WNBA All-Star Broadcast Controversy: ESPN Host Shocks With Risqué Remark
Duncan was referencing the lack of defense in the high-scoring game where Team Collier led Team Clark 82-60.
'We hope it gets a little bit more competitive. Because like a girls' trip to Cancun, right now, there's no D,' she exclaimed.
The comment, crude in nature but a fairly solid joke following the ESPYs, which featured a clearly non-PC Shane Gillis in action, drew mixed reactions.
Some social media users criticized it as disrespectful to the WNBA, while others found it humorous. Narrator – It was funny, but didn't belong on a national broadcast watched by young, impressionable girls.
Maybe save it for a post-game show airing late in the evening?
Elle Duncan in a Timeout
Duncan's co-analyst Chiney Ogwumike responded by jokingly putting her in 'timeout' as the broadcast cut to a commercial.
'Elle, you're in timeout. You're done,' she said.
Viewers on social media were a little less forgiving.
'What does she mean by that joke?' one fan wrote, clearly understanding what she meant. 'I had to explain to my daughter that it meant absolutely nothing, she just wanted to watch her favorite WNBA players play, not an inappropriate remark.'
'How am I supposed to tell her that isn't the way you speak on national television?'
'Disgusting and vulgar,' a more succinct response reads.
Another fan wondered, 'Can you imagine if a man said something similar?'
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More Controversy at the WNBA All-Star Game
For the record, the game didn't see much improvement in defense after the halftime break either. Team Collier defeated Team Clark 151-131, led by Napheesa Collier's 36 points.
While there was controversy with the broadcast, there was also controversy before the WNBA All-Star game even started.
During warm-ups, both teams came out onto the court wearing shirts that read 'Pay Us What You Owe Us,' a message meant to pressure WNBA management to increase player salaries.
The league has never turned a profit—not even in Caitlin Clark's first season. Indeed, the WNBA is subsidized by the NBA just to stay afloat. They lost $40 million even as Clark brought in unprecedented ratings and ticket sales.
You have a better chance of seeing defense in an All-Star game than you do of seeing the league turn a profit.
Also Read:: Caitlin Clark's Brother Points Direct Finger for His Sister's Injuries
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