First of all, let me start with: Thank you. Two days ago, after four months of working full-time on Power Plays, I launched paid subscriptions. Your support so far has blown me away. (If you missed the announcement, you can read more about it in Monday’s newsletter. The first post for paid subscribers only will be a week for today, on Wednesday, March 4.)
I’d be remiss if I didn’t remind you that this is the last day that you can get 30% off your Power Plays subscription. I am never going to offer this much of a discount again, so don’t miss it.
Okay, now that the business side of things are out of the way, I thought today we’d open things up for a group discussion, because honestly, the community we’re building here at Power Plays has been one of my favorite parts of this entire experience.
So, today, ask me anything. Be it about Power Plays, paid subscriptions, my career, my dog (PLEASE ask about my dog), my thoughts on Maria Sharapova’s retirement, my favorite trash television shows, it’s all fair game. Right after I take Mo (the aforementioned dog) out for a short walk, ’ll be around all morning — through 12:00 pm ET — and then in and out for the rest of the day.
**IF YOU ARE VIEWING THIS VIA YOUR EMAIL INBOX, CLICK ON THE “VIEW THREAD” LINK BELOW TO JOIN THE DISCUSSION**
If you don’t have any questions, I’d love just to hear from you anyways. Tell me what you want to see at Power Plays going forward, what woman or nonbinary person in sports has inspired you lately, how you’re doing on your resolutions. It’s been a very nerve-wracking few days, I’m excited just to chat.
Again: Thank. You.
-Lindsay
(This will be the last time an open thread will be open to subscribers who are only on the free email list; going forward, threads will be for paid subscribers only.)
I searched for the oldest photos of Maria Sharapova on Getty Images, and found this. The official caption reads: “Maria Sharapova, March 25, 2001 at the Ericsson Open with russian wooden doll.” I am glad this photo exists. (Photo by Art SEITZ/Gamma-Rapho)
Thank you for doing this. I love your work and felt inspired to share mine, too. Any advice for someone who has been involved with gymnastics for 25 years (now as an intl judge) and wants to share her view of the sport and other related areas in a newsletter? My writing experience is very limited. Thanks again!
Thank you so much! I know it sounds overly simplified, but my advice is to not overthink it, and just start. I'm guessing you feel inspired to write because you don't see your POV being represented, and because you know that your unique, extensive experience would add to the conversation. My favorite bits of advice are: "You don't need writing experience, you need experiences worth writing about." and "Say the thing you're mad nobody else in the media is saying."
Start just by sending it to your friends, write as often as you can, and be sure to let me know when you do, I'd love to subscribe!
Loved your advice. Thank you for sharing it and for taking the time to reply. I will send my first newsletter next Sunday, but it'll be in Spanish since it's my first language. Here's the link in case you want to check it out anyways: https://mundogaf.substack.com/p/coming-soon
Hi Lindsay, longtime reader, proud subscriber, first-time commenter. Just a question: how are you so amazing? And I have a follow-up, thanks in advance
Well, I've been mentored by some tall guy named Howard, so that has helped!! (**inserts plug for The IX newsletter, for more great women's sports newsletters in your life: https://theix.substack.com/**)
Another vote for Mo pics, the demand is overwhelming!!
Hi three-time roomie and dear friend. Sharapova's comments about Serena in her book were very racist, and Sharapova is of course not on Serena's level at all, and it's ridiculous that white privilege and tall/hot/blonde privilege contributed to her out-earning Serena off the court for a while.
But, as a long-time tennis fan, I loved watching her compete, I love the attention she brought the sport, and I loved that be it good or bad, people always had SO MANY FEELINGS about Sharapova, and she could be a villain, and women's sports need that too. So I understand why people hate Sharapova, both her individually and what she represents. But I am going to miss her, and I'm sad her career is ending with such a whimper.
Will you be regularly covering athletics - track & field - too? Maybe gymnastics, swimming too? In other words not just team sports? If so I’ll subscribe from the UK.
Yes! Absolutely. I'm actively working on a track&field story right now, and have gymnastics and swimming stories in the pipeline. Team sports will always be a big part of what I do, as will broader topics that impact women's sports overall, so I don't want to "fool you" and guarantee that there will be deep dives into athletics and other individual sports every single week, but it's definitely part of the coverage plan, ESPECIALLY since the Olympics are on the horizon. (Well, cornovirus permitting.)
just subscribed but I would love to see athletics coverage too, particularly the upcoming olympic trials! also I'm increasingly alarmed by the recent news of abuse of young women by athletics coaches, particularly dave scott thomas which hasn't been talked about as much as salazar
this is almost too good of a question -- I've been avoiding answering it because I think I could go on -- but I think the gist of everything would be, "Know your worth, and know that said worth is never 100% tied to any one thing."
Thanks so much for BIAD, powerplays, and all the other great work you do. When someone tells me that they don’t care about women’s team sports (basketball being the best example) because the players "aren’t as good as male players," I frequently respond by asking them whether they watch college or high-school basketball. If they say yes, I ask why they watch those since the players are not as good as professionals. They never really have a good answer to that. I know it’s a simplistic response, but it seems to work because it’s quick and doesn’t require any discussion about strength, leaping ability (etc), or the other reasons why we all like to watch and follow women’s team sports. Do you think that’s a valid response or do you have other quick ways of responding to the people who are bigoted against women
I do, actually! I have used that one before. You're right that it's not as all-encompassing as we know the issue really is, but it is a quick reframing.
omg, I would LOVE to, but I'm afraid it is far, far, far too late to get a credential, hah. But if paid subscriptions go well, I am planning on traveling to as many of the qualifying events in the United States as is financially possible to cover up close.
I'm going to Gymnastics Trials in STL in late june. If you want eyes & ears on the ground, let me know! I'm going with a fellow academic ex-gymnast friend and we would love to contribute
I saw that you had a "founding member" yearly subscription, but I wasn't sure what the distinction was - other than the higher cost and the words "founding member." ;) Are there any special benefits to that option? Not that your undying gratitude wouldn't be enough!
Hi Mickey! I'm going to be completely honest here and say, it's just my undying gratitude. It's an option for people who want to and are able give a little extra support, which helps so, so, so much as I get this off the ground and start to plan for the future. Getting that extra up front -- especially as I try to recover from essentially working for free for four months -- is a lifeline to me right now.
But I wanted to make all the benefits (somewhat) accessible to everyone. I know that even $5.40/month is a huge commitment for so many people, and I want to honor that by giving anyone who pays access to the same perks, and not creating another hierarchy.
I hope this makes sense. It's hard to express how overwhelmed I am by all of the support.
LOVE THIS IDEA. I feel it would be stealing from my friend Dvora Meyers and her gymanstics newsletter (https://dvora.substack.com/), but there's really never too many cute dog photos to go around.
I'm so immensely excited for all that you're doing! I noticed you got around to Maples for a Stanford game earlier this year. I'd be curious to know what are the top women's sporting venues/environments you've been are, as well as what's still left the top of your bucket list!
Thank you, Alex! I appreciate it so much. I have SO MANY on my list, I really haven't gotten to travel that much. No. 1 for me is Wimbledon Centre Court -- not exclusively women, of course, but I'll be there for the women. I want to attend a World Cup game when the home country is playing, I want to get down to USC to see what Dawn Staley has built, and get over to Oregon, too. I'm REALLY hoping I can make it to the Women's College World Series this summer, as that's high on my list, as is getting to a Portland Thorns game and every WNBA stadium I've never been to -- especially Minnesota and Phoenix. I could go on and on. So much to do!
