Wasserman Launches the Collective Think Tank

By Gigi Picard ’22 

Sports Editor

On Sept. 21, 2020, Wasserman — a sports marketing and talent management company representing over 150 female athletes — announced on Twitter a new think tank from their recently created division, The Collective. The new division is a team working to embrace women’s sports, entertainment and culture. 

Wasserman is based in Los Angeles with offices in cities around the world such as London, Amsterdam, Dubai and more. There are also other offices in the U.S., including ones in Raleigh, North Carolina, and Dallas, Texas. Wasserman officially launched The Collective, a division of the company, with the aim of bringing visibility to women’s sports. The current president of Wasserman is Mike Watts. Casey Wasserman, who founded the company in 2002, serves as chairman and chief executive officer.  

The company currently represents well-known female athletes such as Tobin Heath, Katie Ledecky, Simone Manuel and Megan Rapinoe, and received praise for making the representation of women in sports a priority. 

Olivia Wreford, marketing manager for Wasserman’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, blogged on the company’s website about The Collective on Aug. 7, 2019. The blog mentions the actions Casey took to ensure a “growth and development of women in sports and entertainment.” In an effort to do so, the Wasserman Foundation, led by Casey, promised $1 million to their nonprofit partners, such as Women in Sports and Events and Evolve Entertainment Fund. Additionally, Wasserman planned on increasing “the number of female agents, data analysts and marketers in the industry.

The Collective also partners with AT&T, Orreco/FitrWoman, Snow Monkey, Google, Concacaf and the International Cricket Council. “The goal is ultimately to move women forward,” said Thayer Lavielle, The Collective’s executive vice president. According to sports business news website Ministry of Sport, Lavielle will lead the new think tank with Shelley Pisarra, executive vice president of global insights at Wasserman. The Collective Think Tank is partnered with AT&T, ESPNW, Concacaf, Nationwide, EverFi and Royal Bank of Canada. The think tank has also begun partnering with professors and students from 10 universities including the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Other participating schools include the School of Sport and Recreation and Tourism Management at George Mason University, the Ohio University College of Business and Ryerson University in Canada. These universities will launch research projects focusing on female fandom, consumption and purchasing power as well as how women who work in the business of sport are represented. At UMass Amherst, Nefertiti A. Walker, the vice chancellor, chief diversity officer and associate professor of sports management, talked about what it means for UMass Amherst to join the think tank. 

“Being a part of The Collective Think Tank allows us to leverage the power of multiple institutions and researchers, in our efforts to produce industry-changing research and insights on the economic power and social impact of women in sports,” a statement from UMass Amherst News and Media Relations said.“Several of those projects will be led by students, the future generation of sports marketers, while the balance will be led by the expertise of faculty academics.”“The unique thing about this think tank is it doesn’t exist in sports today, as it is, certainly in the women’s sports space,” Lavielle said about the project.

Original 9 Celebrate 50th Anniversary of $1 Contracts

Image courtesy of Flickr

By Gigi Picard ’22

Sports Editor

The Original 9 celebrate 50th anniversary of professional women’s tennis

The nation celebrates 50 years of women’s professional tennis 

50 years ago, nine women changed professional tennis with $1 contracts

Why women’s tennis changed 50 years ago with nine women and $1 contracts

Women’s tennis changed forever 50 years ago by nine women and $1 contracts

How nine women changed women’s tennis with $1 contracts

Women’s tennis has nine women and $1 contracts to thank 50 years later

Nine women, $1 contracts, two tournaments changed the world of women’s tennis

Tennis court battles: Nine women, $1 contracts, two tournaments

Nine women, $1 contracts, two tournaments, two men helped changed tennis

Women’s tennis celebrates the Original 9 and their counterparts 50 years later

Nine women, $1 contracts, two tournaments paved the way for women in tennis

On Sept. 23, 1970, female tennis players Rosie Casals, Nancy Richey, Billie Jean King, Valerie Ziegenfuss, Judy Tegart Dalton, Kerry Melville Reid, Jane Peaches Bartkowicz, Kristy Pigeon and Julie Heldman took a step forward in the fight for equal rights on the tennis courts. Two of them were Australian and seven were American. 

