Joy Drop: Nunavut wrestler shows the power of communities that invest in athletes

As the last few weeks of summer go by, joys are abundant. The sounds of laughter on patios, the roaring of oceans, or the stillness of a quiet summer evening is truly something we have been lucky to experience. I hope that blooming herbs, bright flowers, and lots of ice cream are punctuating your beautiful summer.

With August comes the promise of fall, the beginnings of league play but also the end of one of the hottest leagues running: the WNBA.

The playoffs have begun! This is the last season for legends Sue Bird and Sylvia Fowles so there is a lot of reflection on their contributions to the game.

The finals erupted on Wednesday night in a phenomenal manner with some action between the New York Liberty and Chicago Sky that I still can't get out of my brain. A pass from Marine Johannes to Natasha Howard blew my mind.

I have watched this ten times. And am still like: "wut". <a href="https://t.co/ZTqEY8my6j">https://t.co/ZTqEY8my6j</a>

I was happy to find a 1,400-word piece by basketball writer, Gabe Ibrahim, on that pass alone. Reading an entire piece dedicated to a single pass and its context, while analyzing the play, made me very happy. I love seeing this excitement about women's basketball in a league that absolutely deserves the respect. I am still flabbergasted that investors are just throwing their money at the league. Particularly when viewership is on the rise.

Huh.<br><br>2022 WNBA regular season ratings average: 372,000 viewers<br>2021 MLS regular season average: 276,000 viewers<br><br>New MLS rights deal: $250 million/season<br>Current WNBA rights deal: $27 million/season <br><br>