3 weeks ago
The statement surrounding the WNBA’s usage of commercialized flights has travel backmost into nan spotlight aft erstwhile women’s assemblage hoops prima Caitlin Clark made her first travel pinch nan Indiana Fever to Texas this week up of their preseason crippled against nan Dallas Wings.
Video shared connected societal media Thursday showed nan WNBA No. 1 wide prime and her teammates arriving astatine Dallas Fort Worth International Airport.
Indiana Fever defender Caitlin Clark speaks pinch nan media aft nan WNBA hoops squad practiced successful Indianapolis, Sunday, April 28, 2024. (AP Photo/Michael Conroy)
The contiguous consequence from societal media users was why nan convention wasn’t flying nan squad connected a charter formation – thing nan Iowa programme utilized during Clark’s clip arsenic a Hawkeye.
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"It’ll decidedly beryllium an adjustment, but it is what it is," Clark said of nan rumor while speaking to nan media connected Thursday.
"At this constituent of my profession and crossed nan WNBA, it is what it is. I’m sure, certainly, everybody would opportunity that they would emotion to beryllium flying charter each nan clip – that decidedly would thief a batch of problems. But I deliberation nan fever statement has done a really bully occupation of getting retired up of things. There’s going to beryllium a batch of information walking pinch us, location will beryllium definite plans of really we’re going to navigate going passim airports and things for illustration that."
Becoming nan NCAA Division 1 all-time starring scorer, Clark helped nan NCAA scope its champion viewership successful history for women’s basketball, pinch astir 19 cardinal fans watching nan title game.
Caitlin Clark astatine nan WNBA Draft held astatine nan Brooklyn Academy of Music connected April 15, 2024, successful New York. (Cora Veltman/Sportico via Getty Images)
CAITLIN CLARK KNOWS WNBA TITLE IS ULTIMATE GOAL, BUT HOPES 'TO GET BACK TO THE PLAYOFFS' IN ROOKIE YEAR
The dream is that it will construe to nan WNBA, and if it does, it could coming a information rumor astatine airports.
"It’s not for illustration we’re nan overseas man retired here. Everybody has to navigate, it and I deliberation it's going to origin immoderate problems, maybe, because nan fame of our convention is continuing to turn and having to navigate recreation pinch that," Clark continued Thursday.
"But astatine nan aforesaid time, that’s a affirmative thing, too. You want group to beryllium excited astir our game. Hopefully, it changes successful nan adjacent future, but for now that’s conscionable what it is, and everybody’s dealing pinch nan aforesaid thing. You can’t usage it arsenic an excuse."
Caitlin Clark, #22 of nan Indiana Fever, talks to reporters during media time activities at Gainbridge Fieldhouse connected May 1, 2024, successful Indianapolis, Indiana. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)
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Fever wide head Lin Dunn told reporters Thursday that nan squad has information measures successful place, but declined to disclose nan details.
"We’re surely alert of what took spot astatine Iowa erstwhile she traveled to distant arenas, and surely we’re alert of what happened astatine Ohio State, and we’re going to return each nan precautions we tin to make judge that not only is she safe, but that I’m safe – that we’re each safe, that each nan players are prepared to beryllium safe and secure."
Last year, nan WNBA spent $4 cardinal connected charter flights for nan full playoffs arsenic good arsenic for immoderate back-to-back games during nan regular season. Ahead of nan draught past month, Commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed that nan convention would do nan aforesaid this season.
"No 1 wants (charters) much than I do for these players. We request to beryllium successful nan correct financial position," Engelbert said. "Just a fewer years ago, we were surviving. Now we’re going from past to thrive. We want to do it astatine nan due time."
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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