Sports
Sabrina Ionescu joins Bay FC ownership group: It’s ‘like a pinch-me moment’
The last 12 months for Sabrina Ionescu have been like a movie.
Last February, she lit up the NBA All-Star stage in a one-on-one 3-point shootout with her role model and friend Steph Curry of the Golden State Warriors. In June, the Sabrina 2 dropped, the second edition of her signature Nike shoe — embraced by men and women hoopers. In August, she won a gold medal in the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris. In October, she won a WNBA championship with the New York Liberty, a run that included an epic game-winning 3-pointer in Game 3.
Now, she’s a team owner. Ionescu is the latest investor in Bay FC, the NWSL’s franchise in her home area.
“I feel like I was just in high school not that long ago, playing in that community,” Ionescu told The Athletic. “When I sit back and think about how young I am and how fast everything has come, it is pretty crazy. Especially on this side of things, being an investor in a professional league. A lot of people do that so much later in their career. For me to be a part of the business side of things so early on, I think it kind of set me up for the future.
“Now being able to impact a franchise, that is pretty crazy to think about. It’s kind of like a pinch-me moment and, obviously, very humbling.”
Ionescu becoming an investor in Bay FC makes sense because of where she’s from. The Bay Area’s own. The pride of Miramonte High School. And, with apologies to the Liberty, the hope of many to be the near-future face of the new Golden State Valkyries.
Ionescu is also taking on the role of Bay FC’s official commercial advisor, which makes sense because of her place in this modern landscape of sports and business that’s carving out space for women. Her desire to be hands-on with helping Bay FC maximize that potential is a coup for the Bay Area’s NWSL squad.
Loyal to the soil.
We’re excited to welcome 2024 WNBA Champion, Olympic Gold Medalist, 3x WNBA All-Star and the Bay’s own, @sabrina_i20 to the family as Investor & Commercial Advisor.
📰: https://t.co/utesbXJOmy#BayFC x #BayAreaUnite pic.twitter.com/RdsCcQVaFD
— Bay Football Club (@wearebayfc) March 3, 2025
Conceptually, it’s an ideal marriage. A Bay Area-bred superstar joining the Bay Area franchise in the mix of the changing landscape of Bay Area sports. With Bay FC established, the Valkyries coming, and even the Oakland Soul — of the USL W League — growing, this region is increasingly a flex of the viability of women’s sports.
Bay FC — which set the NWSL record with 11 wins by an expansion club and made the playoffs in its inaugural season — finished top three in the league in ticket revenue and No. 1 in merchandise sales. After selling out the home opener last March, creating a moment in Bay Area history, it’s been a steady uptick.
“It’s been pretty cool to see,” Ionescu said, “just being a Bay area native, seeing how many season tickets they’ve been selling. Seeing 18,000 people at the home opener was insane. So many things go on in the Bay area, so you really understand (that was a display of) how many people really want to watch women’s sports.”
Adding Ionescu to the ownership — along with Andre Iguodala, Shaun Livingston, Andrew Luck and Manu Ginobili — suggests the growth potential. A young pioneer is now in the mix. The college basketball phenom has turned into a big dog.
Ionescu was the first women’s basketball player to have a unisex signature collection with Nike. The Sabrina 2 became the most worn among current basketball shoes across the NBA. She was also mentored and validated by the late Kobe Bryant.
“Having someone like Sabrina brings more attention,” said Jen Millet, Bay FC’s COO. “It sends the message that this is a real thing. It’s growing. It’s significant. We’re on a rocket ship. And if you get in now and you’re a part of this, you’re going to over-index. You’re going to out-punch whatever your investment is right now. This is a big win. She’s essentially entering her prime. She’s youthful. She’s on the upswing. We’re on the upswing.”
This is just the beginning of Ionescu’s growing stature in the Bay Area. Ionescu is set up to be a pillar in these parts: with her strong roots in the community; with Curry as a role model; and now, with the Bay FC’s Founding Four as her co-workers. And maybe one day — she’s an unrestricted free agent after this WNBA season — calling Chase Center her home.
“Seeing 18,000 people at the home opener was insane,” Sabrina Ionescu said of Bay FC’s debut last March. “… you really understand how many people really want to watch women’s sports.” (Michael M. Santiago / Getty Images)
Ionescu is bringing a different paradigm. One where ballers are ballers and sports are sports and where quality matters more than identity.
It’s been one of the elements bolstering the claims of Bay FC’s potential. Brands that formerly just associated with women’s sports for the sake of looking good no longer need to make those overtures. More and more, those who do invest in women’s sports do so because they believe in its promise.
