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Gotham FC’s journey from embattled club to Challenge Cup finalist

@GothamFC

Gotham FC’s 2021 rebrand is more than a name change.

The club, formerly known as Sky Blue FC, has come a long way since its days with toilet-less locker rooms and potholed fields.

With Gotham days away from appearing in the NWSL Challenge Cup final against the Portland Thorns, it’s hard to believe that only three years ago, the club appeared to be on the brink of implosion.

Timeline: A team in peril to a championship squad
2018: Sam Kerr puts Sky Blue on blast

A summer 2018 matchup between Sky Blue and the Chicago Red Stars changed the trajectory of the New Jersey-based club.

Sam Kerr, a former Sky Blue player, scored a hat trick for the Red Stars but took no joy in clobbering her former teammates.

In a postgame press conference, the Australian forward told reporters:

“I’m just going to say the girls deserve better and leave it at that. These girls are great girls. They give everything for this club and this league, and they just deserve better. I scored a hat trick, but I wasn’t myself today. I feel sick playing against these girls.”

Kerr’s suggestions spurred a flurry of reports about life inside Sky Blue, citing horrific working conditions and forcing a response from the club.

Accounts of housing insecurity, inadequate travel accommodations and decaying training facilities continued to plague the organization.

A report that Sky Blue players were using a trailer with running water as a bathroom was enough to send most fans over the edge.

Winter 2019: Draftees refuse to sign with Sky Blue

Sky Blue FC hit a new low in 2019 when top draft picks Julia Ashley and Hailie Mace chose not to play for the team.

Reports exposing the club’s dire conditions had now impacted their ability to recruit talent.

Ashley and Mace both opted to start their professional careers in Sweden rather than join the embattled club.

2019: Tammy Murphy steps in and Tony Novo steps down

When Tammy Murphy, co-owner of Sky Blue and wife of New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy, caught wind of the club’s untenable conditions, she decided it was time to get involved.

Shortly thereafter, Tony Novo, whom many blamed for Sky Blue’s lack of resources, stepped down as general manager.

Alyse LaHue was named interim general manager in his place. She immediately began turning the club around behind the scenes, tackling everything from the front office staff to the squad’s playing environment.

June 2019:  Sky Blue fires Denise Reddy

The substandard conditions off the field at Sky Blue were compounded by the team’s poor performances on the field.

Head coach Denise Reddy was let go after an abysmal two seasons with the team, posting a 1-24-8 record in her tenure.

Shortly after the shake-up, Freya Coombe was named interim head coach and later permanent head coach in December 2019.

Fall 2019: Sky Blue signs with Red Bull Arena

In late 2019, Tammy Murphy announced that Sky Blue had inked a deal with Red Bull Arena for the 2020 season.

The venue upgrade signaled the team’s commitment to improving player conditions and a greater investment in the league writ large.

Spring 2021: A new era

After making a run to the semifinals during the 2020 Challenge Cup, Sky Blue appeared to be on the upswing.

In April, that came in the form of a rebrand and name change. As NJ/NY Gotham FC, the team expanded into the New York market just in time for the 2021 Challenge Cup.

Challenge Cup 2021: Birth of a contender

Gotham got off to a hot start in in their first competitive games under the new name, defeating Orlando and North Carolina.

Then mid-tournament, Gotham added a big name to their roster. Long Island native Allie Long returned to her hometown team in May in a trade from the OL Reign.

Despite going scoreless in their last two games, Gotham quieted any remaining detractors by securing a trip to the NWSL Challenge Cup championship game without dropping a match all tournament.

On May 8, Gotham FC will play for the Challenge Cup title, a feat unimaginable only a few short years ago.

The club’s tale of undervalued underdog turned East Division champs is one of horror and hope.

Gotham’s meteoric rise underlines the vital role investment plays in the NWSL and the game more broadly — a lesson that will loom large as the league addresses critical issues, like impending salary negotiations.

Gotham FC star Midge Purce put it best with her recent remarks at a White House event.

“You would never expect a flower to bloom without water,” she said. “But women in sport who have been denied water, sunlight, and soil are somehow expected to blossom.”

Olympic Swimmer Kirsty Coventry Makes IOC History as First Woman President

New IOC president-elect Kirsty Coventry addresses the media after winning Thursday's election.
Kirsty Coventry is the first woman, first African, and youngest-ever IOC president-elect. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Zimbabwean swimming legend Kirsty Coventry made history on Thursday, when she became both the first woman and first African ever elected president of the International Olympic Committee (IOC).

At 41-years-old, Coventry will also be the youngest president in the organization's 131-year history and the 10th individual to ever hold the office.

"As an nine-year-old girl, I never thought I would be standing up here one day getting to give back to this incredible movement of ours," the five-time Olympian said in her remarks.

