Sometimes, a whole perfect day can be ruined by an unwanted comment that breaks all the good mood an environment. But what was compleately unexpected is that soemthing like this could happen in an event that was celebrating the current success of the WNBA.
The All-Star Game, was meant to be a big night to show off the league’s top stars and its rise in fans, but unfortunately had a twist when a joke by an ESPN star made many people go mad online.
A bad delivered joke
A report by ‘The Spun‘ said the ESPN host, Elle Duncan who was on the 2025 WNBA All-Star show, made a joke that many thought was rude and not nice towards the league’s players.
AS Team Collier were up against Team Clark by 82-60, in an attempt to sumarize the first half, the host said:
“We hope it gets a little bit more competitive. Because like a girls trip to Cancun, right now, there’s no D.“
The exact words were not welcomed and expected, but the angry replies came fast and hard.
Fans quickly went online to say they did not like it a bit, with some calling the joke “disrespectful” and others saying the network was hurting the league’s name. On sites like ‘X’ , terms like “ESPN cooked” and “WNBA deserves better” were seen a lot.
Online words of discomfort
Not just fans, but reporters, former sports stars, and other media personalities also asked why, at a time meant to cheer women’s sports and growth, airtime went to words that made the league seem small.
One user said, “You can feel the momentum behind the WNBA right now-record attendance, more TV coverage-and then you have jokes like this on national television. It’s a setback.”
The WNBA has gotten a lot more popular lately. This season, they have had record numbers for people at games and watching on TV, with stars like Caitlin Clark and Angel Reese. The All-Star Game was supposed to be a party for this WNBA boost, but unfortunately something else took the spotlight.
A larger issue for women’s sports
This unexpected episode brought to light a big problem: how women’s sports are shown in the media. While groups like the NBA get good and serious shows, the WNBA looks like it is still fighting for fair show and respect. Even jokes that seem small or okay alone, can mean more in a space still trying to get real respect.
ESPN has not made an official statement on the controversy yet. Whether or not the network or host talks out in public, the time has brought up again talks on how women’s sports are shown.
For now, fans and players hope things go back to what is really key, the games, the players, and the WNBA getting even bigger.
If you want to be aware of more news about the WNBA and their stars like Cailtin Clark and Angel Reese, here at MARCA.com you can find everything you need to keep uo to date with the latest news.
Now that the WNBA is getting massive, it is a big opportunity to be informed and make sure you do not miss anything about your favourite players.
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