LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- For five straight seasons, Louisville women's basketball was parked among the sport's elite. Five straight Elite Eights. Two Final Fours. The kind of consistency few programs could match — and even fewer could afford to chase.

Then the game changed.

It became less about facilities, culture, and long-term program-building. And more about cold, hard cash.

In the current landscape of name, image and likeness deals and portal bidding wars, Louisville is no longer competing on the lead lap financially. Not with Kentucky just up the road. Not with the top teams in the ACC. And not with national powers like LSU, South Carolina, UConn, and others on this year's schedule.

Louisville | Kentucky | Indiana | Eric Crawford

But as Jeff Walz has made clear, the standa

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