Why is one WNBA team calling in national security experts?

Natasha Cloud of the Chicago Sky looks on prior to the game against the Indiana Fever at Wintrust Arena on Aug. As the WNBA heads into the final weeks of its regular season, outsiders continue to bombard the league with stunts aimed at inflaming division over culture war issues . The soaring popularity in women's basketball in recent years has made it an alluring platform for bad faith actors to raise their personal profiles and stoke political tensions. Increasingly, players across the league have raised the alarm that they have been inundated with targeted abuse, harassment and threats – both online and offline. The WNBA has taken some measures, such as launching a " No Space for Hate " campaign in 2025 and offering players an AI-driven service that deletes toxic social media comments.

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