Learn women's sports history
Merch launch! Final Four sale! Unlocking the archives!
Hi, friends! I’m coming to you from Cleveland where I am in the middle of women’s basketball mania, and anxiously awaiting the tip off of the national semifinals tomorrow night. (PLEASE say hi if you see me around, and message me if you want to meet up!!)
And I have a few announcements! Keep reading to find out about Power Plays merch, the new Power Plays Subscriber sale, and to see what I’ve released from *my* archives in honor of the occasion.
Okay, friends. This makes me nervous. But let’s do this.
POWER PLAYS MERCH IS HERE
I’ve made some shirts. For women’s sports nerds. Women’s sports nerd shirts. And tote bags. And a mug. And a notebook.
»»»»CLICK HERE FOR THE POWER PLAYS MERCH STORE«««
Here are a few things to know:
All the profits I make from merch will go towards funding my travel. I haven’t been able to do a lot of traveling and in-person reporting over the past couple of years, but being here in Cleveland makes it so clear to me how much I need to prioritize that part of the job. But it’s expensive! So merch profits will help me cover my costs in Cleveland, and anything beyond that will make other Power Plays reporting trips possible in the future.
On that note? The prices for the merch are a bit high! I know. That’s because the profit margins are small on this type of merch creation (made-as-you-go), and, as I mentioned above, travel and in-person reporting is expensive!
HOWEVER, paid subscribers for Power Plays get 15% off! I will send out an email to paid subscribers with the discount code moments after I send this email. And new subscribers will get the code sent to them as well after they buy a subscription.
Speaking of…
Get 24% off Power Plays today!!
I’m having a Final Four sale, but it only lasts for one week! So go ahead and sign up for Power Plays now!
For a sneak peak of what it’s like to be a subscriber …
LEARN WOMEN’S SPORTS HISTORY
Usually the full Power Plays archive is only available to paid subscribers — even posts that are initially free for everyone go behind the paywall after a few months. But I’ve unlocked a few of my favorites in honor of this special moment.
Here are a few things you can read to learn more about women’s sports history. I promise you it will make you appreciate this weekend so much more.
#FromtheArchives: All the game changers who've come before
Look back at the news coverage and impact of previous women's basketball greats: Cheryl Miller, Sheryl Swoopes, Candace Parker, Skyler Diggins-Smith, and more! Caitlin Clark is phenomenal, but she's not the first player to change the game.
#FromtheArchives: Before Title IX, rural Iowa was a 'utopia' for girls in sports
There are 50 states in the United States, as I'm sure you're aware. But in 1970, 20% of all girls playing high school sports in this country were from Iowa. This newsletter dives into how that happened, and gives us a new appreciation of the Iowa program today.
Lessons from Pat and Geno
A look back at the historic UConn and Tennessee rivalry, including insights into how both Pat Summitt and Geno Auriemma built their powerhouse programs from scratch.
The rise and fall of the AIAW, and what it meant to women's basketball
Before the NCAA took over women's sports in 1982, the AIAW was in charge. This newsletter looks back at the origins of the AIAW and the hostile takeover by the NCAA, who didn't care at all about women's sports until the AIAW showed what was possible.
Thanks so much for reading Power Plays and making this work possible.