(Would love to hear your answer, too, and anyone else! So fun to think about.)
Hi Jackie! This is such a good question. It's funny because I've been so hyper-focused on making this sustainable for me in the short-term -- so, something that pays me enough to live full-time, pay for health insurance, and travel for reporting trips at least once a month -- that I'm only now, as the support is rolling in, starting to let myself think about what growth would look like.
In the short-term, that remains my focus, as there's still a long way to go before I can exhale. But long-term, I want to be able to pay good money for freelance writers and researchers, hire some editing help (I know it's needed, lol), do more long-term investigative projects, and host meet-ups at women's sporting events around the country -- or even world!!
Right now, it's just proving to myself and the world that people will pay for this, and that I don't need to look for a full-time job to support myself. Three days into the subscription launch, thanks to all of you, that is starting to become a reality. We can take it from there as a community.
Hi Lindsay, I'm a history professor and teach gender and sports courses, and am currently writing books about women's history in track and field and about Title IX. My question is--I would love to recommend your newsletter as a source for my students for their papers, projects, etc. Are you going to archive your Power Plays in any way, or will there a way students who aren't able to become paying subscribers can access your content? I really enjoy your journalism and Power Plays. Thanks for any info!
Hi, Anne! I love this question, and have been thinking a lot about the right way to do this for students and classes. Right now, everything I've written up to this point will remain free and archived at powerplays.news, and every free newsletter (one per week) will be accessible and archived at that link, too. But I am also trying to figure out a way to give students free access to everything for a few months, and get some people to sponsor it with a donation. Can you send me an email to lindsay@powerplays.news and I will keep you updated on what I figure out? (And I'm open to any and all ideas from people reading this, too!)
Thanks so much for the interest -- we will figure something out so that students can get access!!
Hi Lindsay, Thank you so much for info, and I will email you! I'm so happy you're doing this work and that in the meantime, your archive and the Monday newsletters will be available. I also subscribed and am looking forward to receiving all the newsletters. My students are so fired up about pay equality and lack of media coverage for women's sports and they would love your work. Thanks again!
that's so kind, thank you so much. I am hoping to find a small grant or teaching fund at the schools where I work, too, through which I could get course access to wonderful sources like PowerPlays that aren't on JSTOR or World Cat etc which the students can access themselves. thank you again for the generosity!!
omg, THERE ARE TOOOO MANY. one dream, that i think about often, is to spend an entire weekend with Billie Jean King, all-access, and then writing a feature about it.
YES! Me: Magically writing a book on the connection between women's basketball and faith-based institutions. Start with the Protestants/YW-MCA, move into the Southern Industrial teams, bounce into the Catholic teams, then ask: wtf with feminism/homophobia and wbb? :-)
Gosh, there are so many factors here. I thought the point at the end of archival piece I shared in Monday's newsletter -- about how women's soccer in the U.S. developed in a space where they didn't have to be directly compared to U.S. men/defined by those parameters -- was such a good point; the USWNT isn't in the shadows of the USMNT in the public, but the NBA's shadow is so dominant that it's hard to escape. Plus, there's racism and homophobia which female basketball players have to fight much more directly than women's soccer players.
Plus, I mean, basketball's crown jewel is basically the NBA; there is a World Cup and Olympics, but there's nothing on par with the global spectacle of the FIFA World Cup. So, we're not comparing apples to apples here, which is important to remember.
That being said, I think what we're seeing now is a huge step in the right direction -- this Team USA college tour, which Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi invented, has created a lot of synergy between college women's basketball, Team USA, and the WNBA. Sabrina Ionescu's profile is going to help this, given she's going to go straight from Oregon to the WNBA and maybe even the Olympics, a feat Stewie pulled off in 2016.
It's about cross-promotion and media exposure and marketing. it's getting closer.
I was an only child, and my dad had sports on a lot, and I just got hooked. At first it was ACC men's basketball -- I'm from NC -- and golf majors on Sundays. We also had tickets to the minor-league hockey team in town, and went to soooo many games. But I really became obsessed, on like a day-to-day basis, during the Carolina Panthers' second season, which was their first in the Charlotte stadium. My dad got season tickets, and was supposed to take customers, but very often took me. They were really good that season -- made it all the way to the NFC Championship game -- and I was hooked.
In your opinion, how do we get more women and non-men into the administrative side of sports- everything from front office staff to running teams/clubs to the coaches and management to journalism etc.?
it's so complicated and systemic, but to boil it down, we need a lot of male allies to lift them up and serve as advocates, institutions that take discrimination seriously, and the media to tell more stories about the women/nb people who are serving in those roles, so that more women can see themselves in those positions.
Sorry for dropping such a big question. Just as an nb writer currently mired in a very exploitative sports media job, sometimes it's really hard to see where the way up is.
Hi Lynn! Sorry for the delay on the answer here. All of these answers are fantastic, so this answer will be a bit repetitive. I wish there was a magic button, but I think there are a few things I usually focus on:
-Supporting the leagues and players directly, via buying tickets, splurging for whatever streaming service is carrying their games and tuning in, buying merch; if money is tight, which for me it always has been, just make sure to tune in when channels you have are carrying it, and follow the teams and players and leagues on social media, to boost their numbers that way.
-Read the writers who are covering these sports. Click on the links when big-named places actually do write about them, even if the coverage isn't perfect. (If it's downright offensive, I'm not saying to click on that, but otherwise, the Powers That Be are always watching numbers VERY CLOSELY and looking for any reason not to support women's sports, and the only way we can change that is to give them the clicks and shares and positive feedback when they do.)
-Additionally, support the independent outlets who are often doing the more intensive, day-to-day work -- the High Post Hoops, Equalizer Soccer, Victory Press, everything Erica Ayala does. Again, money helps with this support, but isn't always possible. It also helps just to follow them on social media, share their work, etc.
-Reach out to outlets that you think should be covering women's sports, but aren't. Maybe it's your local paper. Maybe it's an ESPN producer, or the New York Times, or whatever. You'd be amazed how easily people are swayed by the most proactive voices. At a local paper or news station, if, say, just three people call and ask why they're not covering the college WBB team, that could be enough to make a difference! So often, people aren't leaving women's sports out because of malice. It's just they're busy and tired and they're doing things the way they've basically always been done.
-Like Sharita said, normalize women's sports by talking about it w/ your friends, inviting them to games, etc.
(I'm sure you're already doing most of this, but it is helpful for me to write it all out, because I think about it so much! Basically, the "little things" all matter.)
Thank you for this. I am closely tied to a women’s professional team and want EVERYONE who cares about women’s sports to do all these action items. I’m tired of people complaining that women don’t make more and then don’t attend games or do whatever they can to help. Keep up the great work!
I'm not here to say I have the answers but I am into getting people to have fun with me by way of women's sports. I have friends who aren't going to obsessively follow the leagues and teams but they'll have a great time meeting up at a sports bar or going to a game if I let them know when good opportunities come up.
This is one of the ways I'm helping others engage with women's sports too! A colleague of mine who watched one of the World Cup games with me last summer recently told me how that experience led her to get really into the USWNT - following all their social media, their games, etc. I'm also training my 6yo son to follow women's sports - Pinoe and Stewie are his two fave athletes, and he's seen each of them play live in the last six months!
Attending any and all games/events and buying player merch (not just from the leagues but things player associations and individuals are selling) is another great way we fans can have an impact.
Nice! One thing I think about a lot is a few years back the Boston Symphony did a bunch of surveys to figure out why people who attended one concert and enjoyed it didn't become regulars, it turned out the biggest factor wasn't music but not knowing where to park without it being a hassle. The current mass media landscape doesn't make it easy to know when or how to watch, but we can help people get there.
