Atlanta Dream To Unveil Powerful “Pay Some Respect” Court At WNBA Home Opener – Essence

The Atlanta Dream’s home opener tonight is going to be unlike anything the WNBA has seen before. 

When fans walk into State Farm Arena to watch the Dream take on the Indiana Fever, they’ll see a message that feels long overdue, “Pay Some Respect to Women’s Sports.”

This new court is the result of a three-way collab between the Dream, Cash App, and Playa Society, a woman-owned streetwear brand focused on women in sports. And honestly, it’s overdue.

“Atlanta Dream, Cash App and Playa Society have shared values with a commitment to pushing women’s sports forward and this unprecedented court design and retail collection is just the beginning,” said Atlanta Dream President & COO Morgan Shaw Parker. 

“Paying respect to women’s sports is at the heart of this partnership and our goal is to set a new standard for how brands and teams collaborate to elevate girls and women who are earning that respect every day.”

Playa Society founder Esther Wallace launched the brand in 2018 to push for more visibility for women in sports. She’s worked with the WNBA since 2021, but this is the first time her message is front and center on the hardwood.

For Cash App, this partnership is part of their broader work around financial inclusion and community investment. They understand that supporting women’s sports means supporting economic opportunities for female athletes and the communities that champion them and for a brand literally revolving around money, they put theirs where their mouth is.

“The opportunity to place such a statement on the court exemplifies our approach to this partnership, pushing boundaries to redefine and celebrate fandom,” said Catherine Ferdon, Cash App CMO. “Cash App is thrilled to elevate women’s sports and champion financial inclusion while investing in the Atlanta community.”

The message doesn’t disappear after tonight’s game, either. Once the season opener is done, the court gets donated to a local youth organization where young girls can practice on the same surface that carried this powerful message during WNBA play.

Out of this collaboration fans will also be able to bring this message from the court to your next cookout. The “Pay Some Respect to Women’s Sports” fashion line will mix Playa Society’s streetwear aesthetic with Cash App’s color scheme, creating pieces that can live beyond game day. The collection shows up on team practice jerseys and fans can buy it at playasociety.com and the Atlanta Dream retail store, with prices from $45 to $180.

Want to tune in for the action? Tonight’s game airs nationally on Amazon Prime and locally on Peachtree TV, so the court’s message will reach audiences way beyond Atlanta. The Dream are hoping this statement court becomes a template for how sports partnerships can actually advance the conversation instead of just paying lip service to it.