Latest news with #WAGs
The Sun
12 hours ago
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Declan Rice and girlfriend Lauren Fryer make rare public appearance after cruel trolls forced her off social media
DECLAN RICE'S girlfriend Lauren Fryer made a rare public appearance at Jarrod Bowen's wedding. The Arsenal midfielder attended his old team-mate's ceremony as the West Ham captain tied the knot with reality star Dani Dyer. 4 Bowen looked dapper in a suit as his bride stunned in a glamorous white dress at the couple's star-studded ceremony in Buckinghamshire. As the newly-weds walked off after saying their vows, a picture was taken of a smiling Dani holding a bouquet of flowers. And eagle-eyed fans spotted Rice applauding in the background. According to the Daily Mail, his rarely-seen girlfriend Lauren was stood in front of him. They are childhood sweethearts and have a young son named Jude. But on the contrary to Dani, Lauren chooses to stay out of the spotlight. She suffered cruel online abuse last year and it led to her wiping her social media clean. It is not just Bowen and Rice who are close pals, as their WAGs also struck up a close bond after spending last summer's Euros with England together. Dani has spoken out to defend her, exclusively telling The Sun last year: "It was so hard, the trolling, as she doesn't put herself out there. 'I think it's harder when you are not in [the celebrity world] and you are being personally attacked. I found that hard. 'She is a really good mum, who keeps to herself. No one deserves to be criticised like that. It was so cruel. 'She got a lot of support from all of us, which she definitely needed.' 4
CTV News
a day ago
- Business
- CTV News
‘Resurgence of WAGs': Sport researchers say spouses of athletes growing in popularity
Connor McDavid (97) pets his dog as he is honoured for his 1000 points along with family members before taking on the Columbus Blue Jackets in Edmonton on Thursday, December 5, 2024. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Jason Franson A new business in a historic downtown Edmonton building is generating some major buzz. Several social media influencers recently walked a red carpet leading into Bar Trove and the Trove Living furniture showroom for a media tour ahead of its June 6 opening. They ate oysters and sipped cocktails as a DJ played music and security guards stood outside. The woman behind the venture, seen at the event clad in a glittery pink dress, is Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. 'To have this star's wife putting money into our city and investing in our city is really special,' said Quinn Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Downtown Business Association and a former sports reporter. 'Everything is kind of buzzing now in downtown.' Kyle McDavid was not immediately available for an interview, but she is one of several modern WAGs — an acronym for wives and girlfriends — making names for themselves. Judy Liao, who teaches sociology of sport and gender studies at the University of Alberta, says the buzz Kyle McDavid's business has been getting online shows how much of an interest people take in the lives of athletes' significant others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports wives saw their social media followers go up as they began posting more, Liao says. The popular streaming service Netflix has also created shows following the lives of WAGs in recent years. 'The resurgence of WAGs is really because of social media.' Liao says the WAG trend first became popular in the early 2000s. '(Soccer star) David Beckham is a key person to think about in this phenomenon because his wife is Posh Spice,' she says, referring to British singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls. 'After they started dating, they officially entered their pop culture celebrity status. Posh Spice was already a celebrity. They became so iconic, recognizable, so visible, it becomes not just about soccer or football anymore.' Demand for more details on their lifestyle went up as tabloid magazines chased them around and gathered details that made the couple prime subjects of media gossip, Liao said. 'It was the modern fairy tale. The story is so enticing,' she said. The era was different from today, she says, as the Beckhams didn't release details about their lifestyle on their own. Fast-forward to 2025, and WAGs are gaining visibility with social media and online content created by the influencers themselves, Liao says. Most of the resurgence has been in the United States, but Canada isn't immune to the trend. Stephanie LaChance, who is married to Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, is often the subject of headlines. In the United States, pop star Taylor Swift has been labelled the ultimate WAG in news headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce. Liao says some sport sociologists have been calling Swift the 'Yoko Ono of the NFL' because of how many women she has attracted to the game. Unlike the Beckhams, Liao says modern WAGs can control their narratives and tend to blend social media posts about sports with entries about their lives. 'Social media is a really important place to construct and show people themselves as a person, not just a profession,' she says. Young fans of McDavid who are avid social media users are happy to follow WAGs, she adds. Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab, says Kyle McDavid's fame is an interesting case study. 'Lauren is very active on social media,' Bradish says. 'There were many videos of her wedding, which Vogue covered.' She has also posted about the interior design firm she founded, Kyle & Co Design Studio, and regularly shares photos of the apparel she develops for Sports Club Atelier with Oilers branding. Bradish says Kyle McDavid's ties to the NHL have helped her monetize her work. 