Sports Business | The GIST

Increase in women’s sports podcasts illustrates latest trends in the audio space

The podcast space is finally listening to women’s sports fans — something we’ve been doing since 2020. Everyone from sports media companies to standalone podcasts are getting into the women’s game, so we’re covering some trends in the space and what they mean for the future.

July 23, 2025

WNBA teams lead the way in social media engagement among pro sports teams

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Earlier this month, Sports Business Journal shared data from sponsorship analytics platform Blinkfire on social media engagement among professional North American sports teams. Eight of the top 10 are WNBA teams, led by the Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever, and Golden State Valkyries.

July 23, 2025

Viral success of WNBA’s StudBudz proves the power of authentic, player-driven storytelling

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The WNBA’s All-Star Weekend (ASW) drove a variety of online conversation, from ongoing CBA negotiations to the proliferation of StudBudz, the player-powered shared social media profile that offered an entertaining inside look into ASW.

July 21, 2025

Sephora teams up with AUSL in latest beauty-related women’s sports sponsorship

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Today, Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL) announced that Sephora will become its exclusive beauty partner and presenting sponsor of its AUSL Championship series, which airs on ESPN this weekend. While Sephora isn’t the first beauty brand to join the women’s game, it’s gaining ground and further cementing its status as the beauty industry’s top dog.

July 21, 2025

Athlos plans on debuting long jump event in unique Times Square venue

Athlos — the women’s track meet launched last year — is returning this fall with a clever plan to win over fans. Yesterday, the organization confirmed it will host a portion of its competition in the heart of Times Square. This is reminiscent of recent PLL and WLL strategy, illustrating how niche sports and upstart leagues are using unconventional gimmicks to hook viewers.

July 18, 2025

Portland Fire unveils team branding amid mixed fan reactions

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Yesterday, Portland’s WNBA expansion team finally launched its long-awaited brand reveal, showcasing its name and logo as the Portland Fire. While there are some local criticisms about the name, Portland made this decision with significant intentionality, which may have influenced the overall positive response to the name.

July 16, 2025

WNBA sponsors lean into winning marketing trends at this year’s WNBA Live event

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This year will mark the fourth edition of WNBA Live at WNBA All-Star Weekend, where 25 event sponsors will offer IRL activations for fans. The efficacy of experiential advertising pairs well with the impressive purchase consideration from women’s sports fans, who boast higher awareness and devotion to sponsors in women’s sports.

July 14, 2025

Sports Business

AdWeek shares TrackSuit insights on Gen Z brand consideration in 2025

July 11, 2025

On Wednesday, AdWeek published purchase consideration insights from brand tracking platform Tracksuit. The data highlights the biggest shifts in purchase consideration among popular Gen Z brands from January to June, proving that authenticity and wellness work best to win over young fans. Here are the key takeaways and the ways they’re being implemented across women’s sports.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #478

Debunked: Misinformation swirls around the WNBA’s viral t-shirts

July 22, 2025

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Debunked: Misinformation swirls around the WNBA’s viral t-shirts

It’s not a moment; it’s a movement.

Of course, we’re talking about the WNBA, which just threw the most exciting, audacious, and downright viral All-Star Weekend in recent memory. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down the major talking points from Indianapolis, from the inimitable StudBudz to the “Pay Us What You Owe Us” t-shirts that broke the internet. Tune in, won’t you?

A big thank you to BMO for sponsoring today’s pod! BMO is the official bank of the NSL and the league’s broadcast partner, sticking to their two-decade pledge to grow the game of soccer in North America. Learn more about how BMO is growing the beautiful game at BMOsoccer.com.