This year marks the 50th anniversary of when those nine women, called the “Original 9,” each signed a $1 contract under the guidance of World Tennis Magazine founder Gladys Heldman. King wrote about this event in The Players’ Tribune, where she said,  “With one unified voice, each of us signed a ceremonial $1 contract with Gladys to play in the inaugural Virginia Slims of Houston.”

“We drew a line in the sand and we put everything we had on that line,” King continued in The Tribune. “It was now up to us to create our own tour, to find a place to make a living and to breathe life into women’s professional tennis.”

Around the 1960s and 1970s, men’s tennis became increasingly popular, which meant that female tennis players were given fewer opportunities for pay and play. 

What ignited the women’s contract decision was the fact that former tennis player and promoter Jack Kramer would not reduce a specific tournament’s 12:1 ratio of men’s to women’s prize money. The women almost played in the Pacific Southwest Open in Los Angeles, California; however, the men’s champion would receive $12,500, while the women’s champion would receive only $1,500. 

A boycott was started by King and Casals, but it failed. “We wanted to be paid equally and we wanted to be treated fairly,” King said in The Tribune. “Originally we had hoped to partner with the men’s tennis tour and have a unified voice in the sport on a global basis. But the guys wanted no part of it. And not every women’s player wanted to join us.”

The women then regrouped and formed the Virginia Slims circuit, and with it, women’s professional tennis. Later, Heldman encouraged the nine to hold what would become the first Virginia Slims tournament in Houston, Texas. The name of the tournament is due to their sponsor, Virginia Slims, a cigarette brand owned by Philip Morris that Heldman was able to obtain.

“She knew how to get a sponsor, she had great connections,” Ziegenfuss said about Heldman in an interview with the Women’s Tennis Association.

The U.S. Lawn Tennis Association was not in support of the women. Instead, officials threatened to suspend any tennis players who took part in the tournament.

In March 2020, Julie Heldman sat down with Scott Flink from USOpen.org to discuss her mother and the Original 9. “At some level, the women who ended up being the Original 9 were brave, but at another level, there was not much to lose,” she said. “My favorite threat of theirs was that you can’t have two professional tournaments in the country at the same time, but that was not true. Their other threat was we could have a tournament, but it had to be amateur. Nobody wanted to do that. So my mother came up with the idea of everybody signing to become a contract pro. We went out and had that photo taken of all of us holding the $1 bills.”

Casals was the first winner of the invitational with Dalton as the runner-up. The prize money awarded was $7,500. In an interview on Sept. 16, 2020 with Matt Fitzgerald from tennis.com, Casals expressed her gratitude for Virginia Slims, the sponsor which allowed women’s tennis to become a professional sport. 

As of today, all members of the Original 9 are retired. Gladys Heldman passed away in 2003. In 1972, King helped pass Title IX legislation that would ban sex discrimination in sports. The following year, King announced a boycott of the U.S. Open tournament unless men and women were granted equal pay. Her campaign was successful, and men and women received equal prize money in that tournament. 

Also in 1973, King founded the WTA, which would bring together all of the women's professional tennis tournaments in a single tour. Virginia Slims stopped sponsoring women’s tennis in 1990 and General Foods took over as the new sponsor. This year the WTA announced that The International Tennis Hall of Fame also opened a new exhibit about the Original 9 called “We’ve Come a Long Way” in honor of the Original 9. 

While men and women receive equal prize money in tournaments, there is still a pay gap in tennis. According to CNBC, “At the 2015 Western & Southern Open in Ohio, Serena Williams was paid $495,000 for winning the women’s tournament title while Roger Federer was paid $731,000.” Further, CNBC added that even the top 100 female earners in tennis make 80 cents to the dollar of what the top 100 male earners make. The large pay disparity shows there is still a large inequality in some tennis tournaments.

Team of the Week: Mount Holyoke Cross Country

Image courtesy of Mount Holyoke College Athletics

This week’s team of the week is Mount Holyoke Cross Country. 

