In the previous few days, Caitlin Clark and Lionel Messi, two of the best athletes of their respective crafts, opted to not take part of their respective all-star video games of their present skilled leagues.
Clark, nursing a lower-body damage, didn’t play over the weekend within the WNBA All-Star Recreation which was held in Indianapolis — basically, a celebration thrown in her honor given the truth that she performs for the Indiana professional ladies’s basketball franchise.
Messi, who has been in heavy rotation for the Main League Soccer season in addition to taking part in within the Concacaf Champions Cup earlier within the season and future video games within the Leagues Cup match, was held out of the MLS All-Star Recreation.
To make sure, ticket costs for each of those contests cratered on the secondary market. One information report put WNBA tickets shedding 48.4 p.c of their costs when Clark introduced she wouldn’t take part within the three-point contest and the All-Star Recreation. We haven’t heard about what occurred to ticket costs for final night time’s MLS All-Star sport in Austin, a market which has had an MLS staff the final 4 years.
However what is obvious right here — and, frankly, in lots of all-star video games throughout professional leagues on the continent — is that the sport is way more of a danger than a celebration. League throughout the board use the presence of an all-star sport to have league-wide conferences amongst wealthy house owners, at the same time as their most marketable athletes gear up for a sport which suggests nothing within the standings.
And, presumably risking damage. My thoughts casts again to 1998 with regards to the dangers concerned in collaborating in a league all-star festivity. It was that 12 months when Robert Edwards, taking part in an all-rookie flag soccer sport on the Professional Bowl (this was earlier than the Professional Bowl really turned a flag soccer sport), damage his knee so badly his leg was almost amputated. He missed two seasons recovering from the damage, then was out of soccer for 2 extra years earlier than becoming a member of the Canadian Soccer League.
The way in which that MLS and the WNBA are going to deal with these and future All-Star no-shows goes to indicate simply how a lot the league values its gamers — and, by the identical token, how the gamers worth the league. All-star contests are showcase for gamers, house owners, and potential new sponsors. I’m positive that many offers have occurred the place league officers, staff house owners and businesspersons have had an opportunity to mingle at a midseason occasion similar to a Professional Bowl or the NHL 4 Nations Face-Off.
However when your largest star isn’t there? It’s a foul look.