An extensive Olympic resume, in and out of the pool

The Auburn University grad and seven-time Olympic medal-winner — including back-to-back golds in the 200-meter backstroke at the 2004 Athens and 2008 Beijing Games — retired from competition after the 2016 Rio Olympics.

At that time, Coventry was already three years into her IOC membership, after initially joining as part of the governing body's Athletes' Commission. She joined the Executive Committee in 2023.

"I will make all of you very, very proud and hopefully extremely confident in the decision you have taken," Coventry said to her fellow members in her acceptance speech. "Now we have got some work together."

That work that awaits Coventry in her eight-year mandate will include navigating the 2028 LA Games and selecting a host for the 2036 Summer Games.

Her first Olympic Games at the helm, however, will be the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy, giving her less than a year to prepare before the Opening Ceremony kicks off.

IOC trailblazer Anita DeFrantz congratulates the organization's newly elected president Kirsty Coventry.
DeFrantz, the first-ever woman to run for IOC president, secured Coventry's election. (FABRICE COFFRINI/AFP via Getty Images)

Coventry to continue IOC efforts to promote gender equity

Coventry will have a few months to adjust before assuming her new office on June 23rd, when she will succeed her mentor, 71-year-old Thomas Bach.

Bach will have served the IOC's maximum 12-year tenure in the role when he steps down, having led the governing body to stage the first-ever Olympic Games with equal numbers of women and men competing — a mark captured at the 2024 Summer Games in Paris.

With gender equity as a driving force in his leadership, Bach also increased the number women serving as both IOC members and in the organization's leadership roles, with women comprising seven of the body's 15-person executive board.

Coventry is one of those seven women, and Bach specifically hand-picked her as his successor.

The legacy she inherits isn't lost on Coventry, both in the efforts of Bach and in the women who paved the way — perhaps none more directly than IOC member Anita DeFrantz, a 1976 Olympic bronze medal-winning rower for Team USA and the only other woman to ever run for IOC president.

Recognizing the election's historic significance, 72-year-old DeFrantz overcame significant health issues to travel to Greece in order to vote for Coventry — with her ballot securing the exact number of votes Coventry needed to win.

"I was really proud that I could make her proud," an emotional Coventry said.

Women’s March Madness Teams Receive First-Ever NCAA Tournament Payday

William & Mary celebrate their 2025 First Four March Madness win over High Point.
Women's March Madness teams will earn compensation for the first time in NCAA history this year. (Scott Wachter/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

The NCAA is leveling the playing field, with Women’s March Madness teams in line to receive their first-ever prize payouts based on tournament performance — a mechanism the men’s tournament has enjoyed since 1991.

Sparked by 2021's landmark NCAA gender equity review, the NCAA will distribute a total of approximately $15 million to individual conferences based on how many games their teams play, with each March Madness performance "unit" worth about $113,000.

This year's inaugural $15 million purse represents 26% of the competition's $65 million media rights valuation — putting it proportionally on par with the percentage allocated to the men's fund.

That overall prize pool will jump to $20 million in 2026 and $25 million in 2027, before switching to a successive 2.9% increase per year.

"We are all playing in the same March Madness," said UNC Greensboro head coach Trina Patterson, whose No. 16-seed Spartans will face No. 1-seed USC in the first round on Saturday. "The treatment for the men and women should be equal. We get a unit!"

Forward Perri Page celebrates a play during Columbia's 2025 First Four March Madness win over Washington.
Players like Page flew charter to compete in March Madness. (Anthony Sorbellini/NCAA Photos via Getty Images)

March Madness teams get additional NCAA tournament perks

While the performance payouts are new this year, women's March Madness teams also receive perks like charter flights throughout the tournament, which can make all the difference for smaller programs eyeing an upset.

"Everyone is so excited about the experience. Going from the bus directly to the plane, everyone was so happy," March Madness debutante William & Mary head coach Erin Dickerson Davis told ESPN ahead of her No. 16-seed team’s First Four victory on Thursday.

Columbia junior Perri Page, whose No. 11-seed Lions defeated Washington in their own First Four matchup on Thursday, echoed Davis' sentiment, saying, "It was cool going to the charter, and we've been taking it all in."

"We've been enjoying the whole season," the forward added, noting "It's great we can make money for the school now."

"It should have always been that way. Women's basketball has been fighting for equality for a very long time," said Davis. "I've been in this business for many, many years. I played college basketball. It's a long time coming."

"You got to start somewhere, and I think we've been so far behind," added Columbia head coach Megan Griffith.

"This is more like the whipped cream. I think the cherry on top is going to keep coming — but it's really good so far."

WNBA Drops 2025 TV Broadcast Schedule, Increases National Coverage

Indiana Fever guard Caitlin Clark celebrates a play with teammate Kelsey Mitchell during a 2024 WNBA game.
The Fever will see 41 of their 44 games air nationally in 2025. (G Fiume/Getty Images)

Less than two months before the season tips off on May 16th, the WNBA dropped its full 2025 national broadcast slate on Thursday, rewarding last year’s most in-demand teams with a significant uptick in screen time.

