The PWHL's owner, Mark Walter, visited the White House this week alongside the MLB champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Walter owns the Dodgers, and chose to partake in the traditional visit to the White House and meet and greet with the current president.
Walter and the Dodgers were greeted by president Donald Trump amidst plunging stock markets and international trade wars. The ongoing cross-border battles are troubling for sports leagues that depend on the economic freedom of fans to spend on tickets, travel, and merchandise.
During Trump's first term in office, teams including the USA women's national soccer team, and the NBA champion Golden State Warriors refused to attend the White House following their championship.
When the Warriors declined their visit, they stated that during their next visit to Washington, to play the NBA's Wizards, they would instead use the time to "celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion."
"In lieu of a visit to the White House, we have decided that we’ll constructively use our trip to the nation’s capital in February to celebrate equality, diversity and inclusion – the values that we embrace as an organization," the Warriors said in a statement after Trump, Tweeted that he was withdrawing Golden State's White House invitation.
LeBron James responded to Trump Tweeting, "“U bum. Stephen Curry already said he ain’t going! So therefore ain’t no invite. Going to White House was a great honor until you showed up!”
In 2019, the American national women's soccer team made no mistake about their intentions. Even before winning the World Cup, the team was clear they would not accept an invitation to the White House.
“Women’s soccer player, [Megan Rapinoe], just stated that she is ‘not going to the F … ing White House if we win’. Other than the NBA … teams love coming to the White House," Tweeted Trump. "I am a big fan of the American Team, and Women’s Soccer, but Megan should WIN first before she TALKS!”
In a later interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper, Rapinoe explained her stance saying, "I don’t think anyone on the team has any interest in lending the platform that we’ve worked so hard to build and the things that we fight for and the way that we live our life. I don’t think that we want that to be co-opted or corrupted by this administration."
PWHL Owner Shakes Hands With Donald Trump
Front and center at the Los Angeles Dodgers' visit to the White House was a smiling Mark Walter posing for photos and shaking hands with president Donald Trump.
Also in attendance was Dodgers' shortstop Mookie Betts who was absent in 2019 when the Boston Red Sox won the World Series. Betts declined that visit, and prior to this visit stated "Being Black in America in a situation like this, it’s a tough spot to be in." Inevitable Betts stated he made the decision to be with his team regardless of politics.
Earlier in the year, the Dodgers' fan base reacted to the Trump administration removing information about Jackie Robinson's military service from government websites as part of their sweep to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion from the United States government. It was later restored. Still, many, including Los Angeles Times columnist Dylan Hernandez criticized the visit.
"Eight days after their White House visit, the Dodgers will celebrate Jackie Robinson Day. They will insinuate, if not outright say, they are more than a baseball team," Hernández wrote. "They will portray themselves as leaders of social progress. They will be full of it.
"The Dodgers are embarking on the path of least resistance, and that’s not what leaders do. Leaders don’t cower in fear of ignorant extremists, no matter how many of them there are. Leaders do what is right and deal with the consequences."
Mark Walter's newest venture, the PWHL has also faced criticism for their handling of another Donald Trump talking point, the inclusion, autonomy, and safety of transgender individuals. On March 31, the PWHL was the only major professional women's sports league in North America to ignore International Day of Transgender Visibility. This despite the fact the league had "Pride" games scheduled on March 30 and April 1. The league made no mention of the transgender community in any of their promotions for their Pride themed "Unity Games." They did however, hire "Hamilton, Ontario-based artist Eli, a queer and transgender creative whose work is deeply rooted in themes of identity, resilience, and self-expression," to make a new logo for their promotions.
Walter Contributes To The Democratic Party
Despite the visit to the White House, in the past Mark Walter has donated to the Democratic party.
In the past, Walter donated to the Democratic National Committee in 2011, and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee and Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee in 2013, as well as to the campaign of Barack Obama and Obama's chief of staff and Chicago mayor Emanuel Rahm.