What's Going on With Pro Women's Sports in the Bay Area?

Bay Curious

KQED

History, Society & Culture, Places & Travel

4.9 • 999 Ratings

🗓️ 20 July 2023

⏱️ 18 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

Our question asker noticed the Bay Area has many professional men's teams but not a single women's or non-binary professional team. What gives? Smaller cities are able to pull it off, why can't we? In this episode we dive into the history of elite women's sports in the region. We'll learn about some professional teams from yesteryear, plus new efforts underway to make a women's team succeed here. Additional Links: Read a transcript of this episode. Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by making a donation. This story was reported by Kelly O'Mara. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Amanda Font, Christopher Beale and Brendan Willard. Additional support from Cesar Saldana, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Jasmine Garnett, Carly Severn, Jenny Pritchett and Holly Kernan.

Transcript

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0:00.0	From K-QED. Our question asked her this week has been puzzling over something for a while.
0:08.0	She noticed the Bay Area has a men's football team, a men's basketball team, a men's soccer team, men's hockey team,
0:15.2	and at least for now, two men's baseball teams.
0:18.8	That's a whole lot of teams, but something is missing.
0:22.4	Why isn't there a professional women's or non-binary team in the Bay Area?
0:28.0	This is a FIFA to Wheel, and she works for the women's and non-binary semi-pro ultimate frisbee team, the San Francisco
0:35.2	Falcons.
0:36.2	So she's paying attention to the women's sports landscape.
0:39.6	And she thinks our region seems to have a lot going for it. A large population and generally
0:45.1	progressive values that would seem welcoming to a pro-women's team, but no team.
0:50.8	Just why a lot of other states and areas have one. Why doesn't the Bay Area have one?
0:58.0	Well the good news first we are getting one. Last month the newest team in the National Women's Soccer League
1:04.8	the Bay FC held their launch event. Okay you ready? One two three.
1:11.8	Bank FC! This is Brandy Chastin, of World Cup fame, who grew up playing soccer on the Boys Squad in San Jose.
1:21.0	She's introducing the new Bay Area Women's Pro team.
1:25.0	All right, all right, all right.
1:27.0	So that's our first year.
1:28.5	I love it.
1:29.6	The team is getting ready for its debut season in spring 2024 and it comes as women's
1:35.0	sports are booming right now but Chastain says it took a long time to make happen.
1:40.5	You know my mom used to say to me good things come to those who wait and I
1:44.3	think you don't rush things like this and it has to be the right time and the right
	...

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