Bird played 20 seasons with the Storm and is now part of the ownership group of her beloved team.
Force 10 Hoops, which owns the Seattle Storm, recently announced that WNBA legend Sue Bird has joined its ownership group. Bird played 19 seasons with the Storm, and her career included four WNBA championships, 13 All-Star Game appearances, eight All-WNBA teams and five Olympic gold medals. She retired at the end of 2022 after an illustrious career, both in college and the WNBA, but her business ventures were only getting started.
“As a player, I poured my heart into every game for the Seattle Storm, and now, as part of the ownership group, I am thrilled to continue contributing to the growth of the game,” said Bird. “Investing in women’s sports isn’t just about passion; it’s smart business. It’s about recognizing the immense talent, dedication, and market potential our league has always had.”
This is the second professional sports team Bird has invested in, the first being the NWSL’s NJ/NY Gotham FC in 2022. Bird and her wife, legendary United States women’s national team soccer player Megan Rapinoe, launched the production company A Touch More in 2022. In 2021, she co-founded the media production company Togethxr, alongside U.S. national team player Alex Morgan, Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim and Olympic swimmer Simone Manuel.
The teams were composed of players various levels, including the WNBA, NCAA and Athletes Unlimited.
If you are a phenomenal player, it doesn’t matter if you are still in college or a seasoned professional player. USA Basketball was represented by two teams at the 2024 FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series opener with players from the WNBA, NCAA, Athletes Unlimited and the international level.
After winning the gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, the United States is looking to repeat in Paris. Team USA consisted of Hailey Van Lith, Cierra Burdick, Lexie Hull and Rhyne Howard. The other roster, Team Springfield, boasted Allisha Gray, Cameron Brink, Dearica Hamby and Linnae Harper.
Team USA took second to Canada in the final at the Springfield stop of the series, falling short, 20-18. The teams competing in the series consisted of athletes from Canada, France, Germany and Puerto Rico.
The 3×3 game is a bit different than the 5×5 full-court basketball. For example, 3×3 is played on a half-court with a 10-minute game clock. The first team to score 21 points via 1-point field goals or 2-pointers behind the arc is victorious. If neither team reaches 21 before time expires, the team with the most points wins.
“I just like how free-flowing it is; there’s a lot of room for error,” Brink said. “If you mess up, you just have to move on to the next possession immediately.”
The FIBA 3×3 Women’s Series “offers women a chance to play 3×3 at the highest competitive level regularly, representing a unique opportunity to bring new countries and players into the limelight and to recognize the best and upcoming players in the industry.” The event culminates in a 3×3 World Cup and then the Olympic Games in Paris.
A’ja Wilson is challenging anyone who is a fan of women’s basketball and a fan of Caitlin Clark to continue supporting her and the entire WNBA.
With record-breaking viewership numbers, sold-out games and jersey sales, it feels like everyone is watching women’s sports. A good reason behind that seismic shift is the rise in popularity of women’s basketball and a proverbial comet, Caitlin Clark.
A’ja Wilson, two-time WNBA champion and reigning Defensive Player of the Year — and a new entrant to the Time 100 — hopes that if people come to watch Caitlin Clark’s debut season, they stay for the foreseeable future and support Caitlin and the league.
When recently asked at a Time event what it’s like to watch Caitlin’s rise in real-time, this is the insight Wilson shared (See 2:00 minute mark of the video below.):
“I feel like it’s becoming amazing, actually…because I play it, and I have been in it, and I see everyone else watch it. I’m like, ‘Oh, yeah. It’s about time you guys joined.'”
“I hope this isn’t just a trend. I feel like we see it a lot with young athletes, like, ‘Oh my god. We love her. We want to do this.’ Then, the minute it kind of shifts, or her path is a little rocky, all that goes away. I feel like that’s when it’s needed most. That’s when it’s an investment.”
“Buy that jersey. Go to that game. Take someone else. Put your money where your mouth is and invest in these women.”
The agreement is pending approval by the WNBA, and if all goes well, the Wings could begin playing in the new arena as early as 2026.
On Wednesday, the city of Dallas council members approved a 15-year, $19 million use agreement for the Dallas Wings to play in the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Memorial Arena. The agreement is pending approval by the WNBA, and if all goes well, the Wings could begin playing in the arena as early as 2026.
