https://www.thegistsports.comGatsbyJSSat, 30 May 2026 16:19:23 GMThttps://www.thegistsports.com/article/carmax-wnba-marketing-ad12f0da-deac-5c2e-8dd6-c26474e59004Sat, 30 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[It all started in December 2020, when CarMax partnered with the WNBA and NBA. Sweeping partnerships with the two leagues weren’t new then, but they were often treated as two-for-one deals. Only recently did major brands — even those with longtime W marketing access — start recognizing the distinct value of WNBA marketing. But CarMax saw things differently — just look at its WNBA logo lockup. Doing the right thing is in its DNA, explained Lane, so when they zeroed in on basketball to “modernize the brand” and appeal to its growing Gen Z audience, partnering with the WNBA and NBA “made a lot of sense.” “Why would you just do one and not the other?” Lane posited. Plus, the W was smaller then, so the get-in price was lower. The idea of spotlighting both leagues came together “organically,” kicking off with its first commercial with league stars in March 2021. The spot starring Sue Bird and Steph Curry went viral, garnering 809M impressions. Since then, CarMax has partnered directly with four WNBA teams: the Phoenix Mercury, Washington Mystics, NY Liberty, and Golden State Valkyries. In 2023, they became a WNBA Changemaker — the highest level of WNBA sponsorship. And the league’s biggest stars have appeared in its ads, including Candace Parker, A’ja Wilson, Sabrina Ionescu, Chiney Ogwumike, and Paige Bueckers. “With the women's side, we found lightning in a bottle,” Lane said. “I think we were right in time for this inflection point where the world finally caught on. I think that the fans knew it all along, and it's been a special property, though small in the beginning. Once the fire lit, it's grown a ton.”]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/raj-sports-epicenter-week-138ec5f8-811d-528d-b458-8e50e24c478eThu, 28 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Today, Raj Sports is announcing exclusively through The GIST that it’s bringing back Epicenter Week, a five-day summer celebration in Portland promoting its NWSL and WNBA franchises. But Epicenter Week is much more than that — and it’s bigger and better this year thanks to prominent sponsor and nearby neighbor Nike. Raj Sports EVP strategic growth and development Karina LeBlanc spoke with us yesterday about what makes Epicenter Week (and Raj Sports specifically) unique in terms of celebrating the women’s game. There’s nothing quite like it. The details: Epicenter Week will take place from August 19th to 23rd in Portland, OR, where Raj Sports will host a slew of community programming, corporate events, and sports games (of course). Last year was a smash: Over 530 guests attended and 30K fans participated in 17 events over the course of four days, generating $225K in economic impact for the Rose City. This year has even more to offer — people can attend both Thorns and Fire games and witness the opening of the Kaiser Permanente Performance Center, the only practice facility shared by an NWSL and WNBA team. There will also be a gala honoring local women’s sports heroes and a women’s sports global summit at Nike’s Beaverton headquarters. What’s unique? Activating at every facet of the women’s game: From the community and fan side of things all the way to the leadership and corporate level. LeBlanc’s mantra to make sure they hit all their marks is to “educate on the Thursday, then we collaborate on the Friday, we activate on the Saturday, and we elevate on the Sunday.” She wants to prove Portland earned its reputation as an unmatched women’s sports hub. Over 87K fans have watched the Thorns IRL this season, while over 70K total fans have been to Fire games (including 19K for their home opener). LeBlanc says Portland’s passionate fans are the differentiator, and Epicenter Week lets others experience the magic — and try to replicate it. Zooming out: LeBlanc bills this as an opportunity for everyone to come and see what’s special about Portland’s sports scene — and while they’re the only city with a shared NWSL and WNBA ownership group, every city can take lessons on the power of collaboration and activation through any and all means. Stay tuned: There are a lot more sponsors involved, including local PDX ones, but Nike plays a major role in all this. “Nike was the right partner and the biggest partner from the get go,” LeBlanc said. Having corporate support from the sports giant Nike makes a big difference and helps sell Portland as the true “epicenter of women’s sports.” Shaking things up.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/mlbs-aunt-flow-73329ee9-2958-50b8-a062-c17bebf9262fSat, 23 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Menstruation is usually a routine experience, yet it has a way of catching us off guard. That’s what inspired Coder to found Aunt Flow at age 18. Standing before a coin-operated dispenser, she dreamed of a better way — so she created it. The 10-year-old company now offers free period care in 70K bathrooms across 50 states and three countries. There are 150 universities and 4M students relying on its products, and over 30 professional sports stadiums across the NFL, MLS, and major and minor league baseball feature Aunt Flow in their bathrooms. In MLB, Aunt Flow has partnered with the Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, San Diego Padres, and, most recently, the Tampa Bay Rays. Fresh off a $60M stadium renovation, the Rays installed Aunt Flow dispensers at Tropicana Field this April — and since then, over 1.2K Rays fans have had access to period care. The company also hosted a “period party” activation with 500 period supply kits donated to the Tampa Bay community. It’s been a “meaningful collaboration,” said Coder, and indicates how cutting-edge facilities are considering women fans in their design, perhaps for the first time.