BUSINESS NEWS

May 10, 2024

Toronto Set to Be WNBA’s 14th Franchise, First Outside U.S.

Toronto will be the WNBA’s 14th team and first outside the United States, beginning play in May 2026, according to the CBC. Billionaire Larry Tanenbaum, the chairman of Maple Leafs Sports & Entertainment and a minority owner in the Maple Leafs and Raptors among other investments, was awarded the franchise, with...

May 9, 2024

Gainbridge® Announces Parity Week to Empower Girls and Women in Sports and Education

Zionsville, Ind. (May 9, 2024) /SPORTSWIRE WOMEN/ - As part of this year’s “Parity Week by Gainbridge®: Investing in the Future of Women’s Sports,” Gainbridge® announces grants totaling $150,000 to deserving organizations that support girls and women through sports and/or education from Gainbridge®, Parity, and Women’s Sports Foundation®. Gainbridge®, a...

May 8, 2024

WNBA to begin full-time charter flights this season, commissioner says

The WNBA plans to commit $50m over the next two years to provide full-time charter flight service for its teams during the season, the league’s commissioner announced Tuesday in a move that addresses years of player safety concerns. Commissioner Cathy Engelbert said in a meeting with sports editors that the league will...

May 8, 2024

Dallas approves plan to bring pro women’s soccer team to the Cotton Bowl

The Dallas City Council unanimously approved a plan to bring a new professional women’s soccer team to the Cotton Bowl. Sports fans really only get to enjoy the historic stadium for a few big games out of the year. But that will change when the USL Super League starts its inaugural...

May 8, 2024

Caitlin Clark boost leads to major broadcast partnership to show Fever games

TEGNA Inc. and the Indiana Fever announced an expansive broadcast partnership that will bring Fever games to an unprecedented number of households across the country. The collaboration, which includes 11 additional markets joining TEGNA’s Indianapolis NBC affiliate, WTHR, marks a milestone in the promotion of the WNBA and women's sports on broadcast television. The...

May 8, 2024

Retired WNBA legend Candace Parker named president of Adidas women’s basketball

According to Adidas, Parker will "collaborate with the brand to create a powerful platform aimed at influencing and elevating the future of women’s sports. She will drive innovative strategies and empowering initiatives to push the game further while inspiring the next generation of hoopers to dream bigger and reach higher...

May 5, 2024

How Form’s Co-Founders Use Social Media To Build a Winning Fitness Brand

Recently becoming part of the Seattle Storm ownership group, Sue Bird joined an elite set of former professional athletes turned owners across the NBA and WNBA. She is only the third retired WNBA player to move into ownership, joining Lisa Leslie (Los Angeles Sparks) and Renee Montgomery (Atlanta Dream). Bird's...

May 5, 2024

A $5,000 check won by Billie Jean King 50 years ago helped create Women’s Sports Foundation

Billie Jean King’s $5,000 check from her sportswoman of the year award was used to launch the Women’s Sports Foundation in 1974. Since then, the foundation has invested more than $100 million to help girls and women gain opportunities and equity in sports. AP Sports

May 5, 2024

WNBA Doesn’t Show Preseason Game, Fan Stream Gets Huge Audience

On Friday night, the Chicago Sky faced the Minnesota Lynx in their preseason opener. The game was of major interest to followers of women’s basketball, but the WNBA’s streaming app did not air the game, despite listing that all preseason tilts would be watchable from the app. That’s when a fan, @heyheyitsalli, stepped in...

April 25, 2024

UConn legend Sue Bird joins Seattle Storm ownership group

Following a historic playing career with the Seattle Storm, four-time Seattle Storm WNBA champion Sue Bird is re-joining the franchise, this time as a member of the organization’s ownership group. The Storm announced the news Wednesday but did not disclose Bird’s stake in the franchise. While it is significant Bird is...

April 24, 2024

The GIST and Parity Forge First-of-its-Kind Partnership to Elevate Women Athletes in Branded Content

New York, NY, April 24, 2024 /SPORTSWIRE WOMEN/ - The GIST, a revolutionary and inclusive sports media brand dedicated to leveling the playing field by providing equitable, in-depth and digestible coverage to both women’s and men’s sports, today announced the official launch of their new Athlete Roster offering, integrating athlete-talent...

April 23, 2024

The WNBA Boom Goes Beyond Caitlin Clark

On March 7, the reigning back-to-back champion Las Vegas Aces announced they had sold out of season tickets, an apparent first in the WNBA. On Monday, the Dallas Wings and Atlanta Dream both announced they’d done the same. Clark has undoubtedly created more buzz around women’s hoops, but the league was already...

