Caitlin Clark, Bullying and the Business of Basketball \ stacker news ~econ

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Caitlin Clark, Bullying and the Business of Basketball mises.org/mises-wire/caitlin-clark-bullying-and-business-basketball

194 sats \ 29 comments \ @Undisciplined 25 Jun 2024 econ

By Kevin Duffy

Caitlin Clark, with her array of basketball skills, has filled arenas in her inaugural WNBA season. However, the idea of merit clashes with the leftist, egalitarian mindset that dominates in the league.

Stephen A. Smith:

Caitlin Clark is bringing more attention. When you get on the court with her and you perform and somehow, someway, you’ll find a way to attach yourself to that level of magnetism that she surely has, who knows what could be out there for you? And if suddenly the maximum salary goes from $250,000 to $450,000, and suddenly you’re on chartered jets instead of commercial flights, and suddenly you’re maximizing the potential of your name, image and likeness, what do you care? At the end of the day, the rising tide lifts all boats . . .

See how simple it is? It’s capitalism! It’s marketability! It’s taking advantage of the moment! That’s business! Why be resentful of any of them? What is wrong with people? How do you not see that?

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90 sats \ 17 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

As a kid I was a huge NBA fan. I remember the founding of the WNBA. In my twenties I lost interest in the sport for the most part. I forgot about the WNBA until I started seeing videos of the players complaining about their low salaries. I couldn't name one WNBA player.

Then this college player starts popping up on the web. She's supposed to be very good. Getting compared to NBA greats. Then I start seeing videos of how she's being treated and how attendance to her team's games is massive compared to typical games. Its interesting. I'm still not interested in watching the WNBA or the NBA for that matter but its wild to watch what seems to be obvious jealousy on display. I could be wrong but that's the way it looks to me.

Stephen A Smith went on an epic rant about Clark not being picked for team USA. If you all haven't seen it you'll probably enjoy it. Sports is one of those entertainment mediums that IMO is one of the most fair. Players make a lot of money. Teams make a lot of money. They don't make money if no one cares. If people do care they make a TON of money. The idea that the WNBA doesn't make money because of anything but a lack of interest is absolutely absurd. I know zero women that are into it. I know a couple guys that will watch. That's it. End of story. There's no conspiracy. There's no sexism. Its just reality. If there was sexism it would be from the fans first. The WNBA has been supported from the start. It is mocked because of the way players cry about money.

Many probably don't know this but the early days of all sports the players made very little money. That's reality. It took many years for MLB, NFL, and NBA to have players making good money. The reality is that these players would probably not make any money if the NBA didn't support their league. They need to build a bigger fan base. That's it. And what I see as a very casual observer isn't a good look.

76 sats \ 14 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 26 Jun 2024

Until the 60's, it was pretty common for professional athletes to have "real jobs" because they got paid so little. I suspect that's what the situation would be for the WNBA if it weren't subsidized by the NBA.

I don't watch WNBA or college ball either, and still have no interest, but this story is interesting. It does seem like naked petty racism.

The racial politics of basketball are pretty ugly right now, because the best players in the NBA are also white at the moment and it's leading to lots of flagrant race-baiting coverage.

63 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

There is also another factor I've seen in envy over money. The idea that people deserve money. Like it is some moral wrong that John makes more than Jim. Most people do not understand the price system and do not recognize that we all can quit or withhold our labor. We can increase our value. That prices and value are subjective. The influence if Marxism is deep in the west. It really holds people back.

63 sats \ 9 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

I agree with you that it is interesting. I can see it being multiple issues leading to this level of anger.

Money. I would guess money is the most significant issue. I've heard that young players get a lot of animosity for getting paid more than their whole team. Or more than any player has ever been paid. But I don't think that's all of it, but its a part of it. A big part. Jealousy is also at play. She is getting the attention they all want. Then you add that she is who she is and my guess is that is the salt in the wound. This is exposing naked human flaws. I have seen this kind of thing before up close with female friends. It is absurd how much hate can come out of people that talk endlessly about ending hate. In the end, the truth exposes itself.

63 sats \ 2 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

I've seen some very ugly behavior from people that claim to be the opposite. It is a human flaw present in all of us. Hypocrisy. I've seen how when it is exposed it demoralizes people and hurts them deeply. The current culture is really has a morally superiority that is going to have a hard fall. Its been happening for years but it will continue. Just as the dominance of Christianity in culture had a hard fall. Humans are deeply flawed and will grab morality to elevate themselves above others. I remember the day it occurred to me that the agenda that was rising in the tech field I work in was no different from legalistic Christianity. It was just a different moral code. Self righteousness over compassion and love. No loving your enemies. It kinda surprises me that more people do not see it for what it is.

