Myah Hovey, a member of the Albany Alleycats and Shaker High School varsity soccer teams, shows off her autographed Claire Hutton jersey Saturday at Afrim's Sports Park in Colonie, where she also works as a referee. Hutton's No. 14 jersey is listed as a "best seller" on the Kansas City Current's website. (Photo courtesy of Kiera Hovey)
I went into a Lids sports merchandise store at an outlet mall, and her jersey wasn't available despite NBA star Caitlin Clark’s massive popularity.
I wasn’t shopping for one of her jerseys, but I asked the clerk why they weren’t in stock. He said to check online. He also told me I wasn’t the first person to ask him that question. The store had zero jerseys of female athletes.
Caitlin Clark attends the 2024 A Year In Time dinner at Current at Chelsea Piers on Wednesday in New York City. The magazine name the WNBA star its Athlete of the Year. (Photo by Jason Mendez/Getty Images)
Maya Moore Irons looks on during a WNBA game between the Minnesota Lynx and the Indiana Fever on Aug. 24, in Minneapolis. ESPN’s documentary “Breakaway,” chronicles Moore’s decision to leave the WNBA to fight for the release of Jonathan Irons. (Kerem Y'cel/Minnesota Public Radio via AP)
Dick’s Sporting Goods has come a long way in recent years, with Clark, Angel Reese, A’ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu well represented with an extensive selection of jerseys, T-shirts and signature shoes. Kate Martin is another big seller, and her Aces jersey is a steal now that she is headed to the Golden State Valkyries as part of the WNBA expansion draft. What I want to see are more women’s sports items hanging in stores and promoted by advertising.
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Personally, I often find myself going to league and team sites for purchases. The new Professional Women’s Hockey League sweaters are very cool. We know where to find what we want in an effort to lift up women’s sports. And that........