WNBA Cares: In Collaboration with NBA Cares

The Women’s National Basketball Association’s (WNBA) community relations efforts are directly linked with the NBA. When looking at their WNBA Cares site the top menu is the NBA Cares menu, while beneath that is the menu for the WNBA Cares. As the two leagues are connected, it makes sense to house their community efforts under the same roof. It is nice to see thought that their efforts while under the same roof differ between the leagues and what they are trying to accomplish. WNBA Cares focuses on issues that are different in that they are women based. They are committed to “creating programs that improve the quality of life for all people, with a special emphasis on education, youth, and family development, and health and wellness” (WNBA Cares Programs, 2020). The programs and events include WNBA Breast Health Awareness, WNBA Pride, WNBA Cares Community Assist, WNBA Fit, and Jr. WNBA. 

WNBA Breast Health Awareness

In partnership with Bright Pink, the WNBA and its teams help to bring awareness to breast cancer. From August 18th to August 31st, the WNBA works to raise more awareness by promoting their Assess your Risk tool of their website to encourage women to assess their risk for breast and ovarian cancer (WNBA Breast Health Awareness, 2020). Their site will take you to assess your risk site where women can take a short quiz to assess their risk for cancer. 

WNBA Pride

During the month of June, the WNBA celebrates pride month in various ways. The league participates in the Pride Month Parade, having players march in New York City along with NBA representatives. They also partner with GLSEN and Fanatics to produce an exclusive line of WNBA Pride apparel, with all the proceeds going to GLSEN (WNBA Pride, 2020). 

WNBA Cares Community Assist

This program is an award that is given out monthly during the season to players within the league. The award is gifted to those athletes that “best reflect the WNBA’s passion to make a difference in the community” (WNBA Cares Community Assist, 2020). At the end of the season, one player is chosen for the season-long community assist award. This award goes to the player that displayed her commitment and education to give back to her community throughout the season. 

The award is gifted to those athletes that “best reflect the WNBA’s passion to make a difference in the community”

WNBA Fit

The WNBA Fit platform works in conjunction with Kaiser Permanente to encourage physical activity, mental wellbeing, and healthy living. The initiative runs multiple programs and events throughout the season. During August, the WNBA and Kaiser hold a WNBA Fit Month to promote healthy lifestyles to children and families across the nation. They host a WNBA All-Star Fit Clinic for children and players post their workouts online as well (WNBA Fit, 2020). With this initiative, they can teach children and families the benefits of a healthy body and mind, which is important for all. 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k1mfK7spK2I

Jr. WNBA

Started in 2018 at the beginning of their season, the Jr. WNBA program is a week-long event for youth basketball. Throughout the week teams host events and clinics to promote and garner excitement for the sport of basketball. They also reach out to youth who cannot make it to these events through social media where they describe ways to celebrate youth basketball throughout the week (Jr. WNBA, 2018). This not only inspires children at the clinics but children across the world to participate and show their love for the sport. 

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The WNBA cares community relations are great, especially with having more of a focus on women’s health but they could do more. As one of the leading women’s leagues in the sports industry, they should do more to empower women to participate in sports. Working with the NBA, as they’re affiliated, is great but they need to have more community relations programs and events that are theirs, rather than a combined WNBA and NBA program/event. For example, they could develop a program that focuses on promoting girl’s involvement in basketball as well as in academics, such as STEM curriculum which is considered a boy’s area of academics. A program such as this could inspire girls to get involved in sports or to find a love for science, technology, engineering, or math. Creating more programs under their WNBA Cares program geared towards girls' athletic and intellectual development would help to strengthen their community relations efforts as a whole.