WNBA corporate sponsorship deals are growing. But not every athlete is getting their due

Associated Press

The WNBA has wrapped up a historic season that notched all-time viewership and attendance records while racking up brand deals and corporate sponsorships for its players along the way. But for all those enjoying their newfound riches, there are still some players who are being left out, specifically Black LGBTQ+ women who express their gender in a more masculine way. The WNBA recently partnered with Kim Kardashian’s underwear brand SKIMS, which featured women of color as well as LGBTQ+ players. But the company received pushback for excluding masculine-presenting athletes in its May campaign. That allowed Latina and LGBTQ+-owned women’s boxer brand Woxer to fill in the gap by featuring Phoenix Mercury’s Natasha Cloud and Dallas Wings’ Natasha Howard in its own ad campaign.