Over fifteen years ago, I vowed never to set foot in Barclays Center. As someone who spent most of my life obsessed with urban planning (how I miss those days of a much healthier obsession), I was appalled by what was constructed at the busiest intersection in Brooklyn. Not just the giant space alien turd—as I describe the arena’s architecture—but the attached mall and the choked-off streets around it repeated the original sins of urban planning. The design recalled urban renewal, and the campus-style architecture that had been discarded by then in favor of mixed use, walkable spaces with a lot of connective tissue to surrounding neighborhoods. But at the time, Borough President Marty Markowitz and developer Forest City Ratner were in a crooked relationship that left Ratner with power over the area’s fate that he shouldn’t have had. (They should have gone with the UNITY plan. Oh well.)
This year, I put all that aside. In the spring, my husband went to a New York Liberty game and came back announcing that we were going to do something that is very unlike us: become season ticket holders. All season long, we’ve looked forward to seeing Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark. Tomorrow, we finally will.
Since that decision to become season ticket holders, I’m happy to say, the WNBA, and in particular Fever guard Sophie Cunningham, have drawn much-needed attention to the issue of males in women’s sports. Cunningham spoke the truth about it, and the WNBA’s mealy-mouthed response ushered in a wave of males declaring themselves for the draft, exposing the danger and also the absurdity of self-ID.
A rally to support Cunningham is happening tomorrow outside Barclays Center, following rallies in other cities. I have nothing to do with the rally, but wanted to share the information. Let me know in the comments (or DM) if you plan to go.
I'll be there!
The game is at 4:00pm. The rally time seems odd.