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/stubhub-chicago-sky-78f87549-7cb7-5d6c-a66f-a5b8d50735c8Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On Monday, ticket resale marketplace StubHub announced a multiyear partnership with the Chicago Sky, marking the first deal of its kind in the WNBA. This isn’t just a win for fans looking for alternative ticket platforms — we’ve seen sports clubs’ ticketing partnerships offer valuable benefits for all parties. Let’s lock in. The landscape: Today, ticketing platforms are able to comprehensively aggregate demographic and engagement data from fans. Ticketmaster, for example, just released a report highlighting the growth of basketball fandom among Gen Z and women fans. Among Gen Z women fans, 71% say women’s basketball is their fave sport — that’s valuable knowledge for a team like the Sky. Others, like SeatGeek, are getting creative beyond just offering data points. The ticket platform introduced “Game Day Your Way,” a unique IRL activation piloted at Rocket Arena during the NBA’s Cleveland Cavaliers’ playoff run. The brand was able to connect a fan’s ticketing, entry, concessions, and payment experiences throughout gameday into one system, allowing teams to gain insights from fan behavior across the entire night. The benefits: StubHub’s 2026 Chicago Sky data indicate 71% of buyers are first-time WNBA purchasers, and 40% of buyers are from outside Illinois. These numbers allow the Sky to better understand its fanbase, which can guide the team in the amenities it provides. For example, all those out-of-towners could make the case for beefing up its hospitality partnerships. In 2025, the NC Courage became the first NWSL team to partner with ticketing platform Jump. The company found that only 6% of fans were returning to games, but after those initial learnings, the Courage has since upped its return rate to 34%. Zooming out: Understanding fans is big business — that’s why Genius Sports acquired Sports Innovation Lab last year — and everyone is increasingly recognizing the value of women’s sports fans. But who exactly are they? Sometimes, the answers are surprising: The Dallas Wings and Golden State Valkyries have noted a growing male fanbase. A ticketing partnership streamlines access to who attends games, and that data is invaluable to teams. This deal will also directly benefit StubHub as it looks to build out HerSportsHub, its new ticketing platform dedicated to women’s sports. Someone’s got to meet the need.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/mlvs-viewership-numbers-f6747dd5-af40-5f92-940a-e20b01b77d91Thu, 21 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Major League Volleyball (MLV) wrapped its inaugural “Match For A Million” championship on May 9th in front of a sold-out crowd of over 4.5K in Dallas. However, the league has been drawing a much bigger crowd all season long — after reorganizing and rebranding, media rights deals and a strong social push (featuring yours truly) brought volleyball to many more households. Let’s review the numbers and what they mean for MLV’s future, as well as the volleyball landscape as a whole. Absolutely killin’ it. 📺 This was the first year postseason and championship games were broadcast across Ion and Scripps Sports. These telecasts reached nearly 3M unique viewers across three matches, with the title game peaking at more than 300K viewers and averaging 200K. 📈 Matches carried on the newly launched Scripps Sports Network FAST channel drove an additional 28% lift in audience consumption. 📱 In the week leading up to the championship, the league generated 8.9M social impressions (a 63% jump YoY) and over 2M video views. This was a nearly 20x increase from the 97K video views in the 2025 postseason. 🤳 Creator collaborations further elevated content to reach new fans. Volleyball star and influencer Jordan Lucas, who was on site to cover the championship, generated 1.7M impressions throughout his coverage of the game. 🏐 Volleyball consumption is growing both at the collegiate and professional level, with more opportunities to watch than ever. These stats drive home what will help emerging volleyball properties stand out: Media partnerships that help them reach broad audiences. The GIST was one of the creators amplifying the MLV championship on social media, and scoring a deal with Scripps Sports is a major get for MLV as it gets bigger. Smashing.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/the-sports-bra-crowdfunding-c4293701-997a-5a3a-93b5-8ecc02ed8a82Tue, 19 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Everyone wants to be in the women’s sports bar business these days, so The Sports Bra is making it easy for anyone to own a piece of the action. Yesterday, the Portland-based enterprise built on its expanding franchise business by rolling out a new investment opportunity: A crowdfunding campaign called “Own a Piece of The Bra.” This allows investors to come in at a low price and support the mission, and they stand to benefit if the bar succeeds even more than it has already. Let’s review where it all started and what this new strategy means for The Sports Bra’s success. Cheers. The background: Founded by Jenny Nguyen in 2022, The Sports Bra was the first-ever bar dedicated exclusively to women’s sports. Beyond