https://ca.thegistsports.comGatsbyJSFri, 02 Oct 2026 20:02:45 GMThttps://ca.thegistsports.com/article/adidas-partnership-unrivaled-47c978d9-7a11-5395-809e-5e1f65047b12Thu, 24 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Adidas signed a new multiyear partnership with Unrivaled yesterday, becoming the league’s official uniform and performance apparel partner starting in the 2027 season, a switch from its initial deal in 2024 with Under Armour. Just like the league has expanded with more teams, facility upgrades, and a cross-country tour, its needs from an apparel partner going into year three have grown too, and Adidas is ready to meet that demand…and so are our wallets. The deal: More than just a logo on a uniform, this partnership places fans at the center — they can expect a broader assortment of officially licensed Unrivaled merchandise including authentic jerseys, performance apparel, lifestyle collections, and more. Adidas also insists that athlete empowerment will sit at the core of the collaboration. This will include amplifying player voices through strategic initiatives and introducing opportunities for more athlete storytelling — hopefully with stars like Unrivaled lead studio analyst and president of Adidas women’s basketball, Candace Parker. The growth: From its treatment of athletes to its salaries, this league has differentiated itself since day one. Co-founders Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart set out to provide a domestic offseason opportunity for WNBA players and did so much more, including getting fans to adopt a new and exciting style of basketball that led to a $650M valuation for the league in two seasons. Adidas vows to prioritize Unrivaled’s player-first model and use its global reach to shape the future of women’s basketball. Off the court, this includes a big focus on youth development through camps, clinics, and community basketball programming, all of which Adidas will also outfit. Zooming out: Fortune Business Insights released a report earlier this month that valued the global sports apparel market at $220B and projected it to grow to $325B by 2034. Adidas keeps making moves, like partnering with an upstart women’s league in one of the largest segments of that market, that positions the sportswear giant for even more growth and visibility. Adidas called this partnership another step in its mission to be the brand of the next generation and the aforementioned youth development is a part of that. Showing up for Unrivaled and the young athletes who will go on to shape basketball is how you grow the game at every level. Good luck topping that as a gift for Collier’s next birthday.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/upshot-league-making-moves-f7021eb0-c10e-5458-8b36-ad4915085293Tue, 22 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: In case you needed a reminder, the Upshot League debuted in May in hopes of fulfilling a much-needed development gap for the WNBA. While the 5v5 league isn’t associated with the W like the G League is with the NBA, it allows more women to stay game-ready and offers professional scouts an easy way to track talent when roster spots open up from inevitable injuries. The four-team league reached unparalleled levels of success in its first season and has maintained steady momentum with acquisitions on and off the court in the three weeks since its championship. Let’s see what’s up with Upshot. The players: Former University of North Carolina standout and Greensboro Groove center Maria Gakdeng became the fifth Upshot player called up to the W after signing a contract with the Toronto Tempo on Sunday. In fact, each of the four founding teams has had at least one player sign with an WNBA squad. This puts them on a similar pace as the National Basketball Development League (NBDL) who debuted in the early 2000s and eventually evolved into the G-League, where eight players from the original eight-team league were called up to the NBA in the first year. Hello, proof of concept. The teams: In addition to the Groove, Upshot teams reside in Jacksonville, Charlotte, and Savannah — another strategic move that mirrors the NBDL where franchises were intentionally located in markets without an existing professional team. Women’s basketball fans in the southeastern U.S. showed up for their squads, resulting in multiple sellouts. In 2027, the Upshot League will continue this pattern when it expands to Tennessee and Maryland. The leadership: This league already boasted a front office stacked with Hall of Famers including Tamika Catchings, Cheryl Miller, and Ann Meyers Drysdale, and its newest addition has the orange jacket to match: Chamique Holdsclaw joined the Upshot ownership group this week. The former No. 1 WNBA draft pick brings decades of professional experience and a commitment to growing professional opportunities for women in basketball. Upshot seems keen on utilizing the expertise of athletes who have been there, a strategy that could lead to longevity and maybe even an official W partnership in the future? Watch this space.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/cultural-impact-of-wnba-fashion-3374db3d-c4db-57c4-93cd-dc2a52d16c2dSat, 19 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The WNBA was not the first women’s professional basketball league in the U.S., but it needed to avoid following in the disastrous footsteps of its predecessors. The front office connections and monetary backing of the NBA went a long way, but there’s a lesser-known hero that helped define the W: Tom O’Grady. Named the first-ever creative director of the NBA in 1990, O’Grady was an expert on building franchise identities, including two of the 90s’ most iconic teams: the Memphis Grizzlies and Toronto Raptors. In 1997, O’Grady oversaw the entire brand identity launch for the WNBA. He brought his signature bold style and worked directly with players, consulting with stars like Lisa Leslie, Sheryl Swoopes, and Rebecca Lobo to check ’fits and take edits on uniform design. The results were iconic. While still oversized — it was the 90s, after all — the jerseys were tailored to women’s bodies and offered distinct storytelling opportunities for the founding cities. Even uniforms that complemented the city’s men’s team, like the LA Sparks and Lakers, were still given unique fonts and colorways. Those design choices helped create the W’s brand identity — and ensured that the soul of the league was stylish and cool, laying the groundwork for it to be the meeting place of fashion and sport that it’s known as today. One season after the historic 2026 collective bargaining agreement allowed players to profit more off their own jersey sales, league merchandise licensing revenue is up 12% YoY, and players are finally able to cash in on the action. But that’s just the beginning of how fashion has led to business wins for the W…]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/record-season-for-the-wnba-4da012a8-5c45-5f0e-9f38-6a8a97db8084Thu, 17 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Over 1.2M people watched Team USA win its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup despite competing with the US Open men’s final and the NFL’s first Sunday of the season. Needless to say, fans are ready for more hoops. Each WNBA team has four regular-season games left and with the playoffs positioned to set even more records, let’s look back on the league’s historic year. 📺 The viewership: In 2026, the WNBA reached over 88.5M unique viewers to date to mark the most-watched season in its 30-year history. In fact, the W passed its 2025 number all the way before the All-Star break in June — which boasted a 44% YoY increase in viewership. On top of that, 47 different games averaged over 1M viewers, more than the last 21 seasons combined, and national networks saw a 23% YoY viewership increase. Hats off to the media deal negotiators. 📱 The engagement: The W is already the most-followed women’s sports league in the world with over 10M followers across socials, but it continues to optimize how it’s engaging with fans. This has resulted in over 3.5B social media views this season, nearly 20% more than last year. With WNBA League Pass subscriptions growing 520% since 2024, WNBA ID — the league’s new global account system that allows fans to personalize their digital experience — has also seen over 2M sign-ups since launching less than six months ago. 🎟️ The attendance: The success extends far beyond fans’ screens, with the league on pace for the most-attended regular season ever. Average attendance is up 21% YoY, coming in at over 11K per game, a remarkable feat considering WNBA arenas range between 3K and 20K seats. Overall, there have been 180 sold-out games this season and total attendance is sitting at 3.24M. Well-dressed butts in seats. Zooming out: There’s 30 games left before the postseason begins on September 27th, and with playoff seeding still TBD, expect these numbers to grow. Thirty, flirty, and absolutely thriving.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/racing-louisville-fcs-future-5eb018db-4817-5ef0-b5fc-33701890ecd7Tue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: There are a lot of questions surrounding the future of Racing Louisville FC in the NWSL. While most clubs are making (or considering) major infrastructure investments and looking to capitalize on the bright future of women’s soccer, Racing Louisville is falling behind despite only being in the league for five years. Woof. The numbers: Louisville was announced as an expansion team in 2019 and Soccer Holdings LLC, the group behind the investment, bought into the league for around $2M, a number unrecognizable in today’s NWSL expansion market. For context, Bay FC joined three years after Racing and put up $53M, while forthcoming expansion team Columbus paid a record $205M to join in 2028. Currently, its valuation sits near the bottom of the list of teams (somewhere between $127M and $140M) and its dismal attendance numbers and player retention problems seem to be hurting the club’s long-term viability. The solution: It’s true in sports that sometimes you have a winning season and sometimes you lose. But in the NWSL, finishing last doesn’t increase your chances of landing a top talent in the next draft as it was eliminated by the 2024 CBA. And although this gives players more autonomy and falls in line with international soccer standards, it makes it harder for mid-size clubs to compete with league giants who not only have more money, but have better facilities and marketing opportunities. Because of this, the Racing Louisville ownership group recently announced that it’s open to not just selling, but complete relocation. Definitely watch this space.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/sydney-sweeney-ad-response-f38e8761-a595-52cb-bcf3-86d29045393dTue, 15 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: We said it once and we’ll say it again, that ad sucked. Whether it was intended as rage bait or just the most recent flop in a series of problematic sports adverts, it’s exhausting. Content creators are leading the backlash against said ad, and no one is doing it better, or more empowering, than actual women in sports. Bam. The context: Last week, new sports-focused prediction market Novig dropped its first national brand campaign starring equity investor and actress Sydney Sweeney. Mostly naked save for a few strategically placed pieces of sporting equipment, Sweeney describes the creative direction as bold with a “playful edge,” but the backlash shows many sports fans aren’t buying it. The response: Former UCLA gymnast Gracie Kramer posted a response to the ad that racked up over 17M views on Instagram in just two days. Her prompt to show what a woman in sports looks like was taken up by athletes all over the world, from skateboarders and powerlifters to boxers and everywhere in between. The ad hits close to home for a lot of these athletes because of the significant push to de-sexualize sportswear and TV broadcasting in recent years so women can feel more comfortable competing. And on the business side, existing in a male-dominated industry shouldn’t mean success comes from submitting to the male gaze. The takeaway: It’s 2026, and some brands are showing they can’t sell a product without sexualizing or humiliating women. The volume of prediction markets is expected to reach $1T by 2030 and more than $5B in trading volume was recorded over the first NFL weekend. But if a marketing department in one of the fastest growing industries in the world can’t make an ad without objectifying women, maybe it isn’t worth the gamble.