The GIST

WTA Ventures reports 24% revenue growth since 2023 launch

Last March, the WTA established WTA Ventures, a unique strategic partnership with CVC Capital Partners to create a commercial branch of the women’s tennis tour dedicated to boosting revenue and ROI for the tour. And now the results are in: WTA Ventures increased its revenue by 24% in its first year, setting a new record for the tour.

December 04, 2024

WTA Finals in Saudi Arabia under scrutiny as long-term viability is considered

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The WTA Finals are well underway in Riyadh as Saudi Arabia serves as a first-time host. The tournament competition is heating up, but so is the controversy around holding it in the country, leaving questions about whether the move was truly worth it for the WTA and its partners.

November 06, 2024

ESPN doubles down on US Open media rights with expanded coverage through 2037

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The 2024 US Open has already seen record attendance this year, and ESPN is leaning in. On Wednesday, the sports channel announced a new 12-year media rights extension with the United States Tennis Association (USTA) to remain the Grand Slam’s exclusive broadcaster through 2037.

August 30, 2024

US Open boosts tournament revenue with strategic Fan Week opportunities

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The US Open’s main draws may be happening this week, but the year’s final Grand Slam drew historic crowds last week thanks to its Fan Week activations. On Friday, the United States Tennis Association (USTA) told Sports Business Journal it’s targeting a record crowd of 1M over a three-week period — and seems to be on the right track.

August 26, 2024

Morgan Stanley further invests in women’s tennis with Serena Williams docuseries

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Today, ESPN will debut In The Arena: Serena Williams, an intimate behind-the-scenes docuseries reviewing the biggest moments of the 23-time Grand Slam singles champion’s career. As just the second athlete to headline the award-winning project —Tom Brady’s Man in the Arena won a 2022 Sports Emmy — Williams is (yet again) in rare company.

July 10, 2024

WTA and PIF announce multiyear partnership

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Much to the chagrin of at least two tennis legends, the Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) and Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund (PIF) entered a multiyear partnership on Monday. The eyebrow-raising but not unexpected alliance comes on the heels of last month’s announcement that the WTA Finals will be hosted in Riyadh through 2026.

May 22, 2024

Microsoft renews its partnership with the Billie Jean King Cup

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On Thursday, the Billie Jean King (BJK) Cup extended its partnership with Microsoft through 2026. It focuses on developing tech solutions for the women’s national team tennis tournament by utilizing the Azure cloud platform, allowing Microsoft to flex its computing muscles in women’s sports amid explosive sector growth.

May 06, 2024

Sports Business

Saudi Arabia selected as WTA Finals host through 2026

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April 05, 2024

It turns out all the rumors are true. After much deliberation, the WTA Finals will take place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, from 2024 to 2026. Despite human rights concerns from women’s tennis athletes and journalists, the WTA ultimately followed the money.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #422

Volleyball's spotlight moment, plus a College Football Playoff primer

December 19, 2024

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Volleyball's spotlight moment, plus a College Football Playoff primer

Hello, hello!
Forget the holidays — it’s playoff season for a few fall college sports: women’s volleyball and football. On this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz first preview tonight’s national volleyball tournament semifinals, where all four No. 1 seeds will be duking it out for a spot in Sunday’s championship. And volleyball is just getting started in the U.S., with major news about the Pro Volleyball Federation and League One Volleyball dropping this week.
Then in part two, it’s all about the College Football Playoff, which begins on Friday night. The gals dig through the revamped 12-team format before shouting out the top players to watch on the gridiron. Hut, hut.
A big thank you to Aflac for partnering with us on today’s episode! Add Aflac to your team to close the insurance gap today. Learn more at aflac.com/thegist.