah. We should prevent people from being put at risk every chance we get. Nobody has to lose in my proposal and women everywhere would benefit.

I don't subscribe to the "their life sucks, so yours should too" line of reasoning.

If you are taking the money from the NBA someone is losing. That money has to come from the owners or players. Sure they can try to do it as a tax deduction, but it is still money that they don't get. So the NBA players lose.

The average person in the US makes 63K a year. The average player in the WNBA makes $128 K a year. 70% of the people in the us make less then 100K a year. I would say their life doesn't suck.

 

[Phatguysrule]

I really haven't sensed much vitriol...some sarcasm but that's a given with some folks...I'm not against the WNBA but I'm not a fan so.....it's pretty simple..

Eh, they feel pretty strongly about it. Maybe vitriol wasn't the right word, but I think it gets the point across.

Above we have suggestions like grounding WNBA players to the US if they accept a deal like this... As though they are property...

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

If you are taking the money from the NBA someone is losing. That money has to come from the owners or players. Sure they can try to do it as a tax deduction, but it is still money that they don't get. So the NBA players lose.

The average person in the US makes 63K a year. The average player in the WNBA makes $128 K a year. 70% of the people in the us make less then 100K a year. I would say their life doesn't suck.

 

[riverman]

No, they are already getting less because they are girls. They get less favorable media contracts than other sports leagues that they are competitive with.

Just like actresses get smaller contracts than actors.

It's the same bullshit. And it's simply because they are girls.

disagree...it's because they don't draw paying customers or sponsorships...not that they're girls although that is a problem in professional careers...women are absolutely underpaid in most fields but from what I've seen the only entertaining women's basketball for my attention is the Olympic competition..I find the WNBA boring and not because I'm sexist...I'm not. I've also said all these athletes are grossly overpaid ...and plenty of men make more money than they deserve in the NBA too.....have to say that as well.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

Eh, they feel pretty strongly about it. Maybe vitriol wasn't the right word, but I think it gets the point across.

Above we have suggestions like grounding WNBA players to the US if they accept a deal like this... As though they are property...

You're the one who said they risk getting raped, kidnapped, etc out of the country and subsidizing their salaries ensures that this won't happen. So if they have subsidized salaries, do you support banning them from signing in any other basketball leagues out of the country where they can earn additional money?

 

[Phatguysrule]

If you are taking the money from the NBA someone is losing. That money has to come from the owners or players. Sure they can try to do it as a tax deduction, but it is still money that they don't get. So the NBA players lose.

The average person in the US makes 63K a year. The average player in the WNBA makes $128 K a year. 70% of the people in the us make less then 100K a year. I would say their life doesn't suck.

My argument isn't that their life sucks.

 

[Phatguysrule]

You're the one who said they risk getting raped, kidnapped, etc out of the country and subsidizing their salaries ensures that this won't happen. So if they have subsidized salaries, do you support banning them from signing in any other basketball leagues out of the country where they can earn additional money?

That's not what I said. But I see where you stand.

 

[twobullz]

No, they are already getting less because they are girls. They get less favorable media contracts than other sports leagues that they are competitive with.

Just like actresses get smaller contracts than actors.

It's the same bullshit. And it's simply because they are girls.

They are getting less because their league makes less. You keep saying it is just because they are "Girls". The WNBA loses money each year. It is not financially feasible to increase salaries until it as a league is profitable. Most other leagues would no longer even be in existence if after 26 years they were still not profitable.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

That's not what I said. But I see where you stand.

Do you support that or not?

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

No, they are already getting less because they are girls. They get less favorable media contracts than other sports leagues that they are competitive with.

Just like actresses get smaller contracts than actors.

It's the same bullshit. And it's simply because they are girls.

Its because no one cares about the WNBA. Maybe they don't care about the WNBA because they are girls. Just like no one cares about the Men's SI Swimsuit Issue.

 

[Phatguysrule]

disagree...it's because they don't draw paying customers or sponsorships...not that they're girls although that is a problem in professional careers...women are absolutely underpaid in most fields but from what I've seen the only entertaining women's basketball for my attention is the Olympic competition..I find the WNBA boring and not because I'm sexist...I'm not. I've also said all these athletes are grossly overpaid ...and plenty of men make more money than they deserve in the NBA too.....have to say that as well.

I'm not saying you're sexist. I'm saying women get jobbed contract-wise (the president of the WNBA has said that is case with their media deals now, when compared to men's sports that they compete with viewership wise), and this is a scenario in which we could eliminate that and give the best women basketball players in the world the respect they deserve.

