We interviewed Caitlin Clark
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hi there!
We love Serena being back in tennis: Not just for adding another W to her résumé, but for her candid reasons on coming back. Williams wanted to make sure her daughters got to see her in action, but boredom also partly inspired her return. “I got tired of sitting at home. My kids are out of school for the summer, so why not?” she said.
- Williams also mentioned the importance of playing at the HSBC Championships, which only welcomed back women’s tennis in 2025 after a 52-year hiatus: “I never got to play here, it was always just the men. It feels really special to play somewhere so iconic.” And we thought she’d done it all.
WNBA
🏀 A seat at the (analyst’s) table
The GIST: Every women’s sports fan knows the struggle of not finding the game they want to watch on TV. That’s the driver behind Xfinity’s campaign to highlight its expanding WNBA coverage across platforms — and to underscore its message, the telecomms company brought in one of the faces of the league: former Iowa Hawkeye and current Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark.
- Last month, Xfinity renewed its deal with Clark for a third year, so we chatted with the superstar about her partnership, legitimizing the women’s game in men’s spaces, and how expanded viewership fuels the W’s growth. Game on.
Repping the women’s game in men’s sports: In addition to commercials and social media activations, Clark appeared as a guest analyst on two episodes of Basketball Night In America, Xfinity subsidiary NBC’s primetime NBA show. She pointed out that a WNBA star having a literal seat at the table for such a major men’s sports moment was validating for the league.
- “I think it speaks to the way people are respecting the W, how much they love the W, how much they pay attention to the games that are on,” Clark explained.
- “I was definitely a little bit nervous going into it…it was at [Madison Square] Garden on Sunday night and LeBron James was playing so it was a little intimidating,” she said. But at the end of the day, “You’re just talking basketball…about what you see and the players you love.”
The campaign’s driving force: “The craze for the WNBA and the demand for it right now is as high as ever,” Clark pointed out, “and sometimes people aren’t always able to travel or go to the arena” to see games in person. “You want to have the fans connected and able to watch us no matter what game we’re playing, what city we’re in, no matter where they are.”
- That’s the real problem for women’s sports fans that Xfinity can help solve — the company’s deal with the NBA and WNBA ensured customers can access more than 300 W games a season between TV and streaming, along with league-specific content hubs that make finding games easier. Partnering with Clark helps highlight that expanded access for fans.
- Of increased access supporting viewership, Clark said, “I’m just really thankful for that. I know that wasn’t always a thing when I was growing up…so I’m just excited for that and excited for the fans to not miss out on any opportunities.”
The takeaway: The heart of Xfinity’s campaign spotlights its ability to solve an infamously common problem for women’s sports fans. Using Clark’s notoriety to boost its message — and the league’s credibility with NBA fans at the same time — is a slam dunk.
📺 FAST channel Victory+ sees high engagement with NWSL viewers
Victory+, which exclusively streams NWSL Sunday Night Soccer and 32 additional regular-season games, shared new data on its partnership: Fans watched over 2.8M total minutes with a 5.7% engagement rate.
- Plus, a recent Kelley O’Hara and Ali Riley altcast drew in nearly one in four viewers over the traditional broadcast, a strategy the streamer could potentially bring to its partnerships with WNBA teams and the WNFC.
🗽 AUSL strikes streaming deal with local NYC media despite having no team in the area
NYC may be home to the hottest team in sports right now, but it isn’t home to one of the AUSL’s six franchises. However, it will be airing seven AUSL games this season on the YES Network and the Gotham Sports App, which both air local NYC sports games.
- Considering the pro softball league already has significant media reach with ESPN, this could be a smart way to market test the city’s interest in fielding a team. Move over, Yankees.
❣️ Period care brand Cora shared insights on Golden State Valkyries activation
Last month, Cora tipped off a first-of-its-kind activation with the team so that when the Valks score, fans score, too. Every time the team banks five or more unanswered points in a regular-season home game, the brand donates $5K in period care products to local community organizations serving women and girls, which amounted to over $100K in products during May alone.
- Lately, we’ve seen both women’s and men’s sports teams cater to women fans by offering free period care products, including MLB’s Tampa Bay Rays and NY Yankees. It’s a must-have, period.
🇬🇧 London enjoyed $73.1M economic boost from 13 major women’s sports events in 2025
New analysis from London’s City Hall found major women’s sporting events generated more than $73.1M for the UK capital in 2025, bolstered by the Women’s Rugby World Cup final banking $64.8M when it drew a world record 81.8K fans. All in all, London hosted 13 major women’s sporting events last year, including the return of women’s tennis to the Queen’s Club adding another $8.3M.
🏟️ Gotham FC announced its first dedicated training facility, which will transform the former Red Bull New York training site into a 27K-square-foot state-of-the-art compound. Leveling the pitch.
📈 Saturday’s game between the NY Liberty and Indiana Fever peaked at 3M viewership, making it the second most-watched WNBA game since 2000.
⭐ Time’s inaugural Time100 Sports list named 44 women among the most influential people in the game. An even 50 would have been nice, but we’ll take it.
🏠 Airbnb launched a FIFA men’s World Cup activation that rewards travelers staying at select properties with free match tickets. So much better than complimentary coffee.
💼 Crux Football announced its Player Investor Collective that allows former players and athletes to get in on ownership in European women’s soccer clubs – and Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach are already on board.
🧀 Good Eat’n, Chris Paul’s snack brand that counts Paige Bueckers as a co-owner and ambassador, unveiled a new NYC billboard featuring fellow investor and NY Knicks star Karl-Anthony Towns.
🎬 What to look forward to
Slo Pitch. The upcoming queer softball mockumentary follows an underdog team, a freshly heartbroken coach, and plenty of chaos. Think Heated Rivalry, but sapphic.
🏀 What to check out
Sue Bird’s Women’s Health cover story. Four years after retirement, the WNBA legend is still shaping the future of women’s sports through broadcasting, ownership and leadership roles. The next chapter looks good on her.
🌈 What to celebrate
Carl Nassib’s historic moment. His Raiders jersey now lives at the Smithsonian — a powerful tribute to the first openly gay NFL player to take the field.
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