The GIST

Shutdown of Venu Sports raises questions about future of sports bundling

Venu Sports — the bundled, sports-focused app created by Disney, Fox, and Warner Bros. Discovery — was shelved Friday without ever hitting the market. After a year of legal battles, the premise of Venu continued to raise antitrust concerns, even after Disney dissolved its contentious lawsuit with FuboTV.

January 13, 2025

Coco Gauff continues investment trend among women tennis stars by backing Unrivaled

On Monday, tennis star Coco Gauff joined a long list of athlete investors backing 3v3 basketball league Unrivaled, which has secured $35M in total funding. Gauff’s investment highlights how WTA athletes have proven to be adept investors across the board.

January 08, 2025

Sydney Colson wins another brand gig as women athletes illustrate power of content creation

P.R.O.S. Sports Housing — a company that provides short-term housing for pro athletes — rebranded as Mavrx Sports Housing and announced a new partnership with Las Vegas Aces star Sydney Colson this week. Mavrx is the latest company to enter the WNBA space by teaming up with Colson, who’s been renowned for her marketability.

January 08, 2025

Beauty brands continue to partner with women’s sports leagues and athletes

On Friday, Unrivaled debuted an innovative multiyear partnership with popular beauty retailer Sephora. This is the latest beauty partnership in the women’s sports space, as companies have begun to realize women athletes are the ideal brand marketers thanks to their authenticity and reach.

January 06, 2025

The big sports events and moments to watch in 2025

That’s right, it’s time to stop writing 2024 on your checks and papers — the new year is officially here. In celebration of the turning of the calendar, today’s Scroll features a handful of the sports events and moments The GIST HQ can’t wait for in 2025. It’s going to be a great one.

January 05, 2025

Women’s college sports showcased viewership potential last month

December was a winning month for sports ratings, with the NFL and NBA both benefiting from holiday downtime and marquee broadcasts. While most women’s pro sports leagues were on the sidelines last month, women’s college sports are quickly proving they can also capitalize on prime December viewership.

January 03, 2025

No. 4 UConn and No. 7 USC meet for much-hyped women’s basketball matchup

Several top-25 basketball games are on tap this weekend, but none bigger than Paige Bueckers’ No. 4 UConn taking on JuJu Watkins’ No. 7 USC tomorrow at 8 p.m. ET on FOX.

December 20, 2024

Sports Business

Sports Innovation Lab insights show companies plan to spend more in women’s sports in 2025

December 20, 2024

In recent years, sponsors have talked a big game about increasing their investment in women’s sports, and in 2024, many stepped up. According to Sports Innovation Lab (SIL) survey results released yesterday, brands are boosting women’s sports budgets for 2025 and reallocating sponsorship dollars from men’s sports to women’s.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #425

A College Football Playoff semis preview & NFL MVP candidates to watch in the postseason

January 09, 2025

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A College Football Playoff semis preview & NFL MVP candidates to watch in the postseason

Hut hut!

On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz preview a wild weekend on the gridiron. First, the gals check in with the College Football Playoff as the remaining four teams head into the semifinals, with star-studded games on deck tomorrow and Friday. Score.

Then in part two, El and Steph look ahead toward the NFL’s Wild Card weekend kicking off on Saturday. With the Kansas City Chiefs claiming the top AFC seed and the Detroit Lions enjoying a magical run atop the NFC, 12 teams are left to battle it out during this six-game slate — and three MVP candidates are fighting for postseason redemption. Let the games begin.