The WNBA’s official online store is facing accusations of anti-Christian discrimination after its jersey-customization tool blocked Christian messages while allowing Islamic and openly anti-Christian phrases through its initial automated filter. Tests shared online showed “Jesus is God” and “Jesus Christ” being rejected by the system. Other messages, including one attacking Jesus directly, passed the same screening process.
The controversy emerged after social media users began entering different religious and political messages into the WNBA Store’s custom-jersey tool. The automated filter appeared to determine whether customers could continue with the phrasing they had entered. The results revealed a sharp difference in how the system handled Christian and anti-Christian messages.
“Praise Allah” and “Hate Jesus” reportedly cleared the automated filter without triggering a rejection. Users were also able to enter “Bow to Islam” and “Hate Whites,” while the two pro-Christian phrases remained blocked. Videos of the tests quickly spread across social media, renewing calls to boycott a league already facing criticism over its treatment of dissenting fans.
Yahoo Sports reported that the pro-Christian phrases were stopped while “Praise Allah” and “Hate Jesus” passed through the checkout screen. The videos document how the initial filter treated each entry, although they don’t show whether completed orders bearing the accepted messages were submitted or processed successfully. The disparity nevertheless left the WNBA facing questions about the rules governing its official merchandise.
A separate test shared by popular conservative X account Libs of TikTok yielded the same type of result. The account showed “Jesus Christ” being rejected while “Muhammad” and “Allahu Akbar” cleared the initial automated screening. “Any comment @WNBA?” the account asked the league alongside a video of their investigation.
Neither the WNBA nor the operator of its online store had publicly explained the restrictions as of Wednesday. It also remained unclear whether the league, its retailer, or another vendor maintains the list of prohibited terms. No explanation had been offered for why the system rejected the name “Jesus Christ” while accepting a message openly attacking him.
OutKick posted another video showing “Praise Allah,” “Hate Jesus,” “Bow to Islam,” and “Hate Whites” passing through the tool while “Jesus is God” and “Jesus Christ” were blocked. “The unserious league continues to outdo itself,” the outlet wrote.
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Watch the test here:
The merchandise dispute follows another controversy over which messages fans may display at WNBA games. A mother and her 17-year-old daughter said league security ordered them to cover their XX-XY Athletics shirts during an Atlanta Dream game or leave the arena. The shirts supported Indiana Fever guard Sophie Cunningham’s position on protecting women’s sports. The WNBA later acknowledged in a statement shared by the Dream that security acted improperly, saying, “This should not have happened.”
The league also recently disciplined Seattle Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton following her confrontation with fans displaying signs supporting Cunningham. Those fans had attended the game amid the public dispute over Cunningham’s opposition to biological males competing in women’s sports. The WNBA fined Keaton an undisclosed amount and barred her from attending the Storm’s next five home games.
Featured image credit: screengrab from the embedded video.