Just Do It (It Being Watching Women’s Sports) - A Recap of My Weekend with Nike

I know that Punked with Ashton Kutcher is no longer being televised, but I still thought that’s what was happening to me last month when I received an email from Nike. 

Three years ago, I ventured to create my own sports media space for women. We’ve grown slowly, and while I do have the time of my life, I don’t identify with feeling like I’ve ‘made it’ or resemble any form of importance. After all, I’m a mom of two - a four-year-old and a one-year-old - and between raising them and raising my little business, I mostly just feel like a chicken with my head cut off. 

You can understand why it was a shock to receive an email from the iconic brand addressing me by name and inviting me to attend WNBA All-Star weekend with them. Somehow, Ashton Kutcher did not pop out and soon enough I was on a Zoom call with the Nike team. 

I asked them, why me? Why sportsish? I didn’t feel like most people in the industry took me seriously, so why would one of the world’s biggest companies do so? “I love women who just get it done.” was her response. She's a mom too. 

So I scoured my closet for ‘cool girl' clothes, kissed my babies goodbye, and boarded a plane to Phoenix, Arizona. Yes, Phoenix in July, I know. But it was worth it.

"Women who just get it done" became the theme of my weekend. As our team assembled the next morning, it was clear I was in the presence of many women who do exactly that. There were writers for big magazines - the ones I’ve read since I was a teenager, employees of brands that I look up to, sports reporters, writers, and designers. We were all brought together by Nike to witness this new era of the WNBA. And the women in the league? Well, they’ve been getting it done for years now.

I could write essays on how I fell in love with the WNBA. I grew up with four older brothers who loved the NBA and the NFL. The four men’s sports leagues seemed to dominate everyone's attention. But then I started Sportsish. And I learned that only 9% of sports media coverage was about women’s sports. And all of a sudden, I felt a pull to ensure that wasn’t the case on my platform. 

So I watched and I learned and I got to know the incredible women who make up the WNBA. And I was smitten - not just for the new players (although I love me some Angel and CC) but for the ones who have been there before. For the Diana Taurasis who fought for decades for this kind of representation. For the A’ja Wilsons whose talent literally shuts up the keyboard warriors who try and make WNBA jokes. For the Sabrina Ionescus who Kobe saw greatness in years ago, and who is showcasing that greatness now. Their stories are inspiring, their talent is breathtaking, and their moment? It’s been a long time coming. 

Suddenly everybody and every brand wants a piece of the WNBA. They’re hopping on the trend. But what I spent the entire weekend realizing is that Nike has been here from the start - quite literally in fact.

Sheryl Swoopes was the first woman in sports history to get a shoe bearing her name: the Nike Air Swoopes. This was two full years before the WNBA even began.  Nike took a chance before everybody else. 

When introducing the brand’s WNBA display, an employee said something that stuck with me all weekend. “Nike isn’t new to this, we’re true to this.” 

In 2022, they made an equity investment in the WNBA, dedicating themselves to, “grow the league by deepening storytelling to create more visibility for WNBA athletes and bring more girls into basketball through additional grassroots opportunities.” 

And they continue to do the work. With Aja’s signature shoe being released next spring and Sabrina’s shoe making waves this year, Nike has dedicated themselves to representing the talent of the league. Speaking of Sabrina, there was a pair of her brand-new shoes waiting for me when I arrived. Alongside them was an outfit: basketball shorts and a Nike sports bra. All signs pointed to the fact that I was going to have to play basketball that weekend. All signs also pointed to the fact that I would be embarrassing myself. 

I did just that, of course, in the Nike “basketball-inspired” workout on Saturday morning. I’m not a hopper, as the cool kids say - this was confirmed when the man in charge asked us to dribble the ball between our legs and I just… well… couldn’t. 

The consolation came when a man asked a few women and me if we were WNBA players. Was it laced with sarcasm? Maybe. Will all 5 ft. 3 of me hold onto that for the rest of my life? Absolutely. 

Post basketball workout, we were treated to the Nike Cultural Hub, a gallery of Nike’s shoe history with the WNBA. My personal favorite was the moment we got to see Team USA’s shoes for the upcoming Paris Olympics. Nike isn't new to women’s sports. They’re TRUE to them. 

The cherry on top of the weekend was watching the WNBA All-Stars take on Team USA. I wore pink, of course. I danced to Pitbull at halftime. I scoured the crowd for celebs (hi Aubrey Plaza!) I stayed true to my sportsish self. But mostly, I watched some damn good basketball. And while I did, I teared up twice. Once was when they showed Diana Taurasi playing in her 11th all-star game, looking at the crowd in bewilderment. The second was when they showed a group of women from the first ever professional women’s basketball league in the crowd. They were older now, gray hair and glasses.

I wonder if they ever thought it could be like this. 

I have no doubt in my mind the reason that it is like this, the sold-out crowds, a spike in jersey sales, and TV viewership records is in part because of Nike. It’s thanks to the brand that believed from the beginning coupled with a bunch of women who just get it done.

Thank you Nike for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.