WNBA closing locker rooms

As you might have guessed by the thread title, the WNBA is closing locker rooms to the media this season. Most journalists have naturally gotten upset with the change that is believed to be the first among major American sports.



I could see why some may have muted or strong reactions about this. It could be a misstep that gets corrected. Or it could be the start of a trend that other leagues might follow. But a very notable development either way.

 

What are they doing? A mixed zone?

Has full access really returned to the big 4 mens sports post pandemic?

MLB seemingly yes. NHL and NBA seems more restricted than pre-pandemic to the point of borderline uselessness. NFL seems restored but has always been micromanaged anyway

 

Trying to grow a niche sport by reducing access sure is some four-dimensional chess. WNBA reporters are passionate advocates for the sport. Alienating them makes no sense.

MLB is surprisingly solid and access is negotiated via the CBA, so they should be good until the next lockout. NHL (speaking of niche sports that seemingly try to cut off attention at every turn) wasn't great and doesn't seem to have gotten worse, but I could see them following suit here. The NBA & NFL have been useless for years.

 

Ruminations on WNBA locker room access - The Next (thenexthoops.com)

 

unapologetically closed

 

I think this is an idea whose time has come, and I know that even contemplating this would be considered sacrilege to my BBWAA colleagues. But the world has changed. The media have changed. Players have changed.

Close the locker rooms and the players who want to talk to us will still talk to us; the players who want to avoid us will still avoid us.

 

Yeah I’m if the opinion that outside baseball it doesnt make any difference.

In the “open locker room” players come out maybe 2 at a time with a PR flack and do an availability. Whether thats in front of their locker or in front of some backdrop in the hall way, whats it matter?

Maybe its better on the road but whos travelling anymore to boot?

 

I knew this “You can’t see me” bit would get out of hand.

 

Why is this "an idea whose time has come?" I can see where it benefits players. Who else does it benefit?

 

Lack of access is one of the reasons I'm happy to no longer be in the game. When I covered baseball, I spent most of the pregame in the trainers room. If I tried to go into the trainers room today, I might be tackled and have the shit beat out of me.
The only time I was ever denied access was in a baseball video room. I had recorded an interview. I noticed nobody was in the video room, all the monitors were off. I went in to have a quiet place to listen to the recording. One of the clubbies saw me and told me I couldn't be there. I said I wasn't bothering anybody and I wasn't looking for secrets. He said he knew, but that was the policy.

 

I'll take the contra here, and say that in my experience many big league reporters made only partial or poor use of the access they did have.

For the athletes, if you can communicate directly with fans via social media (without risking misinterpretation or misrepresentation by a news outlet), why wouldn't you?

Restricting clubhouse access feels inevitable.

 

I fully thought the pandemic would make closed rooms a permanent reality and it's quite possible it still happens sooner than later. But with rare exception, even the teams and players that hate us with the power of a thousand suns hated Zoom even more. It is actually easier just to open the room for a few minutes, let the star(s) of the game mumble some cliches and move on than try and line up the coach/manager and two or three players. There's always some tech issue, the delay between questions is tedious and writers are always griping about how they didn't get called upon. And I've heard that shyer players actually like in-person more...they're more comfortable seeing faces and hearing tone than just staring at a screen. Doesn't mean it can't return to that of course but there was rare unanimity that Zoom sucked and blew.