I also call it my Alyse LaHue strategy of if I bring beer they will come. :-p
Done. But that doesn’t increase revenue to improve conditions for players or improve coverage by mass media. Will your existence help push mass media to better coverage? I hope so. What’s the plan?
Hey Lynn. Just to be clear I’m not Lindsay Gibbs (different Lindsay) and I was being silly in response to your great question. So I look forward to reading Lindsay Gibbs’ response. I do think us supporting media is part of the answer, but obvs there’s more to it, and like you I’m curious to hear Lindsay Gibbs’ thoughts.
As an average fan of women's soccer---watch them anyway you can. NWSL, USWNT, NWHL, WNBA, etc. Going to games probably helps them the most, but if you can't go to games, watch them on TV/streaming. It's super fun!!!
For the NWSL, there hasn't been an official announcement yet (typical), but the full season schedule finally dropped yesterday. Rumors have been circulating that CBS has the contract to televise the games, most games will be on the pay-for-streaming service, and 4 games will be on regular CBS. Still just rumors, and hopefully we'll know more soon.
First, I'd like to say that you're quickly becoming one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter- you're straightforward and knowledgeable and bold, so thank you for being you.
My question is that I'm always curious about people's backgrounds and what they did to get where they are now- what made you want to get into journalism/writing? What/who influenced you in high school and college? Hope you and Mo have a GREAT day!
Thank you so much, Keith! I actually backed into this. I went to NYU film school, and my dream was to write and direct fiction films and television. But I'd always been a big sports fan, and as I tried to find my way in my 20s (it turns out, graduating in 2008 with a film degree is NOT a fast-track to job security), I ended up combining my love of writing and my love of sports. This is the very abbreviated version -- I'm going to be sharing more of my backstory in Monday's post.
Hi! Right now, the plan is to have it all in the newsletter -- so there will be an open thread to discuss, which I'll lead w/ certain topics, and at least 2 newsletters per month related to the book -- so, Q&As w/ the author and/or subjects, book reviews, and dives into specific subjects related to the book. (Like, maybe a newsletter about a side character in the book who I think we should all know more about, or a newsletter providing context to that point in sports history -- supplemental stuff that won't spoil the book or take the place of reading it, but will hopefully add to your understanding and enjoyment of the book.)
I've heard good things about goodreads threads and things, but want to hold off expanding to any other platform until realizing it's absolutely necessary, if that makes sense.
And BIAD would LOVE to come to the Twin Cities!! If you know of any university or group that would be interested in hosting us, let us know.
Hi Carrie, thank you so much for asking! I'm writing a book for Beacon Press on this current wave of female athlete activism -- how in the past few years, from equal pay to Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ equality to #MeToo -- women in sports have been at the forefront of these huge societal movements. I've been lucky enough to get to cover so many of these movements in real time and often in purpose, but I am so excited that the book is allowing me to revisit them and re-report with the addition of hindsight and perspective, and showing how the movements have really built on one another.
I adopted him from a shelter in Greensboro, NC just over six years ago -- it's hard to believe it's been that long. He was 3 when I got him, but I still basically consider him a puppy.
Oooh, I'm no expert -- I should have done more training when I got him first -- but I think the biggest thing is just patience and calm. The transition will typically be tough, but if you're super stressed out, they will feed off of that energy.
Also: Be realistic about what you want/can handle. I knew I didn't have time to train a puppy, so I got a 3yo dog who was already housebroken. I also knew I wanted a bigger dog, because I wanted to be able to go on long walks/run. But if I ever get another dog, I will probably look for a breed that sheds less, because I don't clean nearly often enough to keep up with Mo's shedding, haha. Also, as someone who lives in apartments, having a bigger dog can be tough -- a lot of buildings have weight restrictions, so that's something else to consider.
Will you cover esports? BIAD hasn't so far and has missed a ton both achievements and burn worthy things the last couple years and a feminist perspective is truly needed in that space.
And for trash tv if you're watching Love is Blind, any pre-wedding episode thoughts about the couples?
This is, truly, a big blind spot of mine, as I have never been even casually into video games. But I know it's an area that I need to learn a lot more about, and know I'm missing some stories. If you have any tips or leads or just recs for stuff to read to get into it, please email me: lindsay@powerplays.news.
And I haven't started Love is Blind, but have been saving it as a treat for getting through paid launch week -- so I will update you when I do. I cannot wait.
Excited to subscribe and support women's sports coverage and a fellow Tar Heel fan. In that spirit, who are your favorite Tar Heels? Personally, I went from fan to obsessed with Ivory Latta.
First of all, I’m such a huge fan of Power Plays and the community you’ve created here! It is truly awesome to have such a great source for women’s sports news.
My question is: if you had to pick one female athlete of all time, who do you think has had the largest impact on women’s sports and why?
I loved your great new year/new decade piece about letting women athletes be jerks, but I also had a "one of these is not like the others" moment regarding the USWNT's 13-0 victory over Thailand. My question is, without disputing that the hand-wringing you've addressed is solely coming from misogynist cranks, how do you square the importance of women getting to be emotional during competition with the racial and imperialist dynamics of this game? The USWNT is a predominantly white team representing a settler-colonial and imperialist state that has accrued tremendous amounts of wealth through violence, and Thailand is a Global South country that has been victimized by colonial and imperial violence. (Shout-out to Burn It All Down for your analysis of the dominance of European countries and the US in the 2019 World Cup in your discussion on colonialism and international football.) If we look at international sports as a form of state-building, I feel like we shouldn't celebrate the USWNT putting up video-game numbers on a Global South country, or at least, I don't want to. There's not really any way to change that on the field, but I feel like it's necessary to talk about. Sorry for dropping such a serious and complicated question, but I'm super interested to hear your thoughts.
I think you have to treat the game -- like, as in, whistle to whistle -- differently than you do The Game, in this case. What I remember from that game is Carli Lloyd comforting the goalie at the end of the game, and giving her advice. I remember the players calling out FIFA for its funding inequities and how it exacerbates these differences in the press right after the game. I understand that it was hard to watch, and get why it was uncomfortable to people because of colonialism and history and everything that comes with it. But I didn't see Team USA hiding from that. I saw them taking an opponent seriously in a game that they had been building up to for four years. Remember, they were fighting for equal pay during the 2018 Olympics, and then were upset by Sweden before the medal rounds.
They came into that World Cup with A LOT on their shoulders, and I don't know that it's fair to ask them to pretend its not the case because of the U.S.'s horrific history as a colonizer. I After all, while the USWNT is representing the U.S., it's also fighting its country for equal rights. Whistle to whistle, it's the World Cup. For most of those players, it was their very first World Cup goal. They get to celebrate that. Who knows when it will happen again? They know it's not guaranteed. For the vets like Morgan and Rapinoe, they'd been through soooo much to get back to that stage. I want them to have those moments. It's easy to think these wins and that dominance is automatic, but it's not.
If off the court they weren't fighting for things to be better for everyone, I'd probably feel differently. But I don't think they could really win in that situation. If they "take their foot off the gas" -- which I don't know is even possible in that type of environment -- and only score a few goals, and look awful, they're being criticized for days, and then maybe even lose their own rhythm. If they don't celebrate at all after goals, then they look like arrogant assholes who don't see their opponents as equals, and I guarantee they're still being criticized. The whole situation is uncomfortable, I get it, but give me Sam Mewis celebrating the fuck out of her first World Cup goal over the alternative any day. The USWNT taking pity on their opponent isn't going to right the wrongs of imperialism.