“The Dallas Wings would like to thank the City of Dallas and especially Mayor (Eric L.) Johnson for his strategic vision and commitment,” said Wings President and CEO Greg Bibb. “The City of Arlington, the University of Texas at Arlington and College Park Center continue to be valued partners, and we look forward to playing in Arlington for the next two seasons.”
City of Dallas Council Members approved a 15-year agreement for the Dallas Wings to play in a renovated Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center Dallas Memorial Arena, beginning in 2026.
The Wings have played eight seasons in the city of Arlington, College Park Center on the campus of the University of Texas at Arlington. They will finish the 2024 season and the 2025 season in Arlington.
“Dallas is the place to be right now – for residents, for businesses, and for professional sports teams and their fans,” said Mayor Johnson. “This deal has been a top priority for us because we know the Dallas Wings will soar in the city they represent. We will be thrilled to welcome the Wings to the heart of our city – and we are even more excited to see this franchise anchor our new convention center district that will transform downtown Dallas for decades to come.”
The Wings’ first preseason game is against the Indiana Fever on May 3.
UConn alumna Nika Muhl is off to make her mark in the WNBA. On April 15, the Seattle Storm selected Muhl 14th overall. Still, she hasn’t forgotten the people who have helped her arrive at this moment, including UConn head coach Geno Auriemma. Muhl recently paid Auriemma a visit to say goodbye to him, and you might want to grab your tissues.
Geno Auriemma has a different kind of relationship with his players. He’s tough on them but also believes in them so much. That didn’t change when Nika Muhl recently visited Geno. In a newly released video, Nika walks into Geno’s office and immediately calls him “Grampy” — an ode to his notorious old man ways and uncanny ability to resemble the grandfather from Up — before being on the receiving end of him trolling her.
However, before the clip is over, Nika can be heard pouring into Geno and sharing these heartfelt words:
“You changed my life. Your impact — I don’t think you’re aware of it…You’ve impacted so many people around me, including me. There’s never been a single person like you, and there never will be in the world. I hope you know how unique you are, how special you are.”
Caitlin Clark is a proverbial comet whose galactical skills have captured the attention of fans, the media and, most recently, multi-billion dollar companies, like Nike.
Still, I couldn’t help but wonder: If Clark received this large of a deal before ever playing a minute of professional basketball, was Nike always able to invest this amount of money in other women athletes? Yes, but not in the way we typically think.
The bidding war for Caitlin Clark wasn't even close in the end
• Nike: 8-years/$28 million • Adidas: 4-years/$6 million • Under Armour: 4-years/$16 million • Puma: *dropped out after hearing $3 million*
When it comes to following the “it” athletes, Nike owns that process fairly well. It’s been ahead of the curve several times, including when it partnered with college basketball star turned WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes in 1995 to drop the Air Swoopes. Nike came back to the WNBA well again with Lisa Leslie and her signature shoe — the Total Air 9, which was a whopping $140 in 1998 — and kept going with stars like Dawn Staley, Cynthia Cooper-Dyke, Chamique Holdsclaw and Diana Taurasi.
As with any trend, there are ebbs and flows, and when Nike didn’t see a strong enough return on investment with women’s signature shoes, it paused its production until a new wave of talent could convince it otherwise. Enter Elena Delle Donne and Sabrina Ionescu. Delle Donne received a signature shoe in 2022, and the New York Liberty’s current 3-point specialist, Ionescu, followed suit in 2023 after signing a deal with the brand in 2020 worth $24 million.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – OCTOBER 15: The Nike shoes of Sabrina Ionescu #20 of the New York Liberty are seen during the fourth quarter against the Las Vegas Aces in Game Three of the 2023 WNBA Finals at Barclays Center on October 15, 2023 in the Brooklyn borough of New York City. (Bruce Bennett/Getty Images)
That brings us to 2024, when — if it hadn’t already — the design work on Caitlin Clark’s signature will begin. What prompted Nike to jump back into the women’s signature market? Integrated marketing told them to.
No, really. It did.
