WNBA Union Criticizes NBA for Omitting Women’s League from Joint Memo on Betting-Related Athlete Harassment

The WNBA union criticized the NBA for excluding the women’s league from a memo by the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS to regulators on betting-related athlete harassment. The memo seeks bans on threatening fans and notes such actions cross ethical and criminal lines. This comes despite the NBA’s 42% WNBA ownership and multiple documented player incidents.

SCCG Take — The omission exposes coordination gaps between the NBA and its affiliated women’s league on betting protections. Regulators should anticipate pressure for consistent standards covering all professional athletes.

Major men’s professional sports leagues and their unions sent a memo to state gaming regulators raising concerns about harassment athletes face due to sports betting. The communication omitted any women’s leagues, prompting the WNBA Players Association to question the NBA’s decision.

According to reporting by Front Office Sports, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson said: “It is deeply disappointing that, given the very public and troubling incidents of betting-related harassment experienced by our members over the past several seasons, the NBA determined that WNBA players did not warrant inclusion in a joint position statement intended to address this very issue.”

The NBA owns about 42% of the WNBA, while several other NBA owners have additional separate equity stakes in the women’s basketball league. The leagues are based in the same New York offices.

Details of the Men’s Leagues’ Memo

The memo was sent by the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, and MLS along with their respective player unions. The group referred to themselves in the memos as the “five largest professional sports leagues and players associations.”

The group is requesting additional regulations that would ban fans who threaten athletes because of sports betting. “Threatening the safety of an athlete or their family members over a sports bet crosses a bright ethical and criminal line, and it is entirely unacceptable,” the group wrote.

Reactions from the WNBA and NWSLPA

Abuse from bettors has been an issue in the WNBA for several years. In July, Las Vegas Aces star Chelsea Gray posted a screenshot on her Instagram Story that showed a user calling her a racial slur. The user’s Instagram bio included “sports betting.”

Days later, Chicago Sky guard Natasha Cloud told Front Office Sports that she asked both NBA commissioner Adam Silver and WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert to help address player safety around sports betting. “So for both Adam and Cathy, there still has to be dialogue around this as our leagues continue to expand and as we continue to navigate what this betting world is,” Cloud said. “Cause we want to be in it; it’s great for our league, but also within it, we have to be protected as human beings when we take these jerseys off.”

The NWSLPA learned of this memo and call to action by the men’s pro sports leagues and unions via inbound media inquiries. NWSL union director Meghann Burke told Front Office Sports: “Yes, the NWSLPA supports efforts to protect professional athletes in both men’s and women’s sports from harassment and violent threats of all kinds for all reasons, including those of the kind driven by sports betting.”

Reporting: Front Office Sports – gambling

Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.