In this 24th edition, we learn more about the Canada Basketball U18 women’s national team‘s almost undefeated run at the FIBA Women’s AmeriCup, where they took home a silver medal. We also learn more about the latest women’s sports broadcasting venture and the newest women’s sports documentaries, which all help grow the representation of women’s sports in the media and entertainment space. Lastly, we learn more about the valuations of the 12 WNBA teams and the latest Canadian athletes who qualified for the Paris Summer Olympics.

The stories of the week show young girls in sport and physical activity that:

The pipeline of young Canadian women’s basketball players is promising, as the team came close to winning every game in the international competition.   

The more significant influx of women’s sports broadcasting networks and documentaries will help address the underrepresentation of women’s sports in those media outlets. As research has shown in the past, these new ventures are likely to be very successful as women’s sports fans are eager, and brands that get involved with sponsorship benefit significantly from buying into women’s sports.  

Access to WNBA team valuations is beneficial because it provides a backing point for other brands when considering partnerships and sponsorships. It’s also beneficial for negotiations when the league is making deals with merchandising partners, media companies, etc.    

With some final Canadian athletes qualifying for the Paris Summer Olympics, it ensures that Canadian women athletes will be represented at the games and validates that there is an evident talent pool of Canadian athletes across multiple sports who will be competing at this year’s Olympics.

Canadian U18 women’s basketball team ends strong run with silver medal at FIBA Women’s AmeriCup

 

Canada Basketball’s Women’s National U18 team put up an impressive run throughout the 2024 FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup.

Throughout the competition, the team won their games against Argentina (score of 84-55), Colombia (score of 86-38), the Dominican Republic (score of 117-27!), Mexico (score of 66-58), and Brazil (score of 85-46).

The team made it to the final gold medal game against the United States (US), but they fell short and lost with a score of 80-69. The US took home the gold medal, while Canada subsequently took home the silver medal. The silver medal marked the team’s seventh time in their last ten appearances at a FIBA U18 Women’s AmeriCup.

The team’s win over Mexico also secured them a spot to compete in the FIBA U19 Women’s Basketball World Cup in 2025.

Media companies partner up to deliver more women’s sports broadcasting

Media companies iHeart Media and Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment have announced a new venture to contribute to an underrepresented market: women’s sports broadcast stations.

The new venture, “Women’s Sports Audio Network” (WSAN), will be launched in June 2024. It will be available on broadcast, digital, and podcast platforms.

Inspiration for addressing this market included statistics such as only 15% of sports media coverage being dedicated to women’s sports.

Another important factor in the creation of WSAN was the prioritization of who speaks on women’s sports and their involvement in that area of sports. The two companies have thoughtfully gathered experts in the women’s sports space, including women from ESPN and those involved in the PWHL, WNBA, League One Volleyball, and professional golf.

Sportico releases WNBA team valuations, with each team soaring in the million-dollar mark

For the first time, Sportico has released the valuations of all twelve WNBA teams as of the league’s 28th season.

The 12 WNBA teams are worth $1.16 billion combined. Below are the rankings of each team from highest to lowest.

1. Las Vegas Aces, valued at $140 million
2. Seattle Storm, valued at $135 million
3. New York Liberty, valued at $130 million
4. Phoenix Mercury, valued at $105 million
5. Chicago Sky, valued at $95 million
6. Indiana Fever, valued at $90 million
7. Los Angeles Sparks, valued at $85 million
8. Minnesota Lynx, valued at $85 million
9. Connecticut Sun, valued at $80 million
10. Washington Mystics, valued at $80 million
11. Dallas Wings, valued at $75 million
12. Atlanta Dream, valued at $55 million

The growing momentum of women’s sports documentaries

Here are some of the latest women’s sports documentaries that have been released or are soon to be released.

Sue Bird: In the Clutch (available on Netflix Canada)

The documentary follows Sue Bird, a now-retired WNBA player, Olympian, and entrepreneur. We get an inside look at her memorable basketball career and the moments that led up to her retirement from professional basketball in 2022.

Power of the Dream (available on Prime Video Canada)

The documentary follows WNBA players and the league as a whole during their inspiring and influential impact on politics in Georgia. The league, players, and teams helped endorse a politician’s campaign and flip a seat in the Senate.

Simone Biles Rising (available on Netflix Canada on July 17, 2024)

The Netflix Series follows US gymnast and Olympian Simone Biles’ athletic career and personal life as she speaks more about her mental health and the Olympics.

The latest Canadian athletes to have qualified for the Paris Summer Olympics

With the Paris Summer Olympics being one month out, here are some of the latest Canadian athletes who have qualified for the Olympic Games in their respective sports:

Fay de Fazio Ebert– Skateboarding

During the skateboarding Olympic Qualifier Series in Hungary, the young athlete qualified for the 2024 Olympics based on her standing within the Olympic World Skateboard Rankings, where she is ranked 23rd in the world in the women’s park skateboarding category.

Heather Bansley and Sophie Bukovec– Beach Volleyball

During the NORCECA Olympic Beach Volleyball Qualification tournament in Mexico, Bansley and Bukovec were successful with their 6-0 set during the last chance qualifier round.

Brooke Henderson and Alena Sharp– Golf

The two athletes were nominated to compete at the Paris Summer Olympics based on Henderson and Sharp’s Official World Golf Rankings. Henderson is 14th, and Sharp is 292nd in the Rolex Women’s World Golf Ranking.

 

Kaitlyn’s Sport Stories Recap are written by Kaitlyn Lehbert, a passionate and driven sport advocate for girls and women. Kaitlyn holds her Bachelor’s degree in Sports Management from Brock University. Learn more about Kaitlyn by clicking here!

Have a sport story you want to share? Contact info@fastandfemale.com and it may get featured in Kaitlyn’s next feature.