Booking.com expands into US women's sports with WNBA, NBA included
The 2025 WNBA season begins on May 16. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images) North American men’s basketball’s top-tier NBA has brought in Booking.com, the travel fare aggregator website, as a new commercial partner. A multi-year deal has now been unveiled which also covers the women’s WNBA, and which gets underway later this week. Through the agreement, Booking.com becomes […]
The 2025 WNBA season begins on May 16. (Angelina Katsanis/Getty Images)
North American men’s basketball’s top-tier NBA has brought in Booking.com, the travel fare aggregator website, as a new commercial partner.
A multi-year deal has now been unveiled which also covers the women’s WNBA, and which gets underway later this week.
Through the agreement, Booking.com becomes the official online travel partner of the leagues, with the WNBA tie-up its first-ever sponsorship with a major women’s sports league in the US.
The unveiling comes with the 2025 WNBA season getting underway on May 16, with a similar campaign to follow when the 2025-26 NBA season begins in October.
Booking.com branding will feature on the social media and digital platforms of both leagues, while there will also be on-court branding at both regular season and playoff games.
In addition, there will be collaboration between the parties around integrated marketing campaigns.
In terms of other Booking.com sports sponsorships, the brand was also a major sponsor of men’s national team soccer’s UEFA European Championships in mid-2024, and is also fulfilling a similar role for this year’s European Women’s Championships in Switzerland.
It was also a partner of the FIFA Women’s World Cup soccer tournament in 2023, held across Australia and New Zealand.
Recent WNBA commercial activity, meanwhile, includes a partnership with financial services company Ally Financial in mid-April, and also striking a deal with designer clothing and apparel brand Coach.
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Water polo players briefly leave the pool after shots fired near Under-20 World Cup game in Brazil | Sports
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian police said Monday there were no injuries after shots were fired near an Under-20 World Cup women’s water polo game between China and Canada in the city of Salvador. China won 12-8 on Sunday — the opening day of the tournament — but footage showed the game being briefly interrupted […]
SAO PAULO (AP) — Brazilian police said Monday there were no injuries after shots were fired near an Under-20 World Cup women’s water polo game between China and Canada in the city of Salvador.
China won 12-8 on Sunday — the opening day of the tournament — but footage showed the game being briefly interrupted as players got out of the pool, laid down and took cover by a small barrier after hearing gunshots outside the water polo venue in the Pituba neighborhood. China led Canada 3-2 at the time.
“The match stopped for about a minute. Our team saw that the police was taking care of it,” Marco Antônio Lemos, head of the Bahia state water sports federation, said in a statement.
Police said the cause of the shots was a confrontation with an alleged local thief who was outside the venue and tried to escape. No more details were given.
Spectators were told about the incident after the game had resumed.
Brazil is hosting the 16-team tournament for the first time.
Copyright 2025 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed without permission.
Soccer Opens 2025 Season at Long Beach State, Pepperdine
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Coming off of its first-ever Big West regular season title, Hawai’i will open its 2025 season with a nonconference match at Long Beach State on Thursday at 4 p.m. HT. Following Thursday’s season opener, the Rainbow Wahine will head up the California Coast to take on Pepperdine Sunday at […]
Coming off of its first-ever Big West regular season title, Hawai’i will open its 2025 season with a nonconference match at Long Beach State on Thursday at 4 p.m. HT.
Following Thursday’s season opener, the Rainbow Wahine will head up the California Coast to take on Pepperdine Sunday at 9 a.m. HT. UH trails the all time series against both schools (3-10-4 vs. LBSU, 0-6-1 vs. PEP) but won the last meeting against The Beach with a 1-0 victory in the regular season finale last year.
HAWAI’I (12-8-1, 8-1-1 Big West) at Long Beach State (6-9-3, 3-5-2 Big West) // Pepperdine (12-4-5, 6-1-3 WCC)
2024 Big West Midfielder of the Year Nalani Damacion finished tied for third nationally and first among all freshmen with seven game-winning goals. Her seven game-winners were also the most by any NCAA freshman since 2015 (Cece Kizer, Ole Miss).
REGULAR SEASON CHAMPS!
Hawai’i is coming off of a magical 2024 season in which it captured the program’s first ever Big West regular season title. The Rainbow Wahine dominated the Big West regular season, going 8-1-1 and setting a school record for conference wins while finishing with 25 points – the most by a Big West school since 2016. The regular season title gave UH the right to host the semifinals and finals of the Big West Championship, however, the ‘Bows saw their historic season come to an end with a semifinal loss to CSU Bakersfield.
» Set a school record with a nine-match unbeaten streak that ran from Sept. 12-Oct. 20.
» Seven match winning streak was the longest in a single season and tied the overall program record.
» Outscored teams 12-6 in 10 league games, with all eight wins coming by one goal.
