Bobby Burack
Videos by OutKick
February 1, 2023 marked one of the most historic days in sports history. The day signaled the end for Tom Brady, the consensus greatest football player in history.
Brady’s retirement is certainly the lead story in sports, and even on various non-sports programs. But there was one exception. A notable exception, in fact.
ESPN.com highlighted a different story on Wednesday. The network buried the Brady news to prioritize an unknown woman changing teams in the WNBA.
Someone called Breanna Stewart, who they say won an MVP, is leaving the Seattle Storm for the New York Liberty.
#BREAKING.
That, not the G.O.A.T. retiring, led the ESPN homepage and app:
We get ESPN has boxes to check and feelings not to hurt. Emphasizing the WNBA along with social justice is the edict inside the walls of ESPN.
Still, not since ESPN ran an anti-American column on July 4 from woman beater Howard Bryant has an editorial decision been so questionable.
(Does ESPN support women or no?)
Highlighting a league with less interest than high school football on the day Tom Brady retired does not empower women. Rather, it’s a form of pandering.
It’s an insult to sports fans. The decision shows ESPN does not care what its readers want to consume.
Recently, ESPN led its flagship 6 p.m. “SportsCenter” with two stories on women’s college basketball. ESPN chose NCAAW over the NFL playoffs and updates on Patrick Mahomes’ ankle.
The network chose to serve the hundreds, not the millions. Questionable business, no doubt.
As is comparing three other random women as the new LeBron James, Chris Bosh, and Dwyane Wade. Meet the new “Big 3” — for the first time:
Men’s and women’s sports are not equal. Look at the ratings, the revenue, the popularity.
Treating the WNBA like the NFL is not equality. It’s bad business, mockable behavior.
Note: ESPN has re-prioritized Brady on the homepage. The box has been checked and the web traffic has been sunk.
Re-write the history of sports. February 1, 2023, marks the day Stewart Breanna, or something, changed teams.
…and?
They REALLY love to push the WNBA. I couldn’t name one person that knows a damn thing about any WNBA team, including friends who have season tickets for Women’s college basketball. No. One. Cares.
I think they must be contractually obligated as part of their deal with the NBA. There is no other reason to put so much effort into pushing a league that loses money as much as the WNBA. By comparison, ESPN rarely if ever advertises for the NWSL women’s soccer league, despite all of their bluster about equity
I went through this phase. The only young women and families tracking the WNBA are high school girl basketball players. Once they realize they are not receiving scholarships the girls could not care less. My daughter mildly followed them at 16, she has not watched 5 minutes of women’s basketball since. The entire WNBA is a joke.