The End of an Era for Spokane Zephyr
The Spokane Zephyr, a professional women's soccer team that entered the United Soccer League Super League for the 2024‑25 season, has been shut down after just two campaigns. The club struggled with dwindling attendance, a roughly thousand‑fan drop from its inaugural year, and a series of late payments on its contract with the Spokane Public Facilities District. Its owner, Aequus Sports, which also operates the Spokane Velocity FC, issued a statement stressing that the shutdown does not signal an abandonment of women's soccer in the city.
While the Zephyr's demise marks a quiet exit, the broader sports landscape in the Inland Northwest remains active. Washington State and Gonzaga universities are both deep into conference baseball tournaments this week, with the former seeded second in the Mountain West Conference and the latter holding the top spot in the West Coast Conference. Across the country, the NBA draft has generated buzz, and local headlines have featured former Washington State standout Cedric Coward, recently named to the NBA's All‑Rookie First Team.
A Busy Week Across the Region
In baseball, the Seattle Mariners eked out a 5‑4 victory over the White Sox in a nail‑biting finish, a performance that has prompted J.P. Crawford to offer his services at third base once his shoulder heals. Relief pitcher Matt Brash has also returned to the bullpen, throwing a scoreless inning in the Mariners' latest outing. Meanwhile, the Seattle Storm suffered a double‑digit loss to the Connecticut Sun, highlighting challenges on both ends of the court.
Beyond the immediate headlines, several longer‑term storylines continue to unfold. Stanford and Notre Dame have extended their non‑conference series through 2028, while Gonzaga is exploring a 2027 Diamond Cup basketball tournament that could bring additional national attention to the region. The future of women's soccer in Spokane, however, remains a point of focus for community leaders eager to preserve momentum despite the Zephyr's closure.