Mystics cast a spell | Euros double down | KC stays busy
The Mystics are off to a hot start, toppling the Caitlin Clark-less Fever behind a strong offensive showing, plus Euro 2025 ups the stakes and more news to know
DC rises up
Brittney Sykes (L) led the Mystics in scoring with 21 points. (Stephen Gosling/NBAE via Getty Images)
Washington has continued to impress early in this WNBA season, earning another big win on Wednesday with an 83-77 victory over a Caitlin Clark-less Indiana side.
As the Fever guard watched from the sidelines, the Mystics leaned into their depth behind a 21-point, 9-rebound performance from guard Brittney Sykes.
Big picture: Now at 3-3, Washington’s rebuild appears to be ahead of schedule, with rookie duo Kiki Iriafen and Sonia Citron looking pro-ready from the jump.
Seizing their opportunity as day-one starters, the pair put up a collective 29 points against Indiana to join Sykes and forward Shakira Austin as the only Mystics to finish in double digits.
Trouble in Indy: Indiana, however, looked shaky without their injured young superstar, falling to 2-3 on the season with Clark out for at least three more games.
“We weren't sharp enough to be a contender for anything tonight,” Fever guard Kelsey Mitchell told reporters after the loss. “I think getting punched in the mouth early is humbling, because it shows where we need to be.”
Up next: On Friday, the Mystics will test their form against the surging Liberty while the Fever tip off against the still-winless Sun at 7:30 PM ET, live on Ion.
Euro 2025 doubles down
England is set receive a record bonus from the FA should they repeat as Euros champions this summer. (Visionhaus/Getty Images)
With the 2025 European Championship set to kick off in Switzerland in just over a month, UEFA is seizing the opportunity to expand its global footprint after a breakout 2022 tournament.
The continental governing body is starting Stateside, with Fox Sports announcing Wednesday plans to air 31 of the 16-team competition’s matches live across its platforms — marking the women’s side’s largest US media deal on record.
Big picture: With no major events scheduled for the USWNT, international women’s soccer is taking center-stage this summer, as the Euros, Copa América, and African Cup of Nations all return in July.
Fox Sports is also set to bring Copa América to US viewers for the first time ever this summer, with broadcast details still to come.
Behind the screen: England is also upping its investment, with the FA agreeing to pay the Lionesses a record £1.7 million bonus package should they successfully defend their 2022 title.
This year’s total more than doubles the amount England players received for reaching the 2023 World Cup final.
While exact sums will vary, player payouts would average £73,000 each — up some £18,000 from the Lionesses’ 2022 earnings.
The move follows UEFA's earlier decision to double its own prize pool in 2025, raising the total purse to £34 million including an extra £4.3 million for the winner.
Don’t miss it: The 2025 Euros kick off on July 2nd when Iceland faces Finland at 12 PM ET before Switzerland takes Norway at 3 PM ET, live on Fox.
Kansas City stays busy
The Current will host a four-team summer tournament starting July 12th. (Michael Reaves/NWSL via Getty Images)
The Kansas City Current is keeping busy this summer, partnering with Visit Missouri to host the first-ever Teal Rising Cup during July’s NWSL break.
Kicking off July 12th, the two-day friendly tournament pits KC and the Chicago Stars against Brazilian Serie A1 clubs Corinthians SC and Palmeiras.
Big picture: While the NWSL will suspend play during this year’s major international tournaments, the league hasn’t scheduled any alternative programming like last year’s Olympics-concurrent NWSL x Liga MX Summer Cup — leaving space for individual teams to fill the gap.
“Showcasing both our facilities and this incredible professional talent not only makes our club better but invites a broader platform for elevating women’s sports on a national and global stage,” said Current GM Caitlin Carducci.
Be there: Tickets to the 2025 Teal Rising Cup go on sale Friday at 4 PM ET.
PRESENTED BY TST |  |
The Soccer Tournament (TST) — the annual 7×7 competition with a $1 million winner-take-all prize — is taking the pitch once again this summer, with RBC Wealth Management joining as the presenting sponsor of the women's event.
TST kicks off on June 5th, 2025 in Cary, North Carolina.
NCAA softball enters award season
Arkansas’s Bri Ellis won 2025 USA Softball Player of the Year. (Nelson Chenault/Imagn Images)
The Women’s College World Series begins today, with the sport’s most prestigious award organizations taking advantage of this week’s NCAA softball spotlight to honor the season’s top performers.
Arkansas slugger Bri Ellis earned USA Softball’s nod for 2025 Player of the Year, beating out a shortlist that included Nebraska pitcher Jordy Bahl and Texas Tech ace NiJaree Canady.
Ellis led the NCAA in on-base (.639) and slugging percentages (1.090), finishing the year third in home runs with 26 while racking up 72 RBIs.
Worthy competitors: Nebraska’s Bahl took home the National Fastpitch Coaches Association’s award for 2025 National Player of the Year, showcasing just how tight this season’s MVP race proved to be.
Tune in: Catch the stars in action as the WCWS opens today at 12 PM ET, live on ESPN.
WNBA ratings beat the odds
Saturday’s Liberty-Fever matchup drew CBS’s second-largest viewership on record. (Ron Hoskins/NBAE via Getty Images)
The WNBA continues to dominate the air waves this season, with last weekend’s slate of games blowing past yet another TV viewership record.
New York’s 90-88 win over the Indiana Fever averaged 2.22 million viewers on CBS, with the Saturday showdown marking the second-highest WNBA viewership in network history.
Sustaining success: With Fever star Caitlin Clark set to miss at least four games with a quad strain, concerns over lags in attendance and viewership have started to crop up this week.
Those fears might be overblown, as 11,183 fans packed Baltimore’s CFG Bank Arena to watch the Mystics take on the Fever last night — while Clark looked on from the bench.
A’ja Wilson backs Nike x LEGO launch
The Wilson-backed Nike x LEGO project is intended to “inspire kids everywhere to embrace the joy of active and creative play.” (Nike)
Las Vegas Aces forward A’ja Wilson is teaming up with Nike for a new multi-year collaboration with Danish toymaker LEGO, the apparel giant announced this morning.
According to the release, the partnership aims to “inspire kids everywhere to play both on and off the court.”
“I have loved playing with LEGO bricks since I was a kid and know that my creativity and play helped me not only in sports but also at school and in life,” said Wilson.
Big picture: Fresh off the launch her smash-hit A’One signature shoe, Wilson has become one of Nike’s most prominent athletes, signing a lucrative contract extension late last year.
The three-time WNBA MVP is set to support the project “by helping engage kids through a reimagined world of play that will come to life across digital channels,” with more information to follow.
Quote of the day
“Growing up in Naperville, playing on courts around here with my brothers, and watching Chicago teams like the Bulls who became synonymous with winning, I never imagined one day my jersey would hang in the rafters of my hometown team.”
Retired WNBA legend Candace Parker
after the Chicago Sky announced they’ll be retiring her No. 3 jersey in a special August 25th ceremony.