Part of Ionescu’s Bay Area legacy will be helping shift that paradigm. To where game recognizes game.
“It’s been fun to finally kind of see everyone else come along to seeing that as well,” Ionescu said. “These are all such monumental moments in what now is taking place in the rest of society, of being able to give individuals their flowers no matter if it’s a women’s sport or not. There have been so many steps that people have taken and continuously take to create that equality amongst sports. It’s fun to see the point that we’re at now, but it’s even more exciting to see where it’s going. We’re scratching the surface of where we want to go in terms of salary, respect, viewership and sponsorships.”
Ionescu has yet to make her debut at San Jose’s PayPal Park for a game. That will likely happen next month when Bay FC starts its 2025 NWSL campaign. But she’s already official like a referee whistle. Stamped with the swaggiest seal. A letterman jacket, luxuriously thick. Navy blue like the peacoat of a longshoreman with white trim and a white Old English B on the left chest. And BayFC on the back.
It’s coveted merchandise in these parts. It’s given exclusively to investors of the franchise and VIPs. Ionescu is both.
“Of course, I’ve got my jacket,” she beamed. “You know I got one.”
(Top photo of Sabrina Ionescu during the New York Liberty’s WNBA championship parade in October: Angela Weiss / AFP via Getty Images)
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The Las Vegas Raiders and the Baltimore Ravens made a blockbuster trade ahead of the start of NFL free agency.
Las Vegas is trading five-time Pro Bowl edge rusher Maxx Crosby to the Baltimore Ravens, per multiple reports.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) against the Arizona Cardinals during a preseason NFL game at State Farm Stadium on Aug. 23, 2025. (Mark J. Rebilas/Imagn Images)
The Raiders will receive two first-round picks from the Ravens, including the No. 14 overall pick in next month’s NFL draft, one report said.
The 28-year-old Crosby had 10 sacks last season and has reached double digits four times in his seven seasons.
Las Vegas Raiders defensive tackle Jonah Laulu (96) and defensive end Maxx Crosby (98) celebrate during the second half of an NFL football game against the Houston Texans in Houston, Texas, on Dec. 21, 2025. (Ashley Landis/AP Photo)
The Raiders last appeared in the playoffs back in 2021 but have gone 7-27 over the past two seasons. They have the No. 1 pick in the 2026 draft, which is expected to land them Indiana quarterback Fernando Mendoza.
The Ravens, meanwhile, are entering a new era, after firing longtime head coach John Harbaugh and replacing him with former Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter.
Maxx Crosby of the Las Vegas Raiders sniffs smelling salts during an NFL game between the Las Vegas Raiders and Denver Broncos at Empower Field At Mile High on November 20, 2022 in Denver, Colorado. (Michael Owens/Getty Images)
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The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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Two top City Section baseball teams, El Camino Real and San Fernando, faced off Friday in a pitcher’s duel that went eight innings.
Senior Ray Pelayo of San Fernando kept throwing strikes, keeping El Camino Real off balance for 7⅔ scoreless innings with eight strikeouts and one walk. But then came a balk that scored the winning run in El Camino Real’s 1-0 victory.
Hudson December threw six scoreless innings for El Camino Real and Andrew Katzman struck out three in two scoreless innings.
South Torrance 4, El Segundo 3: In a battle of unbeaten Pioneer League teams, South Torrance (6-0) received a walk-off single from Owen Rhodes in the bottom of the seventh. El Segundo tied it 3-3 in the top of the seventh on a two-out, three-run home run by Chase Mattoon. Issac Orozco struck out nine in five innings and also homered for the Spartans.
Crespi 3, Saugus 2: Justin Kim had two RBIs for the Celts.
Sylmar 7, Legacy 1: Rickee Luevano threw a two-hitter with nine strikeouts.
Sierra Canyon 12, West Ranch 1: Isaias Tirado hit a three-run home run and four pitchers combined to give up five hits.
Mater Dei 15, Rockwall-Heath (Texas) 1: Ezekiel Lara had three hits and five RBIs in Texas. Earlier, the Monarchs gave up seven runs in the third inning of an 8-1 loss to Rockwall-Heath.
St. John Bosco 1, Gahr 0: Star closer Jack Champlin got a strikeout to end the game, finishing two shutout innings of relief. Champlin drove in the game’s only run with an RBI double in the sixth inning. Julian Garcia struck out six with no walks in five innings for St. John Bosco.