Last year, Mount Holyoke Cross Country finished their season on Nov. 16 at the NCAA Division III Championships hosted by Bowdoin College. The Lyons placed seventh out of 54 teams with 267 points. Both Madeline Rieders ’21 and Hannah Rieders ’21 earned All-Region honors since they placed within the top 35 in their 6k course race. 

Coach Chris Kibler gave insight as to what the team has accomplished over the summer. According to him, the team has “kept up regular communication with Zoom calls, phone calls, text and group messages.”

Kibler also discussed fundraising for the Athletes Taking Action Challenge. “We were nominated by MHC Field Hockey, and were able to raise $1200 for two organizations that will continue to help move the Black Lives Matter movement in the right direction,” Kibler explained. “We were then able to nominate MHC Rowing and Bryn Mawr XC/T&F [Cross Country/Track and Field] to take on the challenge,”

Kibler continued to explain what MHCXC is up to this fall. The team has had virtual synchronous and asynchronous practices and will compete in virtual asynchronous races throughout the fall. In the team’s first week of competition, they placed 4th overall in a 3,000m race against national competitors.

“We had team tryouts just like every year during the first week of official practice, and had many outstanding efforts and several personal bests,” Kibler said. “I am so proud of the team for working hard for something bigger than themselves during a time of so much uncertainty. The adversity and experiences they face now are making them into the most incredible people in the world.”

In our next publication, Mount Holyoke Field Hockey will be highlighted as the team of the week

Mount Holyoke Athletics Eliminates Golf Team

Pictured Lahela Delaney ‘21. Photo courtesy of Mount Holyoke Athletics.

By Gigi Picard ’22

Staff Writer

On Sept. 10, Director of Athletics Lori Hendricks announced the elimination of the Mount Holyoke Golf varsity team in a statement published on the Mount Holyoke athletics department website. 

Hendricks cited the decision as coming “after an extensive review of many factors, including student interest, indoor practice needs, competitive season, coaching support and conference alignment.” According to her, “This decision will allow the Department of Physical Education and Athletics to reallocate the resources from the program to support the broader-reaching priorities of the departmental strategic plan, enhancing the overall student-athlete experience at Mount Holyoke.”

 In its 2019-2020 season, the golf team competed in five tournaments between September and October. Their final tournament, the NYU Invitational, took place on Oct. 5, 2019, at the Forest Hill Field Club in Bloomfield, New Jersey. The Lyons placed fifth overall out of nine teams, with a finish of 690 strokes. Mount Holyoke Golf was expected to participate in more tournaments last April; however, the cancellation of Mount Holyoke varsity sports due to COVID-19 regulations prevented the team from competing. 

 Further in the announcement, Hendricks shared more information about the golf team’s history. “The program’s history dates back to the 1975-76 academic year and will be remembered through the student-athletes that have excelled among the nation’s top competition and multiple appearances at the NCAA Division III Championship Tournament,” Hendricks wrote. “Mount Holyoke College will continue to honor the history of the program, its tremendous golf alums and committed coaches.”

With regard to the Mount Holyoke Golf home course, The Orchards Golf Club, Mount Holyoke students, staff and alumni will still be able to use the course even after the discontinuation of the golf team. 

 Hendricks sent an email regarding the decision to all members within Mount Holyoke Athletics, including student-athletes, on Sept. 17. The College also officially released the same information to the public on Sept. 17, in an announcement which alluded to the possibility of further changes in the athletic department. The statement read, “As a direct follow-up to the strategic plan for Athletics, we will also be undertaking a comprehensive review of our Equestrian Center and initiating an academic program review of physical education.”

The Latest With Mount Holyoke Athletics

By Gigi Picard ’22

Sports Editor

Despite a national trend of cutting athletic programs due to COVID-19, Mount Holyoke College Athletics has not eliminated any varsity or club sports teams. During the spring 2019 semester, seasons were cut short and the final game played by student-athletes was a lacrosse scrimmage between Mount Holyoke and Smith colleges, which occurred just before both colleges closed for the academic year. 

In late August, athletes and coaches were reunited over Zoom for their traditional student-athlete barbecue. Led by Director of Athletics Lori Hendricks, the virtual Zoom event tried to bring back the lively spirit felt at barbecues from years past. One effort to bring the athletic community together was the unforgettable “Y-O-K-E” cheer. 