'Social media has really created opportunities, and it's not surprising,' Bradish says. 'She's a part of this whole community and whole industry of influencers.' Bradish also saw the WAG resurgence really take off during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The sports industry, and athletes in particular, needed to figure out ways to speak with fans and consumers,' she says. But Brandish has mixed feelings about how trendy they've become. Some WAGs like Kyle McDavid have used their relationships as leverage, but Brandish says she should also be commended for her personal identity and professional background in interior design and business. 'The bigger picture here, in an authentic way, is that social media has really created opportunities. This interest from consumers in the WAG story is really powerful.' 'The rising of WAGs is one big factor for that.' --Fakiha Baig This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
Globe and Mail
a day ago
- Business
- Globe and Mail
Sport researchers say spouses of athletes growing in popularity
A new business in a historic downtown Edmonton building is generating some major buzz. Several social media influencers recently walked a red carpet leading into Bar Trove and the Trove Living furniture showroom for a media tour ahead of its June 6 opening. They ate oysters and sipped cocktails as a DJ played music and security guards stood outside. The woman behind the venture, seen at the event clad in a glittery pink dress, is Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. 'To have this star's wife putting money into our city and investing in our city is really special,' said Quinn Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Downtown Business Association and a former sports reporter. 'Everything is kind of buzzing now in downtown.' Kyle McDavid was not immediately available for an interview, but she is one of several modern WAGs – an acronym for wives and girlfriends – making names for themselves. Judy Liao, who teaches sociology of sport and gender studies at the University of Alberta, says the buzz Kyle McDavid's business has been getting online shows how much of an interest people take in the lives of athletes' significant others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports wives saw their social media followers go up as they began posting more, Liao says. The popular streaming service Netflix has also created shows following the lives of WAGs in recent years. 'The resurgence of WAGs is really because of social media.' Liao says the WAG trend first became popular in the early 2000s. '(Soccer star) David Beckham is a key person to think about in this phenomenon because his wife is Posh Spice,' she says, referring to British singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls. 'After they started dating, they officially entered their pop culture celebrity status. Posh Spice was already a celebrity. They became so iconic, recognizable, so visible, it becomes not just about soccer or football anymore.' Demand for more details on their lifestyle went up as tabloid magazines chased them around and gathered details that made the couple prime subjects of media gossip, Liao said. 'It was the modern fairy tale. The story is so enticing,' she said. The era was different from today, she says, as the Beckhams didn't release details about their lifestyle on their own. Fast-forward to 2025, and WAGs are gaining visibility with social media and online content created by the influencers themselves, Liao says. Most of the resurgence has been in the United States, but Canada isn't immune to the trend. Stephanie LaChance, who is married to Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, is often the subject of headlines. In the United States, pop star Taylor Swift has been labelled the ultimate WAG in news headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce. Liao says some sport sociologists have been calling Swift the 'Yoko Ono of the NFL' because of how many women she has attracted to the game. Unlike the Beckhams, Liao says modern WAGs can control their narratives and tend to blend social media posts about sports with entries about their lives. 'Social media is a really important place to construct and show people themselves as a person, not just a profession,' she says. Young fans of McDavid who are avid social media users are happy to follow WAGs, she adds. Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab, says Kyle McDavid's fame is an interesting case study. 'Lauren is very active on social media,' Bradish says. 'There were many videos of her wedding, which Vogue covered.' She has also posted about the interior design firm she founded, Kyle & Co Design Studio, and regularly shares photos of the apparel she develops for Sports Club Atelier with Oilers branding. Bradish says Kyle McDavid's ties to the NHL have helped her monetize her work. 'Social media has really created opportunities, and it's not surprising,' Bradish says. 'She's a part of this whole community and whole industry of influencers.' Bradish also saw the WAG resurgence really take off during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The sports industry, and athletes in particular, needed to figure out ways to speak with fans and consumers,' she says. But Brandish has mixed feelings about how trendy they've become. Some WAGs like Kyle McDavid have used their relationships as leverage, but Brandish says she should also be commended for her personal identity and professional background in interior design and business. 'The bigger picture here, in an authentic way, is that social media has really created opportunities. This interest from consumers in the WAG story is really powerful.' 'The rising of WAGs is one big factor for that.'