spurring a national trend, The Sports Bra drew the attention of entrepreneur Alexis Ohanian, who teamed up with Nguyen to establish franchising. The first four sites were confirmed last June, and the bar plans to open over 40 locations by 2030. How it works: There are multiple investment levels that come with unique perks — a $100K investment, for example, includes a dinner party with Nguyen. The minimum amount is $250 and the campaign has raised $47.8K from 63 investors so far. It’s a SAFE investment, meaning donors can invest cash that translates to company stake if a trigger event occurs, like being acquired or going public. And with the business model that’s been laid out, that seems to be the goal. The Sports Bra is projecting $75M in annual revenue within four years — a big jump from the $1M in revenue it generated in its first eight months, but this number accounts for combined revenue across all franchise locations. Why it works: Right now, investing a little bit into The Sports Bra warrants a sticker and a badge — but it’s a multimillion-dollar idea that could pay off later. People love women’s sports bars, and by building a scalable product, Ohanian and Nguyen are tapping into momentum and giving passionate sports fans with some cash a way to bring the idea to their community. The crowdfunding also allows The Sports Bra to build a bigger and better product, including a new flagship headquarters in Portland. Once again, The Sports Bra is embracing the grassroots feel of what made the OG location such a success by giving passionate women’s sports fans the opportunity to join this community. And now, they can literally invest in its future. Raising the bar.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/jess-smith-valkyries-strategy-9bb478f0-5e8c-556a-9aa1-5afa4d9a426aFri, 15 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[In 2025, the Valkyries came into the scene hot. The team sold 10K season tickets — a first for the league — before ever hitting the court. One month later, the buy-in was clear. Sportico estimated it was worth a league-leading $500M. The team had over 20 sponsors, set a single-game revenue record, and averaged $1.5K apiece for courtside tickets (comparable to some NBA teams). Sportico also predicted the club would haul in $70M in revenue, and they were pretty close: The Valks took home $78M, per the outlet’s 2026 report. Last week, Sportico gauged the Valks’ current value at $850M, but CNBC made a bolder bet: that the Valkyries are worth $1B, a first in women’s sports. The Valkyries also did historically well on the court as the first expansion team to make the playoffs in its inaugural season, earning Natalie Nakase Coach of the Year honors. But that’s not why everyone showed up. The Bay Area — dubbed the best U.S. women’s sports city last year — packed the stands since day one. Still, there were skeptics. “It figures to be a rough year,” ESPN’s Tim Keown wrote after 2025’s home opener. “A team cannot live on vibes alone.” He couldn’t have been more wrong. Smith knew how to keep the ball rolling. The former Angel City FC revenue head studied the market data and understood the fans who campaigned for a Bay Area team. The Valkyries’ goal was to “create an elite product that feels connected through lifestyle and values, and also so much fun and community-based.” That’s how she helped unlock a billion-dollar franchise.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/pwhl-expansion-franchises-26eca8fd-41dd-56db-9a55-ec6d898c4be2Thu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The PWHL is getting bigger and better…literally. After adding an expansion franchise in Detroit last week, the league announced new teams in Hamilton, ON, and Las Vegas, NV, yesterday. If those cities weren’t on your bingo card, you wouldn’t be alone — but each market brings its own value to the league. Feeling pucky. Hamilton: A newcomer to the PWHL Takeover Tour, the Ontario city welcomed 16K when the PWHL came to town — the fourth-highest attendance in tour history at the time. Since then, Hamilton’s been considered a potential expansion market, even though there’s already a team in nearby Toronto and Hamilton only has about 650K residents. The league’s data showed 70% of the fans at January’s game were at their first PWHL game. A Hamilton team likely won’t take fans away from the Toronto market, and now, there’s another fun local rivalry — something that’s benefitted expansions in Seattle and Vancouver. But what really helped them win the bid? New digs. Las Vegas: Interestingly, Las Vegas was not a stop on any of the league’s three Takeover Tours, but the PWHL is betting on the market because of its strong community engagement. Since 2017 — when the NHL’s Vegas Golden Knights first came to town — hockey participation among girls and women in Nevada has surged 600% (though it was still only about 500 players in 2024–25). Vegas is becoming an attractive sports market period, boasting WNBA and NFL teams before landing an F1 contract and NBA franchise consideration. With four major league teams arriving in the last decade, it’s considered the fastest-growing pro sports market. Zooming out: The Takeover Tour is clearly an effective tool to gauge market strength, but choosing Las Vegas proves it’s not the only one. And though the NWSL and WNBA prefer experienced owners when expanding, the PWHL has a single-entity ownership structure, so markets are more important than ownership. Everyone clearly wants the same thing: A good place to play and a city that shows out, no matter the size.