Ep. 30 | WNBA All-Star Breaks Records and Gets Messy, Title IX Under Attack, World Cup Qualifiers

The WNBA All-Star Game just made history: 19,783 fans at Chicago's United Center, the biggest All-Star crowd ever and the first to outdraw the NBA's All-Star Game.Episode 30 covers a packed week in women's sports. All-Star weekend delivered record attendance, a rookie shooting star, and some genuinely messy moments, from invite confusion to a game where nobody wanted to play defense. We also take a hard look at the coordinated attacks on Title IX and trans athletes, and reboot your guide to 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying.Content note: our Title IX segment includes discussion of anti-trans legislation, abuse in sports, and youth suicide statistics. If you or someone you love is struggling, call or text 988, or reach The Trevor Project at 1-866-488-7386.This week we dig into:- WNBA All-Star weekend: the record crowd, Azzi Fudd becoming the first rookie to win the 3-point contest, Jonquel Jones completing her MVP collection (regular season, Finals, Commissioner's Cup, and now All-Star), plus the invite miscommunication with Sabrina Ionescu and Kayla McBride- Title IX under attack: inside the Heritage Foundation report, the Protection of Women and Girls in Sports Act, and what the actual numbers say about trans athletes in high school and college sports. Our question: protect young girls from who?- WAFCON is underway in Morocco: Nigeria defending their title, World Cup spots on the line, and the NWSL stars playing for their nations, including Temwa Chawinga, Barbra Banda, and Rosemonde Kouassi- 2027 Women's World Cup qualifying explained: who's already in, England and Sweden still waiting on UEFA playoffs, and how the 10-team inter-confederation playoff works- NWSL check-in: a brutal week of ACL injuries (Jordyn Huitema, Trinity Armstrong), Denver Summit's stadium delay, and a playoff race where the top five sit within five pointsPlus: Napheesa Collier returns for the Lynx with 24 points and 10 rebounds, the WNBA announces a centralized replay center for 2027, NWSL viewership jumps 41.7% on YouTube, Gotham FC coach Juan Carlos Amorós takes paternity leave, Brazil announces discounted World Cup tickets, and the Minnesota Vixen bring home a football championship.Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage.Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: rtgpod.comSubstack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcastEmail: [email protected]