San Juan Hills 11, Cypress 0: Garrett Gandolfo threw five scoreless innings with seven strikeouts and Clay Riggs contributed three RBIs for San Juan Hills.
Santa Margarita 1, Damien 0: Warren Gravely IV had the only RBI in the Eagles’ win. Tyler Unter struck out six in five shutout innings.
Garfield 9, Cleveland 7: Omar Martinez had three hits and Victor Alvarez drove in three runs for Garfield. Joshua Pearlstein finished with three hits for Cleveland.
Palos Verdes 8, West Torrance 0: Kai Van Scoyoc struck out nine in five innings and Asher Friedman had a home run and a double for Palos Verdes.
Valencia 12, Chatsworth 0: An eight-run second inning helped lead the Vikings to a five-inning win.
Bishop Amat 13, Gardena Serra 2: Joaquin Ortiz finished with three hits and four RBIs.
Corona Centennial 19, Eastvale Roosevelt 3: Devin Bishop and Emiliano Castaneda each hit home runs for Centennial.
Servite 6, Anaheim Canyon 1: Mickey Cabral went three for four and Cole Grothues struck out three in 2⅓ innings of scoreless relief.
Corona Santiago 5, Crean Lutheran 4: Jonathan Thorton delivered three hits and two RBIs for the Sharks.
Fullerton 1, Chaparral 0: Garrett Wrightman threw four innings of scoreless relief and Caleb Brown had an RBI double in the third inning for Fullerton.
Edison 11, Tesoro 7: Ben Wilson hit a grand slam and finished with five RBIs for Edison.
El Dorado 10, Granada Hills 4: Lorenzo Favela hit a three-run home run to lead El Dorado.
Ayala 7, San Dimas 1: Caleb Trugman struck out nine with zero walks in a complete game.
Loyola 14, Venice 1: Wyatt Clougherty had three hits and Luca Marucci contributed three RBIs for Loyola.
Softball
Norco 5, Torrance 0: Coral Williams struck out 10 in six innings. Leighton Gray and Rae Logue hit home runs.
Garden Grove Pacifica 4, Anaheim Canyon 2: Natalia Amezquita had a two-run single for Pacifica.
Orange Lutheran 7, Perry 1: Mia Scott had four RBIs for the Lancers.
Sherman Oaks Notre Dame 15, Culver City 0: Ellayne Tellez-Perez had three hits and five RBIs.
Sports
Chargers’ Justin Herbert gushes over Madison Beer in heartfelt birthday tribute: ‘Changed my life forever’
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Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert gushed over 27-year-old singer Madison Beer in a heartfelt birthday tribute on social media, offering fans a rare glimpse into the couple’s relationship.
The two-time Pro Bowl quarterback, who normally shies away from the public eye, posted a series of photos to his Instagram Stories on Thursday.
Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers warms up prior to a game against the Philadelphia Eagles at SoFi Stadium on Dec. 8, 2025 in Inglewood, California. (Katelyn Mulcahy/Getty Images)
“Happy birthday to my favorite person of all time,” Herbert wrote in a post that showed the couple on the sidelines of one of his NFL games. “I love you so much. You’ve changed my life forever.”
In another photo appearing to show the couple out to dinner, Herbert wrote, “I am the luckiest guy alive…”
Herbert, who turns 28 later this month, shared another photo of the “Make You Mine” artist petting goats and captioned the photo, “My goats.”
The couple was first linked together in August when they were spotted together on the set of one of Beer’s music videos in Los Angeles. Herbert and Beer were photographed in October on the sidelines of a Chargers game at SoFi Stadium, seemingly confirming the dating rumors.
Quarterback Justin Herbert of the Los Angeles Chargers and singer Madison Beer attend an NBA game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
The same month, Herbert went viral after blocking a rogue basketball from hitting Beer when the two sat courtside at a Los Angeles Lakers game.
Herbert signed a five-year, $262.5 million extension with the Chargers in July 2023. Despite proving himself to be one of the elite young quarterbacks in the NFL, Los Angeles’ offensive struggles have seen the team fall short in back-to-back playoff appearances.
Quarterback Justin Herbert (10) of the Los Angeles Chargers blocks a basketball from hitting Madison Beer as they attend a basketball game between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Minnesota Timberwolves at Crypto.com Arena in Los Angeles, California, on Oct. 24, 2025. (Kevork Djansezian/Getty Images)
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The team’s offensive coordinator, Greg Roman, was fired in January and replaced with former Miami Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel, who is regarded as one of the top offensive minds in football.
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