Money moves
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Happy footy Friday!
Well, it’s footy day every day here at The GIST, now that we’re an official digital media partner of the NWSL. Scroll on for more big money moves, then enjoy the long weekend and we’ll see you back here next Wednesday.
Sponsorships
💗 Kindness is contagious
The GIST: The wholesome content your FYP is missing? The latest slam dunk from the Atlanta Dream and Cash App. Yesterday, these partners-in-hoops collaborated with ForgiveCo to wipe out $10M in debt for local families.
- Community-driven initiatives have become standard practice for financial institutions looking to leverage the goodwill generated by supporting women’s sports teams and transform it into brand loyalty. Talk about a bank shot.
The details: The program — one of many between the Dream and Cash App since they announced their partnership in May — is providing economic opportunity for 3.5K local recipients by eliminating debts ranging from $500 to $80K. And this is par for the course for the Dream, who have prioritized giving back to their community, an important prerogative Cash App has aligned themselves with.
The trend: Financial institutions continue to go all-in on women’s sports, whether it’s Aflac contributing $115K to the prize pool at WNBA All-Star Weekend — cash that Skills Challenge winner Natasha Cloud is planning to use to buy a house — or State Farm’s WNBA Assist Tracker that (in collaboration with the NBA) has resulted in $3.2M in community initiative donations.
Zooming out: These intentional, community-driven sponsorships are hitting the mark with sports fans: Per a June report from Parity, more than one-third of women’s sports fans agree that cause-driven campaigns positively impact brand engagement, the highest rating among different types of activations.
- But that’s not all: A whopping 89% of American consumers prioritize supporting brands that share their values, and since 77% of those same consumers stay loyal to brands they love, aligning media spend with cause-driven initiatives isn’t just principled — it’s profitable. Stacks on stacks.
Together With Boardroom
⭐ Looking for an inspiring read? Boardroom, the media network at the intersection of sports, business, and culture, created by NBA star Kevin Durant and entrepreneur Rich Kleiman, has you covered. Their latest cover story spotlights tennis powerhouse Aryna Sabalenka and her meteoric rise to the top of the game.
- Subscribe to Boardroom now to receive the daily newsletter read by leaders across women’s sports.
💟 Minnesota Lynx partner with Lego and Target for STEM–forward pregame activation
Lynx fans arrived at last night’s home matchup against the Seattle Storm to find a play space in the area’s atrium, where girls could make their own Lego creations and take home giveaways. Notably, this activation invited young female sports fans into another space usually associated with boys.
🦅 Azzi Fudd and Suni Lee feature in Travis Kelce’s American Eagle collab
The UConn women’s hoops star and Team USA gymnast are two of the six young athletes Kelce tapped to be part of the collaboration between American Eagle and Tru Kolors, the lifestyle brand of the Kansas City Chiefs star (and future Mr. Taylor Swift).
- Bringing in two women athletes of color who embody empowerment is a smart move for American Eagle, which recently endured a firestorm over its controversial Sydney Sweeney campaign…and the buzz around Kelce’s engagement doesn’t hurt either.
🏐 Northwestern athletic director highlights women’s volleyball as area for investment
In an interview with Front Office Sports, Northwestern’s Mark Jackson noted that when June’s House v. NCAA ruling altered the financial landscape of college sports, his department identified volleyball as the women’s sport that could stand to benefit the most from the shift.
- This aligns with the sport’s recent growth — ESPN reported that last year’s national championship saw a 41% YoY increase in viewership, with the pro scene buzzing thanks to the recent success of LOVB and the PVF’s merger with MLV. Now, that’s a spike we can get behind.
🪙 UNC football coach Bill Belichick’s girlfriend Jordon Hudson’s company filed a trademark for the term “Gold Digger,” an apparent tongue-in-cheek reference to their relationship.
🥤 Stanley 1913 and Caitlin Clark are collaborating on a line of “high-performance” water bottles, launching next week. Making a splash.
🏓 Pro Padel League revealed a roster of luxury partners for its inaugural Wölffer Estate Vineyard All-Star event, including Adidas, Flyfish, and Vacation.
🏀 South Carolina women’s basketball coach Dawn Staley would have taken the NY Knicks’ head coaching job had the NBA team offered, she recently told WNBA stars and Post Moves co-hosts Candace Parker and Aliyah Boston.
🎤 Legendary ESPN reporter Doris Burke will no longer be on the network’s NBA Finals broadcast team, a demotion for Burke as she will be replaced by reporter Tim Legler.
🎾 Tennis player Taylor Townsend’s underdog run at the US Open has elevated her partnership with apparel brand Hue, which designed bespoke kits for each of her matches.
🌱 Sprouts Farmers Market will be the title sponsor of this year’s espnW Women’s Basketball Invitational. So fresh.
Together With Merit Beauty
✈️ Wedding and vacation season are nearing their ends, but all that traveling can be disruptive — especially when you can’t pack all your skincare products. That’s why you need a simple, three-step kit to easily slip in your carry-on. Enter: the Merit Beauty Great Skin Trio.
- The Merit Beauty cleanser, serum, and moisturizer are all under 100ml (aka TSA–safe) and perfect for day and night, saving you crucial packing space. Grab yours now and thank us later.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🏳️🌈 Who to know
Brian Vahaly. The former ATP Tour player has made a major impact off the court since retiring. In 2017, he became the first current or former ATP Tour player to come out as gay, and he's now using his platform as President of the USTA to amplify the work of LGBTQIA+ organizations.
🏈 What to listen to
"Fantasy Football Today," the podcast that will have you ready for the gridiron with all the tips and tricks you need to dominate your fantasy league.
🎾 What to watch
Naomi Osaka: The Second Set. The new documentary gives fans a look at Osaka's life as a new mom. The tennis star says she was motivated to share her story of motherhood so that her daughter can watch it one day.
👠 What to read
Journalist Molly Elizabeth Agnew’s article for Vogue Business exploring the limits of fashion-related sports collaborations. Food for thought.
Today's email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Katie Kehoe Foster, and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Bonnie Lee. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Molly Potter and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.