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/wnba-viewership-insights-e14b2e9a-ab28-51e1-b5ae-4ae8af4855baThu, 14 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Earlier this week, Nielsen shared WNBA viewership insights from the 2025 season and the 2026 WNBA Draft. The numbers show impressive overall success, as well as high growth in specific demographics and regional markets. That, coupled with brand-new viewership data from ESPN, illustrates that the league is stronger than ever in year 30. Let’s get into the paint. 📈 WNBA viewers watched 220M hours last season, up 16% YoY. Nielsen estimates 46.9M U.S. fans tuned in, up 31% in two years. And they showed up often: There were 1.3M average viewers for ESPN regular-season games (up 6% YoY) and 1.2M average viewers for postseason games (up 5% YoY). 📺 The 2026 WNBA Draft drew 38% more Black viewers than the 2025 event. This year’s draft saw viewership growth among other key demos, including 19% more Hispanic viewers and a 21% increase among women over 18. Zillennials are also getting into the game: There was 15% YoY growth among viewers aged 18 to 34. 🔥 The WNBA is seeing growth in certain markets fueled by expansion and other factors. With the Portland Fire’s inaugural season around the corner, Portland saw a 40% YoY viewership increase for the WNBA Draft this year. There was also 19% YoY growth in LA thanks to UCLA’s recent NCAA women’s hoops championship. ⭐ And the numbers keep climbing. ESPN’s Saturday WNBA doubleheader averaged 1.9M viewers in the network’s second most-watched opening weekend. The Dallas Wings vs. Indiana Fever averaged 2.5M viewers in the second most-watched regular-season game in ESPN history. Star power is everything.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/endy-canadian-wnba-athletes-417cd11e-d062-59c8-99e7-9cafb5bc77a1Tue, 12 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Canadian mattress brand Endy is returning as the WNBA’s official sleep partner in Canada, touting a new campaign that stars Canadian athletes across the league. The move doubles down on impressive fan growth in the country, which both Canadian and multinational brands are noting. The campaign also illustrates that affinity for the W extends beyond Toronto’s new hometown team to the Canadian players that have been drawing fans since before the Tempo. So not slept on. The success: The 2026 WNBA Draft saw a 172% YoY viewership increase on TSN, while the Tempo’s inaugural home opener drew a sellout crowd of 8.2K. The past several years have been building to this moment: The league has sold out all four Canadian games since 2023. And now, Canada represents nearly half of all international WNBA merch sales, according to Endy. The homegrown talent: Last year, only four WNBA athletes (2.2%) were Canadian, and Endy is working with three of them: Returning ambassador and Connecticut Sun forward Aaliyah Edwards, Toronto Tempo guard Kia Nurse, and Golden State Valkyries forward Laeticia Amihere. Investing in Canadian athletes is not a totally new concept: Nurse, in particular, has been the face of several Canadian brand partnerships, including Maybelline Canada, Peace Collective, and Canadian Tire — which she joined with Edwards. Zooming out: As the W grew in the North, so did its Canadian fandom, and that helped Toronto land an expansion franchise. But even with a Canadian team in the mix, brands like Endy still value the opportunity to partner directly with Canadian athletes no matter where they play — although Edwards and Nurse are both currently with the Tempo. That’s likely because local fans supported Canadian WNBA stars long before they had a hometown team to cheer for. It’ll take time to build that same fervent fandom around the Tempo (and its American players), but for now, Canadian brands can easily score loyalty points by partnering with national heroes. Making money moves.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/dallas-wings-shooting-their-shot-44936231-0355-5ab2-94c8-9fb7a910682fSat, 09 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Bibb joined the club in 2016, when the franchise moved to Dallas from Tulsa, and became CEO a year later — and he’s overseen massive growth in recent years. He said that coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, the club’s grown each year and resets revenue records annually. But lately, its young superstars are adding rocket fuel to the club’s roster on and off the court. The increased attention is bringing new brands to the negotiating table, creating a perfect storm in a surging market. Bibb said the Dallas–Fort Worth region is the country’s fourth-largest metroplex that’s pushing 9M people — and by 2100, it could be the largest U.S. market. Its size and growth should be top of mind for brands, added Bibb, but they should also consider its historic “affinity for sports.” Selecting Bueckers with 2025’s No. 1 overall pick was “[a] giant leap forward.” According to Bibb, drafting Fudd this year is “providing us another current boom in terms of our business” — for example, she was already endorsed by Geico, and when Dallas drafted her, the company expanded its partnership to the Wings, too. And that’s far from the only recent brand win: Last year, finance app Albert chose the Wings for a record jersey patch deal. In the last two months, the Wings have partnered with blue-chip brands like Geico, Kroger, and CVS Health. The momentum is palpable.