Latest news with #U.S.Women'sNationalTeam
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
USWNT match-worn jerseys to be auctioned off while they're being worn
In April, Trinity Rodman struck early for the U.S. Women's National Team against Brazil, with her first goal for the team since the 2024 Olympics. She received the ball from forward Alyssa Thompson and finished with a shot into the lower right corner of the net. It was her 11th goal for the national team. While the crowd's cheers filled SoFi Stadium, they did not see what happened in the locker room at halftime. Advertisement Rodman's sweat-soaked, mud-streaked jersey was carefully collected by the team's equipment manager and placed in a sealed container bound for a warehouse in Amsterdam with eight other jerseys. These belonged to her teammates: Lindsey Heaps, Catarina Macario, Tara McKeown, Emily Fox, Allyson Sentnor, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, Crystal Dunn and Sam Coffey. Almost three months later, on Saturday, the jersey was sold for $1,833 on an online marketplace that auctions signed match-worn shirts from around the world. The Dutch company collaborates with over 300 soccer clubs and federations across 35 countries, and it has just signed a deal with both U.S. national teams. During the USWNT's friendly against China in Minnesota on Saturday, the platform will launch its first live auction tied to a match. Every jersey worn will be up for grabs. The deal with U.S. Soccer and the USWNT Players Association also covers player-worn kits from all international tournaments moving forward, including the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the U.S., Mexico, and Canada, and the 2027 Women's World Cup in Brazil. The idea of selling worn jerseys came to brothers and co-founders Bob and Tijmen Zonderwijk in 2016 while they were searching for a special gift for their father, a die-hard Ajax supporter, who was moving across the country for work. They wanted to get him a match-worn, signed jersey from one of his favorite players to hang in his new office. At the time, the only option was the annual club auction. Advertisement After a year trying to convince Dutch clubs of their new idea, one finally gave in: FC Twente, where Dutch captain Jill Roord recently signed. 'We pitched the idea there, and the guy was quiet for the entire hour. After that, he said, 'Hey, it sounds like a win-win. When can we start?' So we were like, 's***, this is happening!'' Bob Zonderwijk told . In addition to a handful of USWNT and USMNT jerseys, the company's warehouse in Amsterdam is home to about 9,000 match-worn jerseys. Historically, the locker room and those sweat-soaked jerseys are sacred for players. Most keep them. Some toss them to fans. Others trade them with opponents. Either way, they're prized. The Zonderwijk brothers, lifelong soccer fans, knew better than to mess with that. Advertisement 'We don't want to interfere with those traditions,' Tijmen Zonderwijk said. So they found a workaround: they collect only first-half jerseys. 'Players are free to do whatever they want with the second-half kits — keep them, swap them, toss them into the stands,' he explains. Which means the Rodman jersey that just sold is certified and guaranteed to be the very shirt she scored in. Operationally, every club is structured differently but MatchWornShirt's co-founders realized that to streamline their operations, they had to work with the most important person in the room: the kit managers. Last year, they hosted the first European conference of kit managers in Amsterdam, inviting 180 club representatives and 90 kit managers from partner clubs. 'The good thing about kitmen is that they are structured and reliable. They have their own protocols and once we become part of that protocol, we are all good,' Tijmen explained. Advertisement This is especially crucial when it comes to getting the jerseys cleaned. Or rather, not cleaned. Instead of soap and water, the jerseys are treated with UVC light, a method that breaks down any lingering DNA to protect the player's health data but preserves the emotion: the grass stains, the wear and tear, even a trace of the smell. 'Eighty percent of the smell is reduced, but the smell is always there. It's also what makes it authentic,' Tijmen said. 'If it smelled like flowers, then people might also question the authenticity.' Once the jerseys are cleaned, the process of authentication starts: using match footage, they check how patches are printed to match them to the player wearing them. Then they chip the shirts with NFC (Near Field Communication) chips that carry a unique ID to certify their authenticity. NFC, commonly used for non-contact payments, uses close-range wireless technology to communicate between devises. Advertisement So far, the highest price paid for a women's match-worn shirt belongs to Sophia Smith's (now Wilson) No. 9 jersey that she wore while scoring in Portland Thorns' 2-0 NWSLchampionship win over Kansas City Current in 2022. It sold for $9,507 (£7,062). On the men's side, the