Feel Good Friday: ESPN’s Terrika Foster-Brasby And The WNBA League Pass
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espnW Around the Rim podcast producer and WNBA super fan Terrika Foster-Brasby is taking her love for the league and paying it forward by collecting donations to provide fans with a free WNBA League Pass subscription.
Front Row asked Foster-Brasby about this idea.
What inspired you to start this grassroots effort?
I was actually inspired by a tweet! The owner of One Brand Agency, Alexis Robinson, has been doing this out of her own pocket. As an advocate of the game, she’s been doing this under the radar.
One of the fans she gave a pass to tweeted about it. A dear friend, Amanda Aubrey, Esq., retweeted it with the pledge to donate a few league passes of her own and the action item to “pay it forward.”
When I saw the tweet, I decided to donate a few league passes of my own with the same encouragement to pay it forward. My tweet happened to be the one to circulate, and out of nowhere, friends and others began asking to send me their money to donate a subscription. Of course, I said yes, as it was just a couple of people at first. Then over 24 hours, it grew with more people donating, and it truly turned into something special.
Why is access to WNBA League Pass important for the growth of the sport?
One of the biggest challenges that those of us who cover the WNBA hear regularly is that people find it hard to find or access the games. The excuse is usually that they would watch more WNBA if they knew where the games were airing. Well, this initiative eliminates that challenge. The league pass allows access to all the games from various devices.
https://twitter.com/SheKnowsSports/status/1389646405329899521
What this effort has taught me is that the WNBA has a large international fan base that can only access games via this platform.
NEW YORK AT CHICAGO
In the 25th season of the WNBA, ESPN continues its longstanding commitment to the league with “25 for 25” Presented by Google, 25 games over the course of the regular season. Sunday, May 23, the New York Liberty visit the Chicago Sky (1 p.m. ET). Visit ESPN Press Room for more WNBA schedule information.
Being able to offer free league passes to fans grows the game domestically and internationally. The WNBA league pass is only $16.99, and yet, due to the effects of the pandemic and other financial challenges, some fans simply don’t have the extra money to purchase.
This effort exposes the league to new fans and gives existing fans without the means to purchase the league pass an opportunity to enjoy a full season of the sport they love.
How many subscriptions have you been able to gift and do you have an ultimate goal for number of subscriptions?
I honestly have not counted the number of people who have donated to the effort, but in total, we have been able to gift over 350 subscriptions to fans. There are so many people who truly want to see this game grow and it showed over the last week.
What was your first WNBA experience as a fan?
I have been a WNBA fan since tipoff 1996. Liberty/Sparks – Rebecca Lobo [now an ESPN basketball analyst] and Lisa Leslie. I remember when Sheryl Swoopes got her shoe deal with Nike and I convinced my middle school basketball coach to ditch the Anfernee Hardaways for the Air Swoopes as the team shoe. I was 11 years old at the time. I’m now 36, so I have been a part of this 25-year experience as fan, and now as a member of the media. It just thrills me to be able to watch this sport evolve, and if I can play a part in its growth, no matter how small a part, I’m honored to do so.
You heard @TiffanyAGreene … and she knows what she’s talking about!
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— Around The Rim (@AroundTheRimPod) May 19, 2021
