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From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hope you had a great weekend!
Indianapolis knows how to play host when major events roll through town. Ahead of welcoming its first-ever WNBA All-Star Weekend, the city modified its street signs to welcome all 13 active WNBA teams and their fans.
- And it’s not the first time Indy has catered to fans: The city leveraged the same strategy last year when Lucas Oil Stadium hosted the U.S. Swim Trials and when Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour came to town. They’re ready for it.
WNBA
🙌 Win them over
The GIST: This year will mark the fourth edition of WNBA Live at WNBA All-Star Weekend, where 25 event sponsors will offer IRL activations for fans. The efficacy of experiential advertising pairs well with the impressive purchase consideration from women’s sports fans, who boast higher awareness and devotion to sponsors in women’s sports.
- Here are some examples of how brands are activating at All-Star Weekend, informed by the latest data on top marketing strategies for women’s sports consumers. All in.
💸 Subscription-based perks: American Express and Doordash are offering exclusive perks to treat existing customers and entice new ones. AMEX cardholders can access a priority entrance for select All-Star events and earn cash back on official W All-Star merch, while DashPass members can access a sneaker-cleaning station, player meet and greets, and 10% off Round21 purchases.
- Loyalty programs are notoriously successful — over 83% of consumers say they influence repeat purchases. Subscription models are similarly effective, with some brands reporting subscribers spend 2.5x more than non-subscribers. It’s a win-win to reward existing customers, while leveraging access to perks drive new sign-ups.
✨ Tunnel walks as a gameday staple: Apparel and non-apparel brands alike are seeing the value in tunnel walks. Broadcaster Ion and insurance giant State Farm are embracing the trend by encouraging fans to star in their own tunnel walk experience from home. These engagements include social giveaways — Ion offers a chance to win WNBA tickets, while State Farm gives away t-shirts.
- Tunnel walks are generating significant media value on Instagram, something that leagues like the PWHL have used to land sponsors. Nearly half of Millennials are more likely to purchase athlete-endorsed products — a key reason why sponsors like Sephora are all in.
🏀 The college crossover: The NCAA will be present to tease a giveaway for next year’s Women’s Final Four. The giveaway includes two all-session tickets, a four-night stay, and a $500 gift card, encouraging W fans to cheer on the next gen of pros. This deepens the brand alignment between the two organizations, whose paths are increasingly intertwined as the W spotlight adds media attention at the college level.
- The WNBA has spent years trying to cultivate a women’s college basketball pipeline to lead fans from the Final Four. While the NCAA gets something out of winning over W fans, the WNBA may have more upside in the relationship: Women’s college basketball has seen higher fandom growth and is an ideal place to convert W fans.
Zooming out: While previous All-Star Weekend numbers are unavailable, an estimated 70K WNBA fans are expected to roll through Indianapolis this weekend for the sold-out festivities. Yes, there are new brands getting involved with WNBA Live experiences, but longtime brands are getting creative about how to stand out. So much to see.
🎾 Wimbledon expected to bank over $500M in revenue despite short sponsor roster
The two-week tournament wrapped yesterday, and while exact numbers are not yet known, it’s expected to make well over $500M in revenue, comparable to last year’s $555M haul. That amount is up 7% from 2023 and 162% over the previous 10 years, largely thanks to media rights deals with ABC, ESPN, and BBC, which account for nearly half of the total..
- Interestingly, Wimbledon has thrived by doubling down on its exclusive brand, allowing just 17 sponsorship deals in 2025. SponsorUnited praised Wimbledon for executing this strategy like the PGA Tour’s iconic Masters event, which only has seven sponsors.
✈️ NCAA partner United adds college football destinations to nonstop routes
The airline is adding 24 nonstop flights to its itinerary this fall, with new nonstop routes catering to fan bases at Notre Dame, Texas, Penn State, and USC. It’s a smart decision to cater to such loyal fans, something that WNBA airline Delta could consider around popular teams like the Indiana Fever, New York Liberty, and Golden State Valkyries.
- Last season, over 230K WNBA fans flocked to Caitlin Clark’s Indiana Fever games in opposing markets. The Liberty boast over 10M fans nationwide, and the Valkyries have seen historic attendance as the league’s highest-valued team.
👀 WNBA CBA negotiations could heat up during All-Star Weekend
WNBA All-Star Weekend could host more than just fans and games amid tense CBA talks. Players rejected the league’s initial offer, citing unresolved issues. WNBPA director Terri Carmichael Jackson had hoped for progress by now. League and union reps are expected to meet in Indianapolis this weekend. Stay tuned.
⛳ Golf brand Callaway is releasing a limited-edition putter and golf balls to celebrate the release of Happy Gilmore 2 on Netflix this month. Tap tap taparoo.
💰 WTA World No. 1 Iga Świątek (pronounced Shvee-ON-tek) banked $4.05M for winning her first Wimbledon title, pushing her career earnings to $40.5M, or third-most all-time behind Serena ($94.8M) and Venus ($42.6M) Williams.
🎾 Speaking of Venus Williams, the 45-year-old will be playing in her first tournament in 16 months at the Mubadala Citi DC Open next week.
🎙️ Audio platform Audacy inked a strategic partnership with USWNT legends Tobin Heath and Christen Press to manage and distribute global ad sales for their popular women’s soccer podcast, the Re—Cap Show.
🎟️ The Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves, which were recently acquired by Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore, signed a multiyear partnership with fan ticketing platform Jump, which was also co-founded by Rodriguez and Lore. Synergy.
🚗 Uber signed on to become the official rideshare and on-demand delivery partner for Team USA and LA28.
Giveaway Alert
🥒 New gear can make all the difference in your game, whether you’re a pro athlete or an amateur pickleballer. That’s why we’ve partnered with Empower Pickleball to give three players the ultimate pickleball prize pack, complete with:
🏓 A brand-new CRBN paddle, plus a $100 Centerline gift card for a new ’fit
👟 Court-ready shoes from Sqairz
🤑 And two more $100 gift cards from Empower Pickleball and The GIST.
Find out if it’s really your lucky day and enter now.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
📚 What to read
"Hoop Muses" — a beautifully illustrated deep dive into the past, present, and future of women’s basketball.
👟 What to wear
Basketball shoes. A new wave of sleek, court-ready designs — ranging from the Air Jordan 40 to other high-tech drops — is blurring the lines between sport and streetwear.
🗽What to check out
"The Liberty Portraits" art installation outside Barclays Center. Photographer LaToya Ruby Frazier captured the 2024 WNBA champs in all their glory.
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