Sports Business | The GIST

Brand interest in new fencing, dance leagues illustrate marketing power in “niche” sports

Two new leagues — the World Fencing League (WFL) and International Dance League (IDL) — are gearing up to serve avid fandoms for niche sports. But are they really that niche? Maybe not, and brands are counting on that wide appeal. Let’s boogie.

April 30, 2026

PWHL shares impressive growth numbers as new brand partners embrace the league’s value

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The PWHL is getting bigger and better each year and has the data to prove it. This week, the league shared metrics from its third regular season that illustrate a continued rise in fan demand. And that interest is driving more and more sponsorships, with new categories constantly joining the fold.

April 30, 2026

Gotham FC teams up with NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani on shared message of affordability

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FIFA men’s World Cup tickets are expensive: Fans know it, Gotham FC knows it, and NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani knows it. So in an initiative to make local soccer more affordable, the NWSL club teamed up with Mamdani to sell 1K tickets for its May 9th home game for $5 each, and they sold out in under an hour — and Gotham’s working to offer another 500 more at this price.

April 28, 2026

How Edmonton is becoming a Canadian women’s sports haven

Edmonton, Alberta, is a unique place. At roughly 1.2M residents, it’s dwarfed by larger Canadian cities like Toronto and Metro Vancouver — and though it doesn’t have its own professional women’s sports team, it’s become a hot spot for major women’s sporting events. That’s largely thanks to its tourism board, Explore Edmonton, which sees the economic and social value in these events. We spoke with sport and culture events director Cindy Medynski about why this strategy serves Edmonton and what other cities can learn. Small but mighty.

April 25, 2026

The NWSL awards 18th franchise to Columbus, Ohio as league considers marketing power of multi-franchise sports owners

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On Tuesday, the NWSL awarded its 18th franchise to Columbus, Ohio for a record $205M expansion fee, up from Atlanta’s $165M fee in 2025. NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman cited the region’s affinity for soccer as a key factor, but so was the money the ownership group put down: $300M between the expansion fee and a new bespoke training facility.

April 23, 2026

Chase and WNBPA leaders discuss the value of their recent partnership

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The WNBPA's new deal with JPMorganChase goes deeper than its previous partnerships.

April 21, 2026

Flau’jae Johnson discusses the value of OT Select team ownership and the competition’s place in the women’s basketball pipeline

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The recent WNBA draftee reflects on her new role with the league for elite high school girls' basketball players.

April 21, 2026

Sports Business

Cameron Brink refuses to be sidelined

April 18, 2026

As the LA Sparks seek a fourth WNBA championship, they’re building a roster around big-name veterans like Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike. But one young superstar is also at the heart of the team and the WNBA at large: third-year forward Cameron Brink. Last week, we caught up with her to learn about how she’s built her illustrious brand portfolio with “intentional” partnerships — and how she turned a difficult injury setback into an opportunity to build her entrepreneurial skills.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #552

Timothee Chalamet’s manspreading and hot takes on PWHL postseason

April 30, 2026

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Timothee Chalamet’s manspreading and hot takes on PWHL postseason

The puck drops now — literally. The PWHL Playoffs begin tonight when the No. 2 seed Boston Fleet take on the No. 4 Ottawa Charge, making this episode of The GIST of It the perfect time for co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz to preview the four-team competition. Who will hoist the coveted Walter Cup? The girls have thoughts — and they’re spilling.