Latest news with #GenoAuriemma
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
A first date or a power move? Basketball columnist says McKee's meeting raises questions
Was this just an introductory meeting? The business equivalent of a first date? Perhaps an attempt to gain some leverage while negotiating elsewhere? All we have is speculation following a reported Friday rendezvous between Gov. Dan McKee and an unnamed potential investor in the Connecticut Sun, the WNBA team that currently plays its home games at Mohegan Sun Arena. McKee and the investor reportedly toured Amica Mutual Pavilion, a potential new home for the franchise should the Mohegan Tribe decide to sell its controlling stake. ESPN reported in May the team was exploring its financial options, including taking on potential limited partners. Was this a little public flirting with Providence to spur some action at home? The Sun are one of few remaining teams in the league without a dedicated practice facility, using their home arena for both training and games. XL Center in Hartford is set to undergo a $100 million renovation, a possible in-state option if ownership — current or new — would like to leave the casino grounds but stay nearby. The Mohegan Tribe bought the team for $10 million in 2003 and moved it from Orlando to its home for the last 22 years. The logic at the time was obvious — a new arena that needed an anchor tenant and a market that boasted one of the most passionate women's college basketball followings in the nation. The University of Connecticut just won its 12th national championship under coach Geno Auriemma and has sent dozens of players on to the professional ranks. The WNBA is big business now That was a different WNBA than the one that tipped off this spring. Nielsen reported a 201% spike in viewership from 2023 to 2024. That climb is now at 791% since the start of 2017. Sportico estimated the Sun's value at $80 million last year, a significant growth from the last time ownership changed hands. This is a league with major crossover appeal at the moment, and that starts with the college game. Name, image and rights legislation implemented by the NCAA has allowed players to both get paid and reach wider audiences than ever before. Caitlin Clark had major brand deals with Nike, Gatorade and State Farm in hand before she graduated from Iowa and became the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft. Clark, Angel Reese and Paige Bueckers are the three most followed players in the league on Instagram, and they all arrived within the last two years. Cameron Brink and Hailey Van Lith are both in the top 10 and have played less than two seasons. Juju Watkins, the standout guard at Southern California, will be next. WNBA schedule lines up with Providence's downtown The current WNBA schedule runs from May to September, a pocket that coincides with several dates typically available downtown. The Providence Bruins open their regular season in October and finish in April — only an extended run in the Calder Cup playoffs would create any overlap. The Providence College men's basketball team plays its home games between November and March, heading off to the Big East Tournament about two months before the women would take center stage. Is recruiting the team worth it? It's worthwhile for McKee or any other state official to explore such an opportunity. Men's college basketball has meant big business downtown since the former Providence Civic Center opened in the 1970s, including a return of the NCAA Tournament in March. Bars, restaurants and hotels were jammed over a four-day weekend that featured visits from big programs like Kansas, St. John's, Arkansas, Clemson and Purdue. Could a professional women's team capture some summer attention here? The possibility is certainly generating some discussion. Where it goes from here is anybody's best guess. bkoch@ On X: @BillKoch25 This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: McKee's WNBA meeting wasn't just optics — it was opportunity | OPINION
Associated Press
29-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
ALTbasketball, Inc. Launches Both the "ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept" to be Promoted to the NBA as and the Development of Professional League w/ Lower Rims for Women
Louisville, KY July 28, 2025 --( )-- Today, ALTbasketball, Inc. announces the origination of the 'ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept' for the game of basketball. This concept is identified as a reduction of rim size to lesser than the traditional 18' diameter rim for play. The 'ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept' is being promoted to the National Basketball Association (NBA), to support in entertainment and player/fan engagement considerations. Additionally, ALTbasketball, Inc. is announcing the development of the company's new professional, national women's basketball league, featuring the ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept and addi lower than the traditional 10' in height. The women's game being played on a 'lower rim' is on record as early as 2012, being requested by Geno Auriemma, the Winningest NCAA Women's basketball coach. ALTbasketball, a Delaware corporation, with operations in Louisville, KY, is led by Founder, Nick Lopez, former youth boys and girls basketball coach and trainer. ALTbasketball, Inc. is promoting the 'ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept' via website, social media and basketball events for the general public to review. 