The long-awaited NCAA gender equity review, conducted by an outside law firm, was released on Tuesday. The investigation, which launched in the wake of widespread criticism of inadequate facilities and amenities at the 2021 women’s basketball championship, revealed that the NCAA has fallen short of upholding its commitment to gender equity.

As a result, the review called for the NCAA to conduct annual assessments for the next five years that will track their progress on gender equity.

Here are the three most eye-opening findings from the investigation into the NCAA’s inequities, prepared by civil rights attorney Roberta A. Kaplan of Kaplan Hecker & Fink LLP.

The NCAA has greatly undervalued the women’s tournament

Currently, the NCAA Women’s Basketball Tournament is broadcast as part of a package media deal with 29 other NCAA championships. That deal costs ESPN roughly $34 million per year through 2023-24. The Kaplan report, citing an independent analysis by sports media and marketing experts, found that the women’s tournament on its own will be worth between $81 million and $112 million annually by 2025.

The revenue the NCAA generates from its media deal for the men’s basketball tournament, the report argues, is prioritized “over everything else in ways that create, normalize and perpetuate gender inequities.”

The NCAA’s “mistaken narrative”

The Kaplan report noted that the disparities between the men’s and women’s tournaments were not confined to this year. The NCAA’s structure and systems, according to the report, “are designed to maximize the value of and support to the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship as the primary source of funding for the NCAA and its membership.”

As such, the report argues that the NCAA “does not have the structures or systems in place to identify, prevent or address those inequities.”

It also found that the NCAA’s neglect of women’s basketball has been “perpetuating a mistaken narrative” that it’s not a valuable sport for the NCAA and is destined to be a “money loser.”

What’s next?

As a result of the findings, Kaplan has put forth several recommendations for changes the NCAA should implement to help bridge the gap between men’s and women’s sports.

First, it recommends the NCAA use the “March Madness” branding for both the men’s and women’s basketball tournaments. The branding has traditionally been associated only with the men’s Division I basketball tournament, for which the NCAA came under fire in the spring. The NCAA has since said it will consider changing that approach to include the women’s tournament. The report also suggested that the NCAA hold the men’s and women’s tournaments at the same site to create opportunities for cross-promotion and sponsorships.

Additionally, Kaplan recommended an overhaul in the leadership structure of Division I basketball that prioritizes gender equity and coordination between the men’s and women’s tournaments. The report also calls for a real-time gender equity audit of each tournament to be conducted every year.

Coaches across women’s basketball have applauded the review since its release Tuesday. The NCAA Board of Governors said in a statement that it is “wholly committed to an equitable experience among its championships,” calling on NCAA President Mark Emmert to take immediate action.

Cameron Brink already has her rookie of the year pick for the upcoming WNBA season, and it’s Indiana-bound star Caitlin Clark. 

In the latest edition of Kelley on the Street, host Kelley O'Hara caught up with Brink in New York hours before the Stanford phenom went No. 2 overall to the Los Angeles Sparks at the 2024 WNBA Draft. When O’Hara asked who would win the WNBA's rookie of the year, she answered without pause.

"Caitlin Clark," she said, while a fan commented that she thought Brink would take home the award. Brink later added that the extra foul granted to WNBA players will be "good for me."

"I hope it’s me," Charisma Osborne, who was later drafted by the Phoenix Mercury, said when asked her ROY prediction. "But, I don’t know — we’ll see."

Watch more of Kelley on the Street:

Maria Sanchez issued a statement on Thursday, confirming recent reports that she has requested a trade from the Houston Dash. 

In it, she revealed that the club has been aware of the request "since late March."

"This has all taken a toll and isn’t an easy thing to talk about, but I want to confirm that I’ve requested an immediate trade," she wrote. "My expectations and reasons have been clear. I trust that my current club’s management will honor my decision in a timely manner and proceed with accepting a trade."

"I’m eager to refocus and dive back into what I love most: playing football," she concluded.

Thank you, everyone, for the outpouring of kindness and support. pic.twitter.com/gcnN7dhCJU

— Maria Sanchez (@Maria17_7) April 19, 2024

Reports of Sanchez's trade request first surfaced on ESPN last week, and were later confirmed by multiple sources. 