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/cathy-engelbert-to-retire-1d6dfda8-cf8d-53dd-aad9-92d2ed669e55Thu, 10 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: ICYMI, WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert announced her retirement on Friday after seven years in the position. Her last day on the job is December 31, 2026, with this epic 16 weeks’ notice launching a highly competitive job search that already has the rumor wheel spinning. The context: Engelbert became the first commissioner of the WNBA in 2019, as previous league leaders held the position of president. The title change reflected evolving priorities in the W, where it needed less focus on daily operations and more on business growth and league strategy. As the former CEO of accounting giant Deloitte, Engelbert did just that. She led a $75M capital raise in 2022, set direction to increase the league from 12 to 18 franchises by 2030, introduced the first airline charter program for a women’s professional league in the U.S. and negotiated two collective bargaining agreements, the second of which included a $3.1B media rights deal. The controversy: The league reached new business heights during her tenure, but Engelbert will likely be remembered for her relationship lows with the players, particularly when it came to athlete safety. From the lack of referee reform that led to more injuries to inaction regarding online harassment of players, Engelbert was rarely viewed as someone in the players’ corner, as Minnesota Lynx star Napheesa Collier famously detailed in 2025. The search: The Athletic put together a list of potential candidates to replace Engelbert ranging from frontrunners like basketball Hall of Famer Swin Cash and head of WNBA league ops Bethany Donaphin to longshots like former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and newly-announced retiree Nneka Ogwumike — who insists she needs a vacation first. On the plus side, the list is mostly women, but whoever takes the reins will inherit a complicated and uneven relationship with NBA leadership and its board of governors. Still, fans and players are (cautiously) excited to ring in the new year with a new leader. Start the countdown.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/lynx-seek-new-streaming-partner-643d4a46-9470-5892-96f8-de09a3ce4c5eThu, 03 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Things have gone from bad to worse for Victory+ after its parent company announced the dissolution of the Dallas-based streaming service yesterday. Surprisingly, the WNBA’s Minnesota Lynx and Atlanta Dream kept their contracts until the end despite previous partners like the NWSL terminating its agreement earlier this summer. So why stay on the sinking ship so long and what does this mean for an already-complicated media rights landscape? Let’s get into it. The context: Victory+ launched in 2024 as a free, local streaming service that relied solely on ad deals. Founded in part by the NHL’s Dallas Stars, it inked deals with teams and leagues from coast to coast with a business model that prioritized accessibility for fans who didn’t have cable. It seemed great…on paper. Things started unraveling in July after the MLB’s Texas Rangers and NHL’s Anaheim Ducks ended their contracts within a day of each other citing missed payments, and the NWSL following quickly on their heels. In response, Victory+ fired its CEO, but still thought it was in a good enough place to deliver on its remaining contracts. The WNBA deals: Where the previous deals relied on guaranteed payments, the WNBA teams opted for revenue sharing, meaning no breach of contract when cash flow was light. Victory+ successfully streamed the majority of the Lynx’s games, perfect for the league’s younger, digital-first fanbase. There’s just two games left that were slated for the streamer and with the international break, both W squads have time to find a broadcast partner. Speaking of partners, Amazon Prime keeps showing up at the right time, absorbing several of these broken contracts and transitioning into a sports programming cornerstone, especially after integrating WNBA League Pass into its ecosystem. Zooming out: Teams desperately want local streaming partners, but young companies like Victory+ don’t have deep enough pockets to support today’s lucrative media deals. Enter Amazon — according to Sportico, it now has localized deals for 34 teams across all the leagues mentioned above and the NBA. Bad news for the little guys.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/upshot-league-development-191825de-1987-59ea-a977-34760e549bd9Tue, 01 Sep 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: While the NBA, MLB, and NHL have distinct talent developmental systems, the WNBA has…a major gap. To help change this, the Upshot League launched this May in hopes of creating more stateside opportunities for elite players. It’s not an official developmental partner of the W, but in one season, Upshot’s success shows the appetite for professional women’s hoops is growing and the league is primed to grow right along with it. Oh and did we mention, this allows more women to stay in basketball? Love it. The details: Co-founded by former WNBA president, Donna Orender, and Andy Kaufmann, the CEO of Zawyer Sports & Entertainment, the four-team league played primarily in the southeastern U.S. and used existing arenas in cities like Greensboro, North Carolina and Jacksonville, Florida to keep costs low. Upshot boasted several sellouts and averaged over 2K attendees per game. The opportunity: Unrivaled and overseas basketball leagues provide opportunities for elite players to make money year-round, while Upshot strategically runs alongside the WNBA season to help players stay game-ready. The ability to be scouted by the W and fill in a roster spot when injuries inevitably hit is a huge differentiator, especially when 70% of Upshot players already have WNBA experience or direct connections. Two players were called up during the season, and since Upshot’s championship game last Saturday, another two players have also received the nod. Zooming out: Upshot creates more space for women in pro basketball and that extends far beyond the players to include coaches, training staff, marketing, front office leadership, and more. On top of that, it’s inspiring fans in underserved markets like Charlotte, North Carolina, and Savannah, Georgia. Developmental leagues in men’s sports have typically been formed when talent outpaces roster spots and the WNBA has absolutely reached this point. With two more Upshot teams debuting next year, expect the opportunities for this league and women’s pro hoops to continue to grow, too. Thirty teams sounds nice.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/refurbished-basketball-courts-ad624b9a-df3d-546e-8924-92253e5188cdSat, 29 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[With 27 Olympic gold medals between the men’s and women’s teams, USA Basketball knows a thing or two about cultivating talent. So what do they list as the number one value for their youth development program? Fun. Having fun is the backbone of the winningest basketball program in the world, and what’s more fun than free and accessible sports? Creating public spaces that are attractive to kids can help increase that access. Just ask WNBA star Paige Bueckers, who cites Blackstone Park in her hometown of St. Louis Park, Minnesota, as the place where she fell in love with the game. Earlier this summer, Bueckers attended the unveiling of a refurbished Blackstone Park, a project she helped fund alongside Gatorade, Project Blackboard, and others. Her investment changed the park from two undersized half-courts into a resurfaced regulation court with brand new baskets and a fresh coat of bright purple paint, complete with an empowering message about access to the game. The beauty of outdoor courts is that even with cracks, puddles, and fading lines, they help kids like Bueckers and four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson fall in love with basketball. Rejuvenating these courts brings more people into the fold and creates new community spaces where young girls see women in basketball being celebrated. It’s the future, and it’s technicolor.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/backlash-from-golf-ad-70c021a3-5ae2-5811-b6e3-aa1aad38b7ebThu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: By now, everyone and their mother has probably seen the Callaway and Good Good Golf video where co-founder Garrett Clark shoved fellow golfer Alexis Miestowski to the ground and told her to never touch his new driver. After the ad went viral, the backlash was immediate and continues to grow. While the companies’ generic apologies show exactly the kind of brands they are, several golf organizations founded by women or that actually support making golf more inclusive are ready to tee off following the generational foozle. The response: In the wake of the ad, The GIST social channels asked our community to shout out their favorite golf brands. When it comes to apparel, GISTers loved Erin Bailey and Renwick for their timeless yet functional approach to women’s clothes. Definitely not “shrink-it-and-pink-it” types of designers — although there are still plenty of tasteful pink options. You also introduced us to Rosebloom Headwear’s hats for numerous hair types, Birdie Girl Golf accessories designed by a former D1 golfer, a golf-inspired fragrance line from On and Off the Course, and so many more. The repercussions: Good Good Golf started as four college friends posting fun videos and in six years, turned that brand into a company reportedly worth $60M. With investment from the likes of Peyton Manning and nearly 2M YouTube subscribers, it was set to take off this year. Now thanks to a tone-deaf ad, deflection, and non-apologies, Front Office Sports reported that its products were pulled from Golf Galaxy and its parent company, Dick’s Sporting Goods. Its new show on the Golf Channel was postponed after a sponsor requested to be removed, and the Callaway driver featured in the spot is no longer available for purchase. Zooming out: When there are so many forces set on making women in sports feel small, it’s nice to know there are people who don’t think violence against women is a good way to sell a golf club. It’s still TBD on how far the fallout will go, but at least there are good brands to support the growth of women in golf, a number that increased 45% since 2020 and totals over 8M. Here fore that.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/unrivaled-reaches-650m-valuation-09b6114c-4025-5c83-b821-8ce3bf6139d7Thu, 27 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: It’s Unrivaled’s world, and we’re just living in it. The upstart 3v3 women’s basketball league launched by superstars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart is thriving, announcing yesterday that it nearly doubled its valuation in just one year. Consider the bank open. 💸 The update: Unrivaled is officially oversubscribed, surpassing its initial $100M target and increasing the young league’s valuation to $650M (up from $340M last year). The Series C fundraise featured new and old investors alike, including reinvestments from retired NBA superstar Carmelo Anthony and Alex Morgan’s Trybe Ventures. 📈 The growth: This success shouldn’t come as a surprise — Unrivaled saw significant growth across all facets of business in its second season, bringing in $45M in revenue, up from $27M in 2025. From ticket transactions (up 204% YoY) to merch sales (up 130% YoY), the demand for Unrivaled hoops is evident. Part of what makes the league unique is its player-first model, where Unrivaled’s stars remain its biggest shareholders. The value of the player equity pool has exploded, increasing 550% to almost $200M over the league’s two years of existence. 👀 What’s next: More of the same because if it ain’t broke, why fix it? Unrivaled plans to expand its tour model to eight cities in 2027 after successful stints in Philadelphia’s Xfinity Mobile Arena (where it set the women’s basketball attendance record) and NY’s Barclays Center for the league’s playoff run. Talk about a slam dunk.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/minnesota-lynx-ownership-changes-3dc1f34d-7e1a-556b-aa4f-c7e1a484a3ecTue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last Friday, Marc Stad became the most recent billionaire to buy a sports team. The venture capitalist (VC) is now the controlling owner of both the Minnesota Lynx and Timberwolves. There’s plenty of speculation about what this can do for the T-Wolves when the NBA tips off in October, but we’re curious about the new ownership right now. Good news for fans of the Electric Slide is that an in-season change shouldn’t affect the WNBA–leading squad with the playoffs just five games (and an international break) away. Still, billion-dollar moves can’t mean nothing so let’s boogie, woogie woogie into this newest front office shake up. The context: If this sale is ringing some bells it’s because the previous majority owners, Marc Lore and MLB legend Alex Rodriguez, spent four years trying to complete this exact transaction. The phased $1.5B buyout began in 2021 before turning into a lengthy legal battle that ultimately ended in Lore and Rodriguez acquiring 100% ownership. Messy. Lore, who spent just 14 months in charge after 50 months of pursuing the teams, has now sold his majority stake — although he will stay with the organization as a minority investor — with Rodriguez increasing his ownership stake and Stad becoming the new controlling owner. The moves: The biggest change is happening off the court — Marc’s wife Elisa Stad was named governor of the Timberwolves. With the LA Lakers’ Jeanie Buss’ seat in flux, Stad is one of two current women NBA governors along with Gayle Benson of the New Orleans Pelicans. In both the NBA and the WNBA — where Rodriguez will remain governor of the Lynx — the position serves as the primary representative of their team and votes on league matters, including collective bargaining agreements. Zooming out: Lore’s financial moves mirror what happened in the Lakers recent sale when previous owner Mark Walter cashed out after just 10 months in charge. The thread tying the two transactions was a massive jump in valuation over a very short period of time — the Lakers price grew $2.5B during Walter’s tenure and the Minnesota teams are now valued at $4.5B. With massive media deals and the wild growth of the WNBA, team ownership in 2026 is feeling a little like flipping houses, but the value these teams are generating YoY is a trend that more VC and billionaire sharks will be eager to sink their teeth into. Watch this space.