Lingering off-court news aside, the best-of-five WNBA semis are off to a thrilling, star-studded start, chock-full of buckets, blocks, and Spike Lee trash talk.

Last Thursday, women’s track meet Athlos NYC took off at Icahn Stadium in Manhattan, and seemed to be everything founder Alexis Ohanian billed it to be. As we wait for official viewership and attendance numbers, immediate IRL impressions suggest Athlos could be the next major event on the Big Apple’s sports calendar between the US Open and the NYC Marathon.

Athletes Unlimited (AU) is getting ready to serve up its fourth season of AU Volleyball, the month-long pro league that’s changed the game for the world’s top women volleyball players. While the sport is already highly popular in other countries, new U.S. pro leagues can offer American exposure through media, marketing, and sponsorship.

Here’s what had us shook in Week 5.

Professional women’s volleyball is having a moment, with three pro leagues swinging into action over the next four months. Up first? AU Pro Volleyball. So today, we’re breaking down everything you need to know before AU takes the court for five weeks of exhilarating play.

In the midst of the above, the game plays on — the WNBA’s semifinals tip off on Sunday, meaning it’s time to level up from three-game sets to five-game series. More hoops, more drama.

Following the first-ever public NWSL valuations released last October, Sportico crunched the numbers again to determine updated 2024 values for the league’s 14 teams. The latest data not only show that the entire league is skyrocketing in value, but also that certain clubs have climbed the rankings thanks to dedicated owner investment.

This week, the European Union’s (EU) top court ruled that some of FIFA’s rules around player transfer fees violate EU law following a successful suit by former Chelsea and Real Madrid men’s player Lassana Diarra. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications, but one overlooked aspect is its potential effect on the new and improved NWSL market.

Top-25 matchups with major conference power struggles at play

Following two more higher-seed sweeps on Wednesday, the semis are set, but unfortunately, outstanding play and one legend’s possible swan song were eclipsed by serious off-court issues.

Shortly after Sportico confirmed ACFC as the hottest NWSL club on the market, the publication exclusively revealed that a top MLS team also wants in. Los Angeles FC (LAFC) — the league’s highest-valued franchise at $1.15B — activated a tenet of its stadium-sharing agreement with ACFC to acquire a small stake in the women’s side.

Tomorrow’s Week 5 battle between the No. 2 Georgia Bulldogs and the No. 4 Alabama Crimson Tide could be the biggest showdown since Kendrick vs. Drake.