I do respect those who feel differently, for all the reasons you mentioned, but in my mind, none of the other options they had given that set of circumstances would have made the reality of the situation any easier to swallow.
Second: Will the Liberty land Sabrina Ionescu? I know the Liberty have the first draft pick, but I am very excited about possibly seeing her play at Barclays, and am thus fretting about how it could NOT happen somehow. What could keep her from playing in NYC in 2020?
Hi Lindsay! Thanks so much for doing such awesome work. I'm so excited to read about the sports I don't always follow and to get your insight. Can't wait for the Olympics coverage too: Who is your favorite gymnast and why?
Wait, what?? Maria Sharapova is retiring?! This is what I get for staying off Twitter all day... also, I can't believe I didn't get an ESPN notification about this. (For all the annoying notifications I DO get... argh.)
So, you wanted questions about your dog. Let me hear how you became your dog's forever person!
omg i can't believe i broke that news to you, haha! I was having a hard time picking a dog at the shelter, because they all need homes and are so cute, but I was looking for a non-puppy who was medium-sized and at least somewhat trained. Mo was 3, and when I told him to "sit," he did. But what sealed it was the fact that he had gone into the shelter on my birthday -- which was 8 months prior to the day i was visiting. So he'd been in there for so long, and i thought the fact that he came in on my birthday was the only sign i needed.
I know, right?? I was reading your email and then about fell out of my chair when I read "Maria Sharapova's retirement." I was so shocked that at first I thought you meant it hypothetically, but then I thought "nooo that's way too random." 😆 And then I charged right over to Twitter because, you suck, ESPN app.
I love your column! It's my first consistent education on women's sports that I have sought; I have a secondary question: What will the energy be toward the one free articles be? Will there still be that enthusiasm and power that I have come to expect out of your articles when they were all free? I ask this because I have a tight budget and trying to support this project is not easily feasible for me at the moment because of a lack of job/college debt sort of deal.
Yes. The one free article per week is VERY important to me, as it's going to be how I continue to grow and gain new followers. So you can expect the exact same energy I've put into every free newsletter so far.
But also: Send me an email to lindsay@powerplays.news, someone just told me they wanted to donate a free sub, and it's all yours.
I'm going to cheat and copy and paste what I wrote above:
"Sharapova's comments about Serena in her book were very racist, and Sharapova is of course not on Serena's level at all, and it's ridiculous that white privilege and tall/hot/blonde privilege contributed to her out-earning Serena off the court for a while.
But, as a long-time tennis fan, I loved watching her compete, I love the attention she brought the sport, and I loved that be it good or bad, people always had SO MANY FEELINGS about Sharapova, and she could be a villain, and women's sports need that too. So I understand why people hate Sharapova, both her individually and what she represents. But I am going to miss her, and I'm sad her career is ending with such a whimper."
Lindsay.... Please tell us your thoughts on #LoveIsBlind. Specifically: 1) Will Jessica and Mark make it? 2) Is Jessica a lush? 3) Do you think this is how I should find my partner?
I haven't watched yet because I was launching this thing and so could only keep up with Bachelor and 90DF, BUT I am going to watch this weekend and will let you know immediately, I cannot wait.
Your readers know your thoughts about female athletes competing against male athletes in sports thanks to the response to Bryant's comments. But how about females and males competing together? Do you like mixed gender events like the Hopman Cup (When it was still a thing?) And are events like these positive/neutral/negative thing for women's sports?
I LOVE MIXED GENDER EVENTS SO MUCH!!! Seriously, I know the caps is obnoxious, but I can't contain my excitement. I think they're great for women's and men's sports and fans and TV and everyone, and I want to see more of it in golf and tennis and athletics and swimming and, well, anywhere where a relay or co-ed team makes sense. RIP Hopman Cup, I miss you so.
Emerging sports are great in this -- bike polo and Ultimate (Frisbee). Even high school club teams of the latter are organizing as co-ed, which is great. What a great time for them to learn to work together.
Do you take DC public transit to any sporting events? As a follow-up, best cities in your opinion that have easily accessible public transit options to watch major women's sports events?
I do! I don't have a car, so it's the main way I get to DC sporting events. Wizards and Mystics games are very metro accessible. Maryland women's basketball is tougher, because the College Park metro station is a mile and a half from campus, but free shuttles are available. I'm very excited for the Spirit to be playing more games at Audi Field this year, because it was next-to-impossible for me to get out to the SoccerPlex without renting a car.
And unfortunately I can't speak to other cities, haven't traveled enough -- though NYC is moving in the right direction with Sky Blue moving to Red Bull and the Liberty moving to Barclays!
Oooh thank you for the insight! I have some friends in the Twin Cities area and will definitely suggest public transit as an option to games next time. Even better when teams promote public transit with their tickets! (P.S. Roll caps!)
Who will win College Hockey America (CHA) reg season? Mercyhurst or Robert Morris? Each has 2 games left in reg season. Hurst plays Penn State twice and RMU plays Syracuse twice. Hurst has a 1 point lead in standings. RMU won the reg season past 3 years. I don’t care if you don’t follow this league... just give me your gut feel answer. Ps love this newsletter!
I love this question because I have no idea at all since I don't follow the league, but my gut is telling me Mercyhurst, because I have honestly never heard of that school and I love the name. (KEEP ME POSTED!!)
Pam's recs are great -- I do not go out to eat nearly enough! I live in the Petworth neighborhood, and am pretty biased towards the restaurants around here -- Little Cocos is GREAT, as is Timber Pizza (a MUST) and Homestead.
I'm not Lindsay, but wanted to respond...Ijust visited DC last fall to see a Spirit vs. Reign game at Audi Field (FUN!). I liked going to Chef Jose Andres restaurant Oyamel. I ordered guac even though my SO doesn't like avocado, and the portion was bigger than I expected and I am not sorry I ate the whole thing. He's got several restaurants in DC area, so lots of options to love. Chef Andres also runs World Kitchen, the non-profit that serves meals to people in disaster areas...including food for the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan that's quarantined because of the coronavirus. I totally wanted to support that, but also, guacamole!
I second Pam's recommendation. I'm with a big José Andrés fan as well. If anyone is going to a game/concert at Capital One Arena I highly recommend hitting up one of his restaurants, Zatinya, for dinner. In case folks aren't aware, he also has restaurants in Florida, Las Vegas, & Los Angeles for those in the SE and West who are reading the thread.
Thank you for doing this. I love your work and felt inspired to share mine, too. Any advice for someone who has been involved with gymnastics for 25 years (now as an intl judge) and wants to share her view of the sport and other related areas in a newsletter? My writing experience is very limited. Thanks again!
Thank you so much! I know it sounds overly simplified, but my advice is to not overthink it, and just start. I'm guessing you feel inspired to write because you don't see your POV being represented, and because you know that your unique, extensive experience would add to the conversation. My favorite bits of advice are: "You don't need writing experience, you need experiences worth writing about." and "Say the thing you're mad nobody else in the media is saying."
Start just by sending it to your friends, write as often as you can, and be sure to let me know when you do, I'd love to subscribe!
Loved your advice. Thank you for sharing it and for taking the time to reply. I will send my first newsletter next Sunday, but it'll be in Spanish since it's my first language. Here's the link in case you want to check it out anyways: https://mundogaf.substack.com/p/coming-soon
Hi Lindsay, longtime reader, proud subscriber, first-time commenter. Just a question: how are you so amazing? And I have a follow-up, thanks in advance
Well, I've been mentored by some tall guy named Howard, so that has helped!! (**inserts plug for The IX newsletter, for more great women's sports newsletters in your life: https://theix.substack.com/**)
Oh he sounds nice. My follow up is less a question than a comment: you're amazing, keep killing it.