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/flag-football-world-championship-c4818fa1-8f05-58ee-b88f-67e514cd83c8Sat, 22 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[As we wrote in February, flag football participation is surging at the youth level, particularly for girls. There are more opportunities for girls to play flag compared to tackle football, and athletes (and their parents) are drawn to it as a “safer” option. Let’s look at the numbers that support the sport’s grassroots success: 🏈 In 2023, hundreds of thousands of girls aged six to 17 play flag football in the U.S., while high school girls’ participation rose 105% from 2023 to 2024. 🏆 Twenty-four states have officially sanctioned girls’ flag football state championships — including Rhode Island, as of Monday — and 16 more are running pilot programs on the path to sanctioning the sport. 🏫 It’s catching on in the NCAA too: Flag football is a member of the org’s Emerging Sports for Women program and is on a fast track to championship sport status. More than 100 NCAA schools will offer it this coming year. Crucially, the NFL has thrown its weight behind flag football at every level, adding an air of legitimacy to the sport and supercharging its growth. It runs a network of youth leagues for girls and boys, supports organizations like Females in Flag, and even gave girls’ flag teams the spotlight during last season’s Super Bowl Week. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell said that getting girls in the game is a long-term investment in the league’s future — people who played football as kids are more likely to be fans as adults, and he believes creating opportunities for girls will make them football lovers for life. The NFL’s support has also drawn high-profile partnerships to flag football, with brands like Toyota and Gatorade investing in the youth movement.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/the-valkyries-cant-stop-winning-3b58d350-60d9-5e31-86e7-0bc75c2eef76Thu, 20 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: As you may have heard, the WNBA All-Star Game (ASG) is headed to the Bay in 2027 — a monumental dub for a team that will only have played since 2025. It’s the latest in a long string of achievements for the Golden State Valkyries, who can’t seem to stop winning on and off the court. 💸 The context: It’s hard to imagine the women’s sports scene without the Valks. Even though the team is only in its second season, it has the highest valuation of any women’s franchise in the world, breaking the $1B mark earlier this year. But how did they do it? The Valkyries play at Chase Center, a venue shared with the NBA’s Golden State Warriors that opened in 2019 and cost over $1.4B to build. While several other WNBA teams are roommates with men’s franchises, the most recent other shared venue (Barclays Center) opened in 2012. Debuting in one of the biggest sports markets in the country in a luxury arena brought interest, eyeballs, and most importantly, season ticket deposits of which the Valkyries have over 12K. 🏟️ The numbers: The Trade Desk report we covered earlier this week revealed that 92% of Valkyries season ticket holders are unique to the market, meaning they don’t also hold Warriors season tickets. It’s a common — and encouraging — trend: According to that same report, ticket buyers in cities with both men’s and women’s pro teams max out at 8% crossover, showing traditional sports advertisers exactly where to find fans that might be new to sports. 📖 The outreach: Outside of basketball, the Valkyries have been paying it forward to the community that embraced them so thoroughly. In honor of World Entrepreneurs’ Day tomorrow, it feels fitting to mention the team’s Violet Book of Business, a strategic collab with Chase that champions and accelerates the growth of women-owned businesses from jewelry to DIY tools to gelato. Meet us for a scoop?]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/data-womens-sports-fandom-fbd2b3cf-de74-5f7c-92e3-f786d5d7bb06Tue, 18 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Not one, but two major reports have dropped since our last newsletter and the results overwhelmingly show that women’s sports are no longer a trend, but a triumph. From increased viewership to brand loyalty and women impacting the growth of men’s sports, the data is singing the praises of this movement and it’s a song we love to hear. In its “More Fans, More Often” report, Nielsen revealed that U.S. audiences watched over 46B minutes of women’s sports in 2025 and 28.6B minutes in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase YoY. Plus, 52.8% of Americans said they were interested in women’s sports. Nielsen found that women accounted for nine million of an estimated 16 million new sports fans from last year, and women’s sports fans in particular outpace general sports fans in both social media and podcast engagement. Women fans also accounted for 107% growth in NCAA Men’s College World Series viewership, were every 2 of 5 viewers for the FIFA men’s World Cup final on Fox, and comprised 46% of NASCAR fans. Talk about an impact. The wins kept coming in the Trade Desk’s “Women’s Sports: A Movement, Not a Moment” report, which focused more on consumption habits, what advertisers should know about women’s sports, and what this unique fan group really wants from brands. TL;DR: Authenticity matters. A majority of those surveyed (89%) agreed they want to see brands advertising who represent the values of the sport and consistently show up, not just for big moments. Equally interesting, the numbers showed that 72% of women sports fans consume sports content daily compared to 58% of men, with women sports fans spending 32% more time on podcasts than the average American. We know one they might like. Zooming out: Both these reports tell a similar story — the time to invest in women’s sports was yesterday. Nielsen put it flawlessly when it noted, “an equally powerful shift is redefining the traditional fan base, as women increasingly claim their space as passionate, knowledgeable stakeholders in men's sports leagues.” Duh.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/new-data-fans-womens-sports-38904abb-bd6e-5ebb-8029-1e56aaa2906fThu, 13 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Sports Poll by SSRS — the world’s longest-running market research study on sports fandom — dropped some data proving what we’ve known all along: it shouldn’t be this hard to watch women’s sports. A July poll revealed that nearly 20% of respondents had no way to watch the women’s pro and college sports they are interested in, with only 42% saying they have access to all or most games. We need to talk about this. The problem: Established leagues like the NWSL and WNBA — both of which touted lucrative media deals as part of their recent collective bargaining agreements — require complicated and costly combos of paid streaming apps like Prime Video, Peacock or Paramount+, cable or satellite access, live TV streaming, and other paid subscriptions if your team is out of market. League-specific apps like NWSL+ or WNBA League Pass don’t show every game as they have national blackouts for marquee matchups. These extensive lineups run between $50 to $100 a month and, in addition to the cost, it’s a major inconvenience to not even easily know which of the seven apps has the game you want. The effect: It gets even worse when you look at new leagues where this lack of accessibility disproportionately affects their ability to grow. Less than two days before its season started, the Women’s Professional Baseball League (WPBL) announced its games would no longer be free, a last-minute switch that frustrated fans. With the majority of games behind a paywall, casual watchers are inhibited from exploring a new, exciting product. People are similarly angered that WAFCON, African women’s soccer’s biggest tournament, is nearly impossible to watch in North America and the games that are available to stream suffer from a lack of quality announcing — a huge loss for what’s been an excellent tournament. Zooming out: It’s worth noting that the hybrid model of free and paid can work when it’s simple. Both the PWHL and F1 Academy rely on YouTube for the majority of their calendar and after seasons of turning casual viewers into fans, also offer premium content on paid platforms like Prime Video, TSN, or AppleTV. It all comes back to access. If fans can’t watch, leagues won’t have a chance to make it out of their infancy — media deal or no.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/wnba-tensions-trans-athletes-bf075996-9e33-5c07-8ede-430b397e17bcTue, 11 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: In the 30 years since the WNBA was founded, exactly zero transgender women have played in the league. And yet, the conversation surrounding trans athletes is reaching dangerous levels as the attempts to turn this tiny, vulnerable group of people into a supposed threat to women’s sports increase each day. This weekend, The Athletic obtained a copy of a mildly-worded memo from commissioner Cathy Engelbert laying out how WNBA leadership should approach the topic and her plans to discuss the matter further at a meeting with presidents and general managers this week. Feels underwhelming. The background: The subject has gone from a barely-covered talking point to national controversy after Indiana Fever bench player Sophie Cunningham told ESPN in late July that a trans athlete ban would be “common sense” to protect young girls in sports. Then, a small number of WNBA fans organized an anti-trans rally before the Fever played the Seattle Storm on July 28th. The rally was a flop, but Storm co-owner Celeste Keaton was fined and suspended five games after she confronted two teenaged Fever fans wearing t-shirts with anti-trans rhetoric. After receiving significant backlash and refusing to comment on her involvement, Cunningham slightly changed her tune saying there is a “safe space and love for everybody,” including trans people, but the damage was done. The details: The current WNBA rulebook does not have an explicit policy regarding transgender participation. In the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) signed in March 2026, it says only women are allowed to play, but doesn’t it define that in any legal or biological ways. Over the weekend, two former NBA players, one who is an aspiring political influencer and another who played nine (!!!) total minutes in his NBA career posted that they are declaring for the next WNBA Draft — a harmful publicity stunt attempting to turn the CBA’s eligibility language into a joke. Sigh. Looking ahead: Now we all have to wait and see how Engelbert — who has been decidedly unpopular among players and often booed by fans — will respond. Still, she has the chance to address the controversy and show what the W really stands for in these upcoming meetings. Watch this space. At The GIST, we believe trans women are women and that trans athletes have the right to compete on teams consistent with their gender identity. If you want to learn more, check out our 2023 interview with former NCAA athlete and trans activist, Schuyler Bailar.