Beauty and the billionaire
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hey there!
Recession risks are on the rise due to global concerns about U.S. tariffs, which have sent shockwaves through every industry, including sports. But if past economic downturns are to be considered, the sports media industry may continue to manage in tough economic times, which means it should remain an option for marketers as companies pull back on ad spend. Bulletproof.
WNBA
💄 Beauty and the billionaire
The GIST: On Wednesday, the NY Liberty announced a partnership with Rihanna’s billion-dollar Fenty Beauty empire. The collab is the latest example of a popular, celeb-driven brand carefully curating its sports sponsorships, namely by working with teams and athletes that have prestige and influence. A glam dunk.
The partnership: In Fenty Beauty’s first official WNBA team partnership, the brand will display its logo across Liberty players’ warm-up jackets and shooting shirts. Fans will experience in-arena engagements such as product drops, and popular team mascot Ellie the Elephant will sport Fenty gameday items.
- Although it’s the brand's first foray into WNBA team sponsorships, it’s not its first partnership in women’s sports: Fenty had a presence at the 2024 Paris Olympics and Paralympics and last year’s WNBA All-Star Weekend.
The why: It doesn’t hurt that the Liberty are the reigning WNBA champs, but the team’s popularity among sponsors has been a long time coming. NY is the U.S.’s biggest sports market, with Rihanna noting there’s “no energy and spirit like New York City’s.” Plus, trendy beauty and luxury brands have been drawn to the Liberty before, like Off-White, NYX Cosmetics, and nailcare brand Essie.
- After years of mismanagement, the Liberty has steadily been building toward this moment through intentional investment from owners Joe and Clara Wu Tsai. The team currently ranks third among team valuations at $130M, and that was before winning a chip.
The context: Celebs with buzzworthy brands are beginning to look toward women’s sports to promote their products to a loyal audience with a high number of women fans. Last month, Kendall Jenner’s 818 Tequila brand partnered with NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger, who boasts the most top-ten finishes among women drivers and is the sport’s most-followed athlete at 5M.
Zooming out: Celeb influencers like Rihanna and Jenner know all about winning over fans, so if reaching women’s sports fans is part of their strategy, it further proves the importance of activating in this space. As viewership and engagement increases each season, positive brand sentiment for women’s sports sponsors will also continue to run high. Makin’ it work, work, work.
Together With Mejuri
✨ It’s time to buy that bracelet
When was the last time you treated yourself? Well, how about today — as world No. 11 tennis star Emma Navarro knows, the best time to invest in you is right now.
That’s why she teamed up with Mejuri to build her iconic, everyday good luck stack, pictured above. Our faves from her shiny wrist?
🔱 The Anchor Chain Bracelet
💛🩶 The Boyfriend Bold Bracelet
🐍 And the Serpentine Chain Bracelet. Hiss hiss.
With Mejuri, you can count on fine jewelry at an accessible price. Create your own Mejuri stack today.
👕 Manchester United sponsor Qualcomm discusses ROI on sponsoring team kits
In a recent interview with Marketing Brew, Qualcomm explained how the tech company and its Snapdragon brand have benefitted from sports partnerships. In Qualcomm’s first season as Manchester United’s jersey sponsor, the company witnessed more than 5B impressions and added over 1M new members to its Snapdragon Insiders community.
- The correlation between Man United’s widespread exposure and the surge in interest among consumers prompted both sides to extend their deal until 2029. Everybody wins.
💰 Footballco absorbs SoccerGrlPrbs to expand its women’s soccer coverage
If you can’t beat ‘em, join ‘em — or at least have them join you. On Wednesday, soccer-focused publishing platform Footballco purchased popular women’s soccer blog SoccerGrlPrbs. The move gives Footballco access to the largest dedicated audience in women’s soccer thanks to SoccerGrlPrbs’ 1M-plus fans.
⛳ PIF increases investment in Ladies European Tour with $13M prize purse boost
This week, Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund — which financially backs LIV Golf and is a major investor in the Ladies European Tour (LET) — announced it’s reformatting five different LET tournaments and boosting prize money to $13M total. Each event features $2M purses, which is double what the tour offered in 2024. Making green on the green.
👕 Dick’s Sporting Goods announced the online presale of exclusive t-shirts featuring Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers. Soarin’, flyin’.
🌎 FIFA confirmed the eight cities across Brazil that will host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.
🏐 Several University of Texas and LOVB Austin athletes made the Team USA roster for Volleyball Nations League, continuing heavy LOVB athlete inclusion on the national team.
💼 Pro Padel League appointed Brian Flinn as COO and former Fanatics exec (and friend of The GIST!) Diane Gotua as CCO following its $10M capital raise.
💪 Adidas’ baseball and softball brand Adidas Dugout is honoring Mental Health Awareness Month with a new collection in partnership with nonprofit The Hidden Opponent. That’s one way to activate.
👀 Ion saw an audience peak of 500K and 40% audience growth for its May 2nd WNBA preseason game compared to the network’s 2024’s regular-season opener.
✈️ American Airlines announced a multiyear partnership with U.S. Soccer following the airline’s recent partnership with FIFA for the 2026 men’s World Cup.
🎿 Team USA skiing champ Mikaela Shiffrin joined the ownership group for Denver’s NWSL team, making her the league’s latest athlete investor alongside Caitlin Clark, Ons Jabeur, and Sabrina Ionescu. Carving out space.
Together With TruSkin
With all the -ides, -ols, and extracts out there, skincare can feel like a PhD-level puzzle. Luckily, TruSkin is doing the heavy lifting for you. Enter: their Caffeine Facial Serum, the intentionally formulated, plant-powered boost with everything you need and nothing you don’t.
✅ TruSkin delivers the good stuff (caffeine, niacinamide, and antioxidants, anyone?)
❌ And says goodbye to the bad: There’s no parabens, sulfates, phthalates, or PEGs here.
Sorting out skincare shouldn’t require an advanced degree — and with TruSkin, it doesn’t. Class dismissed.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🏀 Who’s managing
Sue Bird. The WNBA legend is stepping into a new role as the first-ever managing director of the USA women’s national team. Hoop yeah.
📚 What to read
Runs in the Family, the forthcoming book based on award–winning sports journalist Sarah Spain’s viral ESPN article about Deland McCullough, a football coach and father of four whose life was forever changed by the unsealing of his adoption records.
🔥 What to buy
A WNBA League Pass. At just $34.99 per year, it's truly a steal to catch all of the W hoops action.
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