No time to relax
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy Valentine’s Day!
Why is everyone falling in love with women’s sports these days? According to tennis icon Billie Jean King, it’s because of long overdue investment. “You have to have the investment in us like you had in the men. We are so far behind, but [...] we are at a tipping point,” King said, adding she’s waited her whole life to see this moment unfold. Big fans.
Women’s golf
⛳ Raising the par
The GIST: Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF) is stepping up its golf investment on the women’s side. The PIF was announced yesterday as the new title partner of the Saudi Ladies International event, which will feature a $5M prize pool — one of the largest in women’s pro golf outside of the LPGA’s five majors and a few other LPGA Tour events.
- While Saudi Arabia has been reshaping the game on the men’s side, the move represents the increasing impact PIF investment is having on the women’s game. Now there’s an angle of attack.
The details: The tourney’s prize pool is on par with the PIF Saudi International, the men’s equivalent on the Asian Tour. The women’s event is on the Ladies European Tour (LET) circuit, which has partnered with state-owned Saudi oil company Aramco since 2021. This year’s tourney will host 112 golfers, including several top LPGA players, and features a team format for the first time.
- The LET’s calendar often conflicts with the LPGA’s, yet golfers on the American tour carve out time for this lucrative event and the Aramco Team Series. The winner of the individual segment of the tournament will nab $675K, which is actually less than the $750K last year’s winner Patty Tavatanakit took home.
The context: While the PGA and LPGA have been the top global tours for decades, PIF–backed LIV Golf has caused a rift in the men’s game, with top golfers leaving for greener pastures. Although a long-rumored women’s LIV Golf tour has yet to materialize, this latest partnership signals that PIF still wants to bankroll women’s golf and will bring in big names to promote it.
- Saudi Arabia has already been able to influence the LET, with several state sponsors footing the bill for its biggest events. Plus, PIF–operated golf governing body Golf Saudi blocked a proposed merger between the LET and LPGA last year that was in the works since 2019. Drama.
Zooming out: The PIF has successfully executed a similar strategy in women’s tennis, first by pursuing a 1000-level tour event and then scoring a multiyear bid to host the WTA Finals. Both tennis and golf tours need the money, and Saudi Arabian entities are clearly interested in footing the bill.
- However, Saudi investment does come with a price. Many have expressed concerns about sportwashing, especially surrounding the country’s policies toward women and LGBTQIA+ people.
NWSL
⚽ A fresh start
The GIST: Yesterday, NJ/NY Gotham FC inked a multiyear deal with Dove that includes a back-of-jersey sponsorship, reportedly breaking the NWSL’s $500K record for a back-of-jersey logo deal. After years of low turnout, the NYC–adjacent NWSL team has finally been able to take advantage of being in the biggest metro area thanks to big-name signings and on-field success.
- When fans are drawn to buzzworthy franchises, so are sponsors. Since Gotham won its first-ever NWSL title in 2023 and the Orlando Pride won its first championship in 2024, these two franchises have seen their fanbases grow dramatically, which has resulted in a notable uptick in major sponsorship deals. Follow the money.
NJ/NY Gotham: The club ranks eighth in NWSL valuations at $80M and boosted its 2024 revenue 66% to $9.3M. Though Gotham endured low attendance for years due to stadium inaccessibility, its average attendance jumped 36% YoY last season, culminating in its most-attended game in franchise history during the 2024 quarter-finals.
- After winning the 2023 NWSL Championship, official automotive retail sponsor CarMax stepped up its partnership to become a marquee sponsor, and the club even hired an agency to find a front-of-kit logo deal for 2026. Gotham also signed a first-of-its-kind fashion partnership with UK fashion brand Aligne last year. Winning never goes out of style.
Orlando Pride: Like Gotham, attendance for the Orlando team has suffered in recent years despite heavy owner investment. But thanks to a historic unbeaten streak in 2024, the Pride saw average attendance jump from 6.3K to 8.3K, reset its franchise attendance record, and enjoyed a 52% YoY revenue boost in 2024.
- Just like fans, brands soon showed up to celebrate the Pride’s thrilling success. In August, Florida-based supermarket chain Publix became the team’s first-ever back-of-kit sponsor, and in November, Verizon became the official and exclusive telecoms provider for both Orlando’s MLS and NWSL clubs.
