Page 23 - ARUBA TODAY

A23
SPORTS Wednesday 2 May 2018
Women's sports leagues band together with SheIS initiative

By DOUG FEINBERG
AP Basketball Writer
NEW YORK (AP) — Women's
sports leagues are banding
together with a new initia-
tive, SheIS.
Eight leagues, including the
WNBA, U.S. Tennis Associa-
tion, Women's Pro Fastpitch
League and Canadian
Women's Hockey, will try to
help each other increase
resources, viewership and
attendance.
"Each commissioner has
agreed to come to one
and another's events,"
WNBA President Lisa Bor-
ders told The Associated
Press. "Women have to sup-
port women before you
ask other people to sup-
port you. I'll buy a ticket to
a hockey game in Cana-
da or a fast-pitch softball
game."
All the league commission-
ers signed a pledge and
filmed a public service an-
nouncement promoting
the effort. Those ads will
start rolling out Tuesday.
"It's a social media cam-
paign for now but will
grow," Borders added. "This
is only tier one."
The initiative was the brain-
child of Brenda Andress, In this April 18, 2018, photo, from left, Caiti Donovan, executive director of SheIS; Brenda Andress, commissioner of Canadian
Women’s Hockey League; Lisa Borders, President of WNBA; Stacey Allaster, Chief Executive for the US Tennis Association and Dr. Jen
commissioner of the Ca- Welter, first female NFL coach, all meet to speak with sponsors, investors and other commissioners of leagues in New York.
nadian Women's Hockey Associated Press
League, who came up with
the idea last November.
"This collective sports voice more eyes on the TV. It's not using the multisport format. population, yet have little the initiative, the leagues
has never been heard. I about everyone else mak- Force 10 Sports Manage- to no visibility in the sports also aim to help increase
wanted to create some ing the difference for us, ment owns and operates world," said Dr. Jen Welter, young girls' participation in
type of program or chal- but us making the differ- the WNBA'S Seattle Storm. who was the first female sports.
lenge to bring women to- ence for ourselves." The group also runs the Se- coach in the NFL. "Women for so long have
gether that was born out of There has been much dis- attle Reign of the National "SheIS will give the first true been competitive no mat-
positivity," Andress said. "So cussion over the years Women's Soccer League platform for these real- ter what they do in life,"
I thought of SheIS. When I about the wage gap in and the Seawolves of Ma- world, real-women he- WNBA player Chiney Og-
thought of myself, she is a sports between the sexes. jor League Rugby. There roes who have been living wumike said. "We are even
grandmother with young Tennis is one of the few is cross-promotion among among us. With that comes more powerful when we
kids. She is a commissioner. sports where the women the sports. the opportunity to be much are collaborative. In public,
She is a hockey player. She have some parity — all four "Seattle is absolutely the more visible and for female we have to support each
is anything she wants to be. Grand Slam events pay model," Borders said. "They athletes and their support- other."
That's where SheIS came both sexes equally. were doing that before ers to join forces in a really The initiative also has sup-
from." "I think the secret sauce for SheIS is born." positive way. I love that port from the WWE. Steph-
Andress reached out to women's tennis started with The city has embraced fe- this bubbling movement is anie McMahon, the chief
Borders and USTA chief our athletes," Allaster said. male athletes such as Sue coming from the sports in- brand officer of the com-
executive Stacey Allaster, "It took their advocacy and Bird, Megan Rapinoe and dustry, because sports has pany, signed the pledge .
who quickly jumped on courage to stand up to the Breanna Stewart. the ability to change the "We need to encourage
board. establishment much like Before the launch Tuesday, world." audiences to watch and
"Right off the bat, they soccer players and female members of the founding The other leagues that al- attend games and live
were so supportive," An- hockey players have. It committee, league com- ready joined are Women's events, and young girls
dress said. "We have to do was Billie Jean King and the missioners and prominent Pro Lacrosse, Canada Bas- to stay in sports," she said.
it together. Let's do it, but 'Original 9' saying they'd do figures from across sports ketball, Rugby Canada "Girls need to see them-
let's do it right. It's going to this back in the 1970s. The gathered at the WNBA of- and the National Women's selves across sports, en-
be professional, top notch. athletes have the power fice in New York to sign the Hockey League. Andress tertainment and business,
It's about us as females rec- and SheIS is a great time to SheIS pledge. expects other sports like and it's going to take all of
ognizing we can bring the energize our athletes." "The heroes who run, walk soccer, gymnastics, swim- us to show the world that
fans not just to hockey, but The SheIS group can point and play among us make ming, cycling and running SheIS anything she wants to
to the WNBA. Tennis needs to a Seattle group already up 51 percent of the global to join soon, too. Through be."q