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Professional women's basketball team coming to Savannah

The opening day for the team at the Enmarket Arena is scheduled for May 2026.

Professional women's basketball team coming to Savannah

The opening day for the team at the Enmarket Arena is scheduled for May 2026.

Uh Yeah, Won't be here long. All right, let's go ahead and get this thing started. Hello everyone, again, it is such *** pleasure to be here with all of you. It is an exciting day for Zo Sports and our entire community. I'm Amy Zimmer, the sports director at WJCL 22 News. We are *** proud. Part of the Savannah Goat Pirates from the ice to the rink to the field, the hardwood WJCL 22 takes *** great pride in delivering the most local sports coverage across Southeast Georgia in the South Carolina Lowcountry. As the first female sports director in the station's history, it's truly an honor to shine *** spotlight on women's sports and witness the incredible growth and impact of teams in our community. With that said, I am thrilled to be here and learn this exciting news with all of you today. Please join me in welcoming Donna Arrender to share the exciting announcements. Good morning everyone. How are you? All right, um, I guess I should tell you *** little bit about who I am um I'll do it this way I guess I was *** girl who loved to play sports when the world said you shouldn't and I have some people understand that, yeah. All right, but I didn't let that stop me, right? I persevered on. I played 7 sports in high school, and from there I chose one that I loved more than any in the whole world, and that was basketball. Still loved them all, which led me on *** tremendous adventure in the world of sports in terms of my professional career. I've worked in the business of media. Uh, and televised sports was then recruited to work for the PGA Tour for 17 years, which brought me to Jacksonville, Florida, and then ultimately recruited to become the 2nd commissioner of the WNBA. I guess that's what brings me here today today to be with all of you because we're really excited to talk about how my journey has now intersected with this incredible company called Zoyer Sports which you know all too well, um, as the ghost pirates have, aren't aren't they the place to be whenever they play here in Savannah. Well, we're gonna give you another place to be as we announce the launch of *** new professional women's basketball league. It's called. Thanks. It's called the Upshot League. I love that name because it's all about upping everyone's shot who's involved and let me tell you, we do this at *** time when women's sports growth is nothing but explosive. It's where revenues are estimated to exceed $1.3 billion. It's where there's an unprecedented appetite for more women's sports on television. And about 75% of fans are excited about new emerging sports leagues and teams. Hello and who's garnering the most conversation, the social conversation in women's sports these days? Women's basketball, right? Not surprising the level of talent, all that is going on when Caitlin Clark hugged Taylor Swift, I'm like, OK. Put tickets on sale now. The Upshot League is mission focused. It's about the uptick and the upbeat, the uptick in talent and the upbeat rhythm found in communities just like this beautiful one in Savannah who will now have great exciting dynamic entertaining sports experience, women's professional basketball. There's also this upswing of goodwill as we will bring community educational experiences we expand our celebrated impactful Generation W. So when I left the WNBA and I went back home, I said I want to do *** program that really uplifts our entire community, but I'm gonna focus on the opportunities and voices of women and girls. That program's now 15 years in the development and we're gonna be bringing it up here to Savannah. So not only can you get *** great sports experience, but we're gonna involve our entire community in some of these great programs. The Upshot League is about investing in people, in athletes and coaches, in front office personnel. It's about bringing in new owners our cap table you look at, we are really wanna bring women into the ownership group. Listen, we want all of you, don't, we wouldn't turn you all away, but for so long we have been on the sidelines and now it's time for us to be on the front lines. We have new fans that will be joining us, of course, and we'll be investing in girls' high school basketball as well as collegiate basketball in the market, and I know that Georgia Southern's what, about 45 minutes away. The team's pretty good, but you know, maybe we'll get to see *** little bit more of them. The Upshot league is where passion and progress are nurtured and where performance meets potential. So you might ask, where will we find the talent? I was looking at the mayor because I know he's *** big fan. Well, if you look at the WNBA, any WNBA fans here today, and In any given year, the league tracks about 150 up and coming or outgoing seniors all stars that will be that that they'd be looking to draft, so I ran some numbers recently, um, last 3 years dra the league drafted. 12 teams times 3, 36 last 3 years 108 players of those 108 players that were drafted, how many of those do you think actually made *** roster? 