I absolutely believe a title 9 type system here would be beneficial to the country as a whole.

The WNBA is working on solving the problem. They've raised a bunch of money to put toward solving it. It's just a shame that it has to be like that.

 

[Phatguysrule]

Do you support that or not?

I don't support what you said.

But women who are forced to seek supplemental income in leagues overseas have said they are exposed to more abusive situations than here.

In no way does that suggest that women (any women) should be banned from leaving the country.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

I don't support what you said.

But women who are forced to seek supplemental income in leagues overseas have said they are exposed to more abusive situations than here.

In no way does that suggest that women (any women) should be banned from leaving the country.

But even if you raise the salary, they have 9 months where they can play basketball for money and most people will chase the money. So you're really not solving this problem at all.

 

[Phatguysrule]

But even if you raise the salary, they have 9 months where they can play basketball for money and most people will chase the money. So you're really not solving this problem at all.

I think if they accept that money you could say they shouldn't compete in other leagues, except for team USA.

I think that would be fair.

 

[Natebishop3]

It means you have to invest in something before it becomes profitable.

What have you seen to make you think this is the case with the WNBA? They put A LOT of money into promoting that league when it came out.

 

[Phatguysrule]

What have you seen to make you think this is the case with the WNBA? They put A LOT of money into promoting that league when it came out.

And when they did that it's viewership was increasing... They were up to 11k per game.

Once they stopped pushing it it dropped to 6-7k, and then covid-19 really hurt them

 

[Natebishop3]

And when they did that it's viewership was increasing... They were up to 11k per game.

Once they stopped pushing it it dropped to 6-7k, and then covid-19 really hurt them

The problem as I see it is that the WNBA doesn't have the two things that make the NBA exciting.

1. Monster dunks

2. Deep three point shooting.

Who are the most popular players today? What are they known for?

Michael Jordan is arguably still the most famous basketball player to ever live, and easily one of the top maybe 2 or 3 athletes worldwide. Shaq was a huge star in his heyday. Dr. J is still talked about. Steph Curry and Dame are household names because of their shooting. The WNBA is great at fundamentals, but fundamentals don't put butts in seats. The WNBA needs a transcendent star. Someone who is must-see-TV. I'm actually hoping that Sabrina Ionescu could be that person. They need someone that makes even the most casual fans say, "I have to see that person."

 

[Phatguysrule]

The problem as I see it is that the WNBA doesn't have the two things that make the NBA exciting.

1. Monster dunks

2. Deep three point shooting.

Who are the most popular players today? What are they known for?

Michael Jordan is arguably still the most famous basketball player to ever live, and easily one of the top maybe 2 or 3 athletes worldwide. Shaq was a huge star in his heyday. Dr. J is still talked about. Steph Curry and Dame are household names because of their shooting. The WNBA is great at fundamentals, but fundamentals don't put butts in seats. The WNBA needs a transcendent star. Someone who is must-see-TV. I'm actually hoping that Sabrina Ionescu could be that person. They need someone that makes even the most casual fans say, "I have to see that person."

It's just marketing. Which takes money.

 

[Natebishop3]

It's just marketing. Which takes money.

You have to have something to market. Something that people want. I said this before, but there's so many different forms of content right now that's all pulling for people's attention. It's extremely hard to get consistent views right now with so many options at people's fingertips.

 

[crandc]

Griner is scheduled to be tried this week in special court where less than 1% of defendants are acquitted.

 

[riverman]

Griner is scheduled to be tried this week in special court where less than 1% of defendants are acquitted.

She recieved 6 months minimum today and will stand trial next month where the sentence is usually 10 years in prison according to their laws...really, reall, sucks. They've also arrested thousands of anti Ukraine war protestors and they will also suffer the wrath of Russian Courts...Putin's rivals for his job are all in jail...dictators suck...America needs to get China or Serbia or Belarus to pressure Russia to release her...they're not listening to us and we're sending weapons to Ukraine daily so...that's the first cog in the process.

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

 

[EL PRESIDENTE]

 

[riverman]

I was right about her making a dumb decision to transport hash oil in an international airport.....the argument was that it was planted on her no longer holds water. Pleading guilty should reduce her sentence but Russia is going to milk this until we give them some high profile prisoner we have of theirs. It's a shame Russia has archaic cannabis laws.

 

[crandc]

Pleading guilty in Russia is a requirement for any arrangements for her release. How much faith do you have in Russian courts?