The WNBA is growing and this year, it has recorded 93% more ticket sales than it had done last year. Though the numbers are nowhere near that of the NBA, it has still grown. As per the New York Times, the WNBA brings in about $200 million annually whereas the NBA produces around $10 billion bills. However, a major concern that the media usually overlook is that the WNBA might be growing due to a lot of fans objectifying women. And recently, Dallas Wings star Satou Sabally came forward to shed light on the same.

Sabally was present during the podcast when she spoke of the increase in revenue and her answers came as an eye-opener for many fans.

Satou Sabally speaks her mind 

“Why do certain players get more endorsement deals than other players, right like we have a lot of mass representing women in the league and the numbers for them look very different for a beautiful feminine representing women that you know…wear heals and are more sexually appealing to the general population than someone who might not be. And girls from intersectional struggles to you know…struggles that white women also face. You know, she was sexualized also in the interview which is unacceptable,” Sabally stated, via Podcast P with Paul George.

There is no doubt that a lot of players in the WNBA including Sue Bird, Breanna Stewart, Te’a Cooper, Angel Reese, and many more have done swimsuit photoshoots. While they do it to look comfortable in their bodies, the shocking thing is that many fans do not take it the same way and instead choose to objectify them. 

More glamorous photoshoots and trying to be more appealing, enhance the popularity with the audiences that might get a player more deals and increase their net worth. But as per Sabally, this is a little unfair for those players who choose to concentrate on their game. Whereas in the NBA the same sexualization is far less since athletes are revered for their playing skills rather than their physiques. 

Satou Sabally supports Caitlin Clark

Sabally also gave her view on Clark receiving a lot of hate from other athletes who might be jealous of her. Notably, Clark has all eyes set on her even though she is a rookie and a narrative is set in the WNBA that it might be causing players to be jealous of her. Acknowledging the same, Sabally showed her support to Clark.

“I would just tell her that I am proud of you. Keep doing your thing and try not to blame the noise. Everyone has some different kind of noise around them. And it looks different for everyone and she is just now like all eyes on her and what I hope she knows is that there is a community of women around her that wants her to succeed,” Sabally added.

Perhaps, now that Sabally has come forward to speak of her perspective, fans would be more careful to respect women athletes for how they play and not sexualize them.

Stay tuned for more such updates, and to follow what Shaq’s ex-agent, Leonard Armato, has to say about the Reese-Clark rivalry and more, watch this video.