WNBA Reportedly Changes Brittney Griner's Travel Plans After Recent Airport Incident
US basketball player Brittney Griner, of the Phoenix Mercury, speaks during a news conference at the Footprint Center in Phoenix, Arizona on April 27, 2023. (Photo by Patrick T. Fallon / AFP) (Photo by PATRICK T. FALLON/AFP via Getty Images)
Last weekend, Brittney Griner and her teammates on the Phoenix Mercury were harassed at Dallas-Fort Worth International Airport. The WNBA Players Association wasted no time demanding the league change its travel plans for Griner.
"As we continue to hear from our members throughout the start of the season and particularly today with the situation involving the Phoenix Mercury at the Dallas Airport, we are quite clear that the matter of charter travel is not a 'competitive advantage' issue," the statement read. "We cannot help but wonder if the league and teams preclude more reasonable and flexile rules regarding charter travel in 2023 in order to seek leverage on this issue at the bargaining table."
Well, the WNBA has reportedly decided to make those necessary changes.
According to ESPN's Josh Weinfuss, the WNBA will allow Griner to fly charter for the Mercury's remaining road games.
Here are more details from ESPN:
Sources have told ESPN that the Mercury might be able to use JSX public charter flights for the entire team on both standard and so-called "created" routes, the latter of which other WNBA teams are not allowed to do. However, neither the league nor the Mercury would confirm Friday if that this is the case, nor any other travel details.
WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert confirmed that Griner's travel plans have been adjusted for the remainder of the 2023 season.
Hopefully, these changes will allow Griner to get through the rest of the season without any trouble.