Long-time reader/three-time roommate here. I’m interested in your thoughts on Sharapova. I, for one, will not miss her trash racism.
(Also, I feel like your newsletter is suffering from lack of cute animal photos. More Mo!)
Another vote for Mo pics, the demand is overwhelming!!
Hi three-time roomie and dear friend. Sharapova's comments about Serena in her book were very racist, and Sharapova is of course not on Serena's level at all, and it's ridiculous that white privilege and tall/hot/blonde privilege contributed to her out-earning Serena off the court for a while.
But, as a long-time tennis fan, I loved watching her compete, I love the attention she brought the sport, and I loved that be it good or bad, people always had SO MANY FEELINGS about Sharapova, and she could be a villain, and women's sports need that too. So I understand why people hate Sharapova, both her individually and what she represents. But I am going to miss her, and I'm sad her career is ending with such a whimper.
Will you be regularly covering athletics - track & field - too? Maybe gymnastics, swimming too? In other words not just team sports? If so I’ll subscribe from the UK.
Yes! Absolutely. I'm actively working on a track&field story right now, and have gymnastics and swimming stories in the pipeline. Team sports will always be a big part of what I do, as will broader topics that impact women's sports overall, so I don't want to "fool you" and guarantee that there will be deep dives into athletics and other individual sports every single week, but it's definitely part of the coverage plan, ESPECIALLY since the Olympics are on the horizon. (Well, cornovirus permitting.)
👍 subscribed 👍
just subscribed but I would love to see athletics coverage too, particularly the upcoming olympic trials! also I'm increasingly alarmed by the recent news of abuse of young women by athletics coaches, particularly dave scott thomas which hasn't been talked about as much as salazar
https://www.theglobeandmail.com/canada/article-athlete-breaks-silence-about-sexual-misconduct-of-university-of-guelph/
If you were to write a "Bill of Rights" for women athletes, what would it contain?
this is almost too good of a question -- I've been avoiding answering it because I think I could go on -- but I think the gist of everything would be, "Know your worth, and know that said worth is never 100% tied to any one thing."
Thanks so much for BIAD, powerplays, and all the other great work you do. When someone tells me that they don’t care about women’s team sports (basketball being the best example) because the players "aren’t as good as male players," I frequently respond by asking them whether they watch college or high-school basketball. If they say yes, I ask why they watch those since the players are not as good as professionals. They never really have a good answer to that. I know it’s a simplistic response, but it seems to work because it’s quick and doesn’t require any discussion about strength, leaping ability (etc), or the other reasons why we all like to watch and follow women’s team sports. Do you think that’s a valid response or do you have other quick ways of responding to the people who are bigoted against women
I do, actually! I have used that one before. You're right that it's not as all-encompassing as we know the issue really is, but it is a quick reframing.
So you plan to go to the Olympics this summer to cover everything? And if not, how can we, your avid supporters, find a way to help you get there? ;)
omg, I would LOVE to, but I'm afraid it is far, far, far too late to get a credential, hah. But if paid subscriptions go well, I am planning on traveling to as many of the qualifying events in the United States as is financially possible to cover up close.
I'm going to Gymnastics Trials in STL in late june. If you want eyes & ears on the ground, let me know! I'm going with a fellow academic ex-gymnast friend and we would love to contribute
I saw that you had a "founding member" yearly subscription, but I wasn't sure what the distinction was - other than the higher cost and the words "founding member." ;) Are there any special benefits to that option? Not that your undying gratitude wouldn't be enough!
Hi Mickey! I'm going to be completely honest here and say, it's just my undying gratitude. It's an option for people who want to and are able give a little extra support, which helps so, so, so much as I get this off the ground and start to plan for the future. Getting that extra up front -- especially as I try to recover from essentially working for free for four months -- is a lifeline to me right now.
But I wanted to make all the benefits (somewhat) accessible to everyone. I know that even $5.40/month is a huge commitment for so many people, and I want to honor that by giving anyone who pays access to the same perks, and not creating another hierarchy.
I hope this makes sense. It's hard to express how overwhelmed I am by all of the support.
Have you considered adding a Mo picture section to the newsletter? I personally believe women's sports and cute dog pics go together like PB&J.
LOVE THIS IDEA. I feel it would be stealing from my friend Dvora Meyers and her gymanstics newsletter (https://dvora.substack.com/), but there's really never too many cute dog photos to go around.
I'm so immensely excited for all that you're doing! I noticed you got around to Maples for a Stanford game earlier this year. I'd be curious to know what are the top women's sporting venues/environments you've been are, as well as what's still left the top of your bucket list!
Thank you, Alex! I appreciate it so much. I have SO MANY on my list, I really haven't gotten to travel that much. No. 1 for me is Wimbledon Centre Court -- not exclusively women, of course, but I'll be there for the women. I want to attend a World Cup game when the home country is playing, I want to get down to USC to see what Dawn Staley has built, and get over to Oregon, too. I'm REALLY hoping I can make it to the Women's College World Series this summer, as that's high on my list, as is getting to a Portland Thorns game and every WNBA stadium I've never been to -- especially Minnesota and Phoenix. I could go on and on. So much to do!
(Would love to hear your answer, too, and anyone else! So fun to think about.)
Maybe this topic should be a thread!
What is your long term goal/vision for Power Plays?
Hi Jackie! This is such a good question. It's funny because I've been so hyper-focused on making this sustainable for me in the short-term -- so, something that pays me enough to live full-time, pay for health insurance, and travel for reporting trips at least once a month -- that I'm only now, as the support is rolling in, starting to let myself think about what growth would look like.
In the short-term, that remains my focus, as there's still a long way to go before I can exhale. But long-term, I want to be able to pay good money for freelance writers and researchers, hire some editing help (I know it's needed, lol), do more long-term investigative projects, and host meet-ups at women's sporting events around the country -- or even world!!
Right now, it's just proving to myself and the world that people will pay for this, and that I don't need to look for a full-time job to support myself. Three days into the subscription launch, thanks to all of you, that is starting to become a reality. We can take it from there as a community.
Hi Lindsay, I'm a history professor and teach gender and sports courses, and am currently writing books about women's history in track and field and about Title IX. My question is--I would love to recommend your newsletter as a source for my students for their papers, projects, etc. Are you going to archive your Power Plays in any way, or will there a way students who aren't able to become paying subscribers can access your content? I really enjoy your journalism and Power Plays. Thanks for any info!
Hi, Anne! I love this question, and have been thinking a lot about the right way to do this for students and classes. Right now, everything I've written up to this point will remain free and archived at powerplays.news, and every free newsletter (one per week) will be accessible and archived at that link, too. But I am also trying to figure out a way to give students free access to everything for a few months, and get some people to sponsor it with a donation. Can you send me an email to lindsay@powerplays.news and I will keep you updated on what I figure out? (And I'm open to any and all ideas from people reading this, too!)
Thanks so much for the interest -- we will figure something out so that students can get access!!
Hi Lindsay, Thank you so much for info, and I will email you! I'm so happy you're doing this work and that in the meantime, your archive and the Monday newsletters will be available. I also subscribed and am looking forward to receiving all the newsletters. My students are so fired up about pay equality and lack of media coverage for women's sports and they would love your work. Thanks again!