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/women-who-transformed-the-wsl-71080d52-62e5-5490-932b-0d623de99341Sat, 08 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Former Nike exec Nikki Doucet is Canadian, but the WSL CEO has brought renewed passion and business expertise to the women’s game in England. For Doucet, the crux of the WSL’s success lies in its differences from the men’s game, not its similarities. “Women’s football is built on a rebellion and a rebellious spirit,” she said earlier this year. In 2023, Doucet was brought in by the Football Association (FA) — English soccer’s governing body — to lead the league’s transition to the club-owned corporate entity, NewCo. Since becoming CEO, she has had groundbreaking commercial successes, including a “near doubling” of sponsorship and media rights deals. She renewed or facilitated partnerships with Barclays, Apple, Mercedes-Benz, and Nike, and rebranded the league in 2025 to help present it as a singular, unified product. While the WSL’s growth is already impressive, Doucet's focus remains on long-term success instead of flashy, short-term wins. The league launched its new website in May 2025 and set its sights on expansion, with Chelsea investor Alexis Ohanian envisioning the WSL’s first billion-dollar franchise. Doucet’s next challenge? To ensure growth becomes more evenly distributed across teams: She acknowledged that some clubs invested ahead of the curve and are already reaping the rewards, while others have lagged behind. As the calendar soon turns to a FIFA Women’s World Cup year, Doucet will look to close that gap and fill seats across the WSL. "The mission is to build the most distinctive, competitive, and entertaining women's football club competitions in the world,” Doucet said last year. It's a reminder that for all the marquee sponsorships, her real test is turning a moment into a movement.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/clevelands-wnba-franchise-708a5da4-ab55-5bcb-ae12-20034858e743Thu, 06 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: A little over a year ago, Cleveland was announced as the WNBA’s 16th franchise after Rock Entertainment Group (REG) paid a historic $250 million expansion fee. Now, the city finally knows who they’ll be cheering for: the Sirens. The club debuted its name and branding on Tuesday at Rocket Arena, the 19.4K-seater stadium where it will begin play in 2028. Some fans may have been hoping for a resurgence of the Rockers (the original Cleveland team circa 1997), but the new identity still pays homage to the past while the numbers speak to a very bright future. 🔱 The brand: The logo, designed by REG and creative agency Supper, draws upon themes of fluidity, fearlessness, and civic pride, particularly in Lake Erie. The brand colors are a tribute to the nearby lake and the Rockers’ iconic icy blue, now in the form of “Erie Blue” and “Siren Blue”. That’s cold. And the longer you look at the design, more details come to the surface. From the webbed, clawed hand palming a ball to the hidden “C-L-E” and the five waves of the siren’s hair symbolizing Cleveland’s future starting five, it’s a masterclass in sports branding. 🎟️ The response: Prior to the launch, teasers urged basketball fans to “hear the call,” but Cleveland die-hards had already answered months earlier. As of yesterday, the Sirens broke the 10K season ticket deposit threshold, a milestone that has only been reached once in the W — by the Golden State Valkyries in 2025. And for anyone curious about conflict with the other Sirens? Don’t worry, Front Office Sports reported that the name won’t infringe on the trademark held by the PWHL’s NY franchise. There’s room for all in the deep blue sea.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/nwsl-contract-with-victory-adda66a2-f69b-5e0f-9c5a-0eb8d54c9e88Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The NWSL hasn’t yet confirmed or denied if it’ll be starting the 2027 season a full month earlier due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC), but it did surprisingly reveal the immediate termination of its media rights agreement with streaming partner Victory+ last Thursday. It’s been less than a year since the league announced Victory+ as its fifth media partner. The partnership goal was to increase the discoverability of games via free, ad-supported streams and Sunday primetime broadcasts. So how did it unravel so fast? Let’s dive in. The details: The NWSL is the third major sports rights holder to exit the platform in less than a month following MLB’s Texas Rangers and the NHL’s Anaheim Ducks. And although no official reason has been given for the NWSL termination, both the Rangers and Ducks cited that Victory+ had fallen behind on payments. According to the Sports Business Journal, the streamer has faced difficulties with securing additional financing since February. Interesting… Zooming out: The direct-to-consumer streaming switch is an attractive option for teams and leagues who know fans are frustrated with blackouts, or not having cable at all. They also offer a consistent way for out-of-market fans to watch games, something that was important in Victory+’s NWSL deal as expansion teams Boston and Denver joined this season. All soccer games slated for Victory+ were immediately made available on NWSL+, a quick and smart pivot for the league. Still, with clients like the Minnesota Lynx, Atlanta Dream, Dallas Stars, and LOVB on its dwindling roster, this might not be the last loss for Victory+.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/fifa-president-abandons-plan-c7053774-2262-512c-a719-6a9617ad88c0Tue, 04 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: FIFA president Gianni Infantino is in the “find out” phase after his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity firms united the soccer world against him in record time. The proposal was officially abandoned on Friday but the backlash (and gaslighting) are just getting started. Delicious. The background: Last week, FIFA announced plans to create a new company, FIFA Forward Enterprise, to oversee its main events, including the men’s and women’s World Cup…and sell a stake in that company to private investors to raise a total of $20B. The boycott: Shortly after Infantino’s plan went public, European football’s governing body UEFA announced it would boycott FIFA–sanctioned events like the WWC qualifiers planned for fall. This would have been disastrous for the tournament with six of the top 10 teams in the world coming from Europe, including reigning champs Spain. North American soccer body Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation also rejected FIFA’s proposal. However, with Infantino’s plans abandoned, the European boycott will not proceed. Looking ahead: Things are just getting started for Infantino who, instead of receiving a self-imposed 525% pay increase, will endure a more-contested presidential re-election campaign in March 2027. There are also rumblings of a vote of no confidence, but it would require 43 member associations to even trigger a vote and it’s unclear how many would actually be needed to oust him. A girl can dream.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/simmons-womens-sports-busines-d42c6589-6b39-5621-9d9b-df6b7557a865Sat, 01 Aug 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[When the Simmons SOM’s advisory board ran the numbers, it seemed like a no-brainer to focus on women’s sports. As one of the fastest-growing global industries, women’s sports could generate at least $2.5B in value for rights holders in the U.S. by 2030, a 250% increase from 2024. Simmons has made a habit of going first, so why stop when it comes to women’s sports? "This program matters right now because women's sports are no longer asking for a seat at the table...we are at the table," Boston Celtics executive, former WNBA player, and incoming lecturer Allison Feaster said this month. "The investment is here. The audience is here. The momentum is real. And Simmons will mold leaders who are prepared to meet this moment with skill, strategy, and purpose." Up until Simmons’ historic December 2025 announcement, academic specializations in women’s sports only existed on an elective, curricular, or internship level. Columbia and UMass Amherst integrate women-centric courses into existing sports management curricula, and schools like the University of Washington and the University of North Carolina teach "gender and sport" as offerings within women and gender studies programs. Until this year, students could sprinkle women’s sports into their studies as a topping. Now, it can be their bread and butter.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/lack-of-planning-impacts-wafcon-61f27541-d080-5cf7-b6c2-8bce4b51ef74Thu, 30 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The Women’s Africa Cup of Nations (WAFCON) is a major continental soccer tournament that occurs every two years. And yet, for the second straight iteration, logistical failures and neglect from the Confederation of African Football (CAF) have affected the quality and success of the event. The world is mad and so are we, so let’s rage scroll and get into the deets. 📆 The delay: WAFCON 2026 was slated to start this spring in Morocco, but a mere 12 days before the opening match and as players were already reporting for national team duty, the CAF postponed the tournament due to unforeseen circumstances. And, this wasn’t the first time the CAF moved their premier women’s tournament: In 2024, participants had to wait 19 months after the end of qualification because the federation didn’t realize WAFCON was scheduled during the 2024 Paris Olympics, where two countries — Zambia and Nigeria — were set to compete. Yikes. 🏟️ The logistics: Keeping the tourney in the same calendar year might have been a victory if it wasn’t so hard to see the games. Following the popular FIFA men’s World Cup, WAFCON organizers could have capitalized on that excitement with more international soccer, but their lack of promotion and media deals, especially in the bustling UK market, has left fans frustrated. 🚨 The importance: The 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) in Brazil is less than a year away and WAFCON is the only qualifying route for African teams, meaning this tournament isn’t only for glory. Making the quarter-finals is crucial — the four winners in that round receive an automatic WWC berth, while the four losers enter a global playoff tournament. 🔭 Zooming out: Although the confederation did some things right, like doubling the winner’s prize purse and expanding the field from 12 to 16 teams, the disrespect still stings. Instead of drawing fans in with icons like back-to-back NWSL MVP Temwa Chawinga and elite striker Barbra Banda, the CAF is missing out on additional growth and exposure for their rising national teams ahead of the WWC. Luckily, BeIN Sports is broadcasting games in both Canada and the U.S. so fans can get the international footy fix they’ve been missing. Yes, please.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/2026-wnba-all-star-weekend-331eff70-8ab9-599b-a64d-8d6a9584046aTue, 28 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Any way you slice it, the 2026 WNBA All-Star Weekend (ASW) in Chicago was a true success, from impressive attendance at the game itself to the many brand activations and presidential pep talks. The event celebrated the power of women’s sports and showcased the profitability of the W. Reaching new heights. The Barbie: No All-Star shone brighter than Atlanta Dream forward Angel Reese, who undoubtedly won the weekend after she dropped her signature Barbie with Mattel — complete with a pink jersey, leg sleeve, and the new expressive pink Reebok Angel Reese 1 sneaker. Starting with a landmark NIL deal in college that continued when she joined the W in 2023, Reese has been the cornerstone of Reebok’s basketball division and this marks her ninth colorway since her shoe launched in 2025. Pretty in pink, indeed. The brands: When Chicago last hosted ASW four years ago, a mere six brands participated in the weekend. But this year saw an almost 500% increase in brand activations, including a Skechers pop-up, a Mental Wealth panel from Ally featuring LA Sparks All-Star Kelsey Plum, a coffee-focused Unrivaled experience, and so much more. The numbers: Attendance was way up for the game with over 19K fans packing the United Center and another 30K estimated to have attended the weekend’s fan festival, which notably required tickets to attend for the first time. Television coverage spanned Disney’s many channels, and the company more than doubled its ad revenue for the second straight year. Ads sold out in record time, with six new brands and 13 new categories — including travel, computer games, and automotive — making their WNBA debut. Zooming out: It’s easy to make the case that this was the biggest ASW for brands so far. Thanks to these players’ star power and cultural relevance, the WNBA’s marquee event has gone from showcasing a league on the rise to highlighting the unmistakable relevance of women athletes, turning an experimental buy into a long-term, high–ROI investment. Believe that.