76 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 26 Jun 2024

When I first had a real job at a University, it was shocking hearing what many "progressive" faculty actually believe about people. It's what led to my current view that so much of progressive politics is a projection of their own ugly views onto everyone else.

90 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

Yeah, I spent some time working in "higher" ed and I know what you mean. I grew up in a very legalistic sect of Christianity. Many good people but the legalism was and is ugly. I tend to pick up on patterns and as I wrestled with my faith (as everyone should) I was also being exposed to progressive morality and began to see the same patterns. Then I began to see it all over the place. Its human nature dressed up in a cause. The progressive culture is a religion. Its just a secular one.

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55 sats \ 5 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 26 Jun 2024

I'd be curious how much is an innate male/female difference in psychology and how much is the newness of women being in these situations.

My understanding is that many norms have developed amongst male athletes to keep these things in check.

I do think the dominant factor though is that the WNBA has been devoted to obsessing over identitarian grievances, so that's going to lead to situations like this.

90 sats \ 2 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

That's an interesting question. In my experience playing sports and just being a man I think boys learn about physical limits and mutual respect in a very different way from women. I don't know if it is innate or cultural. May be a bit of both.

Of course we aren't even supposed to talk about these things but I don't care. I forget who I first heard explain this but you see the difference in conflict resolution between men and women when you observe how some women (not most) will speak to a man that is much larger than them vs. how a man of the same stature would. Boys when I was growing up learned really fast that if they open their mouth they better be prepared for at least the possibility of violence. I think it is different for girls. At least it used to be.

I've talked to my wife about this and she mostly agrees but she points out how girls fight in a much more advanced and subtle way. Point is, I think this whole WNBA thing is complicated and the way the WNBA has positioned itself as you say, doesn't help.

55 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 26 Jun 2024

I've been wondering if one of our social problems is that we haven't found the right replacement for credible threats of physical violence. I think you're right that a lot of social norms were ultimately enforced that way.

I was thinking about it in the context of parenting, but I think it applies very broadly. I know it's something Jordan Peterson used to talk about.

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55 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 26 Jun 2024

Negative stereotypes being reinforced by WNBA players who hate Caitlin

21 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

100%

Its not a good look. Even if it has nothing to do with stereotypes it sure is easy to see it that way.

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21 sats \ 2 replies \ @Bell_curve 26 Jun 2024

Free agency gave players more leverage

55 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 26 Jun 2024

That's a good point, but at some level they needed enough fan support to make it all possible.

42 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

Exactly. There was an agreement made between owners and the players and the players had earned the market value to demand different terms.

55 sats \ 1 reply \ @Bell_curve 26 Jun 2024

WNBA is very political and vocal for a league with low ratings and attendance outside of Caitlin

0 sats \ 0 replies \ @kepford 26 Jun 2024

I mean it is even with her... but it is showing signs of growth from what I've seen.

84 sats \ 9 replies \ @grayruby 25 Jun 2024

I think any time a new highly touted player enters a pro league there is a sense from the veterans and existing stars that the rookie hasn't earned the fame and notoriety yet and they want to knock them down a peg but this seems different.

I don't really get it.

123 sats \ 8 replies \ @TNStacker 25 Jun 2024

This is different. It is crazy. I cannot believe her teammates aren't fighting WITH her. I am ashamed of this new breed. But the tension increases the market, too. America likes ugly shit.

CC is handling it so well! Humility, confidence, no blaming. She is fucking awesome!

102 sats \ 7 replies \ @Undisciplined OP 25 Jun 2024

Her teammates not getting her back is the part that bothers me, too. That's sports 101.

Steph and MJ got beaten up, so that's just part of it, but then Draymond or Oakley kicked the guys' asses.

84 sats \ 0 replies \ @grayruby 25 Jun 2024

I completely agree with this.

51 sats \ 5 replies \ @Bell_curve 26 Jun 2024

Her teammates don’t have her back?

I wonder if it’s because she is not black

I started rapping

105 sats \ 4 replies \ @grayruby 27 Jun 2024

I wonder if they are afraid of being ostracized by the rest of the league if they stand up for her?

51 sats \ 0 replies \ @Bell_curve 27 Jun 2024

Depends on color

Black players won’t speak up for Caitlin because she is white and for the ones who like her they will stay silent for fear of being assaulted by the WNBA BLM mafia

This reminds me of mean girls except Lindsay Lohan was pretty and a party girl.

@Undisciplined @kepford Regarding innate qualities between different groups, black women have more testosterone which enables them to be more violent than non black women.

I think Caitlin should leave the WNBA for the rest of the season and watch ratings and attendance tank. Then she can tell the league how it needs to change. Punishment and ban for certain black players.

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92 sats \ 1 reply \ @Undisciplined OP 27 Jun 2024

I'm sure that's part of it. It depends how much of the animus they actually share.