’Ship season is back, back again. Here’s the lowdown on this weekend’s hardware-hoisting:

The U.S. and Mexico have officially withdrawn their joint bid to host the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC), leaving Brazil and a joint bid from the Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany in the race. The North American contingent noted it will instead focus on securing rights for 2031, which they believe has potential for bigger ROI.

After investing millions in women’s soccer and restructuring the WNBL, Australia is turning its attention to women’s cricket. Governing body Cricket Australia (CA) unveiled a 10-year plan yesterday formulated with input from top players on how to grow the game, which includes a goal to boost revenue by $65.3M to reach $79.1M by 2034.

WNBA legend Candace Parker announced her retirement yesterday, and like everything else she does, Parker did it differently. In the announcement, she outlined plans to ramp up her business aspirations, which include owning a WNBA team and an NBA team.

Last September, Boston Unity Soccer Partners (BUSP) announced its successful bid for an NWSL team that would play in Boston’s historic White Stadium. With $100M worth of renovations slated to start this year, the ownership group is fielding community pushback amid concerns about how an NWSL team would change the stadium’s accessibility for the local community.

On Wednesday, President Joe Biden signed a controversial bill that mandates TikTok parent ByteDance either sell its ownership stake in the social media platform or face a ban in the U.S. If TikTok is banned, the move could devastate the economy built around the platform and have unique implications for women’s sports.

Let’s get personal. The GIST is joining forces with dedicated women’s sports marketing and sponsorship platform Parity to launch our new Athlete Roster offering, which will integrate athlete talent into branded content shared between our platforms. The first-of-its kind partnership allows both companies to uplift women athletes in a brand new way.

Today, the NWSL Players Association (NWSLPA) and Ally agreed to a multiyear extension of their existing sponsorship deal through 2027. The recommitment comes as Ally continues to advance its 50/50 Pledge goal and further proves the viability of partnering with pro players unions in women’s sports.

Canadian Women & Sport released its latest data on Canadian fans today: “It’s Time: Unlocking the Power of Pro Women’s Sports Fans.” While the initial “It’s Time” report in 2023 mapped out the Canadian landscape for women’s sports development, this edition presents insight into the unique attributes of women’s sports fans in Canada.

Caitlin Clark continues to dominate headlines as she heads into her first WNBA season. While we wait for Clark to bring her game to the Indiana Fever’s court, here’s the latest on how she’s changing the women’s basketball (business) game.

We’ve got news for the “Caitlin Clark is taking a pay cut” crowd: She’s expected to hit another payday as she steps into the WNBA limelight. Recent reports indicate Clark is close to signing an eight-figure signature shoe deal with Nike worth over $20M with the potential for bonuses.

The business of women’s sports is exploding across the board, including for merchandise, which women’s sports fans are 1.5x more likely to buy. Supporters are lining up to buy expanded merch options, which is presenting tricky logistical issues for manufacturers. Here are some current examples showing how supply doesn’t meet demand.