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☆ Lehmann most influential women's player on Instagram ahead of World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-28 | by ( Lori Ewing | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

Lehmann told talkSPORT recently: "Some people just see Instagram and social media and don't even know I actually play football ... Lehmann, who scored six goals in 31 games for Aston Villa this season and has 38 caps, comes in ahead of Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas, U.S. striker Morgan, and England captain Leah Williamson, who will miss the World Cup with a knee injury. Each Instagram post from Lehmann and Putellas, who in 2021 was the first player to win the UEFA Women's Player of the Year, Ballon d'Or Feminin and The Best FIFA Women's Player award in the same year, deliver over $100,000 of media value to brands. The rankings, created ahead of the World Cup that kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, are based on Nielsen's measurement tool InfluenceScope. Cristiano Ronaldo has the most Instagram followers among male players with over 530 million.

Persons: Alisha Lehmann, Alex Morgan, Jon Stainer, Nielsen InfluenceScope, MJ Jones, Roger Federer, Lehmann, talkSPORT, Alexia Putellas, Morgan, Leah Williamson, Putellas, Germany's Jule Brand, Megan Rapinoe, Jordyn Huitema, Alessia Russo, Sakina Karchaoui, Cristiano Ronaldo, Lori Ewing, Ken Ferris Organizations: Nielsen Sports, EA Sports, Coca, Twitter, Aston Villa, UEFA, FIFA, VfL Wolfsburg, Thomson Locations: MANCHESTER, England, Swiss, Spain, U.S, Nielsen's, Marta, Brazil, Canada, France, Australia, New Zealand

☆ Veterans Rapinoe, Morgan named in U.S. World Cup squad
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/2] Jun 10, 2023; Seattle, Washington, USA; OL Reign forward Megan Rapinoe (15) is seen before the game against the Kansas City Current at Lumen Field. Five players, Rapinoe, Morgan, midfielder Julie Ertz, defender Kelley O’Hara and goalkeeper Alyssa Naeher were part of the victorious U.S. World Cup squads in 2015 and 2019. The top-ranked Americans are fielding one of their least experienced squads in recent memory, with 14 of the 23 players going to their first World Cup, compared to 11 in 2019 and seven in 2015. Sam's sister and fellow midfielder, Kristie Mewis, was included in the roster for her first World Cup at age 32. Her Gotham FC team mate, Lynn Williams, also made the cut for the global showpiece tournament for the first time at age 30.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Michael Thomas Shroyer, Alex Morgan, Vlatko Andonovski, Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Savannah DeMelo, Andonovski, Sophia Smith, Trinity Rodman, Morgan, Julie Ertz, Kelley O’Hara, Alyssa Naeher, Mallory Swanson, Becky Sauerbrunn, Catarina Macario, Sam Mewis, Kristie Mewis, Lynn Williams, Aubrey Kingsbury, Casey Murphy, Alana Cook, Crystal Dunn, Emily Fox, Sofia Huerta, Kelley O'Hara, Emily Sonnett, Lindsey Horan, Rose Lavelle, Kristie, Ashley Sanchez, Andi Sullivan, Amy Tennery, Ed Osmond Organizations: Kansas, Lumen, YORK, Savannah, Women's Soccer League, U.S, Gotham FC, Washington, North, Courage, Chicago Red Stars, Portland Thorns FC, Diego Wave FC, NY Gotham FC, Racing Louisville FC, FC, Olympique Lyonnais, San Diego Wave FC, Angel, Thomson Locations: Seattle , Washington, USA, States, Australia, New Zealand, NJ, Angel, New York

☆ The hero in 2019, Rapinoe handed new role in fourth World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, June 21 (Reuters) - The United States's Megan Rapinoe will take on a different role in her fourth Women's World Cup appearance, coach Vlatko Andonovski said on Wednesday, as he named his 23-player squad for the quadrennial tournament. But when the 2023 World Cup kicks off on July 20 in Australia and New Zealand, the 2019 Ballon d'Or winner may take a backseat to a new generation of talent. "Megan Rapinoe is probably going to have a different role than the last World Cup or the previous two World Cups. The NWSL's 22-year-old MVP Sophia Smith, who was 10 when Rapinoe competed at the 2011 tournament, is poised to have a major role up front at this year's World Cup but still believes she has plenty to learn from the veterans. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York Editing by Toby DavisOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