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/deltas-wnba-deal-7d4d03d0-a264-5ba6-a9b7-0ec995c645dfSat, 25 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Delta is covering familiar ground: Young said the company has “leaned into sports in general for the better part of two decades,” deepening its commitment in women’s sports specifically over the past 10 years. That includes expanding its WNBA partnership in 2024 to become its official airline and charter provider, a deal Young said Delta recently renewed. The brand is focusing on bringing “premium experiences” to customers, and this year’s All-Star Weekend activation is an extension of that approach. Delta implemented its popular Group Drop strategy in the run-up to ASW, sending a few lucky winners to some of the weekend’s biggest moments: SkyMiles members entered sweepstakes for unparalleled experiences, including courtside tickets, a VIP pass for the All-Star Game and the three-point contest, a shootaround clinic with a WNBA All-Star, and Orange Carpet access. The activation also includes parties and custom merch, creating an “all-around, surround-sound” experience for the winners. Instead of highlighting star athletes or teams, it notably dials in on the fans. “Fandom is beyond just the actual experience of watching the game,” Young noted. “It is culture. It is merch. It is travel. It is sports tourism. All of that is growing, and we want to be right there alongside the WNBA while that happens and bring our customers along for all of those experiences.”]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/tj-maxx-womens-sports-2c71dff3-2259-5d22-a1b5-09f21a1ec140Thu, 23 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Budget-friendly retailer T.J. Maxx has been stepping up its women’s sports sponsorship game in recent years, partnering with ESPN, Boston Legacy FC, and over 55 women athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. At this year’s ESPYs, it doubled down on visibility with one of its top athlete ambassadors: rugby star Ilona Maher. Last week, we chatted with T.J. Maxx head of marketing Emily Trent about how the brand activated at the award show and why it’s investing in women’s sports. An original never blends in. The ESPYs: Maher — who was styled in a T.J. Maxx look — presented the award for Best Athlete – Women's Sports, which was also sponsored by the brand. T.J. Maxx also sponsored the ESPY’s Red Carpet Digital Live Show, showcasing the night’s top looks. Outside of its award show, T.J. Maxx is the presenting sponsor of ESPN’s new Women’s Sports Sundays and worked with the network to create custom ad content featuring Maher and NWSL star Mallory Swanson, highlighting both their personalities and their T.J. Maxx ’fits. The why: Trent noted that due to the “growing cultural crossover between women’s sports and fashion,” women athletes are being heralded as trendsetters. And although many women athletes have teamed up with luxury brands, there’s a unique element here that T.J. Maxx and Maher can capitalize on: aspirational yet accessible fashion. Seeing Maher co-sign accessible brands (she also has a Maybelline lipstick endorsement) not only empowers consumers, but means she can lend her magic touch and bring these brands to red carpet conversations. The results: Letting athletes flaunt their fashion sense is smart business. Trent says T.J. Maxx’s women’s sports content is consistently top-performing and yields “overwhelmingly positive sentiment,” telling them they’re “meeting audience interest and resonating with fans.” They’re making an impact with athletes, too, with many highlighting T.J. Maxx as their “first-ever ‘brand deal’ or ‘sponsor.’” Shout out to all the Maxxinistas out there.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/forme-signs-wnbpa-partnership-216ca451-cd45-56ca-b94e-9adc166a6aa8Tue, 21 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last week, the WNBPA announced a partnership with Forme, a unique sports apparel company with patented wearable tech that improves posture (just ask Taylor Swift). We spoke with WNBPA president Nneka Ogwumike, WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson, and Forme founder Dr. Stephen Liu about the deal and the opportunities for medtech start-ups in sports. Loving the alignment. The details: Forme allows players to monitor and maintain posture alignment as they sleep, travel, and train throughout the season. Each player will have access to Forme’s wearable tech and receive a Posture Score based on their data. It all tips off with a pilot activation at WNBA All-Star Weekend, and next year, the Forme Fitting Room will assess WNBA rookies early on. Plus, Forme is going above and beyond by establishing a platform for WNBPA members that features educational content on improving posture and alignment. The why: Dr. Liu’s reasoning is twofold: He believes “elite athletes are often the first to recognize what truly matters for human performance.” And it means something that many WNBA partners are already using Forme: “When elite athletes trust Forme as part of their daily routine, it creates a level of credibility no marketing campaign can manufacture.” And according to the WNBPA’s Jackson, athletes’ bodies “are their greatest professional asset,” so “anything that helps them recover better, move more efficiently, and prioritize their overall well-being is worth exploring.” She called it a thoughtful addition to the union’s massive portfolio, noting that they don’t bank agreements just because they’re “commercially attractive,” they back products that “provide real value to [WNBPA] members.” Zooming out: Both Jackson and Liu underscore how athletes need this tech, and they make sense as natural brand ambassadors. And that’s something different than a lot of other partnerships: Recovery tech is essential for athletes. More general wearable trackers (like Whoop) have been involved in the space, but few specialized medtech trackers like Forme have a presence yet. The partnership with Forme “reflects how much the conversation around players has evolved,” said Ogwumike. “We're seeing more brands look beyond what happens on the court and ask, 'How can we actually help athletes?'” She’s hoping this deal inspires other brands to consider how they can support athletes and keep them on the court. Playing the long game.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/misha-shers-next-chapter-6b356965-60aa-59b0-871e-35d83793b6ecSat, 18 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Sher has been around soccer all his life. He played collegiate ball, went pro, then turned to sports marketing and talent management. He’s worked with men’s soccer icons Vinícius Júnior, Mesut Özil, and Pelé. He has the unique perspective of a seasoned athlete–turned–business executive, and has identified a few pain points in the sports management landscape. “I feel like we've reached a point where the power of the athlete has never been greater — the opportunity to build something that is truly meaningful, to build an audience and to be able to commercialize beyond the field of play has never been greater,” Sher said. “And yet, the ecosystem around talent hasn't evolved in the way that it should. And I think that's particularly acute or obvious in women's sport.” He helped develop campaigns around Pelé’s legacy in the 2000s, a challenge for the retired Brazilian star in his sixties, which gave Sher “a real appreciation for the power of an individual and what that can do to reach audiences, to engage, to build an entire ecosystem around an individual.” Now, he’s taking those learnings to support “marketable female star[s],” which he predicts will be the “single biggest accelerator” in this billion-dollar women’s sports industry. That’s what led Sher to create ONM, a boutique athlete agency focused on making icons out of women athletes.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/gotham-fc-game-in-queens-fb5b273b-d33a-5484-871c-ed1112387388Thu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Yesterday, Gotham FC hosted the Washington Spirit at Citi Field in Queens, NY, marking the first NWSL game at the venue, which is more accessible for many New Yorkers. The game sold over 40K tickets, beating the club’s single-game attendance record and NYC’s record for a women’s sports event. Let’s look at the marketing that helped this game stand out. Gotham FC: Gotham brand marketing and fan experience VP Laura Petro told Boardroom the timing was chosen deliberately to hit right before the city hosted the FIFA men’s World Cup (WC) final. The club’s goal has been to raise awareness by introducing Gotham to new fans and celebrating existing supporters, something it did through promotional collabs and ticket drops around marquee moments. The club promised Rose Lavelle bobbleheads to the first 7.5K fans in attendance and conducted several limited-time ticket sales, like a $28 season ticket deposit promo to celebrate Gotham’s permanent move to Queens in 2028. The mayor: As we covered in April, Gotham had help from a unique ambassador: popular NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani. He played a large part in promoting the game, promising his attendance months ago and leveraging Gotham as an affordable soccer option in the city amid sky-high World Cup (WC) ticket prices. Mamdani teamed up with Gotham twice to drive at least 5K ticket sales: Once in April for 1K tickets at $5 each, and again last week to offer 4K tickets at $15 each. The brands: It’s not just the league, club, and city government hyping up the moment — brands stepped in too, from longtime club partners like CarMax to Khloe Kardashian’s snack brand, Khloud. Prematch celebration Footy Fest featured activations from brands like Bank of America, Panini, and RWJBarnabas Health, while Dove sponsored an afternoon WC watch party. The blueprint: Other NWSL franchises have brought games to MLB stadiums before and generated massive crowds. However, this effort featured a consistent, months-long strategy that spread far beyond soccer circles, especially thanks to extensive mayoral support driving broader media coverage and brand activations. So, who’s next?]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/julie-ertz-world-cup-marketing-434cb326-8ae5-5f13-b3c7-0185ea5057bbThu, 16 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last month, retired women’s soccer stars and lifelong friends Julie Ertz and Kealia Watt launched their Style of Play podcast in what seems like a perfect moment. Not only is this undoubtedly the “summer of soccer” on U.S. soil, but everyone seems to be thinking about how to build momentum ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Earlier this month, we chatted with Ertz about how she’s building her profile in retirement as a former athlete and devoted mom. We asked about how soccer, and sports fandom at large, has changed — and what brands can learn from the moment. Meeting those quarterly goals. ⚽ “Sports unite people.” Ertz said this to explain her recent campaign with International Justice Mission and why the anti-trafficking org chose the WC moment (and Ertz) to drive home its mission. But we don’t just see this in brand campaigns: It also brings in podcast listeners. Ertz and Watt’s podcast, which has 9.9K YouTube subscribers, drew 24.2K views for a Father’s Day episode featuring their NFL star husbands, Zach Ertz and J.J. Watt. 📺 The times are a-changin’. While there’s been criticism about the U.S. not investing enough in its youth soccer pipeline, Ertz cites this as one of the biggest things that’s changed since she and Watt started playing together as teens. She expects media exposure to make a difference, too. She said she could hardly watch men’s soccer growing up, and women’s soccer just hit national airwaves a few years ago. She also sees media accessibility as a big differentiator for engaging Gen Z and Gen Alpha fans: Whatever game is on in the Ertz household, “it’s the sport that the kids want to play.” 💼 Thanks to increased exposure and interest, women stars can win big off the field. “You’re really getting a full picture of your athlete now,” she said, which many fans clearly want. And from an athlete perspective, they’re able to channel their competitive streak into off-field businesses, added Ertz. ⚽ Any category can get in on the fun. “It doesn’t even matter at this point what the actual brand is — there’s a way that they want to be a part of it,” Ertz said about WC brand campaigns, highlighting how Levi’s spun a FIFA ban into marketing gold. Get in now and play the long game.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/sabina-ahmed-chats-womens-sports-3e0961e2-664e-5161-8ab5-e3c2ffb16c5aTue, 14 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: This summer, AT&T featured Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden and Texas Tech soccer standout Kylie Bahr in its popular “She’s Connected” campaign, which the telecomms brand launched in 2020 to spotlight women athlete entrepreneurs. Last week, we spoke with AT&T assistant vice president, sponsorships & experiential Sabina Ahmed about the success it’s seen by investing in women athletes. “Supporting women's sports is a core part of AT&T's sponsorship strategy,” Ahmed told us. She shared campaign stats from the past six years, as well as the brand’s broader wins following deeper women’s sports investments. Let’s dive in. 🚀 Since launching in 2020, “She’s Connected” content has generated over 160M video views. That includes 2.2K YouTube views from Gorden and Bahr’s recent episode after three weeks and 5.9M views for a teaser dropped three weeks ago. 🏀 AT&T’s consistent presence as a WNBA Changemaker has made a difference. Ahmed said because of it, the brand has driven 8M engagements across its digital and onsite integrations, along with partnerships from league stars like A'ja Wilson and Sabrina Ionescu. 