April 22, 2024

The Sports Bra announces plans to franchise with investment from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian

The Sports Bra, a now-iconic Portland destination that made history as the first women’s sports bar in the world, has announced plans to franchise and expand into other cities. Investment from Reddit co-founder Alexis Ohanian — the husband of tennis legend Serena Williams — will fund the effort in partnership with...

April 18, 2024

Cotopaxi Hires First Combined Chief Financial Officer and Chief Operating Officer

Salt Lake City, UT. April 18, 2024/SPORTSWIRE WOMEN/ – Certified B Corporation™ and impact-driven adventure lifestyle brand, Cotopaxi, welcomes Lindsay Shumlas to the team, in a first for the company combined CFO and COO role. Shumlas takes the COO reins from Cotopaxi executive Stephan Jacob who has held the COO title...

April 17, 2024

Under Armour Loses Another High-Ranking Female Exec, This Time in the HR Function

The Baltimore-based athletic brand announced in a Tuesday SEC filing that its chief people and administrative officer Tchernavia Rocker will be leaving the company on June 1, 2024 “for personal reasons.” She joined the company in 2019 as its chief people and culture officer, a then-newly created title to emphasize...

April 16, 2024

Serena Williams eyes potential investment in Caitlin Clark, Angel Reese and Women’s Basketball

Serena Williams, known for her dominance on the Tennis court, is exploring opportunities to channel her influence into women's basketball. The 23-time Grand Slam champion, who already holds ownership stakes in Angel City FC and Los Angeles Golf Club, expressed her interest in owning a WNBA team, provided the conditions are right. In a recent interview...

April 16, 2024

Clark sets jersey sales record for draft picks

Just two hours after the Indiana Fever selected her with the No. 1 pick in the WNBA draft on Monday, Clark became Fanatics' top-selling draft pick of any draft night in history, according to Darren Rovell of cllct. Clark's jersey sales surpassed those of Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence, who set the...

April 16, 2024

The WNBA Has Huge Ambitions as Caitlin Clark Finally Comes Aboard

Caitlin Clark made her way to the podium to shake commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s hand and usher in a new era of the WNBA. She did the obligatory interview with ESPN before heading backstage and being greeted by…Jake from State Farm? The insurance spokesman, who has appeared alongside the Iowa star...

April 8, 2024

WNBA Commish Wants New Media-Rights Deal to Double Old One

Cathy Engelbert is betting big on the WNBA’s next media-rights deal. Speaking on CNBC a day after Iowa fell to undefeated South Carolina in the NCAA championship game, the WNBA commissioner is already talking up the impact Caitlin Clark will bring to her league a week before she officially joins it. The...

April 2, 2024

FanDuel says Iowa-LSU game was its biggest betting event of all time for women’s sports

The superstar women’s college basketball matchups Monday night attracted more than just viewers — the games also set new sports betting records. FanDueltells CNBC that the Louisiana State University versus Iowa game was its biggest betting event of all time for women’s sports. The record betting comes as women’s sports...

March 26, 2024

The Women’s Trading Card Market Is Untapped. Can Caitlin Clark Change That?

In her final, record-breaking season at Iowa, Caitlin Clark’s impact on women’s college basketball cannot be overstated, from historic ratings to spiked ticket prices and sold-out arenas. As soon as the obvious No. 1 pick declared for next month’s WNBA draft, the average price for Indiana Fever tickets more than...

March 25, 2024

VIDEO: Women’s sports are primed for venture investment

March Madness is a thrilling, sometimes nerve-wracking, time of year for many people, and for the first time in history viewers may be more excited for the women's tournament than the men's. As surprising as that sounds, it comes at no surprise to Jasmine Robinson, co-founder and managing partner of...

March 22, 2024

How Women Are Redefining Fitness on Their Own Terms

Women’s History Month commemorates the achievements and struggles of women throughout history and casts a light on the evolving roles and burgeoning presence of women. The fitness industry serves as a prime example of this evolution. Historically, the fitness world mirrored many other sectors, with men predominantly occupying the roles...

March 21, 2024

Lululemon Posted Strong Q4 Results but Guides to Slower Q1 Growth

Lululemon Athletica, Inc. CEO Calvin McDonald said the company was pleased with the solid finish for its 2023 fiscal year and continues to deliver ahead of its Power of Three ×2 strategy. Net revenue increased 16 percent to $3.2 billion. International net revenue increased 54 percent, or 56 percent on...

March 21, 2024

Caitlin Clark may already make the WNBA a lot more money before even going pro

The 2023 NCAA Championship game between Iowa and LSU was by far the most-watched game on record — garnering an average viewership of nearly 10 million — and this has parlayed into strong viewership numbers throughout the 2024 regular season. But while the first round of March Madness is only...