Women's professional sports leagues matter. Period.
The WNBA and NWSL are the two most prominent women's leagues in the country. Despite still being so new to the national landscape, they continuously make headlines, turn heads, capture hearts and captivate new fans.
The very existence of these leagues is vital to the continued progress our country so desperately needs when it comes to gender equality.
"As one of the longest standing women's professional sports leagues in the United States and going into our 24th season, I think it's important that we stand for more than just professional basketball, but the power of women," WNBA Commissioner Cathy Engelbert told the Daily News in April.
Players in both leagues have established themselves as leaders not only in the conversation about gender issues, but broader social issues. Players in both leagues have stood up to injustice, voicing their support for the Black Lives Matter movement and using their platforms to raise awareness and fight social and racial injustice.
Liberty veteran Layshia Clarendon and Washington Mystics veteran Natasha Cloud both penned essays in The Players' Tribune about their thoughts on the current Black Lives Matter movement and how it's affecting BIPOC athletes. Pride month has always taken center stage. Players have opted out of the current bubble season plan just to continue fighting for human rights. While the league has dragged its feet on dealing with prejudiced team owner Kelly Loeffler, the players have been united in calling for her ouster.
All players from the North Carolina Courage and Portland Thorns took a knee during the national anthem and wore "Black Lives Matter" T-shirts before the start of the NWSL's first match back from the coronavirus hiatus. The OL Reign created a video explaining social and racial privilege and posted it to their Twitter page. All the Sky Blue players pledged to donate money to the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice after every goal scored in the Challenge Cup.
These are just a few examples from the last two months in both these leagues. Considering they're the two youngest major sports leagues in the country _ the NWSL is just in its eighth season _ they've proved not only is their very existence revolutionary, but so is what they stand for.