Persons: Megan Rapinoe, Vlatko Andonovski, Donald Trump, Andonovski, Alyssa Thompson, Laura Harvey, Rapinoe, Sophia Smith, Alyssa, Thompson, Alex Morgan, Amy Tennery, Toby Davis Organizations: YORK, U.S ., National Women's Soccer League, Wales, Thomson Locations: U.S, Australia, New Zealand, New York

☆ USWNT reveals Women’s World Cup squad – with a little help from Biden and Taylor Swift
▼ + stars: | 2023-06-21 | by ( Ben Morse | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —The US Women’s National Team (USWNT) announced its squad for the upcoming 2023 Women’s World Cup on Wednesday as it bids to win its third consecutive title. Alongside the experienced core – Morgan, Rapinoe and O’Hara become the 10th, 11th and 12th USWNT players to be selected for four or more tournaments – is a selection of players making their World Cup debuts. The first lady added: “Joe and I can’t wait to watch this team soar at the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. The 2023 edition of the Women’s World Cup begins on July 20 and is being cohosted by Australia and New Zealand. The USWNT will begin its campaign to win its third successive Women’s World Cup title on July 22 against Vietnam in Group E. It has also been drawn alongside the Netherlands and Portugal.

Persons: Vlatko, Alex Morgan, Megan Rapinoe, Julie Ertz, Kelley O’Hara, Alyssa Naeher, – Morgan, Rapinoe, O’Hara, Alyssa Thompson, Trinity Rodman, Dennis, Joe Biden, Jill Biden, Taylor Swift, Shaquille O’Neal, Biden, Joe, ”, Morgan, Swift, ” Swift, “, ” Andonovski, we’ve Organizations: CNN, US Women’s National, NBA, US, National Soccer Team, ”, FIFA, Vietnam, “ Locations: France, USA, Australia, New Zealand, Netherlands, Portugal

☆ US finding it tough to fill Swanson's shoes 100 days before World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-12 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

[1/2] Apr 11, 2023; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; U.S. Womens National Team goalkeeper Casey Murphy (18) makes a save against the Republic of Ireland Womens National Team during the first half at CITYPARK. / Jeff Curry-USA TODAY SportsApril 11 (Reuters) - The United States were no closer to filling the void left by injured striker Mallory Swanson on Tuesday, securing an uneasy 1-0 victory against Ireland in a friendly just 100 days before the Women's World Cup. "The team was built - or was going to build - around Mal and Soph and their attacking power. Andonovski told reporters he gave as many players as possible the chance to stake a claim before he names his World Cup squad. Reporting by Amy Tennery in New York; Editing by Peter RutherfordOur Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.

☆ United States look for path forward without injured Swanson
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-10 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Apr 8, 2023; Austin, Texas, USA; U.S. Women's National Team forward Mallory Swanson (9) is escorted off field by medical personnel during the first half in a match against the Republic of Ireland Women's National Team at Q2 Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Dustin Safranek-USA TODAY SportsApril 10 (Reuters) - Striker Mallory Swanson is in a "good place" even though uncertainty surrounds her World Cup participation after she tore a patella tendon during Saturday's 2-0 win over Ireland, United States head coach Vlatko Andonovski said. You don't replace Mallory (Swanson) that easy. The United States called up Alyssa Thompson as Swanson's replacement after the 18-year-old made her senior national team debut in October. The United States play Ireland in St. Louis, Missouri, on Tuesday.

☆ United States get World Cup momentum with SheBelieves Cup win
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-23 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/4] Feb 22, 2023; Frisco, Texas, USA; Brazil forward Geyse (18) dribbles as United States of America defender Emily Sonnett (14) defends during the second half at Toyota Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Chris Jones-USA TODAY SportsFeb 22 (Reuters) - The United States got a boost of confidence as they beat Brazil 2-1 to clinch their fourth consecutive SheBelieves Cup title on Wednesday in Frisco, Texas, less than 150 days before the World Cup. "The whole time throughout the tournament, while we're in camp, we're talking about (how) it's not just about this tournament it's about preparation for the World Cup," head coach Vlatko Andonovski told reporters. But 24-year-old forward Swanson has all but assured she'll be part of the equation when they kick off the World Cup group stage in New Zealand against Vietnam. With only two more matches expected before the U.S. World Cup roster is announced, there is scarce time left for players to distinguish themselves.