Integrated marketing is a strategy companies use to align its internal and external marketing channels to promote a product (Caitlin Clark) within the same time frame and typically through some sort of campaign (the women’s college basketball season). The immediate benefit it provides is that it tells the same primary brand story through every possible touchpoint for that company’s target audience.
So, if fans discovered Caitlin Clark through a live TikTok feed and then suddenly visited that company’s website, where there were more videos and additional articles about Caitlin and the feed, fans would have been part of a targeted, holistic brand experience without even knowing it. The company just aligned its message and gave fans a chance to see the same content and storytelling in different formats.
Iowa-Maryland was the most-watched women’s college basketball game in Fox Sports history, averaging 1.58M viewers.
Once those same fans signal back through data that this is the type of content they want to consume, market value is generated, followed by actual return on investment. That’s where Nike saw value in its line of business and decided another signature shoe needed to happen.
What’s fascinating is that the caliber of talent Nike acquired during its pause in signature shoe production didn’t particularly dip. After all, Nike did sign two-time WNBA champion and two-time MVP A’ja Wilson to a contract in 2018. However, Wilson’s tenure might appear different from that of her fellow Nike counterparts because the latter possibly have benefited from the unexpected rise of integrated marketing.
Apr 1, 2024; Albany, NY, USA; Iowa Hawkeyes guard Caitlin Clark (22) is interviewed after defeating the LSU Lady Tigers in the finals of the Albany Regional in the 2024 NCAA Tournament at MVP Arena. (Gregory Fisher/USA TODAY Sports)
In simpler terms, the rise in popularity of the WNBA and women’s college basketball has impeccably collided with our “gotta-have-it-at-my fingertips,” social media-influenced society in real-time. While it’s still a bit mystifying that Nike has not signed Wilson or more top women’s basketball athletes to a signature shoe deal, the paper trail has more than suggested that the time to pivot and invest is now, as Sports Business Journal notes.
Investing in women's sports isn't charity—it's a smart business move 👏
Arctos Partners' TJ Adeshola tells brands to take notes and tap into this market, which can drive significant business growth. #WCOS2024pic.twitter.com/x5C9omYkzx
Caitlin Clark created a historical moment for the game, but women’s sports is the movement. Nike has a chance to expand the movement further, starting with the remaining phenomenal athletes of the 2024 WNBA Draft class and even venturing over to the 2025 class, which includes front-runner Paige Bueckers, who already has an NIL deal with the company.
“Women’s sport is exciting; women are exciting to watch. What’s the difference? … I think that even more people watched the college women’s basketball than the men. So I think that people are realizing that is exciting to watch.”
“The WNBA has been around for 28 years, which is really small compared to any other league in professional sports.”
With the arrival of the 2024 draft class, the WNBA salary debate is re-infiltrating sports circles. Fans, pundits, and even media personalities like Whoopi Goldberg are discussing how much money the WNBA is making and how little it is seemingly paying its players. However, two-time champion and 2023 league MVP Breanna Stewart says a salary increase will not immediately occur.
As 2024’s highly anticipated draft is introduced to the sports world, many people have wondered why these top-tier college athletes won’t be paid as much as their NBA counterparts. The answer is complex and includes factors like media rights deals and investment from owners. Still, the seemingly low numbers don’t wholly reflect the growth and changes that have been happening for several years — changes that New York Liberty star Breanna Stewart says will take some time to feel.
“I think that the changes have been happening. The WNBA has been around for 28 years, which is really small compared to any other league in professional sports. Hopefully, soon again, we’ll be at another turning point, where we’ll have another CBA, and that’ll also increase player salaries.
You can talk about opportunities for pensions and charters and all these things, but it’s not something that’s going to change overnight, and it’s the mix between us continuing to be great on the court and taking advantage of the things happening off the court.”
Breanna Stewart Reacts to WNBA Salary Discourse: ‘Not Something That’s Going to Change Overnight’ (Exclusive) https://t.co/8nMwPitlS0
Reese and Cardoso were rivals in college, each battling it out under different and methodologically diverse coaches.
The Chicago Sky shared a video of former rivals LSU’s Angel Reese and South Carolina’s Kamilla Cardoso, who were both drafted by the Sky in the 2024 WNBA draft. The rivals are now teammates and they couldn’t be happier.