In December of last year, Sanchez signed a three-year contract with the Dash valued at $1.5 million including bonuses and an option year. It was the largest contract in NWSL history at the time — a figure that would be eclipsed by multiple contracts in the following months. 

Sanchez spent the offseason as a restricted free agent, meaning that Houston could match any other team's offer to retain her rights. Should the Dash trade Sanchez, her current contract terms would remain intact, limiting potential buyers to teams able to afford to take on an inking of that size.

The Dash has yet to address the trade, instead reiterating to ESPN that Sanchez is "under contract, a choice she made in free agency at the end of 2023." 

Both the NWSL trade window and transfer window close tonight, April 19th, at 12 a.m. ET. The window will stay closed through the next 11 regular season games, reopening on August 1st, 2024.

The four-time league champion Seattle Storm unveiled their new practice facility on Thursday, with Storm co-owner Lisa Brummel dubbing Interbay's Seattle Storm Center for Basketball Performance the team’s "new home."

"It's just such a special space," Brummel told Fox 13 Seattle. "I think when the players get here, it's gonna be overwhelming."

The sprawling 50,000-square-foot, $64 million property is just the second designated practice facility to be designed and built expressly for a WNBA team, with the Storm further noting that 85% of all design and engineering team members involved in the project's construction were women and people of color. The finished product holds two professional indoor courts, two 3x3 outdoor courts, a state-of-the-art locker room, and players' lounge, plus designated areas for strength and conditioning, kitchen, dining, and nutrition, and recovery. 

"This facility reflects our commitment to providing our athletes an exceptional environment that supports their growth, health, and performance," said Storm co-owner Ginny Gilder in an official team release. "It’s built for women, by women, embodying our dedication to leading the way in professional women’s sports."

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For their part, the team can't wait to make the faciilty their own.

"It's amazing," Storm guard Jewell Loyd told Fox 13. "Not having to drive everywhere around, knowing you have access anytime of the day to get into the gym, to workout." 

Head coach Noelle Quinn said she predicts the team is "never going to leave this building."

"Which is a good thing for me," she continued. "You talk about having an edge in performance. We want our athletes to not only perform on the court, but get whatever they need."

All of the Storm's staff and operations will now live under one roof, and the team also has plans to launch a youth basketball program operating out of the building.

The Caitlin Clark effect is quickly making its mark on the big leagues, as WNBA host teams around the country rush to upgrade their Fever games to larger arenas in order to accommodate surging ticket sales.

With Clark mere weeks away from her Indiana Fever debut, both the Las Vegas Aces and Washington Mystics have officially relocated their scheduled home games with head coach Christie Sides' squad. On Thursday, the Mystics became the latest to adjust their plans, moving their June 7th matchup from Entertainment & Sports Arena in Southwest DC to the more centrally located — and much larger — Capital One Arena "due to unprecedented demand."

The Mystics home court's capacity taps out at 4,200, while Capital One Arena — home to the Wizards, Capitals, and Georgetown Hoya's Men's Basketball — can fit nearly five times that crowd at some 20,000 spectators.

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"The move to Capital One Arena will allow for additional fans in the stands as well as premium hospitality options, including Suites and the all-new all-inclusive courtside Hennessy Lofts," the team announced via Thursday's press release.

The Aces were one of the first teams to switch venues, aiming to take on the Indiana Fever in front of as many as 20,000 fans inside T-Mobile Arena on July 2nd. That’s a sizable a boost from their home venue, which holds just 12,000.

For those still planning to face the Fever in their home arenas, ticket prices have skyrocketed. Previously scheduled construction has already forced the LA Sparks to relocate their first five games — including their May 24th clash with the Fever — to Long Beach State's Walter Pyramid. The temporary venue is quite the downsize, holding just 4,000 in comparison to Crypto.com Arena's near-19,000. As of Friday, the get-in price for that game started around $400.

Despite fans launching a Change.org petition urging relocation, the Chicago Sky say they're unable to move their June 23rd Fever meeting from Wintrust Arena's 10,000-seat facility to the 23,500-seat United Center due to a concert. Tickets for that game start around $325 as of Friday.