Create an email address for your classroom and post it. I would be willing to gift a month to it, and i'm sure others would as well.
that's so kind, thank you so much. I am hoping to find a small grant or teaching fund at the schools where I work, too, through which I could get course access to wonderful sources like PowerPlays that aren't on JSTOR or World Cat etc which the students can access themselves. thank you again for the generosity!!
What's the piece that you reeeeeally want to write, but haven't gotten the opportunity to (for whatever reason.)?
omg, THERE ARE TOOOO MANY. one dream, that i think about often, is to spend an entire weekend with Billie Jean King, all-access, and then writing a feature about it.
YES! Me: Magically writing a book on the connection between women's basketball and faith-based institutions. Start with the Protestants/YW-MCA, move into the Southern Industrial teams, bounce into the Catholic teams, then ask: wtf with feminism/homophobia and wbb? :-)
OMG WOULD READ IMMEDIATELY
I'll carry your laptop, notebooks, almost anything for that weekend.
How can US women's basketball (college, WNBA, etc.) vault to the level of mainstream love that the USWNT has done with the past couple of World Cups?
Gosh, there are so many factors here. I thought the point at the end of archival piece I shared in Monday's newsletter -- about how women's soccer in the U.S. developed in a space where they didn't have to be directly compared to U.S. men/defined by those parameters -- was such a good point; the USWNT isn't in the shadows of the USMNT in the public, but the NBA's shadow is so dominant that it's hard to escape. Plus, there's racism and homophobia which female basketball players have to fight much more directly than women's soccer players.
Plus, I mean, basketball's crown jewel is basically the NBA; there is a World Cup and Olympics, but there's nothing on par with the global spectacle of the FIFA World Cup. So, we're not comparing apples to apples here, which is important to remember.
That being said, I think what we're seeing now is a huge step in the right direction -- this Team USA college tour, which Sue Bird and Diana Taurasi invented, has created a lot of synergy between college women's basketball, Team USA, and the WNBA. Sabrina Ionescu's profile is going to help this, given she's going to go straight from Oregon to the WNBA and maybe even the Olympics, a feat Stewie pulled off in 2016.
It's about cross-promotion and media exposure and marketing. it's getting closer.
Where did your love for sports start?
I was an only child, and my dad had sports on a lot, and I just got hooked. At first it was ACC men's basketball -- I'm from NC -- and golf majors on Sundays. We also had tickets to the minor-league hockey team in town, and went to soooo many games. But I really became obsessed, on like a day-to-day basis, during the Carolina Panthers' second season, which was their first in the Charlotte stadium. My dad got season tickets, and was supposed to take customers, but very often took me. They were really good that season -- made it all the way to the NFC Championship game -- and I was hooked.
In your opinion, how do we get more women and non-men into the administrative side of sports- everything from front office staff to running teams/clubs to the coaches and management to journalism etc.?
it's so complicated and systemic, but to boil it down, we need a lot of male allies to lift them up and serve as advocates, institutions that take discrimination seriously, and the media to tell more stories about the women/nb people who are serving in those roles, so that more women can see themselves in those positions.
Thank you for answering this.
Sorry for dropping such a big question. Just as an nb writer currently mired in a very exploitative sports media job, sometimes it's really hard to see where the way up is.
I'm so, so sorry you're dealing with that shit, and if you want to discuss any further, or just vent, reach out any time: lindsay@powerplays.news.
Please discuss how the average fan can move the needle for women’s sports.
Hi Lynn! Sorry for the delay on the answer here. All of these answers are fantastic, so this answer will be a bit repetitive. I wish there was a magic button, but I think there are a few things I usually focus on:
-Supporting the leagues and players directly, via buying tickets, splurging for whatever streaming service is carrying their games and tuning in, buying merch; if money is tight, which for me it always has been, just make sure to tune in when channels you have are carrying it, and follow the teams and players and leagues on social media, to boost their numbers that way.
-Read the writers who are covering these sports. Click on the links when big-named places actually do write about them, even if the coverage isn't perfect. (If it's downright offensive, I'm not saying to click on that, but otherwise, the Powers That Be are always watching numbers VERY CLOSELY and looking for any reason not to support women's sports, and the only way we can change that is to give them the clicks and shares and positive feedback when they do.)
-Additionally, support the independent outlets who are often doing the more intensive, day-to-day work -- the High Post Hoops, Equalizer Soccer, Victory Press, everything Erica Ayala does. Again, money helps with this support, but isn't always possible. It also helps just to follow them on social media, share their work, etc.
-Reach out to outlets that you think should be covering women's sports, but aren't. Maybe it's your local paper. Maybe it's an ESPN producer, or the New York Times, or whatever. You'd be amazed how easily people are swayed by the most proactive voices. At a local paper or news station, if, say, just three people call and ask why they're not covering the college WBB team, that could be enough to make a difference! So often, people aren't leaving women's sports out because of malice. It's just they're busy and tired and they're doing things the way they've basically always been done.
-Like Sharita said, normalize women's sports by talking about it w/ your friends, inviting them to games, etc.
(I'm sure you're already doing most of this, but it is helpful for me to write it all out, because I think about it so much! Basically, the "little things" all matter.)
Thank you for this. I am closely tied to a women’s professional team and want EVERYONE who cares about women’s sports to do all these action items. I’m tired of people complaining that women don’t make more and then don’t attend games or do whatever they can to help. Keep up the great work!
*Sheila, not Sharita, sorry Sheila.
I'm not here to say I have the answers but I am into getting people to have fun with me by way of women's sports. I have friends who aren't going to obsessively follow the leagues and teams but they'll have a great time meeting up at a sports bar or going to a game if I let them know when good opportunities come up.
This is one of the ways I'm helping others engage with women's sports too! A colleague of mine who watched one of the World Cup games with me last summer recently told me how that experience led her to get really into the USWNT - following all their social media, their games, etc. I'm also training my 6yo son to follow women's sports - Pinoe and Stewie are his two fave athletes, and he's seen each of them play live in the last six months!
Attending any and all games/events and buying player merch (not just from the leagues but things player associations and individuals are selling) is another great way we fans can have an impact.
Nice! One thing I think about a lot is a few years back the Boston Symphony did a bunch of surveys to figure out why people who attended one concert and enjoyed it didn't become regulars, it turned out the biggest factor wasn't music but not knowing where to park without it being a hassle. The current mass media landscape doesn't make it easy to know when or how to watch, but we can help people get there.
I also call it my Alyse LaHue strategy of if I bring beer they will come. :-p
Hahaha, YES, the "Alyse LaHue" strategy.
LOVE THIS, obviously.
By subscribing to this newsletter. 😜
Done. But that doesn’t increase revenue to improve conditions for players or improve coverage by mass media. Will your existence help push mass media to better coverage? I hope so. What’s the plan?
Hey Lynn. Just to be clear I’m not Lindsay Gibbs (different Lindsay) and I was being silly in response to your great question. So I look forward to reading Lindsay Gibbs’ response. I do think us supporting media is part of the answer, but obvs there’s more to it, and like you I’m curious to hear Lindsay Gibbs’ thoughts.
As an average fan of women's soccer---watch them anyway you can. NWSL, USWNT, NWHL, WNBA, etc. Going to games probably helps them the most, but if you can't go to games, watch them on TV/streaming. It's super fun!!!
For the NWSL, there hasn't been an official announcement yet (typical), but the full season schedule finally dropped yesterday. Rumors have been circulating that CBS has the contract to televise the games, most games will be on the pay-for-streaming service, and 4 games will be on regular CBS. Still just rumors, and hopefully we'll know more soon.
Hi Lindsay!
