Bouncing around
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Here’s to fall (and football)!
ICYMI, we’ve teamed up with the NFL this season to bring the best of football to our GISTers, starting with our weekly Pick‘em Challenge. Whether you’re new to the NFL or a lifelong fan, you can set your picks and forget ‘em — until you win, of course. Getting down to business.
Women's soccer
⚽ Bouncing around
The GIST: Alyssa Thompson is the latest NWSL star headed to Chelsea on a five-year deal that is commanding a $1.3M transfer fee. This follows the Blues’ play for Naomi Girma — when Chelsea paid a record $1.1M fee in January — and a general trend of USWNT standouts being courted across the pond.
- The NWSL isn’t the only game in town — and as international leagues continue to professionalize and compete for NWSL talent, marketers should consider how this affects athlete deals. In this case, Alyssa has been co-marketed with her sister and former Angel City FC teammate Gisele as a package deal for brands. Missed ya.
The concern: With the potential for athlete transfers, there’s a risk even among U.S. markets when signing athlete deals, but the gamble’s a bit bigger in a global game like soccer. Well-developed European soccer leagues are stiff competition for top talent — something NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman acknowledged as motivation for the league’s latest CBA.
- For example, when Girma played for the San Diego Wave, she partnered with Austin-based Siete Foods for the Paris 2024 Olympics and joined community-based events in San Diego. For domestic brands, a move abroad can dilute their message — consider how Wave sponsor Kaiser Permanente chose Girma as a brand ambassador.
The opportunity: There ’s an opening for global brands when soccer players go international. Girma is sponsored by Chelsea outfitter Nike, Amazon Kindle, and Coca-Cola, which means further amplification for their messaging in markets abroad. Plus, European brands are more motivated to spotlight Girma, such as her May 2025 British Vogue feature and her recent deal with Volkswagen.
Zooming out: While athlete moves present challenges for sponsors, marketers can adapt and even take advantage of the change in market through new media. Girma was interviewed by Togethxr’s Alex Morgan in a TJ Maxx–sponsored show, showing that the Chelsea star still resonates with American audiences while also courting a UK one.
- Women’s sports fans tend to follow athletes over teams, which is why individual athlete branding may be more effective for them. While all of Thompson’s deals may not translate, the move could expose brands like NYX and BodyArmor to a whole new audience — one especially receptive to brand messaging. Brilliant, innit?
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🏟️ Chicago Stars FC announce stadium relocation closer to public transit
The NWSL squad is moving to Northwestern Medicine Field at Martin Stadium for its 2026 season, located on the university’s Evanston campus. While moving from a 20K-seater stadium to a 12K-seater may initially seem like a drawback, the new arena boasts a strong selling point: accessibility. Chicago fans can travel to the stadium using public transport and a lakefront bike path, while also boasting widely available parking.
- The move already seems to be paying off. The club has sold more than 8K tickets for its September 7th match hosted at its new venue — 3x what its current venue is able to sell, according to team president Karen Leetzow. No L’s here.
🤝 Togethxr announces major partnerships with London City Lionesses, Angel Reese
Women athlete–founded media and merch brand Togethxr is making some bold plays this week to be at the forefront of conversation in women’s sports. On Wednesday, the company partnered with Michele Kang’s London City Lionesses in a historic deal, and yesterday, the brand made a surprising addition to its ownership roster: Chicago Sky star Angel Reese.
- Togethxr is continuing to follow its data on the merch opportunity among women’s sports fans by creating new ones. Letting movers and shakers partner with the brand is a low-lift way to leverage their brand name and benefit from the glow of these buzzworthy partnerships.
- Plus, an energized Lioness fanbase needs new WSL threads, and Angel Reese fans have proven loyal to her individual brand through social media follows and podcast subscriptions.
🎾 Nike loses its longtime stronghold among US Open athlete sponsorships
Athletes aren’t the only ones competing at the US Open — so are apparel brands. According to Sportico, only 11 out of the 64 seeded men’s and women’s singles players are Nike athletes, compared to 21 in 2022. Adidas has surpassed Nike this year with 15 seeded players on its roster and 36 players in the draws, edging out Nike’s 35.
- Nike is no longer the only game in town, with established brands like Adidas, Asics, and New Balance courting athletes with competitive deals and extensive promotion. Then there’s newcomers like Vuori, Lululemon, and Kayanee who are able to win over athletes by making them the face of the brand. Talk about an ace.
🔥 The Indiana Fever broke ground on the team’s $78M practice facility yesterday. Feel the heat.
✅ Caitlin Clark, Tara Davis-Woodhall, and Qinwen Zheng are a few of the athletes headlining the revamp of Nike’s iconic “Just Do It” campaign.
🏒 PWHL fans can now purchase replica jerseys for every player in the league for the first time ever. She shoots, she scores.
💼 Horizon Sports & Experiences is partnering with World Sevens Football to offer its media advisory and sponsorship services, which it has previously extended to Unrivaled and the SharkBeauty Women’s Champions Classic.
📱 TNT Sports is working to launch its own app as Warner Bros. Discovery prepares to split its divisions under separate brands.
🚗 NSL founding partner and official automotive partner Toyota Canada will serve as the presenting partner for the league’s inaugural NSL Final in November.
🍾 French luxury designer and Nike collaborator Simon Porte Jacquemus is popping off a new partnership with luxe French champagne Veuve Clicquot.
🏈 NBCUniversal has officially sold out advertising inventory for its Super Bowl LX broadcast next February in addition to selling out 90% of its NFL spots. Touchdown.
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
⚖️ What’s important
Work-life balance, even for professional athletes. Several players at the U.S. Open spoke with AP News about achieving it and life outside of tennis.
⛰️ What to read
Outside Magazine. The Fall 2025 issue is all about style, design, and creativity in the outdoor space. The cover story features Olympian, runner, and podcaster Alexi Pappas, who opens up about why authenticity is the boldest style statement of all.
👟 What to snag
Sam Kerr’s first Nike Player Edition Boot. The Nike Mercurial Superfly celebrates Kerr’s 11-year journey as a professional footballer, reflecting her tenacity and proud Australian heritage.
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