This week we're featuring WNBA AND PWHL items!
Highlight: Expansion Draft for the Golden State Valkyries is set for December 6
Sam Gray: *Mariah Carey high-pitched voice* It’s tiiiiime! I am SO pumped to get things going with the Golden State Valkyries. Not just because Valkyrie Violet is gorgeous, but because this is fantastic for the Bay Area. Women’s sports continue to grow in the region; the Bay FC of the NWSL debuted there this year. Plus, expansion-wise, there is something so exhilarating about seeing a team grow from scratch.
Liz Koetting: I know that expansion drafts are different from regular player drafts, because it’s not babies achieving their dreams of going pro, but there’s still something so exhilarating about them. It’s the newness, the possibility! The excitement of players putting on their new jerseys!
Lowlight: Expansion Draft means existing teams will lose players
SG: So, yeah, about growing from scratch…
LK: Yeeeeeah, it’s also about players leaving cities and teams they’ve come to love, and about the fans of those teams having to say goodbye to their players. You know what else I don’t love about expansion drafts? When the teams first release their lists of who they are and are not protecting, and everyone on social media loses their minds. Ugh.
Highlight: PWHL to host pre-season mini camps in November
SG: On the plus side, training camp news is good news. Camps will start Nov. 12, and the mini camps will include scrimmages. Fun! I’m still just a little frustrated that there is no schedule. I think this is the same sort of announcement timeline as last year, but I kind of hate it. Shouldn’t I already know when my team is playing, like, next month?
LK: Getting SOME news is great! Knowing that teams will be together soon! How fun. And we’ll get to see the new jerseys in action … oh wait.
Lowlight: Scrimmages will not be open to the public OR available via livestream
SG: I’m gathering this is the same as last season, which I don’t recall, but this seems silly. Am I being naive? I find myself thinking “What’s the point?” but of course these games are not exactly for fans. So I’m trying to think about it from all the perspectives, and I still keep coming back to enabling at least one viewing option. Maybe it’s just a small group at each venue. Something!
LK: My problem with it isn’t necessarily that the scrimmages aren’t open to the public or for viewing, because most if not all of training camp is not open to or viewable by the public. But the announcement made it seem like it was going to be a big deal, and then it just wasn’t. That, I think, is where my annoyance came in. Also, yes, I know we’ll get video for social media, so we actually will get to see the new jerseys in action. I was just being facetious.
SG: Not live-action, though! But yeah, a bunch of fanfare for something of a non-event was a letdown.
Highlight: ROYAL WEDDING
SG: We are, of course, referring to the event of the year: It’s a gay wedding, Marcus.
Marie-Philip Poulin and Laura Stacey of the PWHL's Montreal Victoire tied the knot last weekend. There were plenty of Instagram stories shared by the couple and attendees on social media, and I missed most of them because I was doing dumb real life things and I deeply regret it.
LK: If you haven’t seen the video of the GIANT circle of friends and family gathered around the brides scream-singing to Celine Dion, get thee to tumblr STAT.
The couples’ videographer shared a quick preview reel of the wedding already and it's gorgeous. Top moments for me include their first look smiles, and them with their canine ringbearer. One small thing that I absolutely love about this wedding is how their dresses were so similar but still just different enough, and how they had matching white track jacket fits for the dancing. Absolutely pitch perfect in every way, imo.
Lowlight: Nothing, because the wedding was perfect
Lots to feature this week, but honorable mention definitely goes to the WNBA semifinals, which have been so exciting. Here’s Sunday’s Game 4 slate:
3:00 PM ET on ABC - Liberty @ Aces (NYL leads 2-1)
5:00 PM ET on ESPN - Lynx @ Sun (MIN leads 2-1)
