The travel debacles that involved the Las Vegas Aces and Indiana Fever were major headlines that affected the 2018 WNBA season.
The Aces’ issues certainly were a huge story towards the tail end of last year given that that Las Vegas issue to Washington, D.C., which led to the cancellation and forfeiture of an Aces’ game at Capital One Arena, could have played a role in costing Las Vegas a playoff berth.
Last year, the Fever sat an airport where they were supposed to board a plane for a game against the Liberty at Westchester County Center, but the flight to New York City was delayed for several hours due to inclement weather in the Tri-State area.
Already this year, WNBA teams are running into more occasions where travel is a problem. Los Angeles Sparks coach Derek Fisher is sick and tired of being sick and tired.
After the Sparks’ victory on national television at the Minnesota Lynx in Target Center, Fisher captured a picture of his team at the MetroRail stop at Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport. His Instagram caption and hashtags say the whole story.
The travel issue – in addition to salaries, marketing and player safety – is just one of the issues that the WNBPA hopes to address as it goes into what is expected to be contentious CBA negotiations with the league prior to a prospective 2020 season.
Already, we have seen travel issues affect a few teams – including the Sparks and the Washington Mystics, a team that has started fast out the gate in the early going of the season.
Another WNBA season where a team is having travel issues. Smh it’s getting ridiculous at this point.
I could say they should leave in the morning but regardless the Mystics are gonna be very tired having to play on the road tomorrow night then return for a home game on Sunday.
— Diamond M. Holton (@_PensAndWords_) June 6, 2019
So the @WashMystics are having travel issues. Check out @T_Cloud4 and @aerial_powers23 Instagram stories as they are still in the DMV when they should be almost in New York.
Play the NY Liberty tomorrow night at 7:30.
— Diamond M. Holton (@_PensAndWords_) June 6, 2019
Apparently the bus and now plane they were supposed to be on is too hot. And who on earth wants to be on hot transportation for hours??!!
Most recent update is they’re still at the airport with delays. They’re currently watching the Aces/Dream game until further notice.
— Diamond M. Holton (@_PensAndWords_) June 6, 2019
Their flight was supposed to take off at 4:40 pm and it’s now as I type 8:09 pm. Y’all do the math on that delay…..
— Diamond M. Holton (@_PensAndWords_) June 7, 2019
So, @aerial_powers23, @T_Cloud4 & the Mystics are having travel delays to NY for the game tomorrow. (IG video from Powers’ acct)
Note that last year, a game was canceled vs. the Aces due to travel as well. It’s unlikely that they won’t play tomorrow since NYC’s close. But still. pic.twitter.com/j9LL6Ano5B
— BF_Mystics (@BF_mystics) June 7, 2019
Bottom line: the WNBA may just need some more travel time in between games.
— BF_Mystics (@BF_mystics) June 7, 2019
