ESPN criticized after several nominated female athletes not invited to ESPY Awards
By Amy Kaplan
ESPN criticized after several nominated female athletes were not invited to ESPY Awards.
The 2022 ESPY Awards are set to go down in Los Angeles on Wednesday but one of the biggest nights in sports will have a dark cloud hanging over it after several nominated athletes were not invited to the ceremony.
Of the athletes speaking out about their lack of invitation … they are all women.
Nicole Baxter the teammate of ESPY nominee Caprice Dydasco took aim at ESPN for withholding a seat at the ceremony.
“In what world would @espn nominate Cappy for best NWSL player and then tell us that category is not invited to the ESPYS????????” Baxter tweeted. “The constant disrespect for womens sports SMH.”
Several nominated female athletes snubbed, not given ESPYs tickets
South Carolina Gamecocks’ Aliyah Boston was also snubbed. Her teams head coach, Dawn Staley also blasted the network for forgetting about Boston.
Like really….who in the room from @espn @ESPYS decided it was a great idea not to invite @MarchMadnessWBB NPOY DPOY….not one person was able to see the uproar this would cause? There’s definitely something wrong with the make up of the room……the fight continue….#WBBSTANDUP
— dawnstaley (@dawnstaley) July 17, 2022
The network chalked up the snubs to new COVID restrictions and a smaller venue, according to a statement given to Insider.
The venue, the Dolby Theatre, seats over 3,400 people. There are just 132 athletes nominated, leaving another 3,000 empty seats assuming the nominees are granted a plus one.
Boston’s agent doesn’t buy it, and we agree.
“Miss me with the COVID excuse and just say you didn’t see the value of having one of the most decorated and dominant players in College Sports – a Black Woman – at your event. But Title IX,” she tweeted.