Fueled by the fan fervor around 2024 Rookie of the Year Caitlin Clark, the Indiana Fever will see a league-record 41 of their 44 regular-season games aired nationally this season.

That tally includes all five Fever matchups against regional rival Chicago, after the pair's June 23rd game averaged 2.3 million viewers — becoming the most-watched game of the 2024 regular season.

Just behind Indiana in earning significant national broadcast coverage are two-time WNBA champs Las Vegas, who will see 33 of their games aired across the country. As for the reigning champions New York Liberty, they trail the Aces by just one game, with 32 of their 2025 season games garnering national attention.

Record WNBA ratings spur big broadcast moves

Thanks to 2024’s monster ratings, big-name networks are increasingly recognizing the WNBA as a profitable summer product, with broadcasters expanding their coverage as the league prepares for its 11-year, $2.2 billion media rights contract to kick in next year.

With the 2025 WNBA season expanding from 40 to 44 games per team, ION is leading all broadcasters with 50 regular-season games, with ABC/ESPN, CBS Sports, NBA TV, and Amazon Prime all taking a piece of the pro women's basketball league's pie.

Broadcasters are also moving games off of their sports-specific networks and onto flagship cable channels, with a record 13 matchups — a full half of Disney Networks' 26 regular-season games — set to air on ABC, including the 2025 WNBA All-Star Game.

The league will also see its first-ever regular-season games earn primetime broadcast TV slots, with CBS Sports elevating two of its 20 games — the June 7th and August 9th battles between the Chicago Sky and the Indiana Fever — to its flagship network, CBS.

As the WNBA shoots for an even more impactful 2025 season, broadcasters are helping to boost the charge, offering increased access to the league’s brightest stars and biggest games.

March Madness Underdogs Look to Bust Brackets as NCAA Tournament Tips Off

Iowa's Lucy Olsen and Kylie Feuerbach celebrate during a 2025 Big Ten tournament game.
No. 6-seed Iowa has an underdog’s shot at upsetting No. 3-seed Oklahoma in the second round. (Michael Hickey/Getty Image)

The NCAA tournament tips off in earnest with the bracket's 64-team first round on Friday, as eager March Madness fans look beyond the chalk to eye the competition's underdogs after a rollercoaster 2024/25 basketball season.

Early upsets aren’t exactly the norm in the women’s tournament. Only one lower seed won their first-round matchup in 2024, and no team below a No. 3 seed has ever gone the distance, but in a season of increased parity, a few lower-rated squads are rounding into underdog form.

Harvard star Harmoni Turner dribbles during a 2023 game.
Harvard star Harmoni Turner could lead the Crimson to a first-round upset win. (Erica Denhoff/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Breaking down potential March Madness bracket-busters

For potential March Madness upset instigators, late-season momentum late season momentum is the name of the game — a dangerous factor in any single-elimination tournament.

Even without superstar grad Caitlin Clark, No. 6-seed Iowa capped their regular season on a high before narrowly losing to No. 4-seed Ohio State in the Big Ten tournament's quarterfinals. Should they advance past No. 11-seed Murray State in their first-round Saturday matchup, the Hawkeyes are poised to give No. 3-seed Oklahoma a run for their money in the second round on Monday.

Entering as a No. 10-seed, Ivy League tournament champs Harvard will have their hands full against No. 7-seed Michigan State on Saturday, but Crimson senior Harmoni Turner and her season-average 22.5 points per game could tilt the scales in Harvard's favor.

After edging out first-round opponent No. 11-seed Iowa State, No. 6-seed Michigan is playing like an upset contender. Now a potential second-round matchup against No. 3-seed Notre Dame — fresh off a recent losing skid — awaits the young squad. 

With the brackets locked and the teams loaded, the prospects of twists and turns make the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament especially exciting — even if this year’s frontrunners appear destined for Tampa.

Michigan basketball's Syla Swords listens in a team huddle.
No. 6 Michigan will battle fellow Madness underdog No. 11 Iowa State in the tournament's Friday opener. (Michael Hickey/Getty Images)

How to watch Women's March Madness games this weekend

The Big Dance officially begins at 11:30 AM ET on Friday, when No. 11 Iowa State tips off against No. 6 Michigan on ESPN2.

Saturday's slate will complete the 2024/25 NCAA tournament's first round, with No. 6 Iowa beginning their Madness run against No. 11 Murray State at 12 PM ET on ESPN.

No. 10 Harvard will start dancing a few hours later, with the Crimson facing No. 7 Michigan State at 4:30 PM ET on ESPNews.

All games in the 2025 March Madness tournament will have live coverage across ESPN networks.

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