» First Big West team to start 5-0 in conference play since 2010 (UC Irvine).
RAISING THE EXPECTATIONS
The Rainbow Wahine enter the 2025 season with lofty expectations following last year’s conference regular season title. UH was picked first in the Big West Preseason Coaches Poll, marking the first time since 2008 that the program has been tabbed as a preseason conference favorite. It’s also the first time since Hawai’i joined the Big West that it has been picked to finish atop the conference. Additionally, Amber Gilbert and Nalani Damacion each earned Preseason All-Big West recognition.
FAB FRESHMEN TO SUPER SOPHOMORES
A huge key to last season’s Big West regular season title run was the contributions UH got from a number of freshmen. The Rainbow Wahine’s group of eight sophomores combined for three Big West All-Freshman honors and eight conference player of the week recognitions a year ago as freshmen and will be counted on to play key roles again in 2025.
» Kennedy Justin earned Big West Goalkeeper of the Year honors last year as a redshirt freshman.
» Justin became the first freshman ever to claim that honor and matched a school single-season record for goalkeeper wins with a record of 11-8-1.
» Nalani Damacion was named Big West Midfielder of the Year after leading the team with seven goals.
» Damacion became the first freshman ever to claim the honor.
» All seven of Damacion’s goals were game-winner, ranking third nationally and first among freshmen.
» Alice Davidson earned Big West All-Freshman honors after finishing with four assists (T-1st on team).
» UH earned six total Big West Freshman of the Week honors (Damacion: 5x; Laule’a Ah Mook Sang: 1x)
RAINBOW RELOAD
The Rainbow Wahine will welcome in a talented group of eight newcomers to compliment their deep pool of returnees. UH brings in three players out of the transfer portal while adding five freshmen to the mix in 2025. Defenders Rikako Hayami and Solala Nasu will fill some key roles on the back line while three-year Division I goalkeeper Julia Ortega gives UH depth in the net. Isabella Kaemmerer, Karissa Kira, Saira Johal, Montana Longcrier and Sophia Nygaard make up the group of five incoming true freshmen.
» Hayami spent the 2024 season at Arizona and previously was an NJCAA All-American in 2023.
» Nasu returns home after spending freshman season at South Dakota State; was the three-time HHSAA State Tournament Most Outstanding Player from 2022-24.
» Ortega has totaled 137 saves in 29 career starts in goal at Southern Utah and Arizona State.
» Kaemmerer and Kira were high school and club teammates, winning an ECNL U17 national title in 2024.
Liv Ekponé – Track and Field Coach – Texas A&M Athletics
Olivia Ekponé made her return to Aggieland to join head coach Pat Henry’s staff at the start of the 2024/25 season. Since landing back in College Station, she took on the role of athletics assistant for the Maroon & White, helping in multitude of roles for the track & field program. Assisting on the track, she […]
Olivia Ekponé made her return to Aggieland to join head coach Pat Henry’s staff at the start of the 2024/25 season. Since landing back in College Station, she took on the role of athletics assistant for the Maroon & White, helping in multitude of roles for the track & field program.
Assisting on the track, she aids both Coach Pat Henry and Coach Kurt Henry with the decorated 400m and sprint groups for practice and meet day preparation. Her experience as an athlete helped those groups, as she contributed to the men’s programs fifth NCAA Outdoor National Title and first SEC Indoor Championship during the 2025 season.
Her groups on the men’s side accounted for 10 points at the NCAA outdoor championships and eight points at the indoor championships. Collecting honors throughout the season, Ekponé’s squads tacked on 13 All-America accolades and three conference medals. The women’s team also saw success through her leadership, with 19 All-America honors and three league medals.
As an athlete, Ekponé was a four-year letterwinner and 12-time All-American for the Maroon & White. She played a key role in securing the women’s team’s fourth NCAA outdoor championship in 2014 and the program’s first SEC outdoor team title in 2013. She also anchored the women’s 4x100m relay team to a national title at the 2014 outdoor meet, winning the final in 42.80. Her outstanding performances won her SEC Runner of the Year honors in 2014, and helped guide the team to another trio of top-three program finishes during her time as a student-athlete.
She also etched her name in the Aggie history books, as Ekponé remains the school-record holder in the women’s outdoor 200m with a time of 22.23, as well as ranking in the top-10 in both the indoor 60m (7.25) and outdoor 100m (11.11).
Following her graduation, Ekponé stayed in the track & field world, as she worked for MileSplit and FloTrack in a sports media roll covering athletes from the youth to professional levels.
Saturday will mark the start of my 20th year here at SBJ. Twenty years since I shifted away from a career as an attorney and into sports journalism — and I’ve never looked back. Research. Data analysis. Writing. Editing. Podcast hosting. Moderating panels. Even playing beach volleyball in my suit jacket and pants alongside Olympian […]
Saturday will mark the start of my 20th year here at SBJ. Twenty years since I shifted away from a career as an attorney and into sports journalism — and I’ve never looked back.
