Reaching the summit

The GIST: The podcast space is finally listening to women’s sports fans — something we’ve been doing since 2020. Everyone from sports media companies to standalone podcasts are getting into the women’s game, so we’re covering some trends in the space and what they mean for the future. Let’s dive in.

The talent: There’s typically three types of hosts running these pods: Traditional sports media personalities such as Sarah Spain, retired athletes like Sam Mewis, Sue Bird, and Megan Rapinoe, or Gen Z athletes like Ilona Maher, Angel Reese, and Cameron Brink.

• These younger stars tend to host shows that blend sport with culture and entertainment topics while featuring star-studded interviews. This reflects how Gen Z consumes sports, with influencers and pop culture moments introducing new fans to sports content.

The consumer: While overall podcast audiences have skewed male and millennial, that’s quickly changing. Podcast discovery is high among Gen Z and women listeners, with 75% of Gen Z tuning in (up 5% YoY), especially on YouTube.

• Listener trust runs notoriously deep, with 61% of Zoomers saying pod advertisements influence purchasing habits. On average, heavy podcast listeners are 60% more likely to purchase advertised products online and 71% more likely to purchase them in store.

The brand integration: Since these listeners are interested in making purchases and attending live events, brands are capitalizing on these widespread, engaged audiences. Bird and Rapinoe are hosting their revamped podcast live at major events like Cannes, SXSW, and WNBA All-Star Weekend, all of which nabbed event sponsors to bankroll these moments.

• While companies tend to generally focus on low-lift programmatic ads, something heavy-hitters Amazon and Disney are catering to, brands also benefit from partnering directly with podcast hosts.

• Media companies like Audacy and Vox Media are teaming up with independent pods for opportunities, but it still pays to partner with a whole network: iHeart Women’s Sports founding partners Capital One, E.l.f. Cosmetics, and Novartis benefit from the brand’s 99% positive sentiment on social media. Liked and subscribed.

The GIST: Earlier this month, Sports Business Journal shared data from sponsorship analytics platform Blinkfire on social media engagement among professional North American sports teams. Eight of the top 10 are WNBA teams, led by the Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever, and Golden State Valkyries.

• While the Wings and Fever have flourished thanks to stars Paige Bueckers and Caitlin Clark, the Valkyries have managed to build hype through their front office magic. Believe it.

The Paige Bueckers effect: Since the Wings drafted Bueckers in April, the team has seen increased ticket and merch sales, along with a boost in social media following. Bueckers also made the All-Star roster as a rookie, boasts the third-largest Instagram following in the W, and despite graduating, remains a collegiate icon for UConn as the top-selling woman athlete in the NCAA in June.

The front office effect: Interestingly, the Valkyries have been able to build a top-valued team without a star in its first year as a franchise — a credit to the front office’s ability to land sponsorships and convert Bay Area fans. While the team is playing well, it seems the brand is the draw for Valkyries games, which have all been home sellouts with courtside seats going for NBA prices.

Zooming out: While all three teams are winning the social media game, there’s a difference between how the Wings and Valkyries are appealing to fans. Both paths are lucrative and should be shining models for other W teams to follow.

• Alternatively, teams like the NY Liberty have utilized buy-in from ownership and an award-winning front office to recruit a championship-caliber roster. With all these elements, including popular mascot Ellie the Elephant, the Liberty has finally unlocked a lucrative NYC market and beyond, making it the W’s second most-valued team. Up and away.

We don’t need to tell you the pay gap between female and male athletes is still a thing, forcing women in sports to be extra thoughtful when planning their post-playing careers. And when it comes to making a second act shine, Intuit QuickBooks is changing the game for entrepreneurial athletes. How? Let us count the ways:

✍️ Start Up Training Camp: QuickBooks brought nine lucky stars, including NJ/NY Gotham FC’s Midge Purce, Seattle Reign FC’s Lynn Williams Biyendolo, and the LA Sparks’ Dearica Hamby, to USC’s campus for a crash course in turning their side hustles into successes. An MBA in a day? Yes, please.

👗 USWNT Players’ Ball Retirement Moment: They honored an all-time great retirement class — Alex Morgan, Alyssa Naeher, Kelley O’Hara, Becky Sauerbrunn, and Sam Mewis — at the team’s annual Players’ Ball and will support them in whatever they do next, too.

🔢 Small business support superstar: They’re unmatched when it comes to helping players transition from pro athlete to business owner. QuickBooks boosts business owners across the women’s sports ecosystem (The GIST included!) and can be the entrepreneurial coach you didn’t know you needed.