On Saturday, February 27, the Seattle Storm kicked off the 2016 season with the annual Winter Warm Up. More than 300 fans present were able to participate in various activities, not the least of which was a Q and A session with Seattle Storm Head Coach Jenny Boucek, Storm President and General Manager Alisha Valavanis and Storm co-owner Dawn Trudeau some hard-hitting questions.

In addition to the big championship changes and the ESPN coverage we’ve already heard about, Valavanis told the crowd that there are even more changes coming soon. “On the business side, we have some exciting things coming up. Very soon, you’re going to hear about a marquee partnership. We can’t get into specifics today, but stay tuned very soon,” she said.

Fans were especially excited to learn that Sue Bird, who just signed a multi-year contract with the team, made her final decision not because of any money or internal promises, but because of her incredible fans. As a mentor to team members and local kids alike, Bird is a powerful figure in Seattle who uses that power for good at all times—a player and a hero to many people.

The women also discussed Lisa Borders becoming the new WNBA president. Some of the positive things they had to say about the new president included her keen marketing and revenue generating skills, her commitment to the WNBA and the simple fact that she is a huge fan of the sport. Valavanis said, “We are thrilled about her addition to the team and we’re excited to bring her to market and introduce her to you.”

Storm fans are also officially campaigning for UConn star player and three-time champion Breanna “Stewie” Stewart to be drafted in the upcoming WNBA draft in which the Storm has a #1 pick. The Storm has all but announced that they will be selecting Stewie for the 2016 lineup and fans are chomping at the bit to get her to move out to the Northwest for some basketball! You can see fan signs that say “Draft Stewart” around the Seattle area and fans are taking to social media calling for the young woman to join Seattle. Of course, the Storm women were giving out signs during the Winter Warm Up—but fans were encouraged to write in their selections. Do you think that Stewart is the best choice for our 2016 #1 draft pick?

Photo courtesy of Wikipedia