Story by Alan Snel and Cassandra Cousineau Photos by J. Tyge O’Donnell
The Las Vegas Aces already put on a showtime experience at Mandalay Bay’s packed Michelob Ultra Arena.
Throw in the Caitlin Clark effect Saturday evening and you have a bigger-than-life women’s basketball spectacle.
While Aces coach Becky Hammon used her pregame media talk to explain how upset she was with the Aces’ lack of defense in a loss to Phoenix, fans took air flights from Iowa so that they could see both Clark and Clark’s former Iowa buddy, Kate Martin of the Aces. Their coach — Iowa women’s basketball coach Lisa Bluder — was also here tonight.
Plus, during the week the Aces announced they would use their five Commissioner’s Cup games as a platform to raise awareness about reproductive and abortion rights. LVSportsBiz.com spoke with Aces President Nikki Fargas before the Game about the Aces stranding up for rights.
Officially speaking, WNBA Commissioner’s Cup — a tournament inside the WNBA’s 40-game schedule — will be a platform “to support civic engagement efforts, with a particular emphasis on the impact of voting or reproductive rights. Throughout the tournament, the Las Vegas Aces will represent Reproductive Freedom for All.”
Reproductive Freedom for All Nevada is a state chapter of Reproductive Freedom for All, a national non-profit organization.
Reproductive Freedom for All Nevada defends access to abortion and other forms of reproductive health care in the southwest. Reproductive Freedom for All has organizers in Nevada, allowing them to organize directly in the community. With door-to-door outreach, phone banking, online actions and community events, they have organized more than 48,000 members across the state and are growing every day, according to the Aces.
Each team of the 12 WNBA teams will play five Commissioner’s Cup games, one against each of its in-conference rivals. The Aces’ Commissioner’s Cup games begin on June 5 and last through June 13. the play Dallas June 5; Seattle June 7; Los Angeles, June 9, Minnesota June 11 and Phoenix June 13. The team from each conference with the top record in Commissioner’s Cup games will compete for a $500,000 prize pool in the Commissioner’s Cup Championship.
It’s hardly a jolt that the Aces are involved in abortion rights. The WNBA is clearly the most expressive sports league in the U.S. when it comes to speaking out on major political issues.
The WNBA players led the way for racial justice after the murder of George Floyd in Minneapolis exactly four years ago today. The women of the WNBA helped change the face of the U.S. Senate, helping Georgia elect two Democratic U.S. senators. No other sports league has wielded its political voice like the WNBA.
In April, the WNBA announced a multi-year partnership with Perrigo Company plc, the brand behind Opill, the first over-the-counter daily birth control pill in the US. During this year’s Draft, Opill served as an associate sponsor and featured activations at the event.
Additionally, Opill will collaborate with the WNBA on a college campus tour to provide educational programs on contraception. Given the WNBA’s strong stance on women’s rights, it’s a bit of a head scratcher that the league will hold the 2024 All-Star Game in Phoenix.
This decision comes after the Arizona Supreme Court upheld a near-total abortion ban from 1864, which starkly contrasts with the values of one of the nation’s most progressive professional sports leagues.
During her pre-draft chat with reporters, WNBA Commissioner Cathy Englebert stated, “Obviously we have a team there (in Arizona) as well, and they’ll continue to make their impact on this particular issue, maternal health and reproductive rights.”
The Aces, in their press releases, routinely bring up the number of days since Breonna Taylor “was murdered” and mention that the ACLU is tracking more than 500 anti-LGBTQ bills in the U.S.
The Clark fever gave the arena a heightened buzz as fans wanted to see the women’s college player of the year in person. Tickets on the secondary market were starting at $116 at game time.
At halftime, the Aces led, 46-38, behind Jackie Young’s 17 points.
The Aces pulled away in the third period, leading 72-56 at the end of the third quarter behind A’ja Wilson’s 27 points.
The Aces’ Big 3 minus injured Chelsea Gray led the way, with Wilson pouring in 29 points and guards Jackie Young (22) and Kelsey Plum (20) having big games, too.
Clark scored eight points on two-for-eight shooting and her former Iowa pal, Martin, scored 12 points as their former coach, Bluder, was in the sellout crowd of more than 10,000 to see both.
Final: Aces 99 Indiana 80
Las Vegas improves to 3-1. Indiana has lost six of their seven games.