The WNBA plans to give $50 million to the full-time service over the next two years Charter flight service During the season, the commissioner of the league announced an action regarding the years for the teams Player safety concerns.
“We intend to support a full-time charter for this season,” Commissioner Kathy Engelbert said during a meeting with sports organizers.
She said the league will start the program “as soon as we can get airplanes in places.”
Engelbert said the program will cost the league $25 million a year for the next two seasons.
The WNBA announced at the draft last month that it plans to pay for charter flights for all playoff games and back-to-back games that require air travel this coming season.
The league’s schedule features back-to-back sets this season, with the WNBA taking a long break for the Olympics in late July and early August. The league spent $4 million on the 2023 charter.
Engelbert said before the WNBA draft that the league must be in the right financial position to lease planes.
Thanks to the WNBA, it’s getting more attention than ever. Beginners like Kathleen ClarkeThe NCAA helped get the best audience in the history of women’s basketball, with almost 19 million fans watching the title game, who went to the Met Gala on Monday night with Angel Reese and Cameron Brink.
Clark drew attention walking down the runway with her new Indiana Fever teammates Preseason game Last week against the Dallas Wings. That exhibit was sold out with fans eager to get inside.
WNBA teams have been moving games against Clark and Indiana. to the big platforms Due to the increase in demand.
Minnesota Lynx forward Nafisa Collier says flying on charter planes is a safety concern as their name, stars and fans grow. She saw a video of Clark having security guards at the airport and trying to protect Brittney Griner when she traveled last year.
“All these players and these faces have become so popular that it’s about recovery,” Collier said.
Flights were an issue for the WNBA last year, which the league added. Working with Greener and Phoenix Mercury. They had to go commercial and the All-Star center, who was imprisoned in Russia for 10 months, was harassed by the WNBA. It’s called a “trigger.”
The league does not allow teams to use charter flights unless they have back-to-back games.
That has forced players like Breanna Stewart, a 6-foot-4 forward for the New York Liberty, to push past fellow travelers on commercial flights to get into her assigned window seat. WNBA players also had to endure travel days that could stretch to 13 hours with delays, not just unpacking their own luggage.
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