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
'Resurgence of WAGs': Sport researchers say spouses of athletes growing in popularity
EDMONTON — A new business in a historic downtown Edmonton building is generating some major buzz. Several social media influencers recently walked a red carpet leading into Bar Trove and the Trove Living furniture showroom for a media tour ahead of its June 6 opening. They ate oysters and sipped cocktails as a DJ played music and security guards stood outside. Advertisement The woman behind the venture, seen at the event clad in a glittery pink dress, is Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. "To have this star's wife putting money into our city and investing in our city is really special," said Quinn Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Downtown Business Association and a former sports reporter. "Everything is kind of buzzing now in downtown." Kyle McDavid was not immediately available for an interview, but she is one of several modern WAGs — an acronym for wives and girlfriends — making names for themselves. Advertisement Judy Liao, who teaches sociology of sport and gender studies at the University of Alberta, says the buzz Kyle McDavid's business has been getting online shows how much of an interest people take in the lives of athletes' significant others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports wives saw their social media followers go up as they began posting more, Liao says. The popular streaming service Netflix has also created shows following the lives of WAGs in recent years. "The resurgence of WAGs is really because of social media." Liao says the WAG trend first became popular in the early 2000s. Advertisement "(Soccer star) David Beckham is a key person to think about in this phenomenon because his wife is Posh Spice," she says, referring to British singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls. "After they started dating, they officially entered their pop culture celebrity status. Posh Spice was already a celebrity. They became so iconic, recognizable, so visible, it becomes not just about soccer or football anymore." Demand for more details on their lifestyle went up as tabloid magazines chased them around and gathered details that made the couple prime subjects of media gossip, Liao said. "It was the modern fairy tale. The story is so enticing," she said. Advertisement The era was different from today, she says, as the Beckhams didn't release details about their lifestyle on their own. Fast-forward to 2025, and WAGs are gaining visibility with social media and online content created by the influencers themselves, Liao says. Most of the resurgence has been in the United States, but Canada isn't immune to the trend. Stephanie LaChance, who is married to Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, is often the subject of headlines. In the United States, pop star Taylor Swift has been labelled the ultimate WAG in news headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce. Advertisement Liao says some sport sociologists have been calling Swift the "Yoko Ono of the NFL" because of how many women she has attracted to the game. Unlike the Beckhams, Liao says modern WAGs can control their narratives and tend to blend social media posts about sports with entries about their lives. "Social media is a really important place to construct and show people themselves as a person, not just a profession," she says. Young fans of McDavid who are avid social media users are happy to follow WAGs, she adds. Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab, says Kyle McDavid's fame is an interesting case study. Advertisement "Lauren is very active on social media," Bradish says. "There were many videos of her wedding, which Vogue covered." She has also posted about the interior design firm she founded, Kyle & Co Design Studio, and regularly shares photos of the apparel she develops for Sports Club Atelier with Oilers branding. Bradish says Kyle McDavid's ties to the NHL have helped her monetize her work. "Social media has really created opportunities, and it's not surprising," Bradish says. "She's a part of this whole community and whole industry of influencers." Advertisement Bradish also saw the WAG resurgence really take off during the COVID-19 pandemic. "The sports industry, and athletes in particular, needed to figure out ways to speak with fans and consumers," she says. But Brandish has mixed feelings about how trendy they've become. Some WAGs like Kyle McDavid have used their relationships as leverage, but Brandish says she should also be commended for her personal identity and professional background in interior design and business. "The bigger picture here, in an authentic way, is that social media has really created opportunities. This interest from consumers in the WAG story is really powerful." "The rising of WAGs is one big factor for that." This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025. Fakiha Baig, The Canadian Press