💰 AT&T has seen “tremendous momentum” in women's basketball. Here, audience growth translates into “meaningful business impact,” added Ahmed. Investing in women’s college basketball spurred record fan engagement, which converted to YoY growth in positive brand perception. ⚽ But it’s not just basketball. In the first year of its multiyear deal with the NWSL, AT&T’s partnership drove 69% brand consideration and perception among fans, showing that soccer can draw crowds and keep them engaged. The why: Ahmed gives a simple reason for why investing in women’s sports is good for business — its fans represent “one of the most engaged and fastest-growing audiences.” AT&T sees the same opportunity in soccer, where longstanding deals across U.S. Soccer and MLS see “brand association, consideration, and perception consistently perform above portfolio average.” “Women's soccer helps us connect with young, tech-savvy fans who overindex in their passion for the sport,” Ahmed said. Like Parity said, women’s soccer really does scream in the data.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/quigleys-athlete-collective-52294bcb-8087-56b4-925f-73ea3997aa49Fri, 10 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[“Track” is an umbrella term for a variety of events, so training is usually individualized. That can make it lonely and expensive. Runners can pool resources by sharing coaches and facilities, but more often, large apparel or shoe brands — Nike, New Balance, and Puma, for example — organize sponsored teams and spend millions to give athletes premier training access. Quigley, who represented the U.S. from 2015 to 2019, was part of Nike-supported Bowerman Track Club for six years. “That was really fun,” Quigley remembered. She felt a real connection with her teammates and pride in her team, and in being “a part of something bigger.” But it comes at a cost. Running for a Nike-sponsored team demands exclusivity, and shoe deals are usually the only ones track athletes get. If things don’t work out with a coach, the runner can’t find a new one — they have to stick with the team’s hire or leave altogether. Athletes have a choice: Take everything a team offers, or none of it, thereby losing out on all support and having to “scratch everything,” Quigley said. Quigley felt like the team she wanted “didn’t exist,” since incentives are structured for brands and coaches. If athletes want the training and sponsorships that are right for them, they’re doing it alone, and Olympic training is tough enough without piling on entrepreneurship. After the Paris 2024 Olympic cycle, Quigley had enough. “Something has to change, otherwise I'm just going to retire,” she thought. That’s how Meridia was born.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/gotham-fc-announces-move-192d0b9d-5d93-5252-a2b5-b7650304b2d4Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The NWSL’s Gotham FC made a huge announcement this week: In 2028, the team will move from New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium to Etihad Park, the massive, all-electric stadium being built in Flushing, Queens. This means Gotham will call NYC home for the first time in club history, and we know just how important accessibility from major cities is to driving organic growth and fandom. Goals. The details: After a decade-long battle, MLS club NYCFC was finally awarded land in Queens to build NYC’s first soccer-specific stadium next to Citi Field, where it will boast a capacity of 25K. Gotham’s initial lease is for five years, but there are options to extend to up to 15 years. The digs seem swanky — a major selling point in Gotham’s press release. The stadium will have luxury suites and three distinct fan clubs, including the Tunnel Club, a seated dining area steps away from player tunnels. Plus, Gotham players will have their own dedicated locker room and merch in the stadium’s store. The why: While some NJ fans feel left behind, the stadium will be more accessible for NYC and Connecticut residents. Former Gotham star Ali Krieger said she’s heard over the years that the current stadium is hard for NYC fans to reach, while Etihad will offer easier public transport options. Let’s not forget: The majority of New Yorkers don’t own a car, so getting to NJ hasn’t been easy. And the commute to Etihad will be shorter for many: Around 3M more people will live within commuting distance of the stadium. Accessibility has been a major pain point as women’s sports flourish, with surging fan interest justifying bigger arenas. We’ve seen plenty of women’s teams “flex up” into men’s sports venues, but we’ve also seen teams like the NWSL’s Chicago Stars move to stadiums in more convenient areas. The effect: Location, location, location seems to be a mantra for fan engagement, too. In under 24 hours, Gotham said over 1K fans had already signed on as season ticket holders at Etihad Stadium — and they have a $28 ticket deposit sale that could encourage more interest. Players, sponsors, and fans are all invested in giving athletes better resources. It motivates athletes to sign, like new London City Lioness Mary Earps or returning Gotham superstar Sam Kerr, who’s coming back to an entirely different environment after nine years away from the team. Brands also benefit from more eyeballs and foot traffic. We know Etihad is already signed on, but only time will tell who else joins the club. Gotta get a foot in the door.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/pwhl-summer-camp-initiative-e21a49a9-e94f-5150-9355-b6bb2a431b68Thu, 09 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Following success in year one, the PWHL announced the expansion of its PWHL Summer Camps program to over 30 events across 16 U.S. and Canadian cities. The camps — which feature PWHL staff and players — will take place over the next two months and welcome all ages and skill levels. The PWHL is keyed into fan engagement, especially when it comes to grassroots hockey participation. It’s been a factor during its Takeover Tour stops and expansion because the league understands that playing hockey personally cultivates invested fandom in the sport — which ideally converts into pro fandom. Passing the puck forward. The backstory: Last year, the PWHL held summer camps across multiple markets, including NYC and Seattle. This year, fans wanted more: Per the league, there was a 500% increase in demand for hockey programming. The PWHL also saw increased interest from previous presenting sponsor UPS, which boosted its support for the Canadian summer camps by becoming a title sponsor this year. The context: Local communities in both U.S. and Canadian markets have embraced the hockey opportunity through youth clinics like these. Girls’ youth hockey participation has increased to nearly 100K in the U.S., a 41% boost within the past 10 years. High grassroots participation also seems to be an important factor to the PWHL as it expands. One of its new markets is Las Vegas, which is in a state that’s seen a 600% surge in girls’ and women’s hockey participation since 2017 (when the NHL came to town). San Jose, another new market, ranks sixth nationally in girls’ youth participation. Zooming out: The PWHL recognizes how crucial nurturing the participation pipeline is for the sport, and its important sponsors recognize this opportunity, too. Young girls in hockey and their families will recognize the brands making this all possible. Safe Software, which is headquartered in the Vancouver region, is sponsoring its local PWHL Summer Camp. This is aligned for the software company, which has partnered with the NHL’s Vancouver Canucks and says it’s committed to community impact. That’s one way for brands to seamlessly promote values alignment and bank visibility with local families. A win-win.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/nwsl-midseason-growth-metrics-3d2d9cf2-8030-53d8-9815-433ff5564f89Tue, 07 Jul 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On Friday, the NWSL shared midseason KPIs and milestones that illustrate explosive, multidimensional growth. The league saw gains across every major metric — a positive sign in the lead up to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Let’s check out the numbers. 🏟️ Match attendance is at an all-time high, with the league averaging 11K fans per match so far, a 10% YoY increase. The NWSL also reached its 1M fan mark faster than in any previous season, powered by record-breaking matches like the 63K crowd at Mile High Stadium for Denver Summit FC’s debut. 📱 The league is drawing more eyeballs than ever across digital and broadcast platforms, including over 1B minutes of match coverage viewed through Week 10. It’s seen significant YoY growth on YouTube with a 41.7% boost in views, a 49.9% jump in watch hours, and 17.9% subscriber growth. Total followers across all six major social platforms also increased 24% YoY to 3.1M. Part of this is likely driven by increased access: At the midpoint of the NWSL’s four-year multinetwork media rights agreements, league partners agreed to add more games starting in 2026. That includes ESPN almost doubling its slate, more CBS games with better cross-platform access, and a new deal with streamer Victory+. 👕 Retail sales across all NWSL clubs combined rose 72% YoY, while sales through NWSLShop.com skyrocketed 207% compared to the same time period last year. Some of this was likely Boston and Denver fans looking for new threads, but the overall trend shows fans increasingly want club and league merch, as well as player-specific products like Trinity Rodman’s top-selling kit. The takeaway: The NWSL also cited that games are getting more competitive and creating better entertainment than ever. And that’s a big takeaway: When a league can provide a top-tier product, word will spread and attract fans. It’s what former NWSL COO Sarah Jones Simmer called “the flywheel” — a powerful force that’s making the league (and its sponsorship portfolio) bigger than ever. Along for the ride.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/wta-series-spotlighting-athletes-f9c403c9-14b1-5b19-9321-41febe09829eTue, 30 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The WTA is embracing storytelling opportunities around its global (and highly-marketable) athletes. In May, the women’s tennis league debuted Style Unpacked, a docuseries that paired WTA athletes with world-class stylists. Last week, the WTA recalibrated that formula with WTA Tour Bites, an original series that tells personal stories through the lens of food. The tour said it’s investing in original content and “personality-led storytelling” as part of a strategy to spotlight players off the court and strengthen connections with fans across the WTA’s global audience. Love, love. The details: The first WTA Tour Bites episode follows Canadian star Leylah Fernandez, who gives insights into her preparations for London’s grass courts over her favorite Filipino dishes like sisig and chicken adobo. Fernandez chats about connecting to her Filipina background through food and shares more about herself with WTA fans. The draw: Sarah Swanson, chief brand officer of the WTA’s commercial arm WTA Ventures, noted the WTA Tour visits over 25 countries each season, but the tennis courts can look the same everywhere. Original content that showcases athlete personalities off the court through food and fashion creates “new ways for fans to connect with our players,” according to Swanson. Others have seen universal topics like food and athlete personalities mix well. Serge Ibaka’s How Hungry Are You? reached audiences beyond sport and drew people in with his engaging personality and interesting personal hobby. And last year, tennis star Naomi Osaka launched Off Day, which followed global elite athletes to their must-see spots in their fave cities. Zooming out: As an individualized, global sport, the WTA faces unique challenges in marketing athletes — but this storytelling formula could work uniquely well for them. Tennis draws top athletes from all over the world who play everywhere, making it easy to tell stories that span sport, culture, and personal identity. This appeal is something Osaka has successfully leveraged for years. The bottom line? Global food and culture shows are glamorous, and there’s a natural storytelling opportunity here. They just need someone to help put these stories out there — something Off Day sponsor Chase and WTA Tour Bites producer Whisper recognized. Eating it up.