Chicago Sky joins the Seattle Storm and becomes the second WNBA franchise to invest in the growth of the 3×3 women’s game
SEATTLE — Force 10 Sports Management, a production, sales and marketing agency owned by Lisa Brummel, Ginny Gilder and Alisha Valavanis today announced the group will expand its 3×3 women’s basketball operation with the addition of three more teams for a total of four, welcoming the Chicago Sky as a sponsor.
The squads are slated to compete in the 2021 Red Bull 3X circuit starting July 17. Rosters will be announced later this week as the four teams head to Chicago on July 14 for a two-day training camp before the tournament kicks off
“We believe there is incredible opportunity to grow participation for girls and women in the 3×3 game—from youth tournaments to professional teams. It’s a format of basketball that is exciting and dynamic for the players and the audience.” said Alisha Valavanis, President and CEO of both Force 10 Sports Management and the Seattle Storm. “We are grateful that the Chicago Sky joined in this effort to invest in 3×3 teams this summer. This means more women will be supported and sponsored to develop, train and earn prize money.”
Force 10 Sports Management’s venture into the 3×3 basketball business started in 2019 when the group launched Force 10 3×3—the first ever professional 3×3 women’s basketball team in the country—with the purpose of supporting USA Basketball’s effort to accumulate enough points, climb the FIBA ranking and earn a spot at the FIBA 3×3 Olympic Qualifying Tournament in 2021.
The agency assembled a roster of WNBA eligible players, with Cierra Burdick, Linnae Harper, Megan Huff and Alexis Peterson, who finished at the top of the rankings in the Red Bull 3X event series. Force 10 3x then accumulated the highest number of points in the women’s competition, which converted automatically into U.S.A. points and secured the American passport to Graz, in Austria, for the Olympic Qualifier event this past May.
While a satisfying accomplishment and a point of national pride, helping the national women’s 3×3 basketball team qualify for the Olympics was not the agency’s end goal. At its core, Force 10 Sports Management works to create opportunities for girls and women in the sports forum. To fulfill this goal, Force 10 is now proud to introduce three more 3×3 women’s basketball teams, with the additional sponsorship from the Chicago Sky.
“Growing the game has always been our mission. We are thrilled to continue our commitment to championing women in sports” said Chicago Sky President and CEO Adam Fox. “We believe strongly in Force 10’s vision. The unique 3×3 format is fast-paced and highly entertaining, so we are excited to get started.”
“Force 10 Sports Management is committed to growing the business of basketball. We are thrilled to join with USAB and the Chicago Sky to expand our investment, increase opportunities for girls and women to play a sport they love, and bring more visibility to this exciting format of basketball,” said Lisa Brummel, Force 10 Sports Management co-owner.
About Force 10 Sports Management
Force 10 Sports Management is a production, sales and marketing agency owned by Lisa Brummel, Ginny Gilder and Alisha Valavanis. Established in 2011, the company has provided services to some of the most prominent professional women’s sports teams and organizations in the country, such as the four-time WNBA champion Seattle Storm, OL Reign, (formerly, Seattle Reign FC), USA Basketball and the Pac-12 Women’s Basketball Championships. Recently, the group pioneered the 3×3 basketball industry by launching the first ever professional female team in the U.S.
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