Women's Sports
PWHL not using Takeover Tour success as factor in expansion decisions
The PWHL’s expansion plans for 2026-27 season were about “finding the correct ingredients,” but the league did “not operate the PWHL Takeover Tour for expansion purposes," according to Ian Kennedy of THE HOCKEY NEWS. The Takeover Tour “grows the league’s fan base, sells more tickets than average gam...
LOVB expands to Miami, adds conference structure for 2027
League One Volleyball is bringing an expansion franchise to Miami for the 2027 season, growing the league to 10 teams and introducing an Eastern and Western Conference format.
Montreal Victoire become first Canadian team to win PWHL title
The Montreal Victoire “finally captured its first Walter Cup,” winning the PWHL title Wednesday night with a 4-0 win over the Ottawa Charge in Game 4, marking the first time a Canadian team won the league’s championship. Though the win was not on home ice, Victoire captain and F Marie-Philip Poulin ...
Names in the News
THE ATHLETIC’s Dan Pompei profiled former NFLer and sports agent TOM CONDON, who is dealing with Normal Pressure Hydrocephalus, a disorder that causes “excess spinal fluid to build up in the skull, putting pressure on the brain.” A shunt implant has “helped drain excess fluid” from Condon’s head but...
Bay Area’s women’s sports boom continues with PWHL expansion
The Bay Area has “gone from zero to three top-flight women’s pro teams in a flash” -- Bay FC of the NWSL (2024), the Valkyries of the WNBA (2025) and now PWHL San Jose, which arrives later this year, according to Dieter Kurtenbach of the San Jose MERCURY NEWS. San Jose is now the only city in the U....
NWSL CMO eyes World Cup as big opportunity to reach global audience
NWSL CMO Rachel Epstein said the 2026 World Cup will be “a huge opportunity” for the league, noting it will aim to “embed NWSL into that momentum” and bring fans into the league. Epstein, appearing on the “Marketer’s Brief” podcast, added, the NWSL has a strategy called “Summer of Summer,” in which ...
Valkyries president Jess Smith discusses data insights, tech in building brand
In just two years, president Jess Smith has built the Valkyries into the first $1B franchise in women’s sports. From Golden State’s iconic purple colors and unique merch to its gameday environment in Ballhalla, the Valkyries have built a brand using tech and data insights to do it.
Fever collaborates with start-up fashion brand for new collection
Fashion start-up 9 Commons dropped a collection with the Fever on Friday aiming to “merge sport and style,” according to Jean Palmieri of WOMEN’S WEAR DAILY. Founded last year by former Gucci GM of Northern Europe & Associate VP/Retail for Europe Maria McClay, 9 Commons is “dedicated exclusively...
PWHL set to announce San Jose expansion franchise
The PWHL is “set to announce” Tuesday that San Jose will “enter the league for the 2026-27 season.” The expansion franchise is “expected to play its home games” at SAP Center and train and practice at Sharks Ice in San Jose. The league needed to “work with the Sharks,” the NHL team that plays at the...
Names in the News
Univ. of South Carolina women’s basketball coach DAWN STALEY used a conversation at Columbia’s Black Expo on Saturday to talk about the themes in her book, titled “UNCOMMON FAVOR”. Staley said that the book “centers on ’13 life lessons’ taught by what she called three pillars: basketball, her upbrin...
Caitlin Clark facing pressure to maintain superstar spotlight in Year 3
This feels like the season that Fever G Caitlin Clark “has to show that she can play not just at a high level, but an MVP level,” according to Matt Calkins of the SEATTLE TIMES. It is Clark’s “time to show that she cannot just be the best player on a playoff team, but the top dawg on a championship ...
Boxed Out: Media apps lack data on emerging women’s sports, leaving gaps for leagues, fans to fill
Nick Barfoot took his seat for the Toronto Sceptres home opener to find another fan, there by herself, checking the app he had created. Barfoot, a Toronto-based app developer, has evolved PWHL Fan throughout the league’s three seasons, combining his love of hockey and the pro women’s league with a n...
Detroit PWHL team lands trailblazer Rheaume as GM
The Detroit PWHL team “has star power in its first general manager,” hiring former hockey player Manon Rheaume, the first woman to try out for an NHL team. Rheaume, in 1992, became the first woman to appear in an NHL exhibition game. She joins the team after four years with the L.A. Kings in hockey ...
Rousey: Carano fight to set women’s purse record, challenge UFC’s MMA dominance
MMA fighter Ronda Rousey said that her fight with Gina Carano “will set a new purse record for female fighters” when they meet Saturday at Intuit Dome, with the bout set to be streamed on Netflix. Rousey “championed her bout with Carano as a landscape-shifting moment for the sport” and also “took ai...
Women’s Lacrosse League begins debut season seeking lasting foothold
The Women’s Lacrosse League will begin its inaugural season Saturday, and despite previous women’s professional lacrosse leagues having “struggled to find a foothold in the North American sports landscape,” the WLL’s founders are “optimistic they’ve figured out the formula this time,” according to E...
PWHL’s rapid expansion sparks growth debate
The PWHL “is mushrooming,” as it started with six teams in 2023 and is now at 11 -- and the “obvious question ... is whether this is happening too fast,” according to Bruce Arthur of the TORONTO STAR. The “answer might be no.” PWHL EVP/Hockey Operations Jayna Hefford said, “When we launched, the lea...
Comets’ impending return to Houston showing large interest from fans
The Comets are readying to return to Houston, this time “in a thriving league,” as the team hopes to “emulate their predecessors’ on-court dominance while taking advantage of the league’s improved standing,” according to Varun Shankar of the HOUSTON CHRONICLE. At Thursday’s press conference, announc...
Houston Comets 2.0 is official, will bring Sun front office to Houston
Even with their name not officially trademarked, the Houston Comets made their reincarnation official Thursday, in a giddy press conference that also revealed the Sun’s front office staff will move with the players from Connecticut.
NBC’s Sue Bird, Cheryl Miller discuss WNBA coverage as 2026 season gets underway
This week marks the return of the WNBA to NBC Sports for the first time since 2002. Seven regular season games will air on NBC and Peacock with the remaining 15 on Peacock and NBCSN. The debut comes this Sunday with a doubleheader starting with the Aces and Dream at 1:30pm ET on NBC and Peacock foll...
Kelsey Plum to join Prime Video’s WNBA coverage as player contributor
Sports outlets have become increasingly fond of current athletes serving in a contributor role on broadcasts -- and Prime Video has added another well-known athlete to that growing subset. The company will announce Thursday that Sparks G Kelsey Plum will join WNBA on Prime as a player contributor.
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We are enjoying a lot of momentum, and I think it’s due to the fact that we listen to our fans. We’ve made some changes in the game that I think were really important, and we’ve been blessed with a great influx of young talent and a lot of it showed up and played in the World Series.MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, on the league seeing growth as the 2025 World Series was awarded at the 2026 Sports Business Awards.
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