For Mount Holyoke Athletics, there are no in-person practices or competitions this semester. The College’s athletic programs this year will focus more on holistic community building rather than only the physical aspects of sports. 

Hendricks worked on the New England Women’s and Men’s Athletic Conference (NEWMAC) COVID-19 working group this summer, alongside several colleagues, directors of athletics, team physicians and athletic trainers. The purpose of the group was to develop plans and protocols for fall practices and competitions. Decisions were made at the conference level to host conference-only contests in the fall. Winter sport contests would be delayed until January.

For Hendricks, the future of the Mount Holyoke athletics department was a main consideration while working with the group. 

Hendricks explained that the department’s priorities and strategic plan lie with “competitive success, recruitment and retention, diversity and inclusion, student well-being, community integration and physical education.” Hendricks highlighted the importance of student-athlete safety during this time, as well as trying to find ways for fall sports to potentially compete in the spring. 

According to Hendricks, the current plan is to work with the NEWMAC conference — Mount Holyoke’s athletic conference — and the NCAA. “We are working with the NEWMAC and the NCAA to prepare a proposed competitive schedule for our fall, winter and spring teams in the spring semester. For squash and equestrian, who have different governing organizations, we are looking to their national leadership to provide guidance on spring schedules.” 

According to Associate Director of Athletics Erica Lemm, the Student Athletic Advisory Committee met during the summer to talk about the challenges presented by COVID-19 and other questions raised by the Black Lives Matter movement.  

“SAAC just added a Diversity and Inclusion subcommittee as well as [a] Diversity and Inclusion representative to [the] E-Board,” Lemm said. “Most importantly, they're laying the groundwork for important diversity, equity, and inclusion conversations to continue by creating a book club and discussing how best to have team dialogues,” she added.  

Mount Holyoke Athletics has plans to address NCAA legislation, host a virtual version of  the annual toy drive and continue to engage with Girl Inc., with whom they formed a partnership last year. The department also plans to recognize “teams of the week,” replacing last year’s regular “game of the week.” 

“Soon I'll be releasing programming for mental wellness, diversity and inclusion and leadership in conjunction with the NEWMAC,” Lemm said. “Additionally, we're continuing with the Student-Athlete Leadership Team and our newest group, the First-Generation and Ethnic Minority Student-Athlete Group.”

The future continues to remain uncertain for spring sports. Any further updates will be provided by the Mount Holyoke athletics department and the Mount Holyoke News.

Tennis seasons opens versus Vassar

BY GIGI PICARD ’22

Mount Holyoke Tennis picked up where they left off from the fall season as they hosted Vassar College in their spring season opener on Saturday, Feb. 22. 

“We are having a great start to our season,” Ching-Ching Huang ’20 said. “We started really strong against Vassar on Saturday, which means we have a lot to look forward to in the next few months. It was especially exciting because this was our first time playing Vassar using the six singles, three doubles match up.” 

In doubles play, duo Hannah Middleton ’22 and Shweta Kiran Cavale ’23 bested their opponents 8-1. 

“This season I am focusing on the mental aspect of my game,” Cavale said. We are following the [motto], ‘I am not going to lose, and currently this is what I am building upon.’” 

“It feels great being back on the court.” Middleton added. “I definitely think I’m still working on getting back to how I played before but so far, so good.” 

Doubles teams Huang and Annissa Aamoum ’22 and Catherine Peabody ’20 and Anya Gerasimova ’21 both fell to their opponents. 

In singles play, Huang edged out nationally-ranked Miriam Gandham 6-3. “I played especially well this weekend and was able to pull off a big upset against a nationally ranked player,” Huang said. Gandham was ranked number 12 in all of Division III women’s tennis and number six in the Northeast Region. 

Aamoum, Middleton, Gerasimova, Cavale and Peabody fell to their opponents in the singles matches. 

The Lyons’ record is now 2-1 as they fell 7-2 against Vassar. “The rest of the team fought hard both in singles and doubles,” Huang said. “Our overall score doesn’t reflect how well we competed.” 

Mount Holyoke College will host Bates College at the Mount Holyoke Field House on Saturday, Feb. 29.