most expensive jersey auctioned on the site was worn by Lionel Messi from his final season playing for Paris Saint-Germain. The winning bid was $58,000. MatchWornShirt did not share how the money gets split between them and the clubs, as the company doesn't disclose specific contract terms. But each partnership is tailored to reflect the commercial and charitable priorities of the teams and organizations involved. In the case of the U.S. Soccer, the deal includes both the federation and the respective players' associations. That means the proceeds are shared, and players get a cut. According to USWNT Players Association's agreement with the players, the PA receives payment from licenses like MatchWornShirt and players receive royalties. According to their financial statements from 2023, the organization paid its members $1,059,963 in royalties which amounts to 34.7 percent of the total revenue. The U.S. Women's National Team Players Association's (USWNTPA) Department of Labor report from 2024 shows that in 2023 former U.S. forward Alex Morgan took home the most in overall royalties ($167,593). Wilson ($74,232) and Rodman ($41,643) weren't far behind. 'With so many newcomers earning their first caps for the USWNT, these jerseys carry deep significance,' Annie Mitchell-Reid, the director of strategic partnerships and business at USWNTPA, told . 'Think of sisters Alyssa and Gisele Thompson making their debuts side by side, and others who will wear the stars and stripes for the first time or even the last time. There are so many amazing moments to come that fans can have a tangible piece of.' Advertisement But what happens if a jersey doesn't sell at one of MatchWorn's auctions? The Zonderwijks are not worried. 'We've never sold a jersey,' Tijmen said with a grin. This article originally appeared in The Athletic. US Men's national team, US Women's national team, Portland Thorns, Soccer, NWSL, Sports Business, Memorabilia & Collectibles 2025 The Athletic Media Company
Epoch Times
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Epoch Times
USA Basketball Names Sue Bird Managing Director of Women's National Team
Last month, Sue Bird was elected to the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, which is often seen as the culmination of one's basketball journey. While being enshrined in Springfield, Mass., undoubtedly marks the end of Bird's playing days, she's far from finished when it comes to her overall basketball career. That became evident on May 8 when USA Basketball made Bird the first-ever managing director of the U.S. Women's National Team. This newly created position is the same one that Grant Hill, another Hall of Famer, currently has with the Men's National Team. As managing director, Bird is essentially the general manager of the Women's National Team. She will be tasked with identifying the coaches and players to compete at major international events such as the Olympics—with the next coming in 2028 in Los Angeles—and the FIBA World Cup, with the next women's tournament set for Germany in September 2026. 'It's a huge honor,' Bird was a member of Team USA at every Summer Olympics from 2004 through 2020, winning a gold medal each time. Her five Olympic golds are tied with Diana Taurasi for the most in Olympic basketball history, regardless of gender. Bird also won four gold medals and one bronze at the FIBA World Cup. The U.S. Women's National Team has won eight straight Olympic gold medals, dating back to the 1996 Games in Atlanta. That eighth straight gold at the 2024 Olympics broke a tie with the U.S. Men's Team (1936-1968) for the most consecutive gold medals in Olympic basketball history. The U.S. women's team has won gold medals in 10 of the 12 Olympics it has competed in, also winning one silver (1976) and one bronze (1992). Since losing to the Soviet Union in the semifinals of the 1992 Olympics, the United States has been undefeated in Olympic play. The United States also has won 11 FIBA World Cup gold medals, including in each of the last four World Cup tournaments. Related Stories 8/9/2024 8/10/2024 Throughout her basketball life, Bird has been a winner at every level. She won four WNBA championships during her 19-year pro career and is the only player to win a championship in three different decades. She also played overseas, simultaneously to her WNBA career, where she won five Russian League titles, was a five-time EuroLeague champion, and also won a pair of EuroCups. As an amateur, Bird was a two-time champion at the University of Connecticut, including an undefeated season. In her senior year at Christ the King Regional High School in Queens, N.Y., her team went undefeated and won the state and national titles. Bird said she believes that all of her basketball experiences have helped her prepare for this role, and that she can also translate some of her skills on the court into managing. 'At this point really every experience that I had along my journey as a player is going to play a role,' 'I know myself and I am a quick learner. The way that I played the game had a lot of understanding in it, so I expect the learning curve to go quickly.' Bird does have some front office experience. In 2018, while still playing in the WNBA, she took on an apprenticeship with the Denver Nuggets. She was temporarily a basketball operations associate for the team, a role that exposed her to the ins and outs of what basketball executives do daily. It just so happens that the headquarters of USA Basketball is in Colorado Springs, Colorado, just 70 miles from Denver. Also on Thursday,