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/pwhl-franchise-to-detroit-f62d608e-b826-50a5-923e-d104c424e730Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: After three years of playing games in the Detroit market, the PWHL is finally ready to commit to the city. The league announced yesterday that it’s expanding to Detroit, MI, after hosting four games there. For us, the big headline to come out of this is the role Ally played in bringing the team to the city, one of what Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer calls its “hometown markets.” Let’s review the power of this strategy for Ally and how this mindset can be a win for a brand and the broader sports landscape. It had to be Detroit. The context: The bank, which is headquartered in Detroit, has been integral in fostering the PWHL’s presence in Motor City. Ally was a presenting sponsor for Takeover Tour games in Detroit, and in March, it brought this year’s PWHL Detroit game to a linear U.S. audience for the first time. Ally is the new team’s official bank and its inaugural partner, and as per usual, it’s going full send: Team jerseys will include an exclusive Ally patch on the chest, and the PWHL will host its annual awards ceremony and draft in Detroit this year to celebrate the news. The strategy: Ally considers Detroit its “hometown,” and its immediate, substantial investment in the new franchise reflects its commitment to the city and women’s sports, according to Brimmer. This reiterates what she told The GIST during a March interview: The brand feels strongly about what it calls its “hometown marketing strategy,” driven by Ally CEO Michael G. Rhodes. Brimmer believes there’s a “corporate responsibility to help bring tourism and eyeballs and all those kinds of things to the city,” noting it’s also a great way to boost exposure, raise a brand’s profile, and recruit new customers. But there’s an emotional element too: It fosters employee pride, which is important since they typically respond well to recognition. Zooming out: Beyond encouraging employee buy-in, this strategy is a powerful and effective way to energize a city where a brand is based. Considering the historic fan attendance at PWHL games in Detroit, it makes sense Ally would want fans to be aware of the bank and its deep ties to the city. Ally’s own data shows how women’s sports fans turn into customers who develop strong trust with the brand. Bringing a team to the city? That’s a big deal, and it might be the first time we’ve seen a brand this instrumental in an expansion deal. Detroit — both its current PWHL fans and the city at large — will appreciate the impact.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/skechers-wnba-partnership-b0b1d662-7c2f-55f7-b394-06ef7b3eaf13Thu, 07 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Yesterday, the WNBA announced a landmark partnership with shoe brand Skechers as an official league partner. That’s a big deal: The WNBA shoe market is already saturated, but recent newcomers like New Balance and the relaunched Reebok Basketball are seeing opportunity here — and the league’s stamp of approval is huge. But really, it comes back to the athletes. How is Skechers courting top WNBA talent like Rickea Jackson, Kiki Iriafen, and Jackie Young to its roster? Last week, we heard from Skechers senior director of product development & merchandising Catherine Zou about the brand’s strategy. Expanding their footprint. The backstory: Skechers first stepped onto the basketball court in 2023, and in the W sphere, first partnered with Jackson. This was followed by a deal with Iriafen — the brand’s first college athlete — right before the 2025 WNBA Draft, where she went fourth overall. Young joined the roster leading up to 2025 All-Star Weekend, lending veteran cred as an Olympian and WNBA champ. While Skechers has a presence in running, golf, pickleball and soccer, its WNBA partnership is a “major milestone” for the brand and a “meaningful way” to use its platform to support women athletes and consumers. But also, the W is the place to be: Zou said its “rapid growth and passionate fanbase make it an ideal fit for our brand.” The strategy: Skechers’ brand identity is centered around the idea of comfort without sacrificing performance, which Zou called a “technical advantage” that “truly sets us apart.” This focus on feel-good vibes extends to how it treats its athletes, who feel invested in. Skechers wants “authentic engagement with basketball culture” driven by athletes and storytelling that showcases products naturally. “This collaboration not only increases visibility for our collection but also strengthens our credibility within the sport,” Zou said, noting that it also wants to inspire more women to pick up the game. Zooming out: Everyone wants in on the W: As WNBA chief growth officer Colie Edison notes, “This partnership reflects the growing demand from global brands to connect with WNBA fans worldwide.” Skechers is well-known in the US, but this puts the brand before a worldwide audience and a league in the zeitgeist. It might seem like the league is running out of room, but really, it’s on shoe brands to remain creative on their edge and what sets them apart. Signing athletes is a big part of that, which is why newcomers also need to think about signing them as early as college or even high school — something brands like New Balance say gives them an edge. If the shoe fits…]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/sportico-cnbc-wnba-valuations-1001eb23-3b6e-5149-950c-5e0f5fb8807fTue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Over the weekend, both Sportico and CNBC shared their estimated valuations for all WNBA teams. While both outlets came to the same conclusion — the Golden State Valkyries are the highest-valued team — they ended up with different calculations, likely because CNBC included