Zooming out: Brands want to be where the fans are, and when NWSL fans become energized by revamped teams, companies follow suit. Success comes in many forms, too — the KC Current saw an influx in sponsor interest thanks to its new stadium, while popular expansion team Bay FC landed the NWSL’s biggest sponsorship in league history before its first season of play. The pitch sells itself.
Together With Little Bean App
🫄 You can’t do what when you’re pregnant?
From soft cheeses to hot yoga, pregnancy is full of confusing and scary restrictions. Luckily, the Little Bean app is here to take some of that stress off your plate — with their pregnancy-safe cosmetics checker, you can get your glow on with confidence.
👏 It literally couldn’t be easier: Just use your phone camera to scan the product label, and Little Bean will give you a clear, concise summary flagging any harmful ingredients potentially lurking in your favorite moisturizer. It’s like having an OB/GYN in your pocket.
Being pregnant is exhausting enough. Let Little Bean simplify your life, so you can do your self-care routine with confidence — and save your research skills for sushi and strollers.
🏛️ Trump administration continues pushback against Biden-era Title IX protections
Following the trans athlete ban enacted by President Trump last week, the U.S. Department of Education rescinded its stance on how Title IX should influence equitable settlement distribution for men and women student-athletes in the House v. NCAA case.
- The Trump administration claims Title IX has no bearing on how athletic programs should allocate compensation, although student-athletes have already invoked the statute when facing NIL payment discrepancies.
👀 Sportico list of 100 highest-earning athletes highlights gender divide
A widening spotlight is helping women athletes earn more than ever, but there’s still a lot of ground to cover. Although 2024 earnings for the top 15 highest-paid women athletes was up 27% YoY, there were no women on Sportico’s list of the world’s 100 highest-paid athletes for the second consecutive year.
- While Coco Gauff repeated as the highest-paid woman athlete with $30.4M, she falls below the $37.5M cutoff for the top 100 and would rank No. 125 on a longer list. Freeskier Eileen Gu, who ranked second among women athletes with $22.1M, would have finished somewhere outside the top 250. A lift would be nice.
🏀 The 3-point contest between Steph Curry and Sabrina Ionescu won’t return at this year’s NBA All-Star Weekend after both players weren’t interested in a repeat. Been there, done that.
💰 The WNBA’s LA Sparks announced an eight-figure, multiyear jersey patch sponsorship deal with financial services company Albert, the largest in team history.
💼 Athletes Unlimited named former IMG Academy VP Vanessa Taveras as chief partnerships officer.
🥎 Adidas recently finalized a deal with World Series champ and All American Tiare Jennings.
🎓 The Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) is sponsoring the second annual HBCU Collegiate Softball Invitational, with AUSL stars Odicci Alexander and Aliyah Andrews throwing out first pitches.
⚖️ Two teenagers and their families currently suing a New Hampshire state law banning trans athletes in women’s sports added a challenge to Trump’s recent executive order.
🥍 The Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) kicked off its inaugural season this week, which is presented by title partner and glam squad provider Maybelline. No time to relax.
Together With The GIST
❄️ Your cozy-season MVP
Ready to elevate your winter wardrobe? You’ve come to the right place. Introducing The GIST’s exclusive Leveling the Playing Field crewneck. Here’s why you’ll love it:
✔️ Ultra-soft, wear-everywhere comfort
✔️ Exclusive refreshed and simple design
✔️ The ultimate nod to your support of leveling the playing field
✔️ Putting your dollars behind a women-owned and operated startup
With limited quantities and sizes available, grab yours while you can.
Celebrate Black History Month with these recs.
👟 What to learn about
The Black history of NBA and WNBA signature sneakers. From Walt “Clyde” Frazier to A’ja Wilson, Black athletes have been shaping sneaker culture from the jump.
📺 Who’s making moves
Renee Montgomery. The WNBA champion, activist, and media mogul is set to host a new women’s sports studio show on Roku, in partnership with Hello Sunshine and Rich Eisen Productions. Hell to the yes.
⚽ What to read
USWNT star Naomi Girma on Ethiopian pride and representation. Girma opens up about her roots, her journey, and why visibility matters.
Today's email was brought to you by Aryanna Prasad and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Bonnie Lee. Editing by Dee Lab. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Molly Potter and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.