☆ Brain implant startup backed by Bezos and Gates is testing mind-controlled computing on humans
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Ashley Capoot | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +7 min

Philip O'Keefe, one of Synchron's patients in the SWITCH clinical trial, using his BCI. Philip O'Keefe, one of Synchron's patients in the SWITCH clinical trial, was the first person in the world to tweet using a BCI device. About 20 months earlier, O'Keefe was implanted with Synchron's BCI. Synchron's technology has caught the attention of its competitors. Source: SynchronIn January, the medical journal JAMA Neurology published the peer-reviewed, long-term safety results from a trial of Synchron's BCI system in Australia.

☆ Purple protest as Canada players take pay dispute to the pitch
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-17 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +3 min

[1/5] Members of Canada's National Women's soccer team wear protest t-shirts before their match against the U.S. at the SheBelieves Cup women's soccer tournament in Orlando, Florida, U.S., February 16, 2023. The team's protest is the latest escalation in their dispute with Canada Soccer over pay equity issues. "Tonight, our players will be wearing purple as a symbol of protest," said the Canadian Players Association in a statement. The Canadians wore the purple t-shirts during warmups at Exploria Stadium in Orlando, Florida before changing into their traditional red kit but wearing purple tape on their wrists. The Olympic champions had boycotted training last Saturday while demanding immediate changes but reversed course later that day as Canada Soccer called their strike unlawful and threatened legal action.

☆ Messi shortlisted for FIFA's The Best Award with Mbappe and Benzema
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-10 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 10 (Reuters) - Argentina forward Lionel Messi is on the shortlist for the FIFA Best Male Player award, joined by Paris St Germain team mate Kylian Mbappe and Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, soccer's world governing body announced on Friday. Messi could win his second The Best trophy after leading Argentina to their third World Cup title by beating Mbappe's France in last year's final in Qatar, scoring seven goals during the tournament and earning his second Golden ball. World Cup Golden Boot winner Mbappe and France's 2022 Ballon d'Or winner Benzema feature for the first time among the three finalists. Spain midfielder Alexia Putellas could claim the Best Women's Player award for the second year in a row despite being sidelined since July with a knee injury. Forward Beth Mead is also nominated after leading England to the Euro 2022 title as the tournament's leading scorer and best player of the tournament.

☆ US Soccer to 'voice concerns' over Saudi sponsorship at Women's World Cup
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-09 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

Feb 9 (Reuters) - The U.S. Soccer Federation (USSF) said on Wednesday it would voice its concerns to FIFA over a reported Saudi Arabian sponsorship deal for the Women's World Cup. "While we cannot control how other organisations manage sponsorship selections for the tournaments we compete in, we can voice our concerns and will continue to support our players." The United States are FIFA's top ranked team and won the last two editions of the World Cup. The Guardian report triggered outrage in both host countries, with human rights activists and sportswomen saying Saudi sponsorship would be at odds with the tournament's messaging on empowerment of women and girls. Veteran U.S. forward Alex Morgan, who won the World Cup in 2015 and 2019, described the potential sponsorship as "bizarre".

☆ U.S. women's coach still tinkering ahead of World Cup defence
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-01 | by ( Amy Tennery | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

NEW YORK, Feb 1 (Reuters) - U.S. women's head coach Vlatko Andonovski is still tinkering with his squad to find what he hopes will be a winning combination at this year's World Cup, as the Americans bid for an unprecedented third straight title without former stalwarts. The U.S. kick off their title defence in the SheBelieves Cup, an annual round-robin tournament that this year also features Canada, Japan and Brazil on Feb. 16 in Orlando, Florida. With veteran Megan Rapinoe back in the mix after recovering from injury, Andonovski said the competition was a chance to be creative with the World Cup less than sixth months away. Mallory Swanson, whose stock rose with three goals across the United States' two friendlies last month against World Cup co-hosts New Zealand, was also named to the roster along with veteran Alex Morgan and rising star Trinity Rodman. "We're going to we're going to try different things and test different combinations of players."

