This season marks the fourth edition of the WNBA's season-long tournament, the Commissioner's Cup presented by Coinbase. The tournament ticks several boxes, including raising the stakes during the regular season, attracting new media and corporate sponsorships, and increasing rewards for players who advance to the championship game with a $500,000 prize pool. Additionally, Coinbase has committed to pumping an additional $120,000 in cryptocurrency into the prize pool, including $5,000 to each player in the championship game.
The Commissioner's Cup, presented by Coinbase, also aims to highlight the league's social justice efforts, and WNBA head of league operations Bethany Donafin said the league is rooted in bold advocacy, so it only made sense to include that in the platform they built for Commissioner's Cup.
“The WNBA has long been recognized as the most progressive league in professional sports and has consistently been a leader in the area of ​​social justice,” Donafin said, “so why not use one of the league's flagship events to address important social issues?”
The league is working with the Women's National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) to focus on player-led activism, with a focus this season on civic engagement and reproductive health advocacy.
The Commissioner's Cup has the opportunity to make an impact in the community in which the game is played, and the 2024 Commissioner's Cup presented by Coinbase will shine a spotlight on this season's priorities.
This is not the first time WNBA players have used their platform to highlight the power of the vote — most recently and notably in 2020, when players publicly supported candidates in the Georgia Senate runoff elections. But with a crucial presidential election approaching, the league's ongoing partnership with nonpartisan nonprofit Rock the Vote will focus on leveraging the power of WNBA fans to elevate youth political power through voter registration, education and mobilization.
“Rock the Vote is excited to work with the WNBA and WNBPA to empower fans and drive voter engagement ahead of the 2024 elections,” Carolyn DeWitt, president of Rock the Vote, said in a statement. “By leveraging the commitment of WNBA players and their supporters, we can inspire meaningful participation in our democracy and shape our shared future.”
Los Angeles Sparks guard Lacia Clarendon added that the Commissioner's Cup is a way for players to highlight causes they care about. The league will donate funds collected from each team during Commissioner's Cup games to select nonprofits specific to each market. This allows the league to keep its efforts local by centering on organizations that are involved in community work every day.
“We're more than just basketball players,” Clarendon said. “We're always looking at ways to get involved and make an impact in the community.”
In 2020, the WNBA and WNBPA established a Social Justice Council to serve as a driving force on timely and important social issues. This season, the council is led by Clarendon and is joined by The Sun's DeWanna Bonner, the Aces' Alisha Clark, the Liberty's Breanna Stewart and the Sky's Brianna Turner.
“We are, frankly, a social justice league. We are a league centered around Black women who have been at the intersection of race and gender. We have to essentially think about things like 'double time' and how to move through the world,” Clarendon said.
“Double time” or “Double Jeopardy” is a phrase coined to highlight the multiple oppressions of race, class, and gender that black women must face simultaneously.
Clarendon continues, “One of the ways we can continue to make an impact, especially this election cycle, when it comes to voting, is through reproductive rights and bodily autonomy rights, which is a focus of the Social Justice Council.”
The championship game of the Commissioner's Cup, presented by Coinbase, will take place on June 25, the day after the second anniversary of the Supreme Court overturning Roe v. Wade, the landmark case that gave constitutional protection to the right to abortion. Clarendon said he thought the overturning would never happen in their lifetime, proving that even the championship game means more than basketball.
“This is an issue that we're fighting for with a sense of urgency. We're watching what's happening in different states,” Clarendon added. “We think we can use our voices to galvanize people to vote this year and say, 'Our rights are on the line and we need to vote… our bodily autonomy is on the ballot in November.'”
As attention shifts to the WNBA's on-court prowess, Clarendon and Donafin hope that the league's long-standing record of social justice will also come into the spotlight.
“New fans, welcome to the most dynamic league in the world. This league is home to some of the most dynamic players who do a little bit of everything and deliver great performances on the court,” Clarendon said.
More eyes mean more opportunities to shine a light on important things, and Donafin says, “As we grow, we hope that our impact in these important areas of society will grow as well.”
WNBA reporter Jordan Robinson will be writing columns for WNBA.com throughout the season and can be reached on Twitter. @Hi Jordan R. The views on this page do not necessarily reflect those of the WNBA or any of its teams.