Netflix sports anchor Elle Duncan gave her thoughts on covering the WNBA amid recent controversy, and seemingly blamed Sophie Cunningham for the recent ‘culture war.’
Cunningham’s comments about trans athletes earlier this year brought widespread attention to the league. Unfortunately, the focus wasn’t on the players or the happenings on the court.
As such, Cunningham became the most talked-about figure in the WNBA, and it had very little to do with her abilities as a basketball player.
Elle Duncan suggests Sophie Cunningham supporters have ‘reduced’ WNBA to a ‘culture war’
Speaking with Front Office Sports, Netflix sports analyst and anchor Elle Duncan explained why she feels the WNBA has become a toxic space.
She suggested that the people who have come in off the back of certain figures only to try and politicise the league with no regard for the players or the product have reduced conversation around the WNBA to nothing more than a culture war.
Duncan said: “It’s toxic as h***. Have y’all ever been in a toxic relationship? Then you know. The reason it’s toxic is because you love it so much, because there are so many incredible things about it. Because there is this community that truly doesn’t exist anywhere else, and you know how special it is. To have it reduced to a culture war is disgusting, and it sucks.
“It sucks because it’s not getting any better. It sucks because we thought three years ago, when this started, it would die down, they would see themselves out, it would regulate, and we are still here. That’s why it’s toxic. It’s toxic because you cannot say anything without p****** off one faction of the population. You can’t praise one person without p****** off the other faction of the population.
“It’s a disingenuous space – the people that are talking about the most are not fans and don’t care. They are literally there are as opportunists, to be divisive. It’s working, and that’s why it’s toxic, because I love it and hate it all at the same time.”
While Duncan didn’t mention her by name, it is hard to imagine she is referencing any other player’s fanbase other than Sophie Cunningham.
Cunningham has become a darling for conservative media members for her stance against trans athletes, allowing them to infiltrate a conversation they had very little interest in for its sporting matters.
Her influence was so massive that even US President Donald Trump recently mentioned and praised Cunningham, although he inadvertently dismissed her abilities as a basketball player in the process.
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