the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and Sportico did not. Let’s crunch the numbers. The Golden State Valkyries are worth $1B. It’s the first time a women’s sports team has surpassed the billion-dollar mark, but it won’t stay that way: A WNBA investor estimates other well-run W teams will be worth that within five years. Sportico offered a more conservative Valkyries valuation estimate at $850M, but still enough to make Doctor Evil jealous. The average WNBA team is worth between $427M (Sportico) and $460M (CNBC). Sportico’s number is up 59% YoY from its 2025 report, and only its top three teams have values equivalent or higher: The Valkyries, the NY Liberty ($600M), and the Indiana Fever ($550M). Bringing the Connecticut Sun to Houston boosted the team’s value. According to CNBC, the Sun — which Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta bought for a record $300M in March — could be worth $400M due to the planned move. However, Sportico still values the Sun at $300M, the second-lowest valuation in the W. While these numbers differ, the Valkyries’ dominance and the Fire’s early estimates illustrate the marketing power of new locales. League sponsors are making a real financial impact. Despite concerns about how delayed CBA negotiations would affect WNBA sponsorship, the league is doing more than fine. CNBC says the number of W sponsors rose to around 30 to begin the season, up 40% YoY. Some of that is thanks to the unique opportunities available this year, like the league’s Legacy Trail program that gives many categories the ability to activate. But it’s also because more and more brands are seeing the value of WNBA partnership, like Procter & Gamble’s multi-brand investment in league fandom. A clean sweep.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/jordan-chiles-and-pure-leaf-7bc3cf62-22b2-5a84-94f4-728f2d556788Tue, 05 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: In April, we spoke with UCLA and Olympic gymnast Jordan Chiles about how she’s building out her brand portfolio and why brands want to work with her. And on Thursday, we also spoke with Zach Harris, VP and GM of the Pepsi Lipton Partnership North America, who oversees marketing for iced tea label Pure Leaf. He shared why the brand is interested in working with Chiles, and it goes far beyond her impact in the collegiate and Olympic spheres. Flippin’ incredible. The context: Chiles said gymnasts are “no different than any other athlete,” but she and others have brought a “broader span of brands” to the mat. She noted that brands embraced their athletic talent and human side, something Rebel Girls highlighted when they crafted a docuseries around Chiles’ Shero Athlete Collective where she mentored young women athletes. The partnership: When it comes to Pure Leaf, the brand was “very intentional” about working with Chiles because “her story naturally aligns with the everyday realities [Pure Leaf Mental Focus] was designed for”: those balancing sports, work, school, and all of life’s other distractions and demands. But it’s also that Chiles does it all with grace — Harris calls her “that girl” — for handling a busy life with “focus, resilience, and authenticity.” It doesn’t hurt that Chiles genuinely endorses the brand: It “really resonates with her,” as it’s been her dad’s go-to drink order since her childhood. The audience: The tea brand, which has previously partnered with Olympic track star Allyson Felix, has been “very encouraged by the reaction” to its partnership with Chiles one week into the campaign launch. “We know she has strong appeal with Gen Z and millennials, especially on social, so we feel very confident this will resonate with those audiences,” Harris said. Whether it’s a sports-focused brand or not, everyone recognizes the rise of women’s sports — and more importantly, the audiences fueling that growth. “The fans following that momentum are highly engaged and culturally connected, which makes them a natural fit for Pure Leaf,” Harris said. The takeaway: Partnering with women athletes makes it easy to win over their fans, but brands shouldn’t miss the broader value of such alignments. Forging relatable partnerships are going to win over everyone. That means a narrow, focused strategy — like having Jordan Chiles chat about Pure Leaf keeping her mentally focused — can have far-reaching benefits. Cheers to that.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/nwsl-team-regional-culture-23cca622-3d10-56df-803c-485581d801acSat, 02 May 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Since the COVID-19 pandemic transformed how people work and live, a massive number of people have moved to the Triangle. Between February 2021 and February 2022, nearly 65K people moved to North Carolina, most of them families drawn by the mild climate, robust university system, and lower property taxes. Vuono was one of them: “Our whole neighborhood is transplants — we want to provide a better life for our families, and this was the place we chose,” he said of his move. Everyone’s got Carolina on their mind. “For [the Courage], the opportunity with the transplants is an opportunity, but it's also a barrier,” he said. The region offers big-time sports experiences — think basketball’s UNC–Duke rivalry, the NHL’s Carolina Hurricanes, and minor league baseball’s Durham Bulls. But the influx of transplants means fandom doesn’t run quite as deep, especially for the NWSL, which is still an emerging league to many. For example, newcomers don’t necessarily know the Courage is based in Cary, including Vuono: When he moved to the area as an NWSL consultant, he