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The FANalysts are hosting a women’s basketball meet-up! Hang out with Jo and Tara, meet other female fans, talk about hoops and who has the best hops and watch the Trail Blazer’s take on the Brooklyn Nets.
Sunday, November 20
McMenamins on Broadway 1504 N.E. Broadway
Meetup starts at noon, game starts at 12:30
We’ll have fun quizzes (all quizzes are optional--except for Jo), and give out a few prizes. We have posters and window clings from the Trail Blazers and some cute merch from Grafletics.
Why women only?
When we (Jo and Tara) first heard about the Dallas Mavericks event “NBA 101: Basketball For Women” we rolled our eyes and thought “no way.” We were insulted by the title which implied that women don’t know anything about basketball. NBA 101, really? Pink font, really?
To tell you the truth, sometimes it's hard being a female sports fan. We often have to endure a pop quiz to “prove” how much we know (no, I don’t know what Reuben Patterson’s scoring average was). We avoid asking questions because we don’t want to sound stupid (we hate sounding stupid). Often when we’re in groups, we’re simply ignored.
So then we thought, what if we had a chance to get a bunch of women together to talk about the game we love? To get to know each other? In a setting where people listen to us and questions are encouraged? Heck yeah!
That’s where the idea for Women’s Hops and Talks (W.H.A.T.) came from. We wanted to put on an event for women, by women. We’re going to start with a meet-up. If women like it, we’ll do more. Pink shirts are optional.
We love being a part of Blazer’s Edge because it is one of the most welcoming online basketball communities we know. We think it will get even better if more women are involved. When we said we wanted to give this a try the staff encouraged us to make it happen.
Ladies, please come and bring a friend. Whether you’re a long time fan or a new recruit bring your enthusiasm for the Trail Blazers and the NBA. No one will check your fandom credentials at the door. Anyone who identifies as a woman and people who are transgender are all welcome.
Guys, we love talking about basketball with you too, but we’re starting this group for women. One day Rip City will be known for having the best, smartest, funnest female fan base in the Association. You can be a part of that effort by passing this on to the women you know who love basketball.