'ALTbasketball's national professional women's league is designed to be sustainable in itself… but actually it's only the start of the 'Growth and Sustainability Flywheel.' The league will be the driving force behind increasing the interest and demand in female youth basketball which will in turn demand significant infrastructure changes nationwide including new courts specific to the ALTbasketball women's game,' said Nick Lopez, Founder of ALTbasketball. With the announcement of ALTbasketball, the company cites it now advances to 'Phase 1,' the 'Attention Phase' where concept is to be proven viable by sourcing the crowd and verifying support through testimonials and social sharing. Once the fan demand is verified, ALTbasketball cites that sponsors will be onboarded, and the league will initiate in the next phase, identified as the 'Entertainment Phase' where players will be established. In the Entertainment Phase, ALTbasketball will facilitate try-outs in multiple states, with a model inspired by the AND 1 Mixtape Tour. ALTbasketball promotes that they will be 'scouting, elevating, supporting and developing new stars of the game.' 'ALTbasketball is reverse engineered to give the fans what they want. The focus is not foremost on the player experience, but rather the fans and their specific interest. Fortunately, the economics suggest that where there is fan interest, money will flow. And where money flows, when a league is not restricted by legacy infrastructure, or bottlenecks of status quo thinking… it may be possible to scale, and scale big,' said Nick Lopez, Founder of ALTbasketball. To learn more, Start Here at or contact [email protected] Source: ALTbasketball, Inc. Bunyasaranand, Kimie. 'Geno Auriemma wants lower rim to improve women's basketball' *ESPN* October, 23, 2012, Wilco, Daniel. 'Women's college basketball coaches with the most wins in DI history' *NCAA* April, 10, 2025, Contact Information: ALTbasketball, Inc. Nick Lopez (844) 737-1459 Contact via Email Read the full story here: ALTbasketball, Inc. Launches Both the 'ALTbasketball Smaller Rim Concept' to be Promoted to the NBA as and the Development of Professional League w/ Lower Rims for Women Press Release Distributed by
Yahoo
28-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Geno Auriemma Named Finalist For Prestigious Award After National Championship Run
Geno Auriemma Named Finalist For Prestigious Award After National Championship Run originally appeared on Athlon Sports. At 71 years old, there aren't many awards Geno Auriemma hasn't won in his legendary career. But after capturing his 12th NCAA Tournament title this spring, the longtime UConn head coach is up for another prestigious honor, one he's never claimed before. Advertisement Auriemma, who has led the Huskies since 1985 and recorded 1,250 wins, is a finalist for the Best Record-Breaking Performance at the 2025 ESPYs. He's also an eight-time Naismith Coach of the Year, but this nomination marks a new recognition for his legacy. And he's not the only one from the UConn program to receive a nod. The UConn Women's Basketball account on X proudly shared the news on social media: 'We have some Huskies nominated for @ESPYS! Best Team: UConn Women's Basketball Best Record-Breaking Performance: Geno Auriemma Best WNBA Player: Napheesa Collier, Breanna Stewart' Last year's Best Record-Breaking Performance award went to Caitlin Clark, who broke Pete Maravich's all-time NCAA scoring record with 3,951 career points. Clark, now in her second WNBA season, is nominated again after becoming the league's single-game and single-season assist leader. Advertisement Other notable nominees for record-breaking feats include Kevin Durant, who became the all-time leading scorer for the U.S. Olympic men's basketball team, and Alexander Ovechkin, who passed Wayne Gretzky for first place on the NHL's all-time goals list. Connecticut Huskies head coach Geno Auriemma hugs guard Paige Bueckers (5).Kirby Lee-Imagn Images In 2023, LeBron James took home the honor after surpassing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar as the NBA's all-time leading scorer. The Huskies are also finalists for Best Team, joining a stacked list of champions that includes the Philadelphia Eagles, New York Liberty, Los Angeles Dodgers, Florida Panthers and Oklahoma City Thunder. Two former UConn stars, Collier of the Minnesota Lynx and Stewart of the Liberty, are up for Best WNBA Player. Both helped lead their teams to the WNBA Finals last season and are joined by fellow finalists A'ja Wilson and Clark. Advertisement The 2025 ESPY Awards will air on July 16 at 8 p.m. ET on ABC. The annual event, hosted by ESPN, honors the most outstanding achievements and performances across the sports world. Related: Stephanie White Sounds Alarm for Indiana Fever Ahead of Key Player's Absence Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 27, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