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/soccers-north-american-surge-a347598b-a372-5c6d-9f64-ea4c0000f8b9Sat, 27 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Soccer fandom in the U.S. has historically lagged that of other sports, but passion for the game is growing rapidly, especially for those from diverse backgrounds. North America hosting the WC is expected to give that growth an enormous boost…even though many Americans can’t afford to attend a match in-person. For fans who are finding a new, deeper love of the sport (or are nurturing a first-time interest) but want to engage more than just watching from home, the NWSL is ready to meet them. The centerpiece of the league’s Summer of Soccer marketing push? The NWSL is taking its show on the road, running a bus tour of World Cup–related activations across eight markets, including four WC host cities. Stops will feature “live creator coverage, fan activations, community events, [and] behind-the-scenes storytelling,” aligning with major moments on the NWSL calendar and FIFA fan events. The Summer of Soccer Road Trip kicked off last night in Columbus, OH, with the Challenge Cup, the finale of the NWSL’s in-season tournament. It’ll also head to official FIFA Fan Festivals in Kansas City and LA, a WC watch party in Portland, NWSL matches in Denver, San Diego, and Seattle, and a final stop in NYC for Fanatics Fest, the Queens Classic on July 15th, and the WC final on July 19th. The Road Trip allows the NWSL to remain in the soccer fandom zeitgeist despite its five-week break in regular-season competition. It also coincides with the NWSL calendar’s restart in early July. Individual clubs are also independently engaging with the WC beyond the Summer of Soccer initiative. The Houston Dash opened up Dash House (its version of an Olympic House) for local fans. Orlando’s MLS and NWSL teams are hosting a fan festival at Pointe Orlando sponsored by Verizon. And Seattle’s MLS and NWSL teams built a barge on the water with massive screens and a mini pitch, all sponsored by Lenovo.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/lucrative-growth-of-womens-golf-7f9c3891-0944-58fd-920a-46f447a549e5Thu, 25 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The prize pool for this weekend’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is an astounding $13M, the largest purse in women’s golf history. As the players, ahem, swing into action this morning, let’s tee off on the lucrative growth of the women's game. The landscape: Turns out this grass is greener — the upcoming tournament’s purse is part of an LPGA–record $132M total season prize pool, and the influx of cash is warranted. Women’s golf viewership is surging: Look no further than the 2.2M fans who tuned into the final round of world No. 1 Nelly Korda’s U.S. Open win last month — a 78% increase YOY. The growth: And the evolution of the women’s game isn’t limited to just the pros. Between 2020 and 2025, women’s golf participation in the U.S. grew 45%. That’s a total of 8.1M women regularly hitting the links, which shattered the previous high of 7.1M golfers set two decades ago and means women now account for nearly one-third of golfers in the U.S. It’s also worth noting that women golfers skew four years younger on average than their male counterparts. In fact, more than half of these participation gains are from women under 30, while just under half of women golfers are under 35. Talk about a youth movement. Why it matters: It’s no secret golf has historically been dominated by white men. But that’s beginning to change, evidenced by more lucrative prize pools and sky-rocketing viewership numbers for the LPGA, alongside consistent growth at the grassroots level. Women’s golf is glowing up across its entire ecosystem, and brands should be on notice. As the women’s golf pipeline continues to evolve, there’s a valuable opportunity for brands to capitalize on the momentum at all levels. This youth-driven women’s golf boom lends itself to building brand affinity early and engaging casual and elite players alike. *golf clap*]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/pwhl-welcomes-investment-24066c67-6554-5f92-969f-a9e54c6c8571Tue, 23 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: In big PHWL news, the women’s hockey league under a single-entity ownership structure opened itself to outside investment for the first time yesterday. The PWHL — founded and owned by Mark and Kimbra Walter — welcomed Kilmer Sports Ventures and Ilitch Companies into the league as strategic investors with a commitment of over $100M. These are two major power players in hockey and beyond, and this level of investment in a single-entity league is unprecedented. Let’s explore what it means for the PWHL and other emerging women’s sports leagues looking for their big break(away). The investors: Kilmer Sports Ventures is led by Larry Tanenbaum, the Toronto sports magnate responsible for bringing the WNBA to Toronto via the Tempo. Ilitch Companies, the parent of Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, is led by CEO Chris Ilitch and owns Detroit’s NHL and MLB teams, along with Little Caesars Arena — the future home of expansion team PWHL Detroit. The selling points: The PWHL is one of the fastest-growing leagues in sports: Its sponsorship portfolio has grown 35% YoY, e-commerce merch sales are up over 50%, and its bagged over 682M social media impressions last season. The league says this “strong foundation and early success” positioned it to welcome its first-ever external investment. IIlitch Sports + Entertainment told The GIST this investment illustrates the company’s belief that the future of sports isn’t just in traditional leagues — it’s also in “emerging properties, women's sports, and new fan engagement models.” The company cited its 2025 investment in TGL’s LA Golf Club as another move that allowed it to “diversify beyond traditional team operations.” For Ilitch, the PWHL is a chance to “invest early in a fast-growing league” while also making hockey more accessible for women and girls. A win-win. Zooming out: The PWHL’s single-entity ownership model has allowed it to scale up in a stable manner, similar to other emerging leagues like Athletes Unlimited, Unrivaled, and the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL). And while it’s good for the growth stage, once expansion picks up, it all becomes a lot to operate singlehandedly. The PLL will eventually transition to team ownership, a move that will let franchises (and their valuations) flourish as they have in the WNBA and NWSL. The PWHL says that’s not in the cards yet, but for now, welcoming investment is the smart move — and if the PWHL does transfer ownership later on, it’ll know who to call in Toronto and Detroit. Waiting by the phone.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/the-realest-wpbl-series-d1bd1172-e63a-5eb5-867b-ae15ff04b124Thu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: There’s nothing more American than baseball (cards), right? That’s the idea behind sports authentication platform The Realest’s new partnership with the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL). Together, they will launch and develop the first officially licensed trading card program for an active pro women’s baseball league in the U.S.. To be fair, it’s the first time anyone’s had this chance in a while — the WPBL is the first pro women’s baseball league since 1954. But the partnership does signal two things: An increased interest in women’s baseball, and the unique opportunity for the sport to make its own mark on baseball’s trading card culture. The details: The cards will cover the league’s inaugural season — which begins August 1st — with cards featuring top players, action shots, and authentic game equipment. Additionally, The Realest will work with the WPBL to gather and authenticate game-used items like baseballs, jerseys, and even field dirt, which will be auctioned on the platform. The landscape: Baseball cards are perhaps the most iconic aspect of memorabilia culture, but recently we’ve seen trading cards get popular across women’s sports, too. The WPBL is a new league, but this co-sign from The Realest shows there’s a big opportunity here for baseball fans. And the WPBL comes at an interesting time: Beyond women’s baseball, softball is also surging as two new pro leagues begin play — one that MLB chose to invest in over the WPBL. This is likely because softball is more established in terms of popularity and talent, but the WPBL clearly has growth potential. The takeaway: According to The Realest, niche sports communities, especially in women’s sports, have been incredibly active in the memorabilia space. This partnership is a low lift with a huge potential payoff among a fanbase that’s been hungry for it. And for the WPBL, this is a unique branding opportunity to differentiate itself from softball. As an emerging league, it’s important for the WPBL to land sponsors that bolster its standing: It’s previously partnered with Dick’s Sporting Goods, Fremantle, and the Boston Red Sox. Everything helps in the wind-up to its first pitch.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/genius-sports-new-insights-d9864c8a-f22e-55a4-8b4c-51459b44fd2eThu, 18 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Today, sports data leader Genius Sports (which acquired Sports Innovation Lab in 2025) published the fifth edition of The Fan Project, Sports Innovation Lab’s long-running report series that examines the economic value of women’s sports fandom. The latest release, “Turning Culture Into Commerce,” shows how the culture of women’s sports is shaped by athlete entrepreneurs. When a popular athlete launches or co-signs a product, fans tend to be all in, which is good for their own endeavors as well as that of their brand partners. Let’s dive in. 🤝 The ROI on athlete partnerships is unmatched. Women’s sports fans are 3x more likely than men’s sports fans to buy from player-created brands. Whether it’s a skincare line or a signature shoe, fans are locked in when women athletes drop products. 🍼 Athlete-driven storytelling delivers big results. When Alex Morgan was retiring from soccer and pregnant with her second child, women-founded formula brand Bobbie reached out to the soccer legend. The timing was perfect, and so was the concept: After the campaign, women’s sports fans increased their spend with Bobbie by 33%. Just win, baby. 🎮 The industry should focus on women’s sports fans who double as gamers. These particular fans are 3.2x more likely than the general population to place a sportsbook bet, but have been largely overlooked by the betting industry. ✨ Women’s sports fans are living their best lives. They’re 2.6x more likely to attend concerts and festivals than general sports fans. This is where brands can meet them, especially at tentpole events like WNBA All-Star Weekend or festival-like tournaments like Athlos NYC. 🌎 Women’s sports fandom is more global than local. Only 7% of women’s sports fans follow a team due to its proximity compared to 30% of men’s sports fans. These followers are often digital natives, making them a highly-scalable audience no matter the team location. Portland is one place that proves this: The locale is small, but the fandom (and sponsorship interest) is outsized. This means supporting a women’s sports team is a national brand opportunity, not just a local one. USL W team Minnesota Aurora drew investors from all 50 states and 19 countries, while the NWSL’s Angel City FC ships merch to over 80 countries. World famous.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/fivb-horizon-sports-experiences-d3526b32-3824-56ab-abf8-291fbd9a9f05Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Volleyball is bigger than ever, and FIVB wants to meet the moment. After bringing its 2027 tournament stateside, the international volleyball federation is officially teaming up with Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) as the event’s exclusive sponsorship and media rights sales agency. Let’s dive in. The details: HS&E will help FIVB land U.S. media rights and partnerships, while also focusing on commercializing the tourney for a global audience. It’s also planning for experienced-based sponsorships to encourage fan engagement at next year’s Olympic qualifier event in Anaheim, which is also hosting LA28’s volleyball games. HS&E has experience with digital storytelling opportunities, which could be crucial for FIVB. It also negotiated Unrivaled’s media rights, has been involved in thought leadership and research, and launched a women’s college basketball showcase. A real utility player. The trajectory: FIVB’s 2027 tournament is already poised for hypergrowth among global audiences. Last year’s edition in Thailand broke broadcasting and digital reach records with 803M total viewers across live and repeat programming — outperforming the men’s tourney. It also had massive social media reach across key demographics: 78% of the audience was aged 18 to 25 and 54% were women. Looking ahead: This is just the latest example of FIVB leveling up its business infrastructure through world-class strategic partnerships. In 2021, it teamed up with private equity giant CVC Capital to form its commercial arm Volleyball World, while CVC acquired a 33% stake worth about $100M. Volleyball isn’t just a surging American sport — it’s enjoying a global wave of popularity in places from Brazil to Japan. FIVB is working to put the right pieces in place to unlock a bigger U.S. and global fandom, especially with the next Olympic Games on the horizon. All set.