Resources inside the NCAA women’s basketball semi-bubble in San Antonio don’t measure up to those at the men’s tournament, from daily testing to weight rooms.

In their respective bubbles, women’s teams are taking daily antigen COVID-19 tests, while men’s teams are taking daily PCR COVID-19 tests, UConn women’s coach Geno Auriemma confirmed to reporters. PCR tests have been considered the most accurate.

“It’s mindblowing,” UConn guard Christyn Williams told reporters.

The women’s weight room consists of a stack of yoga mats and one pyramid rack of dumbbells, a photo showed. Meanwhile, the men’s gym in Indianapolis boasts more than a dozen sets of Olympic weights and racks.

“If you aren’t upset about this problem, then you’re a part of it,” Oregon forward Sedona Prince said in a TikTok video.

Women’s teams couldn’t initially order takeout to the bubble, and some are “surviving” on snacks, according to one report. Men’s teams have had thousands of takeout orders delivered already. Swag bags for women’s players are also skimpier than men’s, photos show.

Men’s players who staged Wednesday’s #NotNCAAProperty protest criticized the NCAA again. Professional players like Sabrina Ionescu, Steph Curry, and Kyrie Irving chimed in, too.

“This is how y’all doing our Queens,” Irving wrote on Instagram. “We can’t tolerate this! They deserve more!”

On a call with reporters Friday, NCAA VP of Women’s Basketball Lynn Holzman admitted, “We fell short.” SVP of Basketball Dan Gavitt added, “I apologize for dropping the ball.”

They said they are working to correct the weight room and food situation. NCAA President Mark Emmert told three news outlets that “health experts” had confirmed all tournaments’ protocols were adequate.

Nike’s top-line earnings showing an unremarkable quarter are deceptive, as the shoe and apparel giant is seeing big gains from shifting its business to focus more on online sales and China.

Revenues held steady at $10.4 billion, up 3% from the previous year, but down 1% on a currency neutral basis for the three months ending Feb. 28. A 2% dip in Nike brand revenue was counteracted by 8% growth in the comparatively smaller Converse.

The big shifts came in where Nike sold its products and how.

• The company’s long-term push on direct-to-consumer sales proved prescient, as Nike Direct sales grew 20% (or a currency-neutral 16%) to $4 billion.
• Revenue in Greater China rocketed up 51% to $2.3 billion. 
• Net income rose 71% to $1.4 billion, with the company saving money from layoffs over the summer and reduced spending on events and other marketing activities.

With 35% of its retail locations still closed due to the pandemic, Nike has been reaping the rewards of its “Direct Consumer Offense” e-commerce and marketing strategy, which dates back to 2017. 

“We continue to see the value of a more direct, digitally-enabled strategy, fueling even greater potential for Nike over the long term,” said CFO Matt Friend.

Nike also continues to cut back on its workforce, announcing a new round of layoffs earlier this week. Last summer, the company let go of 500 workers at its Oregon headquarters.

The NFL’s new $113 billion, 11-year media rights deals are a huge score for the Walt Disney Company.

Since its founding in 1979, ESPN has dreamed of landing the Super Bowl. Under a new 10-year agreement from 2023 to 2032, the Disney-owned cable network will retain “Monday Night Football” while producing two Super Bowls for sister network ABC after the 2026 and 2030 seasons. 

ESPN President Jimmy Pitaro emphasized the growing alliance between Disney and the NFL: “The league has been clear that a priority of theirs is, of course, reach, and through the breadth of our programming and platforms we offer at the Walt Disney Company, we will certainly deliver.”

Disney also scored flexible scheduling for MNF and ESPN will be able to swap better games during Weeks 12-17. Previously, only NBC boasted flex scheduling for “Sunday Night Football.” 

Disney’s new deal enables it to simulcast all ESPN/ABC games on ESPN+, and the company has had “exploratory conversations” about acquiring the “Sunday Ticket” package of games on DirecTV, added Pitaro.

NFL Chief Operating Officer Hans Schroeder noted, “I’m not sure there’s anybody in the media landscape in this country today that is growing, innovating, and evolving their approach and their business in the way that Disney is.”

When ESPN founder Bill Rasmussen asked NFL Commissioner Peter Rozelle about a Super Bowl in 1979, Rozelle told him, “Not today Bill, but someday.”

Yesterday, Rasmussen celebrated on Twitter: “Someday has arrived – the Super Bowl on ESPN!!!!”