Counterproductive Virtue Signaling

The NBA and the WNBA has released a statement on the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade:

The NBA and WNBA believe that women should be able to make their own decisions concerning their health and future, and we believe that freedom should be protected.  We will continue to advocate for gender and health equity, including ensuring our employees have access to reproductive health care, regardless of their location.

Why is this necessary?  Their opinion on the subject is irrelevant.  In fact, it could be harmful to their business.  Michael Jordan had it right when he said that "Republicans buy sneakers, too."  Why alienate half of your audience in order to virtue signal with the other half, especially when your views have no impact on the policy?

Businesses and corporations have spent too much time picking sides on political issues where the result will be angering part of their client base.  Inevitably there follows calls to boycott this company for its stand on immigration and that company for its stand on gay marriage and that other company for its views on critical race theory.  Both the Democrats and Republicans make such demands.  Happily, these are mostly toothless efforts, but it could all go away if businesses just remained silent.

Reporter: What are your company's views on <insert cultural issue here>?

Company spokesperson: We manufacture widgets and hope both sides purchase our product.

Is that so hard?

We have evolved to this point because marketing departments sought to break into new customer demographics by taking certain stands on particular issues.  When I was in college, various companies were marketing themselves as environmentally friendly, using recycled products and so forth.  The campaign was so successful that it seemed almost every company jumped on the green bandwagon.  That was relatively benign, as there are few opposed to companies making products in an environmentally responsible way.  However, that same marketing technique used in other areas can attract some while repelling others.  Abortion is one of those areas.  Is the company gaining enough in one demographic to justify the loss of another?