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/wimbledon-barclays-activation-96e244ad-5a37-59b6-949e-52d44fe729e2Tue, 16 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Wimbledon will be here in two weeks — and by here, we also mean here in North America. The All England Club which hosts the UK’s Grand Slam is transforming Central Park’s Wollman Rink into an authentic grass tennis court, bringing a bit of the event’s unique magic to help win over the NYC audience. This isn’t the first time Wimbledon has turned its attention to New York, but it is the first time it’s bringing its grass courts to the public, a concept the US Open has also seen success with with its highly-accessible free activations during Fan Week. Smashing. The details: Since 2022, Wimbledon has held viewings of the tournament at The Hill in NYC, citing their success as a reason for this year’s new pop-up grass court. Visitors will be treated to free tennis clinics and iconic Wimbledon staples like strawberries and cream, while some lucky fans will win free slots to play on the court. And in case you’re wondering, brands are already finding ways to integrate with the event. Official Wimbledon banking partner Barclays is a presenting sponsor and is also inviting select youth participants in its Barclays Net Work program to enjoy some time on the court. The why: Unlike the US Open and Australian Open, Wimbledon doesn’t have a fan week — just some public viewings in London and a few ticket lotteries. But the tournament clearly recognizes the success of in-person activations around Grand Slams, and saw a distinct opportunity to connect with American audiences. Zooming out: Last year, ESPN topped a few Wimbledon viewership records in the U.S., including the most-viewed women’s semifinals in a decade as millions tuned in for both the women’s and men’s finals. And while Wimbledon might have its UK audience on lock with all its traditions, American audiences might want something different — like a little fun, IRL engagement. And it’s not just Wimbledon thinking about catering to a distinct American audience: So are its partners, like Barclays. New Yorkers might recognize the British bank as sponsor of Barclays Center and partner of the NY Liberty and Brooklyn Nets, but this event underscores how it's thinking about how to deepen ties with its NYC audience. Best of both worlds.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/sports-district-womens-sports-981ac44d-9fe4-5131-85d8-aa4b27dae085Fri, 12 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Exhibition Place is a 192-acre mixed-used district that hosts thousands of events and millions of visitors yearly. It’s walkable from downtown, nestled along Toronto’s waterfront. There’s an open-air concert venue, a 160K-square-foot conference center, and a luxury hotel, not to mention the 30K-seater BMO Stadium and the 8.1K-seater Coca-Cola Coliseum. CEO Don Boyle said the bulk of his job is about “managing expectations between stakeholders” and providing coordination between the wide variety of events in the district, which often happen concurrently. If there’s a marathon starting at 6 a.m., it’s Boyle who considers the hotel’s sleeping guests. He’s the one who finds a place for everything and everyone.. “It's really about pulling people together,” he added. “Understanding that it's going to be a very animated space with lots of different uses, and that working together and good communication can make that happen.” But Boyle isn’t just concerned with keeping stakeholders happy: He’s also doing this for Torontonians. He wants to ensure “there's a place for them on the grounds as well.” There’s music, picnics, and yoga in the park, and they’re currently installing pickleball courts. Canadians love their sports, and these days, locals (especially in Toronto) have more teams to root for than ever. Toronto has added three professional women’s sports teams in the PWHL, the WNBA, and Canada’s new domestic women’s soccer league the NSL, and all of them play at Exhibition Place.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/caitlin-clark-xfinity-4c0fd46c-4dd3-5f67-b866-0dd4228d6680Thu, 11 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[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.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/azzi-fudd-cash-app-380719e6-111c-5638-b060-f03ca471867dTue, 09 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Dallas Wings star Azzi Fudd spoke with The GIST last week about her recent community court activation brought to life by Cash App. Last Tuesday, the payment app hosted a community basketball clinic and donated $35K to a local nonprofit that provides sports equipment and programming for young girls. Cash App previously activated with Fudd during her UConn days and recently backed a Dallas mural in her honor, but this is one of its biggest investments in her to date. She told us why this partnership is “super special,” and it comes back to this buzzword we’ve heard from Flau’jae Johnson and Cameron Brink: intentional. Let’s dive in. 💸 Know your audience. There are multiple applications with the same premise as Cash App, including Venmo, which launched four years earlier. Paypal is actually the most widely-used platform overall, but Cash App is more popular among Black Americans and its biggest share of users are people aged 18 to 29 (39%), followed by those aged 30 to 49 (35%). Considering that Gen Z hardly uses cash anymore, this is a rising demographic that Cash App can reach. Partnering with popular, cool athletes like Fudd — who says she genuinely uses Cash App the most — can win over these potential young users. 🤝 Know your athlete partner, too. Fudd cherishes being able to give back to the community by supporting local kids in need, something she remembers her family doing for her teammates. Letting Fudd design the activation also gave her creative control over how her brand is represented. And when athletes are happy, fans take notice. Since she’s touched down in Dallas, Fudd hasn’t had much time to interact with the community and chat with fans. This activation allowed her to more deeply connect with the local fanbase. “This being with Cash App, and then my first time really being out in the community, it made it even more special,” Fudd added. 💫 Embrace the whimsy. Everyone loves free money, but Cash App went the extra mile to make people smile. Fudd loved how they sent out “fairy godmothers” to surprise people with a little magic at UConn a few months ago. “Whoever thought of that needs a raise,” Fudd said, noting this was “a great example of what happens when brands invest in people and not just moments.” That matters to Fudd, who says as she’s gotten older, she’s been able to be “more intentional” about her partnerships. Gone are the days of one-time social media collabs — now it’s all about partners investing in the journey. Well worth it.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/diverse-fanbase-impacts-fifa-e53f59c4-d4b8-5da4-9973-7e5536b38ae1Sat, 06 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Some of the most up-to-date numbers on soccer’s evolving fanbase are from a YouGov report crafted this May, based on the market research company’s quarterly survey. Here’s what YouGov gathered this spring: ⏰ The game has grown since 2022. The share of Americans actively following footy rose from 8% to 12%, and jumped from 13% in 2022 to 22% in 2026 among those aged 18 to 34 (the youngest group surveyed). And even more Americans will follow the tourney this time around: 14.4% plan to give up time for it, compared to 7.6% in 2022. Get ready for the great World Cup sick-out. ⚽ It really is a young person’s game. People aged 18 to 34 comprise 56% of the sport’s avid watchers, while those aged 35 to 54 make up another 30%. It’s one of two sports — alongside basketball — that’s more popular among young people than the general population. 🚺 While the fanbase definitely skews male, a third of soccer followers are women. This is consistent with what the Harris Poll found last July, but Harris Poll also noted that women footy fans are particularly passionate: 32% of women fans self-identify as either “obsessed” or “dedicated” fans, and 42% consider soccer an important part of their lives.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/hype-around-ny-knicks-d28f17aa-9897-5257-b208-7aadd4ef092dThu, 04 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: It’s been a minute since the NBA’s NY Knicks have been this close to a championship — 53 years, to be exact. All that waiting has energized a famously avid fanbase, one that the NYPD (and bedtimes) can’t restrain. That’s because the Knicks have managed to build a massive, global following that stays loyal in tough times. But the Knicks aren’t the only game in town — let’s go over its recent wins, and how the WNBA’s Liberty and NWSL’s Gotham FC can build from them. Bing bong. The activations: Team partner DoorDash is cashing in on the hype with community-based activations, while Nike and Jordan Brand are catering to the excitement with orange and blue colorways. Additionally, brands like Kith, Saie Beauty, and New York Or Nowhere are releasing Knicks-inspired items to deck fans out in style. Why it works: NYC teams are often perceived as national brands: They tend to draw fans from all over, and it’s not just the Knicks. Through its partnership with the team, Luggage brand Away seized the opportunity to connect with the Liberty’s 10M-strong fanbase spanning the U.S. — having that kind of reach beyond a local market is highly appealing to brands, especially those new to sports. That helps explain why Fenty, Essie, and Offwhite are a few of the trendy brands that entered the WNBA chat through Liberty partnerships. And they don’t always wait for Finals runs: Essie offered a free product giveaway to help the Liberty kick off its 30th season, while New York Or Nowhere just dropped a Liberty collection. Zooming out: Right now, the Knicks are enjoying the unique combo of a national sports brand on a championship run, but those aren’t all the ingredients necessary to capitalize on fan hype. The more important element is establishing staying power: Once NYC teams do that, it truly doesn’t matter if a team is good or bad because enough people will show up and care regardless. After the Liberty and Gotham won their first-ever championships, the floodgates opened, commercially-speaking. The Knicks managed to carry its title momentum for 53 years and now that the on-court success is there, fans need little to get excited. And for NYC teams, truly any brand can meet that moment. This is where dreams are made, after all.]]>https://ca.thegistsports.com/article/wnfc-multiyear-deal-with-espn-b778b88f-3ce6-5970-9123-87f4b4f959beTue, 02 Jun 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) announced a multiyear agreement with ESPN yesterday to broadcast its June 21st championship game live on ESPN2. The league has seen recent growth, mostly thanks to increased media exposure and sponsorship, so we chatted with WNFC advisory board member, commentator, and former player Jennifer King to learn more. Spiking it. The context: In 2023, the WNFC inked a content deal with the now-defunct free sports streamer Caffeine TV before joining emerging sports streamer Victory+ in November 2024. In 2025, the league aired its title game on ESPN2 for the first time, garnering 150K viewers. Its new deal solidifies ESPN as a consistent platform for national viewership that complements its full regular-season viewership on Victory+. However, the WNFC’s game isn’t the only women’s tackle football championship on the channel: ESPN2 has also been home to the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) championship for several years, and its 2025 edition was the most-watched ESPN2 broadcast of that day with over 969K unique live viewers. The wins: Appearing on Victory+ and ESPN2 has leveled up the league’s exposure — WNFC reported a 45% boost in live viewership from the beginning of the 2025 season thanks to its Victory+ deal, accompanied by record highs in merch and ticket sales. The league also stepped up its sponsorship game, signing major deals with Dove, Adidas, and Riddell. WNFC “got the big ones,” King said about landing Adidas and Dove. “With any sports league, for leagues [that] want to be respected, it’s important to have those sponsorships,” adding that partnerships with well-known brands drive credibility, especially when it comes to media rights deals. Zooming out: Securing a multiyear ESPN2 deal is a positive sign both for the WNFC and overall interest in women’s tackle football, which is growing as the league sees better exposure. And while a nationally-televised title game is big, so is an entire season: AUSL aired all regular-season games across ESPN networks in 2025 and saw an 88% YoY viewership boost from the previous season. The WNFC’s growing Victory+ viewership is also empowering the burgeoning sports streamer, which has stepped in to fill the gap from previous RSNs and is becoming a major player with WNBA team deals. But it’s not the only game in town — and both leagues and streamers are getting more competitive than ever. Game on.]]>