Research. Data analysis. Writing. Editing. Podcast hosting. Moderating panels. Even playing beach volleyball in my suit jacket and pants alongside Olympian Kerri Walsh Jennings. I’ve tackled a number of duties and responsibilities at SBJ. Now, it’s time for my next role: sports media beat reporter.
As many reading SBJ Media will know, I’m no stranger to this area, having written about TV viewership for years. Now, I’ll formally expand on that expertise and take on all intersections of media and sports business.
I’m champing at the bit to start this next challenge. Thank you to so many in the business that have already reached out. I look forward to working with all of you!
And I want to hear from all SBJ readers. What are you paying attention to? Who do we need as a guest on the SBJ Sports Media Podcast? Got a tip? Email or call anytime.
SBJ remains the tip of the spear for those seriously tuned in to sports business, and I’m incredibly honored to be taking on this new role.
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Montana State’s Champ’s Kids Club has announced a new partnership with The Future Fan, as the Bobcats prepare for the start of the 2025-26 sports season. The Future Fan is a U.S. company based in Arkansas that partners with other colleges and professional sports teams around the country to fulfill […]
Montana State’s Champ’s Kids Club has announced a new partnership with The Future Fan, as the Bobcats prepare for the start of the 2025-26 sports season.
The Future Fan is a U.S. company based in Arkansas that partners with other colleges and professional sports teams around the country to fulfill their exclusive membership programs.
This season’s Champ’s Kids Club membership ($50) includes an exclusive club t-shirt, mini-pennant, stickers, lanyard, and credentials, along with free admission to all home volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball games, and men’s and women’s tennis events. An additional perk is discounts on birthday parties at volleyball or basketball games and exclusive kid’s club events throughout the year.
The Future Fan will ship Champ’s Kids Club kits directly to your home. Fans should expect their kits within two weeks of ordering. To sign up for Champ’s Kids Club, sponsored by Billings Clinic, go to msubobcats.com (Fan Info).
2025 AVCA First Serve to Include Block Party in Lincoln
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), in conjunction with Visit Lincoln, is bringing the excitement beyond the court this summer with the AVCA First Serve Block Party, a free three-day celebration in Lincoln’s Railyard outside Pinnacle Bank Arena, Aug. 22–24, 2025. Fans can look forward to live entertainment, interactive activities, special guest appearances, and a […]
The American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA), in conjunction with Visit Lincoln, is bringing the excitement beyond the court this summer with the AVCA First Serve Block Party, a free three-day celebration in Lincoln’s Railyard outside Pinnacle Bank Arena, Aug. 22–24, 2025. Fans can look forward to live entertainment, interactive activities, special guest appearances, and a festival-like atmosphere leading up to—and during—AVCA First Serve, the nation’s premier collegiate volleyball showcase.
The AVCA First Serve Block Party transforms the Railyard into volleyball central with attractions for fans of all ages, including:
AVCA Merch Tent – Grab official event gear and show your volleyball pride.
Photo Trailer – Snap Instagram-worthy shots with friends and teammates.
Human Foosball – Take part in the oversized, action-packed version of the classic game.
Face Painting & Poster Decorating – Perfect for younger fans and team spirit displays.
Fitness & Yoga Sessions – Hosted by Good Life Fitness for an energizing start to the day.
Vertical Jump Test – See how high you can soar.
Meet & Greets – With USA Volleyball, Athletes Unlimited, LOVB, and the Omaha Supernovas.
Food Trucks – Serving up local flavors all weekend.
Main Stage Programming – Featuring live music, DJs, contests, interviews with current and former players and coaches, volleyball trivia, and ticket giveaways.
Check out this map with more info on the Block Party grounds and booths.
Daily Highlights:
Friday, Aug. 22 – Pep Rally & Red Carpet Walk at 3:45 p.m. (CT), live music from Honeytown, and evening celebrations running until midnight.
Saturday, Aug. 23 – Fitness Bootcamp, live music from the Chuck BrisenoBand, and a full afternoon of fan activities from noon to 3 p.m.
Sunday, Aug. 24 – Yoga session, more main stage entertainment, and closing celebrations from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.
Volleyball fans won’t want to miss the Rally Towels Giveaway for the first 200 fans each day and ticket giveaways at every watch party located at the stage.
“Lincoln is known for its incredible volleyball community, and the Block Party is the perfect way to connect fans, athletes, and the sport in a fun, energetic setting,” said AVCA CEO Dr. Jaime Gordon. “We’re thrilled to bring the excitement outside the arena and into the heart of the city.”
For more information on AVCA First Serve, including match times, go here.