First, I'd like to say that you're quickly becoming one of my favorite people to follow on Twitter- you're straightforward and knowledgeable and bold, so thank you for being you.
My question is that I'm always curious about people's backgrounds and what they did to get where they are now- what made you want to get into journalism/writing? What/who influenced you in high school and college? Hope you and Mo have a GREAT day!
Thank you so much, Keith! I actually backed into this. I went to NYU film school, and my dream was to write and direct fiction films and television. But I'd always been a big sports fan, and as I tried to find my way in my 20s (it turns out, graduating in 2008 with a film degree is NOT a fast-track to job security), I ended up combining my love of writing and my love of sports. This is the very abbreviated version -- I'm going to be sharing more of my backstory in Monday's post.
Hi Lindsay, I'm wondering where (digitally speaking) your book club will take place? And also when is BIAD coming to the Twin Cities?
Hi! Right now, the plan is to have it all in the newsletter -- so there will be an open thread to discuss, which I'll lead w/ certain topics, and at least 2 newsletters per month related to the book -- so, Q&As w/ the author and/or subjects, book reviews, and dives into specific subjects related to the book. (Like, maybe a newsletter about a side character in the book who I think we should all know more about, or a newsletter providing context to that point in sports history -- supplemental stuff that won't spoil the book or take the place of reading it, but will hopefully add to your understanding and enjoyment of the book.)
I've heard good things about goodreads threads and things, but want to hold off expanding to any other platform until realizing it's absolutely necessary, if that makes sense.
And BIAD would LOVE to come to the Twin Cities!! If you know of any university or group that would be interested in hosting us, let us know.
I'd love to hear more about your book!
Hi Carrie, thank you so much for asking! I'm writing a book for Beacon Press on this current wave of female athlete activism -- how in the past few years, from equal pay to Black Lives Matter, LGBTQ equality to #MeToo -- women in sports have been at the forefront of these huge societal movements. I've been lucky enough to get to cover so many of these movements in real time and often in purpose, but I am so excited that the book is allowing me to revisit them and re-report with the addition of hindsight and perspective, and showing how the movements have really built on one another.
Thanks going to be fantastic! Do you have a pub date yet?
sometime next year, I'll let you know when it gets closer. (Launching Power Plays has put me a bit behind schedule, haha, *gets to writing*)
Where/when did you get Mo?
I adopted him from a shelter in Greensboro, NC just over six years ago -- it's hard to believe it's been that long. He was 3 when I got him, but I still basically consider him a puppy.
dogs are just the best <3 my family adopted our second dog this past summer and he's such a goofy love
What's a piece of advice that you'd give to someone considering becoming a first-time dog owner?
Oooh, I'm no expert -- I should have done more training when I got him first -- but I think the biggest thing is just patience and calm. The transition will typically be tough, but if you're super stressed out, they will feed off of that energy.
Also: Be realistic about what you want/can handle. I knew I didn't have time to train a puppy, so I got a 3yo dog who was already housebroken. I also knew I wanted a bigger dog, because I wanted to be able to go on long walks/run. But if I ever get another dog, I will probably look for a breed that sheds less, because I don't clean nearly often enough to keep up with Mo's shedding, haha. Also, as someone who lives in apartments, having a bigger dog can be tough -- a lot of buildings have weight restrictions, so that's something else to consider.
Will you cover esports? BIAD hasn't so far and has missed a ton both achievements and burn worthy things the last couple years and a feminist perspective is truly needed in that space.
And for trash tv if you're watching Love is Blind, any pre-wedding episode thoughts about the couples?
This is, truly, a big blind spot of mine, as I have never been even casually into video games. But I know it's an area that I need to learn a lot more about, and know I'm missing some stories. If you have any tips or leads or just recs for stuff to read to get into it, please email me: lindsay@powerplays.news.
And I haven't started Love is Blind, but have been saving it as a treat for getting through paid launch week -- so I will update you when I do. I cannot wait.
As a gamer (non-competitive), I would also LOVE to hear a deep dive into women in e-sports.
Is the LFL overall good or bad for women's sports?
Excited to subscribe and support women's sports coverage and a fellow Tar Heel fan. In that spirit, who are your favorite Tar Heels? Personally, I went from fan to obsessed with Ivory Latta.
Hi!
First of all, I’m such a huge fan of Power Plays and the community you’ve created here! It is truly awesome to have such a great source for women’s sports news.
My question is: if you had to pick one female athlete of all time, who do you think has had the largest impact on women’s sports and why?
I loved your great new year/new decade piece about letting women athletes be jerks, but I also had a "one of these is not like the others" moment regarding the USWNT's 13-0 victory over Thailand. My question is, without disputing that the hand-wringing you've addressed is solely coming from misogynist cranks, how do you square the importance of women getting to be emotional during competition with the racial and imperialist dynamics of this game? The USWNT is a predominantly white team representing a settler-colonial and imperialist state that has accrued tremendous amounts of wealth through violence, and Thailand is a Global South country that has been victimized by colonial and imperial violence. (Shout-out to Burn It All Down for your analysis of the dominance of European countries and the US in the 2019 World Cup in your discussion on colonialism and international football.) If we look at international sports as a form of state-building, I feel like we shouldn't celebrate the USWNT putting up video-game numbers on a Global South country, or at least, I don't want to. There's not really any way to change that on the field, but I feel like it's necessary to talk about. Sorry for dropping such a serious and complicated question, but I'm super interested to hear your thoughts.
I think you have to treat the game -- like, as in, whistle to whistle -- differently than you do The Game, in this case. What I remember from that game is Carli Lloyd comforting the goalie at the end of the game, and giving her advice. I remember the players calling out FIFA for its funding inequities and how it exacerbates these differences in the press right after the game. I understand that it was hard to watch, and get why it was uncomfortable to people because of colonialism and history and everything that comes with it. But I didn't see Team USA hiding from that. I saw them taking an opponent seriously in a game that they had been building up to for four years. Remember, they were fighting for equal pay during the 2018 Olympics, and then were upset by Sweden before the medal rounds.
They came into that World Cup with A LOT on their shoulders, and I don't know that it's fair to ask them to pretend its not the case because of the U.S.'s horrific history as a colonizer. I After all, while the USWNT is representing the U.S., it's also fighting its country for equal rights. Whistle to whistle, it's the World Cup. For most of those players, it was their very first World Cup goal. They get to celebrate that. Who knows when it will happen again? They know it's not guaranteed. For the vets like Morgan and Rapinoe, they'd been through soooo much to get back to that stage. I want them to have those moments. It's easy to think these wins and that dominance is automatic, but it's not.
If off the court they weren't fighting for things to be better for everyone, I'd probably feel differently. But I don't think they could really win in that situation. If they "take their foot off the gas" -- which I don't know is even possible in that type of environment -- and only score a few goals, and look awful, they're being criticized for days, and then maybe even lose their own rhythm. If they don't celebrate at all after goals, then they look like arrogant assholes who don't see their opponents as equals, and I guarantee they're still being criticized. The whole situation is uncomfortable, I get it, but give me Sam Mewis celebrating the fuck out of her first World Cup goal over the alternative any day. The USWNT taking pity on their opponent isn't going to right the wrongs of imperialism.
I do respect those who feel differently, for all the reasons you mentioned, but in my mind, none of the other options they had given that set of circumstances would have made the reality of the situation any easier to swallow.
First: I AM SO EXCITED ABOUT THIS ALL!
Second: Will the Liberty land Sabrina Ionescu? I know the Liberty have the first draft pick, but I am very excited about possibly seeing her play at Barclays, and am thus fretting about how it could NOT happen somehow. What could keep her from playing in NYC in 2020?