26-06-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Major Caitlin Clark News Emerges After Upsetting Injury Update
Major Caitlin Clark News Emerges After Upsetting Injury Update originally appeared on Athlon Sports. It's been a frantic start to the 2025 WNBA season for Caitlin Clark and the Indiana Fever. With the spotlight on her every night, Clark has experienced her share of highs and lows. Advertisement So has Indiana. The Fever sit at 7-7, navigating through injuries, roster changes, big wins and frustrating losses. Despite it all, Clark and the Fever continue to push forward. The former Iowa Hawkeyes standout was ruled out for Thursday's home game against the Los Angeles Sparks due to injury concerns, but then came some major news: "Caitlin is nominated for 2 ESPY Awards: Best Record-Breaking Performance and Best WNBA Player." For Best Record-Breaking Performance, Clark is competing against Alexander Ovechkin, Kevin Durant and Geno Auriemma. Her standout achievements include a 19-assist performance on July 17, against Dallas, followed by breaking the WNBA single-season assist record for rookies in August against the Seattle Storm. She later shattered the all-time single-season assist record in September against the Las Vegas Aces. Advertisement Her second nomination, for Best WNBA Player, puts her in elite company in women's basketball. Clark will go up against A'ja Wilson, the reigning MVP and last year's ESPY winner. Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier are also nominated; both led their teams to the WNBA Finals, with Stewart and the New York Liberty claiming the title over Collier and the Minnesota Lynx. Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark (22).Trevor Ruszkowski-Imagn Images So far in her second season, Clark has played nine games and is averaging 18.2 points per game. The Fever have five players averaging double figures, including Kelsey Mitchell (17.9 points per game) and Aliyah Boston (15.9). Aari McDonald, back in the lineup, is contributing 11 points per game while Natasha Howard is at 10.8. Clark's injury status will continue to be monitored, but her impact on the league is undeniable. The ESPY nominations are just the latest recognition of her rapid rise and continued dominance in the WNBA. Advertisement The 2025 ESPYs will air at 8 p.m. July 16 on ABC. Related: Ranking the 25 Best WNBA Players of All Time Related: Aliyah Boston Sends Clear Dawn Staley Message Amid WNBA Season This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 26, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Big UConn News Turns Heads on Wednesday
Big UConn News Turns Heads on Wednesday originally appeared on Athlon Sports. The UConn Huskies have widely been regarded as one of the best women's basketball programs in the country and they proved that case last season. Advertisement UConn, led by head coach Geno Auriemma, won the national championship last season, defeating none other than the South Carolina Gamecocks and Dawn Staley in the national title game. The Huskies were led by current Dallas Wings star Paige Bueckers as well as Azzi Fudd and Sarah Strong, both of whom will return to UConn next season. As the Huskies continue to gain hype, especially coming off a national title season, they announced a recent deal with Apple TV+. UConn will be the focus of a three-part series from Apple TV+, documenting the women's basketball program. "Geno Auriemma and the UConn women's basketball program will be the focus of a three-part series from Apple TV+!" posted the official social media account of the UConn Huskies. Upon the release of the announcement, some fans took to social media, sharing their thoughts on the decision from the UConn Huskies. Advertisement "Someone will give me their Apple TV log in or there will be consequences for the whole class," said one fan. "OHHHHH YESSSS," said another fan. "Oh you are making me get my subscription back," mentioned one fan. "Oh we won," commented one fan. "SEATED," said one fan. "This is awesome," said another fan. UConn Huskies head coach Geno Lee-Imagn Images The initial press release, posted by the UConn Huskies, revealed the details behind the series, which documents Geno Auriemma and his program. "This documentary reveals the epic narrative of UConn's roller coaster path to becoming the greatest dynasty in women's sports history, with each episode featuring a blend of unique archival footage, incisive interviews and exclusive access with UConn's 2024-25 championship squad," per release. Advertisement Related: UConn's Azzi Fudd Makes Major Personal Announcement on Friday Related: Big UConn Announcement Turns Heads on Monday This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 25, 2025, where it first appeared.