“We are finally teammates. Finally,” Reese said to Cardoso.
“I’m so happy,” Cardoso remarked.
“I know, me too,” Reese responded.
The two were rivals in college, each battling it out under different and methodologically diverse coaches. But now, they will finally play together under the same scheme for the same team.
Cardoso is a two-time NCAA champion, while Reese boasts one national championship, but they both have a winning mindset. Reese is 6 feet, 3 inches and mainly plays the small forward and power forward positions, while Cardoso is 6 feet, 7 inches and plays a dominating center.
The Sky are building on the momentum and are ready to win this season. During Weatherspoon’s call with Reese after the Sky drafted her, the head coach made a promise to Reese: “We gon win. We gon win.”
It seems increasingly likely that the WNBA players will opt out of their current CBA at the end of the 2024 season.
It seems increasingly likely that the WNBA players will opt out of their current CBA at the end of the 2024 season. The WNBA and the Players Association each have the option, exercisable by providing written notice on or before Nov. 1, 2024, to terminate the CBA effective on Oct. 31, 2025, or, if later, on the day following the final playoff game of the 2025 season.
From veteran player Breanna Stewart recently revealing in a new documentary about the WNBA that she wanted to opt out of the current CBA to the most recent statement from the Players’ Association, something is definitely brewing.
As good as the 2020 CBA is, player SALARIES have always been an issue. They didn’t just become an issue now.
This seems to point to the recent interest by outside parties regarding the low W salary. When Iowa phenom Caitlin Clark was drafted No. 1 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft, everyone seemed shocked about her rookie salary. Players found this shock laughable since the salaries and everything related to compensation have always been public information and easily accessible. They have always advocated for higher salaries and a bigger portion of revenue split, among other areas of the basketball business.
The league’s talking point that a WNBA player can make up to $700k blurs the line between salary and additional compensation (bonuses/marketing agreements). Think about it, to come close there can only be ONE player and that ONE player MUST be perfect and have a perfect season.
A compensation package is made up of many parts, but benefits such as bonuses are not always guaranteed, like a salary. While it is true the current CBA reflected a 53% increase in total cash compensation for players, which consists of base salary, additional performance bonuses, prize pools for newly created in-season competitions and league and team marketing deals, that is not a 53% increase in salary.
And in the latest iteration of its talking point, the league now wants to take credit and count the NIL deals of this INCOMING rookie class. Endorsements are not salary.
The players finished the post with a powerful statement: “Pay EQUITY means equitable pay for The 144+, not just the top players. We cannot permit an employer to disparage employees who seek a stable financial foundation through fair pay.”
Reese will be carrying major deals into the WNBA, including her multiyear, exclusive partnership with Panini America.
SponsorUnited recently released its Name, Image, Likeness Marketing Partnerships 2023–24 report, which offers an in-depth analysis of brand endorsements and social media collaborations across 17 college sports. According to the report, former LSU player Angel Reese had the second-most NIL endorsements over the past year with 26 deals, tied with UCLA quarterback Chase Griffin.
Reese also had the highest follower growth of any athlete across her social media accounts and the highest number of deals in SEC women’s basketball. The report also found that 35% of brands invest exclusively in NIL athletes versus major pro sports athletes. However, players like Reese will be carrying major deals into the WNBA, including her multiyear, exclusive partnership with Panini America, which includes autographed trading cards and memorabilia.
The report also found that while male athletes currently represent 65% of all NIL athletes, women athletes average a higher number of brand deals than their male counterparts at a rate of 3.5 to 2.5. There is also a broader distribution of deals across sports for women than men. NIL deals for male athletes are predominantly seen in football at 72%, while women’s deals are more evenly spread across basketball (35%), gymnastics (18%) and volleyball (15%).
Additionally, NIL deal distribution among the top 100 most endorsed athletes is balanced between women (52%) and men (48%), which is a marked difference from the previous year’s distribution of 62% men and 38% women.
Reese is no longer in college athletics, as the Chicago Sky drafted her No. 7 overall in the 2024 WNBA draft. However, her partnerships will continue to increase, and she will continue to make waves in professional sports, just like she did in college.