☆ 2022 in gender equality: Share of female Fortune 500 CEOs hits all-time high, but other progress stalls
▼ + stars: | 2022-12-20 | by ( Morgan Smith | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +6 min

Women continue to face a significant wage gap that has hardly budged over the last 15 years, with women of color bearing the brunt of the disparity. The year "2022 really is a mixed bag when it comes to gender equality," says Melissa Boteach, the vice president for income security and child care/early learning at the National Women's Law Center. Aside from that victory, there has been little progress in closing the gender wage gap over the past decade. This year, the wage gap narrowed by one penny. The wage gap Black women face narrowed by about four cents in one year, while Latinas' wage gap didn't budge at all.

☆ Serena Williams, Justin Timberlake are among big-name investors in Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy's sports venture
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( Jessica Golden | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Co-founders Tiger Woods, Rory McIlroy and Founder, CEO Mike McCarley Courtesy: TMRWSportsTiger Woods' and Rory McIlroy's new sports startup — which is already planning a new golf league — is drawing some big-name investors. TMRW Sports' first project is its TGL golf league, which was launched in partnership with the PGA Tour this summer and comes as professional golf is being disrupted by the arrival of upstart league LIV Golf. TMRW Sports is looking to draw in younger sports fans with a format that makes the golf league more compatible with prime-time television. McCarley said the company sought investors who were passionate about golf and would represent a diversity of expertise and backgrounds in media and entertainment. Rendering of the custom built arena where the TGL golf league will play.

☆ Serena among big-name investors behind Woods and McIlroy's TMRW Sports
▼ + stars: | 2022-11-02 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Mandatory Credit: Danielle ParhizkaranNov 2 (Reuters) - TMRW Sports, a tech-focused company co-founded by Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, announced on Wednesday a star-studded investor group that includes tennis great Serena Williams and seven-times Formula One world champion Lewis Hamilton. The team of investors also includes four-time NBA champion Stephen Curry, three-times tennis Grand Slam winner Andy Murray, Japanese two-way standout Shohei Ohtani of Major League Baseball and two-time women's World Cup champion Alex Morgan. According to TMRW Sports, the initial investment group's sports experience also includes team ownership in every major league and ranges across F1, NFL, NBA, Premier League, MLB, NHL, MLS, tennis, esports, surfing, and golf. TMRW Sports -- pronounced 'tomorrow sports' -- was launched in August with the goal of using technology to help create new pathways for the next generation to enjoy sports. "Connect Ventures is thrilled to work alongside this world-class group of investors to support Tiger, Rory and Mike's vision to further accelerate the evolution of sports and make it more accessible for all."

☆ NFL Films is building its 'version of the Marvel universe' with a push into movies, dozens of TV projects, and partnerships with athletes from Tom Brady to Ronda Rousey
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-25 | by ( Claire Atkinson | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

NFL Films is in talks with Hollywood partners about expanding its TV and film efforts. "We have a sport that is most akin to Hollywood," NFL Films senior director Ross Ketover told Insider. Among the buyers are Disney's ESPN, ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+; AppleTV+ and Amazon Prime Video. NFL Films and Omaha also made a version starring MMA's Ronda Rousey called "Rowdy's Places," for ESPN+. NFL Films helped make a season of its Amazon series, "All or Nothing," for the English Premiere League's Manchester City back in 2018.

☆ Seeking nominations for the top athlete creators and media personalities in 2022
▼ + stars: | 2022-10-20 | by ( Colin Salao | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +3 min

Nominees may include active or recently retired professional or amateur athletes. LeBron James, Pat McAfee, and Alex Morgan are just some of the athletes that have started media companies. Recently retired athletes are those that have retired within the last five years (since 2018). Eligible retired athletes include Brandon Marshall (last played in 2018) and Redick (retired in 2021). Ineligible athletes include Lobo (2003), Rose (2007), and Pat McAfee (2017).

☆ These startups are beating Elon Musk in the race to let you mind meld with your computer
▼ + stars: | 2022-08-17 | by ( Adam Rogers | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +21 min

That's when I started reporting on them, and like any good nerd I was compelled by what scientists could learn with these "brain computer interfaces." The race for implantable brain chips has been a long, deliberate marathon. Graham Felstead, who has severe paralysis, was the first person to have a BCI inserted via the blood vessels. Brain chips will enable them to perform simple actions on their own and reduce the need for round-the-clock care. "When we started in 2015 and I was pitching venture capitalists on brain computer interfaces, no one knew what a brain computer interface was," says Matt Angle, the CEO of Paradromics.

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