The GIST

PWHL announces new branding for all six teams as it gears up for season two

As mentioned, the PWHL unveiled new names, logos, and colors for its inaugural six franchises, which sparked intense reactions across the hockey community. Part of what caught fans off guard is that the PWHL decided team branding without major input from teams, players, or fans, which Front Office Sports explained is a result of the league’s structure.

September 11, 2024

PWHL drops playoff puck after record-setting inaugural season

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It’s been a big week for the PWHL as its regular season wraps up, but it’s been an even bigger season for the brand-new league. We’ve never seen anything quite like it in women’s pro sports, so let’s review the league’s many wins as it continues to reshape women’s hockey.

May 10, 2024

🏒 The PWHL effect on women’s hockey by the numbers

PWHL has demonstrable effect on IIHF Women’s World Hockey championship

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The U.S. lost to rival Canada in OT in the gold medal match of this year’s IIHF Women’s World Championship last night in Utica, NY. The competition, which began in 1990 and has featured these two nations in the championship 22 out of 23 times, introduced a new element to the ice this year: the PWHL. Here’s how the pro women’s hockey league is impacting the game.

April 15, 2024

PWHL lands three key partnerships as U.S. companies increase sponsorship in league

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The PWHL just keeps winning. This week, the women’s hockey league signed the Women’s Sports Network (WSN) as its first U.S. national broadcast partner and brought on two financial services companies — Bread Financial and Discover.

February 16, 2024

PWHL showcase draws a record 16.4K crowd at NHL All-Star Weekend

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The stars were out last Thursday during NHL All-Star Weekend, but Justin Bieber wasn’t the only one to steal the show. PWHL players shone in a 3-on-3 showcase in front of 16.4K fans at Toronto’s Scotiabank Arena, marking the first complete official event for women’s hockey at All-Star Weekend.

February 05, 2024

Woody Creek Distillers is the first premier U.S. partner of the PWHL

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With the move, the Colorado distillery follows a trend of alcoholic beverage companies investing extensively in women’s sports.

January 10, 2024

Highlights of the inaugural PWHL season so far

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It’s been eight days since the puck dropped for the first-ever PWHL game, and in that span, the league has broken the attendance record for pro women’s hockey — twice — and seen viewership numbers in the millions.

January 08, 2024

The PWHL is the first pro North American women's sports league with a CBA in place before its inaugural game

Sports Business

The PWHL is the first pro North American women's sports league with a CBA in place before its inaugural game

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September 13, 2023

This milestone marks a crucial culture change for women's sports and should have positive reverberations across the new league.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #406

Talking hoops with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes

October 17, 2024

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Talking hoops with WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes

Hoop, there she is!

Amid the ongoing WNBA Finals, today’s episode of The GIST of It is extra-hooptastic — WNBA legend Sheryl Swoopes joins The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula for a wide ranging conversation on the league’s recent growth, Swoopes’ top takeaways from this Finals series so far, and even her prediction as to who will win it all. Trust us — you don’t want to miss this.

A big thank you to our friends at Aflac for powering today’s episode! Just like The GIST tackles the gap in women’s sports coverage, Aflac closes the gap that health insurance leaves behind. Learn more at aflac.com/thegist.