Here’s the thing about professional sports: integrity isn’t optional. Especially now, with the WNBA exploding in popularity, you’d obviously expect the officiating to match that growth. But lately? That trust has been eroding really fast. As per fans, on one hand, they had Arike Ogunbowale putting up 37 points of pure fire in Game 1 against the Sky. And on the other hand, the same fans had to watch her be on the receiving end of unfair play in the next one. On Thursday, even Paige Bueckers took a nasty hit that led to a concussion.
And the Dallas Wings fans? They’re done pretending this is okay. One person put it perfectly: “Arike getting mugged, hugged and hit, and no foul calls. This is why injuries to WNBA players is getting too common now. The refs need to stop these types of aggressiveness.” The fan further called out the officials directly and said, “#3 referee is a bias referee. He will make sure Sky/Reese wins this game. Just watch.”
Well, the calls or no calls in the recent match could not have come at a worse time, since things have already been shaky since the first game. Remember when DiJonai Carrington tried to have what she called a “respectful conversation” with referee Roy Gulbeyan? And his response? Straight up calling security. Carrington called it a case of “microaggression,” and Sheryl Swoopes didn’t hold back either. She declared that Gulbeyan shouldn’t officiate another game.
So, the frustration kept building all game long. The more people watched, the more the officiating just didn’t add up. One fan nailed it with: “She just basically punched a Dallas player & got 2 ft for it . AB looks at the refs & it’s a foul.” That pretty much sums it up, calls have started feeling random, like the refs were flipping a coin instead of enforcing rules.
The honest players deserve better treatment. One fan called out the unnecessary interruption by posting, “It’s one minute in the game and refs have taken two possessions from @chicagosky @WNBA.” It’s fair to feel so because when the refs start dictating the game flow before players even find their rhythm, it throws everything off.
This criticism isn’t new, though. Brittney Griner, Stephanie White, and several others have been calling out inconsistent officiating. However, there hasn’t been any official action against anyone. But now, after Saturday’s game that should’ve been about stars and clutch plays, the question is getting bigger. It is staring the league in the face: how much longer can we ignore the refereeing problem?
One person summed up the whole mood with a hint of sarcasm. They said, “Do you think WNBA refs admit that they are WNBA refs? If someone asks a WNBA ref what he or she does for a living, do they lie? ‘I work at Wendy’s,’ would be better.” It was harsh, but it also spoke volumes about the growing feeling of disrespect amongst the fans. And at this point, fans stopped just venting. They were also ready to suggest solutions.
This Dallas Wings fan bluntly said: “The WNBA needs to hire NBA refs. The game seems a lot more smoother.” After all, it’s a fair ask. NBA games, despite their own controversies, do often have clearer communication and a level of consistency the WNBA needs right now. And here’s the hard truth: You can’t have a league filled with incredible talent, packed arenas, and record-breaking viewership while ignoring the glaring issues.
However, the Dallas HC’s postgame interview suggests that the losing squad isn’t transferring the blame. They’re holding themselves fully accountable. He said, “We want to everyone to be hunting…we want everyone to be aggressive. We also want everyone to play together and make the right plays, the simple plays.” That’s a constructive way to move forward, actually, without externalizing the loss and instead, working on the shortcomings. Maybe, just maybe, the refs aren’t in the wrong, and we as the audience are overlooking some aspects. All we can do is hope the next game will make things clearer, for good or for bad.