Thanks for all your great work!
Thank you!! Me too!! The Liberty will get Sabrina, and it's going to be great.
I'm not going to give you any more reasons to worry. The Liberty do that enough on their own, hahaha.
Hi Lindsay! Thanks so much for doing such awesome work. I'm so excited to read about the sports I don't always follow and to get your insight. Can't wait for the Olympics coverage too: Who is your favorite gymnast and why?
Wait, what?? Maria Sharapova is retiring?! This is what I get for staying off Twitter all day... also, I can't believe I didn't get an ESPN notification about this. (For all the annoying notifications I DO get... argh.)
So, you wanted questions about your dog. Let me hear how you became your dog's forever person!
omg i can't believe i broke that news to you, haha! I was having a hard time picking a dog at the shelter, because they all need homes and are so cute, but I was looking for a non-puppy who was medium-sized and at least somewhat trained. Mo was 3, and when I told him to "sit," he did. But what sealed it was the fact that he had gone into the shelter on my birthday -- which was 8 months prior to the day i was visiting. So he'd been in there for so long, and i thought the fact that he came in on my birthday was the only sign i needed.
I know, right?? I was reading your email and then about fell out of my chair when I read "Maria Sharapova's retirement." I was so shocked that at first I thought you meant it hypothetically, but then I thought "nooo that's way too random." 😆 And then I charged right over to Twitter because, you suck, ESPN app.
I love your column! It's my first consistent education on women's sports that I have sought; I have a secondary question: What will the energy be toward the one free articles be? Will there still be that enthusiasm and power that I have come to expect out of your articles when they were all free? I ask this because I have a tight budget and trying to support this project is not easily feasible for me at the moment because of a lack of job/college debt sort of deal.
Yes. The one free article per week is VERY important to me, as it's going to be how I continue to grow and gain new followers. So you can expect the exact same energy I've put into every free newsletter so far.
But also: Send me an email to lindsay@powerplays.news, someone just told me they wanted to donate a free sub, and it's all yours.
How do you go about donating subscriptions? I would like to do that when I can.
Here's a link -- if you don't have a direct person in mind to donate to, let me know and I can make a connection. https://www.powerplays.news/subscribe?&gift=true
What's going to be a wilder ride, next month's NCAA tourney or the WNBA this summer?
.....this is not a totally serious question
I'm basically not planning on breathing for the next 6 months, it's going to be very uncomfortable.
Dying to hear your thoughts on Maria and her retirement as well!!
I'm going to cheat and copy and paste what I wrote above:
"Sharapova's comments about Serena in her book were very racist, and Sharapova is of course not on Serena's level at all, and it's ridiculous that white privilege and tall/hot/blonde privilege contributed to her out-earning Serena off the court for a while.
But, as a long-time tennis fan, I loved watching her compete, I love the attention she brought the sport, and I loved that be it good or bad, people always had SO MANY FEELINGS about Sharapova, and she could be a villain, and women's sports need that too. So I understand why people hate Sharapova, both her individually and what she represents. But I am going to miss her, and I'm sad her career is ending with such a whimper."
Lindsay.... Please tell us your thoughts on #LoveIsBlind. Specifically: 1) Will Jessica and Mark make it? 2) Is Jessica a lush? 3) Do you think this is how I should find my partner?
I haven't watched yet because I was launching this thing and so could only keep up with Bachelor and 90DF, BUT I am going to watch this weekend and will let you know immediately, I cannot wait.
Your readers know your thoughts about female athletes competing against male athletes in sports thanks to the response to Bryant's comments. But how about females and males competing together? Do you like mixed gender events like the Hopman Cup (When it was still a thing?) And are events like these positive/neutral/negative thing for women's sports?
I LOVE MIXED GENDER EVENTS SO MUCH!!! Seriously, I know the caps is obnoxious, but I can't contain my excitement. I think they're great for women's and men's sports and fans and TV and everyone, and I want to see more of it in golf and tennis and athletics and swimming and, well, anywhere where a relay or co-ed team makes sense. RIP Hopman Cup, I miss you so.
Emerging sports are great in this -- bike polo and Ultimate (Frisbee). Even high school club teams of the latter are organizing as co-ed, which is great. What a great time for them to learn to work together.
Do you have any recommendations for books about the NBA?
truthfully, not that i can think of at this time which is sad, but if we're talking men's basketball, this is a must-read from my friend andrew mariniss, about the first U.S. Olympic basketball team: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07NTYPJRM/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
Do you take DC public transit to any sporting events? As a follow-up, best cities in your opinion that have easily accessible public transit options to watch major women's sports events?
I do! I don't have a car, so it's the main way I get to DC sporting events. Wizards and Mystics games are very metro accessible. Maryland women's basketball is tougher, because the College Park metro station is a mile and a half from campus, but free shuttles are available. I'm very excited for the Spirit to be playing more games at Audi Field this year, because it was next-to-impossible for me to get out to the SoccerPlex without renting a car.
And unfortunately I can't speak to other cities, haven't traveled enough -- though NYC is moving in the right direction with Sky Blue moving to Red Bull and the Liberty moving to Barclays!
Great to know, next time I find myself in DC I'll have to take advantage of public transit to games!
Oooh thank you for the insight! I have some friends in the Twin Cities area and will definitely suggest public transit as an option to games next time. Even better when teams promote public transit with their tickets! (P.S. Roll caps!)
Who will win College Hockey America (CHA) reg season? Mercyhurst or Robert Morris? Each has 2 games left in reg season. Hurst plays Penn State twice and RMU plays Syracuse twice. Hurst has a 1 point lead in standings. RMU won the reg season past 3 years. I don’t care if you don’t follow this league... just give me your gut feel answer. Ps love this newsletter!
I love this question because I have no idea at all since I don't follow the league, but my gut is telling me Mercyhurst, because I have honestly never heard of that school and I love the name. (KEEP ME POSTED!!)
What are your favorite places in DC to eat? And for delivery? (I know, I know, your no delivery rule)
Pam's recs are great -- I do not go out to eat nearly enough! I live in the Petworth neighborhood, and am pretty biased towards the restaurants around here -- Little Cocos is GREAT, as is Timber Pizza (a MUST) and Homestead.
We just moved away from Petworth and now I am sad that I never ran into you there. But yes, you named pretty much all my favorite places.
wait WHAT??? omg! Where are you now? Let me know if you ever want to grab a bite -- would be fun to do a DC Power Plays meet-up.
YES to DC Power Plays meet-up!!!
omgggg, email me, we need to make this happen.
I'm not Lindsay, but wanted to respond...Ijust visited DC last fall to see a Spirit vs. Reign game at Audi Field (FUN!). I liked going to Chef Jose Andres restaurant Oyamel. I ordered guac even though my SO doesn't like avocado, and the portion was bigger than I expected and I am not sorry I ate the whole thing. He's got several restaurants in DC area, so lots of options to love. Chef Andres also runs World Kitchen, the non-profit that serves meals to people in disaster areas...including food for the Diamond Princess cruise ship in Japan that's quarantined because of the coronavirus. I totally wanted to support that, but also, guacamole!
I second Pam's recommendation. I'm with a big José Andrés fan as well. If anyone is going to a game/concert at Capital One Arena I highly recommend hitting up one of his restaurants, Zatinya, for dinner. In case folks aren't aware, he also has restaurants in Florida, Las Vegas, & Los Angeles for those in the SE and West who are reading the thread.
I can't post photos in the comments!! I posted one this morning on Instagram, though: https://www.instagram.com/p/B9B7B47gsCA/