Hamilton Spectator
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
‘Resurgence of WAGs': Sport researchers say spouses of athletes growing in popularity
EDMONTON - A new business in a historic downtown Edmonton building is generating some major buzz. Several social media influencers recently walked a red carpet leading into Bar Trove and the Trove Living furniture showroom for a media tour ahead of its June 6 opening. They ate oysters and sipped cocktails as a DJ played music and security guards stood outside. The woman behind the venture, seen at the event clad in a glittery pink dress, is Lauren Kyle McDavid, the wife of Edmonton Oilers captain Connor McDavid. 'To have this star's wife putting money into our city and investing in our city is really special,' said Quinn Phillips, a spokeswoman for the Edmonton Downtown Business Association and a former sports reporter. 'Everything is kind of buzzing now in downtown.' Kyle McDavid was not immediately available for an interview, but she is one of several modern WAGs — an acronym for wives and girlfriends — making names for themselves. Judy Liao, who teaches sociology of sport and gender studies at the University of Alberta, says the buzz Kyle McDavid's business has been getting online shows how much of an interest people take in the lives of athletes' significant others. During the COVID-19 pandemic, sports wives saw their social media followers go up as they began posting more, Liao says. The popular streaming service Netflix has also created shows following the lives of WAGs in recent years. 'The resurgence of WAGs is really because of social media.' Liao says the WAG trend first became popular in the early 2000s. '(Soccer star) David Beckham is a key person to think about in this phenomenon because his wife is Posh Spice,' she says, referring to British singer Victoria Beckham of the Spice Girls. 'After they started dating, they officially entered their pop culture celebrity status. Posh Spice was already a celebrity. They became so iconic, recognizable, so visible, it becomes not just about soccer or football anymore.' Demand for more details on their lifestyle went up as tabloid magazines chased them around and gathered details that made the couple prime subjects of media gossip, Liao said. 'It was the modern fairy tale. The story is so enticing,' she said. The era was different from today, she says, as the Beckhams didn't release details about their lifestyle on their own. Fast-forward to 2025, and WAGs are gaining visibility with social media and online content created by the influencers themselves, Liao says. Most of the resurgence has been in the United States, but Canada isn't immune to the trend. Stephanie LaChance, who is married to Toronto Maple Leafs star forward Mitch Marner, is often the subject of headlines. In the United States, pop star Taylor Swift has been labelled the ultimate WAG in news headlines for her relationship with Kansas City Chiefs football player Travis Kelce. Liao says some sport sociologists have been calling Swift the 'Yoko Ono of the NFL' because of how many women she has attracted to the game. Unlike the Beckhams, Liao says modern WAGs can control their narratives and tend to blend social media posts about sports with entries about their lives. 'Social media is a really important place to construct and show people themselves as a person, not just a profession,' she says. Young fans of McDavid who are avid social media users are happy to follow WAGs, she adds. Cheri Bradish, director of the Future of Sport Lab, says Kyle McDavid's fame is an interesting case study. 'Lauren is very active on social media,' Bradish says. 'There were many videos of her wedding, which Vogue covered.' She has also posted about the interior design firm she founded, Kyle & Co Design Studio, and regularly shares photos of the apparel she develops for Sports Club Atelier with Oilers branding. Bradish says Kyle McDavid's ties to the NHL have helped her monetize her work. 'Social media has really created opportunities, and it's not surprising,' Bradish says. 'She's a part of this whole community and whole industry of influencers.' Bradish also saw the WAG resurgence really take off during the COVID-19 pandemic. 'The sports industry, and athletes in particular, needed to figure out ways to speak with fans and consumers,' she says. But Brandish has mixed feelings about how trendy they've become. Some WAGs like Kyle McDavid have used their relationships as leverage, but Brandish says she should also be commended for her personal identity and professional background in interior design and business. 'The bigger picture here, in an authentic way, is that social media has really created opportunities. This interest from consumers in the WAG story is really powerful.' 'The rising of WAGs is one big factor for that.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 1, 2025.