20 20. OK, you win the car it's outside, but there's there's no keys. OK? 20 and at the end of the season it's even less, and I'm only sharing those to you because there is such growth in the women's talent game that we are gonna be so blessed to have some of the best, most elite talent play in the upshot league. We're not only here to help, you know, it's, it's interesting because, uh, some of the WNBA players, I still have some of my draftees, not many, um, but they're quoted as saying there's at least 100+ players who do not make *** WNBA team who go who are qualified to play in the WNBA. So we're not and they so they don't get their shot. So what are we here for? We're here not only to help them get their shot, we will help them up their shot. The Upshot League will launch in 4 markets. Perhaps 6 says investment interest has been pretty robust. And today I could not be prouder to be here in Savannah to let you know that Savannah will be one of our, I don't know, I was talking to Scott. I think we should call you guys one of the OGs. We're gonna create an OG right now, an original franchise, *** leadership foundation founders team in the Upshot League. And of course we were playing in this very beautiful arena and I would expect that the seats will come at *** premium meaning that we'll probably sell out I don't know what do you think weeks you tell me the mayor said we're selling out in days please quote us on that. And I just wanted to share with you, I got to tell you *** little bit about me, but this is very personal and professional. It's *** tremendous labor of love because really for me it's *** it it it brings together *** belief in community, *** belief in women and girls, *** belief in all of us coming together to share with each other and to see the best in each other. I'm *** uh it's funny I'm *** I'm *** I'm *** I'm *** boy's mom. And uh it's been wonderful for my sons to grow up. One of them was *** division athlete actually played professional basketball for them to watch them grow up and appreciate the athletes that are all around them, right? The fellow, um, teammates as well as all the women's teams that they've supported. So this is really about the opportunity for us to uplift each other to see the best. It's about us upholding our promises to you to deliver an exciting entertaining experience brought to you by elite phenomenal athletes by when they get to God, the idea of them getting the the chance to play in Savannah, they don't know how good they're even gonna have it. So what we'd like to say now the Upshot League is the ascent starts here with all of you and all that we're gonna accomplish together. Mayor Johnson, I'm so proud to be here. I'm so grate grateful to be here to be part of this facility that we will now be *** part of in an even more in depth way on this very, very exciting day, um. I don't know what the name of the team yet is, but I am sure ladies and gentlemen you will submit names and let us know what you think it is but on May 20 26th we will be back here for an opening day that will be historical. Thank you so much. Good afternoon. Good afternoon, everyone. Well, good morning still. Um, it's Monte Jones. I'm the general manager here in Market Arena. I couldn't be more happy than to have another great tenant team, and it's great that it's already our partners with Zoya Sports, um, to be involved with them on another great partnership with *** team that will play and will have *** great fan and fun atmosphere here in Market Arena. Um, one of the great things to know is, as Donna stated about the great growth of women's basketball as *** whole. We've been able to have *** pinch point in starting that too here, where we reached both of those levels with both high school and the college by having the um high school with the um Savannah shootout with the local Savannah High School girls teams playing along with the boys, but then also with having the Savannah State uh men and women team both playing here um on an annual basis. So with having those women and young girls here in Savannah. To be *** part of the venue to play here, but then also at *** point coming in in 2026 to have professional women playing here that they can also look up to and inspire to get to that point at one point in their life is gonna be *** tremendous standpoint for this community as *** whole. So with that I'm just as excited. to have um these women and girls and I continue to play here in Market Arena and look forward to having them showcase all the great um and fun and great uh basketball um that they're gonna bring here. I got my Jys on today, so get ready. I'm ready to play with them as well and I'm gonna turn it over to the mayor. Thank you and, and good morning. Uh, good morning. It is *** great day in the greatest city on earth. Uh, we know her as Savannah, Georgia, where in one year you could have tropical storms, hurricanes, and snow storms, uh, and we survived them all, uh, and, and that's, that's called Savannah Strong. Uh, we believe here we can be everything to everybody. And we welcome you here to our world famous uh in Market Arena, which is breaking not only national but international records. I'll let Monty, uh, share all of those wonderful accolades that we are receiving here. Um, we're also home of the Savannah State University. So yeah, so we already have *** home team here in, in this market, and we're so excited about that. We're also, uh, the home of Flage Johnson. Uh, yeah, born in Savannah, uh, and, and making us very proud, uh, at LSU. Um, I'm so excited today for *** variety of reasons because Savannah is just *** place where everything happens. I remember very fondly the conversations that, uh, folks were having some time ago about whether hockey could happen in Savannah. And folks, it's never gonna happen, it's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. It's not gonna happen. And uh I went to *** Ghost Powers game *** week and *** half ago. Uh