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Seattle Storm Named Finalist for ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year

June 28, 2022 - Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA)
Seattle Storm News Release


SEATTLE - The Seattle Storm is a finalist for ESPN's 2022 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award, ESPN announced today. The award is given to a sports team or organization that demonstrates how teamwork can create a significant impact on a community or cause.

The Storm is the second WNBA team and just the third professional women's sports team to be named one of the finalists for the ESPN Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year Award since its inception in 2015, following the U.S. Women's National Ice Hockey Team (2018) and the Atlanta Dream (2021). This year's finalists include the Denver Broncos (NFL), the Miami Heat (NBA) and the Pittsburgh Penguins (NHL).

Winners will be announced during the 2022 ESPYS broadcast on ABC on July 20 at 5 p.m. PT (8 p.m. ET).

"This nomination is a tremendous honor, one that reflects the players' advocacy and the entire Storm community's commitment to social change," said Alisha Valavanis, Storm President and CEO. "From our players to the ownership group and staff, to the support of our fans and the investment from our corporate partners, the level of engagement demonstrates the Storm's deep commitment to advocating for and creating social change."

Established in 2020, Force4Change is the Storm's comprehensive social justice platform. Bringing together players, front office, ownership and partners, Force4Change focuses on four key areas of impact: voting and education, amplification of Black women, support of BIPOC youth and BIPOC communities, and support of the LGBTQ+ community.

StormCares lies at the center of the Storm mission, connecting leaders, mentors and role models with the Puget Sound community by activating engaging and accessible platforms. In the arena and in the community, StormCares seeks to support youth to develop life-long healthy habits through empowerment and inclusion.

The Storm raised over half a million dollars for community partners in its first two years through initiatives such as Kicks for Equality, Storm Academy, Stats for Youth and Pride, all by amplifying players' activism and strategically joining forces with corporations who share the Storm values and community goals.

"The Storm has a culture rooted in the principles of team. Our organization strives to win championships and champion community change together." said Crystal Langhorne, Storm and Force4Change Director of Community Engagement. "I am grateful to work in a place where social justice efforts and advocating for positive change is a core to everything we are doing."

The Storm has two more Force4Change theme nights (Voting Rights Night, on July 1, and Believe in Women Night, on July 24) and two Storm Cares theme nights (Kid's Day, on July 12, and Storm Out Cancer Night, on July 17) scheduled this season. Fans can purchase tickets to the games while helping the Storm support those two programs by visiting http://ticketcentral.seattlestormbasketball.com or calling 206-217-WNBA (9622).

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