The WNBA All-Star skills contests, including the 3-point shootout and skills competition, were held at McCormick Place, a convention center in Chicago, Illinois.
But amid a weekend of festivities, one ingredient was noticeably absent from the Saturday afternoon event: Fans.
The venue is hosting the Nike Nationals youth tournament this weekend, and the bleachers around the court featured Elite Youth Basketball League players. Fans could watch from a viewing party outside or on ESPNU. The skills competition was set to air on ESPN but was bumped to ESPNU after the men’s doubles final at Wimbledon ran long.
The choice of venue and the lack of fan access garnered criticism online. In contrast, the All-Star Game will be held Sunday at Wintrust Arena, a 10,387-seat venue.
Im sorry, but this is so embarrassing. And the fact that this isn’t open to fans is a travesty. The stand-alone skills competition in Vegas was a blast. https://t.co/m9mwnWkYZc— Lindsay Gibbs (@linzsports) July 9, 2022
Im sorry, but this is so embarrassing. And the fact that this isn’t open to fans is a travesty. The stand-alone skills competition in Vegas was a blast. https://t.co/m9mwnWkYZc
Skills competition and 3-point competition for @WNBA ASG are fun … would be more fun in front of the fans at Wintrust Arena, where game is tomorrow.— Mechelle Voepel (@MechelleV) July 9, 2022
Skills competition and 3-point competition for @WNBA ASG are fun … would be more fun in front of the fans at Wintrust Arena, where game is tomorrow.
They got our stars in a Marriott ballroom have mercy https://t.co/DCroPV2k41— taraji p henchmen (@theeluvvbelow) July 9, 2022
They got our stars in a Marriott ballroom have mercy https://t.co/DCroPV2k41
It is weird as hell that the WNBA is having events in a convention center that is closed to fans at a time when women's basketball has never been more popular, especially here in Chicago. This should've been done at Wintrust Arena, not a mostly empty convention center. https://t.co/tIRNWBsxqr— Matt Lindner (@mattlindner) July 9, 2022
It is weird as hell that the WNBA is having events in a convention center that is closed to fans at a time when women's basketball has never been more popular, especially here in Chicago. This should've been done at Wintrust Arena, not a mostly empty convention center. https://t.co/tIRNWBsxqr