San Francisco Chronicle
10-05-2025
- Sport
- San Francisco Chronicle
New ‘E:60' documentary looks at the suicide of Stanford's Katie Meyer
On Saturday morning, ESPN aired a new 'E:60' episode exploring the tragic death by suicide of Stanford goalkeeper Katie Meyer, and the legal and emotional aftermath, including her family's lawsuit against the university. Meyer was the 22-year-old captain for the Stanford women's soccer team who helped the program win a national title in 2019. On March 1, 2022, she was found dead in her dorm room, the day after learning she faced possible expulsion from the school due to a disciplinary matter. Her parents, Gina and Steve, have said they were unaware of that potential discipline and believe Stanford was 'negligent and reckless,' resulting in Meyer's death. Her parents are the central voices of the episode. The 46-minute documentary was reported by Julie Foudy, a two-time Olympic soccer gold medalist and U.S. Women's National Team player who has produced previous features with ESPN. It was directed and produced by former Pepperdine soccer player Jennifer Karson-Strauss. Requests for comment from Stanford's athletic department and the women's soccer team were not returned to the Chronicle. The university also declined to provide anyone for the 'E:60' episode, other than a communications representative who responded to emailed questions. 'They had a choice to participate,' Karson-Strauss said. 'We gave them notice six months to a year in advance, sent them 10 questions, and gave them almost two weeks to respond. … It's their choice.' If you need help If you or someone you know is experiencing a mental health crisis, call the free 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline by dialing '988' 24 hours a day or text 'HOME' to 741741 to reach a crisis counselor anytime. Meyer's parents filed a lawsuit eight months following her death, alleging that Stanford mishandled communication with Meyer after the school issued a disciplinary action against her for allegedly spilling hot coffee on a football player at the school who was accused of sexually assaulting one of her teammates. The case will go to trial April 13, 2026, according to the Santa Clara County Superior Court of California docket. The show opens with Katie's own voice from her podcast, 'Be the Mentality,' where she spoke to her 76,000 Instagram followers. Her father, Steve, was her first and only guest on Feb. 13, 2022. She never recorded another episode. Later in the 'E: 60' episode, Steve explained how he struggled to process her death. 'I was on the phone with her the night before, and she seemed great,' Steve said. 'She was driven to graduate from there. That didn't happen.' He added that she left a note where she said she was 'so, so scared,' and he saw the five-page email Katie received from Stanford's Office of Community Standards on Feb. 28 — the night before her death — that said the school would withhold her diploma for three months and she faced possible suspension. According to the lawsuit, Katie 'immediately responded to the email,' saying she was 'shocked and distraught' by the charges and the threat of suspension. 'Maybe a university takes a second look at the way that they're handling their own disciplinary cases,' Karson-Strauss said. The director told the Chronicle she hopes there might be an impact from this documentary. 'I think my hope is just that, that it creates conversations, even if they're uncomfortable conversations.' The Meyers' complaint further alleges that 'Stanford's after-hours disciplinary charge, and the reckless nature and manner of submission to Katie, caused Katie to suffer an acute stress reaction that impulsively led to her suicide.' In a statement to 'E: 60,' Stanford said that the mental health professionals that Meyer had been seeing did not believe she was at risk of suicide, and that she had not authorized the disclosure of details from those sessions. 'It hurts my heart that they're marching down this road when we've lost our daughter,' Steve said. The episode also highlights Steve and Gina's nonprofit, Katie's Save, and how they helped pass a California bill that requires an advisor for any student in a disciplinary process. They called it 'Katie Meyer's Law.' The California state legislature unanimously passed AB1575. Steve and Gina now hope to see it enacted at the federal level. As Karson-Strauss put it, 'They've just put so much into trying to make a difference for other families … because their pain was and is so great, and they don't want any other family to feel that.'
