The differences in how WNBA players and NBA players are treated have always been stark.
NBA players generally get to live, play and travel in luxury. WNBA players get the short end of that stick. That generally manifests itself in things like salary, travel accommodations, per diems and all the little things on the margins.
On Tuesday, the differences were made evident through the WNBA’s “bubble” at the IMG Academy in Florida. And it’s clear things are as imbalanced as they’ve ever been.
Players finally touched down on campus this week to begin preparing for the restart of the WNBA’s season at the end of July.
Already, they have a ton of complaints about their arrangements. ESPN’s Kayla Johnson shared videos sent to her from players on Twitter.
Let’s just say their arrangements don’t look like they’re the greatest. This laundry room looks like it came out of a horror movie.
just got this video from one of the laundry rooms inside the WNBA “bubble” and couldn’t be more disturbed. this is not ok. pic.twitter.com/6FC10jlcql
— Kayla Johnson (@klajohnson) July 7, 2020
Later in her thread, there was also a video where someone found a worm on a bedroom floor.
What appears to be a worm found on the floor of one of the rooms pic.twitter.com/WRZYTxdbGo
— Kayla Johnson (@klajohnson) July 7, 2020
And someone shared a picture of a meal that, uh, didn’t look like it was the greatest.
this was a meal option served to some WNBA players. i don’t think they would have agreed if this is what was advertised. pic.twitter.com/C9PjykUd3l
— Kayla Johnson (@klajohnson) July 7, 2020
Seattle Storm guard Jewell Loyd complained about the plumbing on the campus in her Instagram story.
I’m here for the Jewell Loyds shade #Wubble pic.twitter.com/UMwxAX1Lej
— innominate (@splatereffect) July 7, 2020
On top of that, Kiah Stokes, a center for the New York Liberty, implied that the bubble isn’t as isolated as it should be.
We just not as isolated as the bubble/wubble implies lol
— Kiah Stokes (@kstokes41) July 7, 2020
Even Stephen A. Smith says he’s hearing terrible things about the WNBA’s bubble.
.@stephenasmith speaking on the differences he’s heard about between the @NBA and @WNBA bubble. Calls on league to address it “quick, fast and in a hurry.” #WNBA pic.twitter.com/F6xZM9cB08
— Dorothy J. Gentry (@DorothyJGentry) July 7, 2020
So, yeah, the WNBA has a bubble problem on their hands. And the league’s return plan is barely just a day along. What a great start.
There is a silver lining here, though. The league sees and hears the problems and concerns the players are having already. And, apparently, they’re already on the job with IMG Academy to get some fixes, Bleacher Report’s Ari Chambers reports.
As far as what we’ve seen in the past 24 hours from the Wubble, a survey has been sent to people in the lodge housing to address the problems. The IMG Executive VP of Events said he’s working currently to address and relieve all issues.
— Arielle (Ari) Chambers (@ariivory) July 7, 2020
It’s just a shame that there are so many fixes that are needed already in the first place.