thought the Courage were Charlotte-based. “We have to figure out how to solve that. How can we make sure the newcomers know we're here, and then deliver that message: ‘Hey, we're a place where you're going to feel welcome, that you belong, and there's going to be thousands of people just like you who chose [the region] as their home that you can spend a Saturday night with watching the best soccer.’” So how did he address the regional culture problem? When he joined the club’s front office, Vuono asked a simple question: Who are our fans? Everyone had a different answer, so they dug deeper. The Courage became the first NWSL team to leave Ticketmaster for ticketing partner Jump, which facilitates fan data tracking. The team discovered that only 6% of fans returned for another game in the first year of the partnership, and 9% returned in its second. Something had to give.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/marketing-power-in-niche-sports-06db7464-2d67-508f-a3f7-5d2471075e38Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: 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. The WFL: The league hosted its global debut in LA on Saturday after officially selling out tickets for a 1.1K crowd. The league has made the sport more accessible for a broad audience with state-of-the-art tracking tech and a DAZN global streaming deal. Harry Potter and Star Wars comparisons and Keegan-Michael Key skits also helped explain the game. The league’s got Olympic prestige, but also a cool factor thanks to cofounder Miles Chamley-Watson. F1 champ Lewis Hamilton went to support his friend, while celebs like Swizz Beatz, Jay Shetty, and Ashley Greene were also in attendance. And the WFL’s already got major sponsors in Mercedes-Benz USA, Nike Fencing, Don Julio, and Bombay Sapphire. The IDL: Yesterday, the IDL announced E.l.f Cosmetics as a founding partner, a new territory for the beauty brand and prominent women’s sports sponsor. E.l.f. already dallies outside of major sports leagues (think racing, Paralympic swimming, and wrestling), and the brand has been clear about seeing value activating across a variety of sports. Makeup is a big part of dance culture, so there’s easy alignment there, but what may be surprising are the stats E.l.f cited for inspiring the partnership: Dance is one of the most participated-in activities in the U.S. (26M annually), and it’s TikTok’s second most-viewed category with 181B hashtags. That may be why fellow blue-chip brands like Honda, Shopify, and Cîroc have already committed to the league. Locked in. Zooming out: These sports have their audiences, but could still be facing a “make it or break it” situation without the right backing — similar to what we’ve seen with track & field. We’ve learned, especially from women’s sports and their fans, that every sport really does have an audience, and brands are understanding the value of that. Early brand buy-in is taking these leagues to the next level, and they get a lot of value from getting in on the ground floor at a (presumably) low cost. There’s really only upside here, and brand backing helps solidify leagues, while companies also gain affinity with avid, “niche” fans. It’s a delicate dance.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/pwhl-shares-impressive-growth-cb139e43-dfc3-554c-84fe-ca0ba5cb3ec1Thu, 30 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: 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. Let’s review what the latest PWHL data indicate and what brands should keep in mind if they’re exploring the marketing opportunity in women’s hockey. An easy celly. The numbers: In its third straight year of attendance growth, the PWHL regular season drew over 1.1M fans, a 28% jump over last season, including the playoffs. Average attendance at all primary home venues surged 35% YoY, with its 16-stop Takeover Tour drawing 200K fans. And fans want more: There was a 500% demand increase for community hockey programming. The league saw impressive YoY gains on social media — total impressions across platforms jumped 150% over the previous season to 682M. Web traffic also increased, rising 66% YoY, 89% coming from new users. This was especially evident on YouTube, where the league has streamed all three seasons for global access. Live YouTube viewership jumped 77% YoY, with viewers hailing from 154 countries (up from 106), and 61% of channel viewers were new. How about a global Takeover Tour? The brand response: The PWHL banked a robust brand portfolio in its first season (and even earlier buy-in from heavy-hitters like Canadian Tire), but its roster grew further in year three. League and team partnerships grew 35% YoY to encompass 81 corporate partners, including league newcomers Aero (Nestlé), DoorDash, and Aveeno. This season, brands sought opportunities as team partners, including Alaska Airlines, Good Protein, labor union LiUNA!, health market Organika, Canadian sandwich chain Mr. Sub, childcare brand Tommee Tippee, and Sprouts Farmers Market. Brands also engaged fans through in-game activations, with Canadian Tire and Midea sponsoring sign-making stations. Zooming out: It was a big year for the league, thanks to two new expansion teams, a bigger Takeover Tour, and many PWHL players winning gold at the Olympics — which sparked a 190% YoY jump in merch sales compared to the same time last year. Clearly, word is spreading, and one big takeaway is that it’s spreading far beyond the league’s eight home markets. Social media has helped the PWHL grow, and the Olympics put the game on the biggest possible stage. A lot of new categories, especially local brands on the Canadian side, want in on women’s hockey. We’re seeing a rich diversity in brand partners big and small, something Explore Edmonton recommended through its own experience. Local brands, global impact.