Forbes
04-05-2025
- Sport
- Forbes
USWNT Legend Carli Lloyd Inducted Into National Soccer Hall Of Fame
With a professional soccer career that spanned 17 years for the U.S. Women's National Team, legendary forward Carli Lloyd was officially inducted into the national Soccer Hall of Fame at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. 'There was no greater honor than wearing the red, white and blue,' Lloyd said. 'Yes, it was extremely hard. There were countless sacrifices along the way, but every bit of it was worth it, because I loved the game, the lessons I learned, the relationships that I forged and the experiences I gained were more than I ever could imagine.' The National Soccer Hall of Fame inducted a total of five members for the 2025 class: Mark Abbott, Chris Armas, Mary Harvey, Nick Rimando, and Lloyd. With the USWNT, Lloyd won two FIFA Women's World Cup championships in both 205 and in 2019. She also earned two Olympic gold medals in 2008 and in 2012 and added a bronze medal to her resume in 2020. Although Lloyd contributed a wealth of time into her career with 316 caps and 134 international goals, the two-time FIFA Player of the Year (2016, 2017) set the tone with the all-time fastest hat trick in FIFA World Cup history. She's also the only player to score a hat trick in a FIFA World Cup Final. At the 2015 FIFA Women's World Cup Final against Japan, Lloyd scored her first goal in the third minute and went on to score a total of three in 17 minutes. Her third goal was most iconic as her long shot stemmed from 54 yards out and gave the USA a 3-0 lead. The USWNT went on to defeat their long-time opponents 5-2. From her performance, Lloyd received the Golden Ball and the Silver Boot as the No. 2 goalscorer in the tournament. Lloyd's grit in the game was a pattern for the USA in critical moments as she also led the team to a crucial win at the 2012 London Olympics. Lloyd opened the game with a goal in the eighth minute and after Japan equalized, Lloyd led the team to victory as her brace secured the win. Along with Lloyd's successful international career, she also played in two professional soccer leagues. Lloyd began her career in the Women's Professional Soccer league with the Chicago Red Stars, Sky Blue, and Atlanta Beat and she went on to play in the National Women's Soccer League with Western New York Flash, Houston Dash, and ended her career in her home state with Gotham FC. Following her retirement, Lloyd became a mom in October 2024 as she and her husband welcomed their daughter Harper Anne Hollins into the world.
Time of India
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
Ashlyn Harris Speaks Out About Sophia Bush's Healing Love: "She Makes Me Feel Like the Best Mother"
Ashlyn Harris is giving a candid and intimate look at her life with actress Sophia Bush — and the healing nature of love in the wake of heartbreak. On the latest episode of the Second Wind Podcast, the 39-year-old former U.S. Women's National Team star reflected on how Bush, 42, has supported her through an emotionally challenging chapter following her 2023 divorce from fellow soccer player Ali Krieger. The former couple share two young children: daughter Sloane, 4, and son Ocean, 2. Mostly what I love about her is she lets me feel like the way only I thought that we read books about," said Harris of Bush, whom she started dating back in October of 2023. "She puts up a mirror and has me feeling that I'm the best human being, I'm the best mother, and just what I have needed and continue to need so that I may heal so much pain and trauma and loss from my life. Harris has spoken openly about the pressure she is under as a parent and how Bush is now a pillar of reassurance in her life. "I think as a mother, I think we can all just sit here and say, we always think that we're failing… I made a vow that my children wouldn't feel the same type of pain that I felt as a child, and I put a lot of pressure on myself," she said. "And she's just like, 'You are the best mom.' I just have never seen somebody move and behave the way you do. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like 2025 Top Trending local enterprise accounting software [Click Here] Esseps Learn More Undo " For Harris, the connection with Bush arrived amid profound personal vulnerability — but also a time of surprising emotional rebirth. "She entered my world when I was an open wound," Harris said. "She's so giving and such a lovely person that even in the most difficult time in her life, she wants to help me heal, which is something I'll never forget." Bush, who ended her divorce from businessman Grant Hughes in August 2023 after barely more than a year of marriage, was also in the process of emotional recovery. Their common experiences of loss and change seem to have strengthened their relationship. Harris spoke about wanting to be there for Bush in the same way of transformation. "I hope to be that same version for her," she said. "I think it's impossible for us to work so much on ourselves and heal all of the trauma and pain we've experienced, but when you meet the right person, they won't weaponize that against you. They meet you." Their romance — conceived in suffering but based on empathy, encouragement, and mutual respect — is a witness to the strength of emotional maturity and meeting the right person at the right moment. For Harris, who has been under the spotlight for years as a tenacious athlete and activist, this union is a new beginning—a chapter not based on triumph on the field, but on love, family, and healing on a personal level.
