Another View
One thing that’s not changed is our local media’s absence
PHOENIX, AZ — This past weekend’s WNBA All-Star Game and other related events kept alive two streaks: The MSR has missed only two such events and kept intact our consecutive attendance streak, as well as the local Twin Cities mainstream media’s run of consecutive non-appearances.
Last Friday at a scheduled press conference, Minnesota Lynx Head Coach and Business Operations President Cheryl Reeve clearly noticed the only local media member sitting in the front row. She is the USA Women’s National Team coach as well. We asked her why mainstream media do not see the WASG as important to cover as other out-of-town non-women sporting events.
“I can tell you it’s disappointing. I don’t have the answer for it,” admitted Reeve. “Your work through the years in covering women’s sport is not shared by [everyone] in our market. We’ve improved our coverage in the market for sure, but it is not at the level that it should be at this point.”
Minnesota this past weekend was represented by two Lynx players, Napheesa Collier (USA Women’s National Team) and Kayla McBride (Team WNBA, 3-Point Shooting participant). Plus Reeve as the first-time national coach in the Team WNBA-Team USA matchup last Saturday in Phoenix.
Even when the Lynx had a then-record four All-Stars during its championship years, the local media were noticeably absent, save for the MSR.
Reeve recalled, “Whether it’s winning WNBA championships multiple times or we go to the All-Star Game, whatever it is, given the magnitude of the events that we’ve had,” the media coverage has remained underwhelming.
Seattle’s Nneka Ogwumike last week pointed out that since joining the league a dozen years ago, and perhaps longer, there have been two media camps—the “OG media” (of which the MSR is a proud member) and the media newbies. These camps, in her opinion, have been created with the sudden heightened rush of women’s basketball coverage in general, and especially the WNBA this season.
“I think we have the OG media, you know who you are, you have been there from the beginning,” explained Ogwumike, who also is the WNBA players union president. “I think the OG media can do a really good job of understanding the history and can do a really good job of leading that way and letting people know, ‘Hey this is how it used to be. This is where it is now.’
“I think all of the media that’s coming in now,” said Ogwumike, “a lot of the media are now getting elbowed out by bigger entities that are just here because they feel like it’s hot.
“But we have people that have been not only around for a really long time, but also have taken women’s sports seriously for a really long time. And then we have people who are very interested in women’s sports and they didn’t know how to get it.
“I think it’s very important for us to maintain the level of diversity and collaboration as we see this grow from all corners and all aspects of what we all love the same way,” stressed Ogwumike on covering the W properly and fairly.
This is what Reeve and others have been advocating for years in local WNBA coverage as well.
For the record, this reporter has covered the WNBA since its founding in 1997, and the Lynx since its founding in 1999, longer than any other media in town—as well as women’s sports overall for over four decades.
“I’m really hopeful that [given] the current events in covering women’s sports and how things are changing very rapidly,” concluded Reeve, “that this is one that will grab ahold and share your passion for it.”