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The top storylines to follow this MLB season

The top storylines to follow this MLB season

The top storylines to follow this MLB season

A season that spans 162 games from March to September provides plenty of opportunity for pondering. The introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike Challenge System (ABS, more on that below) is undoubtedly the biggest shakeup of the season, but first, here are the other major storylines we’re following before first pitch.

Breaking down baseball’s biggest plot twist: The ABS Challenge System

Breaking down baseball’s biggest plot twist: The ABS Challenge System

Breaking down baseball’s biggest plot twist: The ABS Challenge System

This year’s campaign features an intriguing plot twist: The introduction of the Automated Ball-Strike (ABS) challenge system, which will allow players — specifically the batter, the pitcher, and the catcher — to challenge an umpire’s ball or strike call. From how it works to the unexpected fallout , here’s everything you need to know.

Can the Toronto Blue Jays run it back in 2026?

Can the Toronto Blue Jays run it back in 2026?

Can the Toronto Blue Jays run it back in 2026?

Nothing united Canada quite like the Blue Jays’ 2025 World Series run, and the impacts are still being felt long after the final out. Youth registration is skyrocketing, the talent pool is deepening, and the power of friendship is alive and well in the blue birds’ clubhouse.

Kim DeCarolis and Terése Whitehead explain the power of women athletes in NIL marketing

Kim DeCarolis and Terése Whitehead explain the power of women athletes in NIL marketing

Kim DeCarolis and Terése Whitehead explain the power of women athletes in NIL marketing

With March Madness finally here, we spoke with Terése Whitehead and Kim DeCarolis, who lead NIL and commercial strategy at Michigan and Georgia, respectively. Both are embedded on campus through their work with Altius Sports Partners, which launched in 2020 and has quickly become a leading strategic NIL advisor for college athletic departments.

Breaking down the opening weekend of women’s March Madness

Breaking down the opening weekend of women’s March Madness

Breaking down the opening weekend of women’s March Madness

Eight of next weekend’s Sweet 16 teams are already locked in, while today’s jam-packed eight-game slate will determine the other half of the field. That’s right, the Madness is in full swish.

The 2026 men’s Sweet 16 is set

The 2026 men’s Sweet 16 is set

The 2026 men’s Sweet 16 is set

Call up MTV because the men’s (super) Sweet 16 is set following 48 heart-pumping games. Catch up on the second-round drama, then take a moment to regroup before the fun resumes on Thursday.

The WNBA’s new CBA raises the league’s ceiling — and its floor

The WNBA’s new CBA raises the league’s ceiling — and its floor

The WNBA’s new CBA raises the league’s ceiling — and its floor

Over 100 hours of negotiations later, we finally have a new WNBA CBA. The term sheet is still being finalized and the deal needs to be ratified, but reports indicate the league’s sixth CBA is as transformational as hoped. And exhale.

Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

TOGETHER WITH

Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

🏀

March 20, 2026

How’s that bracket doing? March is already off to a heart-pounding start, with the signature Madness in full force during yesterday’s men’s first-round matchups.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Did NIL ruin March Madness?

March 24, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Did NIL ruin March Madness?

Did NIL ruin March Madness?

No glass slippers here.

For the second straight year, there aren’t any true Cinderella squads in the men’s March Madness Sweet 16, as every team remaining hails from an NCAA power conference. What gives? On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Steph Rotz and Lauren Tuiskula explore the 2024 rule change that changed March Madness forever — and maybe not for the better.

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Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

Men’s March Madness tips off with signature first-round chaos

How’s that bracket doing? March is already off to a heart-pounding start, with the signature Madness in full force during yesterday’s men’s first-round matchups.

How the Bhathal family is running Portland

How the Bhathal family is running Portland

How the Bhathal family is running Portland

The Bhathals are changing how the women’s sports game is played, from building the first-ever dual WNBA and NWSL practice facility to creating the first local channel dedicated to women’s sports. That synergy is helping the teams become a major draw for high-profile brand deals. This week, we spoke with Bhathal Merage in a rare interview ahead of her appearance at the Power Play Sports Sponsorship Accelerator about the benefits of owning both teams, both from an ownership and sponsorship perspective. As she put it, “one plus one equals five.” The math is mathin’.

WNBA CBA agreement is a win for league, players, and brand partners

The WNBA and WNPBA reached a verbal agreement on their CBA yesterday, just 51 days before season tip-off. The news is considered a major win for both parties as well as W fans, but there are other players at stake with a lot pinned on the success of this deal: The W’s confirmed and prospective brand partners. Let’s explore what this new CBA means for everyone.

Bank of America Institute shares new data insights on women’s sports fans

Bank of America Institute shares new data insights on women’s sports fans

Bank of America Institute shares new data insights on women’s sports fans

This week, the Bank of America Institute — the bank’s internal think tank that analyzes consumer behaviors and trends from customer data — shared insights into how customers are engaging around women’s sports. The data supports trends we’ve seen, with these new numbers further strengthening the business case for women’s sports. Let’s dive in.

Baseball on the rise in Canada after historic World Baseball Classic showing

Baseball on the rise in Canada after historic World Baseball Classic showing

Baseball on the rise in Canada after historic World Baseball Classic showing

The 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) came to a close as Venezuela beat Team USA 3–2 in last night’s championship game. The final out is in the books, but this year’s exhilarating and record-setting tourney is only the beginning as the sport surges in Canada.

Team USA falls short 3–2 to Venezuela in WBC title game

Team USA falls short 3–2 to Venezuela in WBC title game

Team USA falls short 3–2 to Venezuela in WBC title game

The 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) came to a close as Venezuela upset Team USA 3–2 in last night’s championship game to earn the nation’s first-ever WBC crown. The final out is in the books, with the Americans stunned for a second straight tourney, but there’s plenty more baseball to come. Red, white…no need to feel blue.

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