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What to Know About Women’s Basketball Today
1. The Valkyries Are Closing In on the Playoffs 👀
V’s Up. The Golden State Valkyries are closing in on becoming the second team to clinch a playoff spot, joining the Minnesota Lynx. Wednesday’s 91-71 win over Chicago moved them to 24-9, while Portland’s loss to Minnesota brought the clinching scenarios into view.
WHY IT MATTERS: Golden State could clinch as early as Friday if Portland loses, or take care of it themselves with a win over Dallas on Monday. Every win matters this time of year as teams fight for playoff spots and seeding. The Valkyries’ position is especially impressive because of the quick progress they’ve made year-over-year. They’re No. 2 in the standings in just their second season and have already surpassed last year’s win total.
🗳️ Will the Valkyries be the next team to clinch a playoff spot?
2. Injuries Keep Limiting the Tempo 🤕
Toronto can’t catch a break. Rookie Kiki Rice left Wednesday night’s 94-88 loss to Dallas with another injury, adding to a long list of injuries that have made the Tempo’s first season a difficult one. Toronto has lost 10 straight and is now 10-23, sitting five spots outside the playoff picture.
WHY IT MATTERS: The Tempo looked promising during their first month as an expansion team, but injuries have made it difficult to build any consistency. All-Star Brittney Sykes has been out with a foot injury since mid-June, Julie Allemand has missed seven games, and Rice has missed 16. That’s a lot of lineup shuffling for a new roster still learning how to play together, and it leaves you wondering what Toronto’s first season might have looked like with a healthier group. Fortunately, early reports indicate Rice should be back in action soon.
3. Women’s Sports Still Has an Access Problem 📺
Fans want to watch women’s sports, but finding the games they want isn’t always easy. New research from SSRS found that just 42% of women’s sports fans have access to all or most of the games they want to watch on TV or streaming services. Meanwhile, nearly one in five say they can’t access any of the women’s sports they want to watch.
WHY IT MATTERS: Making games easy to watch is a big part of growing a league, but media rights are also one of the biggest sources of revenue in pro sports. That creates a tricky balance. Bigger media deals bring in more money that can help leagues grow and players earn more, but spreading games across different networks and streaming services can make them harder and more expensive for fans to follow. As women’s sports media rights become more valuable, finding the right balance between revenue and accessibility will become even more challenging.
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OVERTIME ⏱️
Slammin’ Sab: Sabrina Ionescu is the latest SLAM cover star, with a new feature on the challenges she’s faced this season and her Nike signature shoes.
Made With Love: A fan crocheted WNBA jerseys for Connecticut Sun players, and their reactions are pure joy.
Sparks Stay Put: The Lakers announced a sale to new owners, but the Sparks are not part of the deal and will remain under current ownership.
🗳️ Poll Results from Yesterday: We asked if you think the Fever can get twenty 100-point games this season, and 60% of you are feeling confident, answering, “Yes, definitely.”
