How Wanda Sykes And Others Helped Bring Women’s Sports To Philadelphia

BusinessSportsMoneyHow Wanda Sykes And Others Helped Bring Women’s Sports To PhiladelphiaByTim Casey,Senior Contributor.Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Tim Casey is a reporter who covers basketball and sports business.Follow AuthorAug 24, 2026, 06:00am EDT--:-- / --:--This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.This voice experience is generated by AI. Learn more.MASON, OHIO - AUGUST 14: Sloane Stephens of the United States plays a forehand during their match against Sinja Kraus of Austria during day four of the Cincinnati Open at the Lindner Family Tennis Center on August 14, 2026 in Mason, Ohio. (Photo by Dylan Buell/Getty Images)Getty ImagesIn 2019, Alex Niedbalski-Sykes complained to her wife, comedian and actress Wanda Sykes, about how Philadelphia didn’t have any major women’s sports franchises. Shortly after, during a dinner on their friends’ porch, the two relayed their conversation to Ashley Lunkenheimer and her wife, Starla Crandall, and asked what they thought about bringing a WNBA franchise to the city and area they now call home.“My wife and I were like, ‘That would be the greatest thing ever,’” said Lunkenheimer, a longtime attorney who spent nine years as an assistant United States Attorney in Philadelphia. “Not that we knew what to do, but why not?”From there, the friends formed the Philadelphia Sisters, a group that has been crucial in the rise of women’s sports in the city. This week, Philadelphia is home to a WTA 125 women’s professional tennis tournament, the first time the city has had a WTA event since 2005. Earlier this month, the Women’s Lacrosse League held its inaugural championship game in Chester, Pa., just outside of Philadelphia.In late January, the Unrivaled professional women’s basketball league held its first road tour at a sold-out Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia. And in 2030, Philadelphia will begin play in the WNBA, becoming the league’s 18th franchise.Philadelphia 76ers’ Bid Dra...