hockey is happening here in Savannah. And it's happening uh in ***, in *** major way. Uh, even our opposing teams want to play for the ghost powers so they can hang out in Savannah, not. Um, and, and at the time we were even talking about hockey. They're like, well, we're *** basketball city. And and that's why, uh, this, this, this female professional league makes so much sense here, uh, in our city. Uh, we know that the women are taking over and they are assuming their rightful place, uh, in sports. Uh, we just heard about the, the first soccer player, female soccer player to, to reach that million dollar contract. Um, we have watched, um, female basketball, women's basketball do so, so well, and I will tell you that I went to an Atlanta Hawks game this past Saturday and it is boring compared to women's basketball. Um, and so we are excited because this will create. Opportunities um for synergy uh for *** fan base that is excited um for visitors that come from around the world to visit anyway they'll have somewhere extra to be able to go uh and this will create *** fun and community based, uh, um, um. Opportunities for everybody. So, as you know and as I do, and I think Zoya and I thank um our Oak Oakview Group and in Market Arena for uh helping to provide these types of synergistic um opportunities for us. Um but Uh, for Jacksonville and Charlotte and for Greensboro, all these teams that we're going to beat. I said it. I'm, I'm, I'm good with that. All right, all right, make sure we're good about it because um we're, we're, we're not like we're gonna exceed attendance records like we've done with the Ghost Pirates, we're gonna win games. We're gonna win games, uh, and we're going to build *** new generation uh of, of female, um, elite sports. Players that will go off around the world and make their mark and they got their start right here. So the city of Savannah is very proud about what this means for us. We are all in and I'm gonna wear my JEs so that um Monty and I can get beat by some elite women basketball players that will not be televised, uh, but we'll go out and we'll we'll it will not be prime time um because they'll probably have to call EMS for me. But again, thank you all so much. Uh, it happens when we make it happen together. This is *** great formula for our city. I'm just so excited. I'm so excited. I came back from Atlanta last night for this announcement because that's how important it is and I'm going back to Atlanta to share the news. We have *** professional women's basketball team coming to the greatest city on earth. Thank you all so much. The All right, well, come on. OK. Thank you, Mayor. Thank you, Monty and thank you, Donna. And now, if you all can please turn your attention to the screen for *** special video. Every time I step on the floor, I feel it. *** dream calling my name. I see legends in the making. Woman who inspired me to believe. What if one day I can be just like them. I remember that looking her up. The whole, the ambition. I'd say those But sometimes Dreams need more than just hope. They need *** chance. *** place to grow To ride To prove we belong. For every girl who reaches for the stars. We're making *** way for all of us. All right, I don't know about you, but that video got me fired up. How about you? All right. All right. Well thank you all again for taking the time to come here today, and as *** journalist, it is my job to ask those hard hitting questions for you and bring the answers and I just so happen to have them in front of me on this piece of paper. So when does play begin and what's the schedule look like? Well, as we learned, play will begin May of 2026. There will be 40 total games. Half of those will be played. At home. For more information, you can visit the upshot League.com and the upshotsavannah.com. Of course we will have *** complete recap of today's events tonight on WJCL 22 News. To wrap things up, *** few photos will be taken here, and then the speakers will be available to speak with the media one on one. Again, thank you all for making the trip here to help celebrate this big announcement and have *** great afternoon.
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Professional women's basketball team coming to Savannah

The opening day for the team at the Enmarket Arena is scheduled for May 2026.

Watch the announcement in full in the video aboveUpdate 11:30 a.m.: The season will consist of 40 games, 20 of which will be played at home.Update 11:19 a.m.: Savannah will soon have a team in the Upshot women's basketball league. The opening day for the team at the Enmarket Arena is scheduled for May 2026.Initial report:Officials with the Savannah Ghost Pirates are scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday, during which they will make a major announcement.Check back around 11 a.m. to watch live.TRENDING STORIESImmigration sweep leads to DEA operations in Savannah, arrests in GeorgiaTwo people, one minor found dead at Statesboro apartmentCouple’s car damaged by falling ice during GDOT cleanup on Talmadge Bridge

Watch the announcement in full in the video above

Update 11:30 a.m.: The season will consist of 40 games, 20 of which will be played at home.

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Update 11:19 a.m.: Savannah will soon have a team in the Upshot women's basketball league.

The opening day for the team at the Enmarket Arena is scheduled for May 2026.

Initial report:

Officials with the Savannah Ghost Pirates are scheduled to hold a press conference Tuesday, during which they will make a major announcement.

Check back around 11 a.m. to watch live.

TRENDING STORIES