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/gotham-teams-up-mamdani-49556fdc-dee0-576f-b512-9ab24590bc52Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: 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. Everyone loves a good sale, but it’s also an opportunity for the club to get in front of Mamdani’s 2.4M Instagram followers, an audience it believes overlaps with its own core demos. We chatted with Gotham FC vice president of communications Jeff Greer about why the collab made sense and why civic support is crucial to sports teams. Let’s kick it. The context: Mamdani — who famously campaigned on making the city more affordable for New Yorkers — has been critical about the World Cup hurting fans with exorbitant (and dynamic) ticket prices. The NYC mayor has argued it could be an even bigger economic opportunity for the city if residents could actually afford to go. Greer said the team connected with World Cup czar Maya Handa at a recent event and chatted about Mamdani potentially attending a game. He’s not the first politician to put on teal — Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Eric Adams, and others have been in the stands — but the campaign embraces two of Mamdani’s core strategies: Promoting an affordable New York and winning over New Yorkers through social media. It also doesn’t hurt that he’s a W fan. The strategy: It’s only the beginning for this collab, as Gotham is working with the mayor throughout the summer to promote the sport. Greer said it’s important to have positive relationships with civic leaders — consider how much Boston mayor Michelle Wu impacted Boston Legacy FC’s quest for White Stadium. Gotham has already been promoting its affordability, so the assist from Mamdani plays well with New Yorkers who support his policies. And there’s a demographic overlap between young, progressive Mamdani supporters and Gotham fans — Greer notes how women’s sports fans are young and digitally-driven, just like Mamdani’s supporter base. Zooming out: We’re seeing the impact power players are having in bringing NWSL teams to town, but once they’re there, it’s important to have a friend in office. But beyond just being a friendly face in the stands, this illustrates a cohesive, visible alliance that links the shared missions — and fans — of both Gotham and Mamdani. Mamdani hopes to unify the city under shared values, while Gotham reps NY and New Jersey, so it’s also thinking about bringing the tri-state together. The team is even playing in Queens this July, an event that just surpassed a club record with 16K ticket sales. Making footy more accessible and affordable is just what Gotham and Mamdani need to kick off a big summer of soccer. The change we need.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/edmonton-womens-sports-haven-0df91456-43dc-54fd-bb43-c1a13f3c8afcSat, 25 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Why did Edmonton decide to invest so heavily in women’s sports? The decision sits at the intersection of history, identity, and economic opportunity. Medynski pointed to the city’s pride in the Edmonton Grads — the women’s basketball powerhouse of the early 20th century — and called Edmonton the “birthplace of women’s soccer in Canada,” since the city has hosted several major tournaments. Residents also have intense local pride and an attitude welcoming to women’s sports. “Edmonton as a city is quite a progressive one, and a young one that values equity and diversity and inclusion,” Medynski said. Given the rising popularity of women’s sports in Canada and worldwide, the choice to bet big on this space just made sense. “That’s when we said, ‘Okay, well, we're going to call out women's sports specifically in our strategy as a main focus area,’” Medynski told us. “And I don't think a lot of destinations actually have, or at the time, had that really clear, direct lane around women's sport.” When trying to draw major leagues, the city’s deep and engaged sports fandom was an asset, as was the tourism board’s value of experimentation and premium fan experiences. For example, it offered the PWHL a direct connection to the local grassroots hockey community through youth hockey clinics. “We really tried to do a lot of these different initiatives, and have the Takeover Tour actually take over Edmonton,” Medynski said. “And I think all of that was a key factor in why they wanted to come back two more times as a trusted market and one that they really saw showed up for them.” “We want to do more,” she said. “We want to show up in a uniquely Edmonton way and make sure that you feel that.”]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/nwsl-to-columbus-8631d5bf-f3e0-5f42-95f5-ec161b674b5fThu, 23 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: 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. It’s the latest example of experienced ownership groups winning competitive NWSL and WNBA bids, although the deal isn’t without controversy (nor is the ownership group). But there’s a hook for marketers too: These groups may also be willing to extend partnerships across properties. The details: The Haslam Sports Group, which owns MLS’ Columbus Crew and the NFL’s Cleveland Browns and has a controlling interest in the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks, purchased the franchise with backing from Columbus-based insurance giant Nationwide and Drs. Christine and Pete Edwards. The NWSL team, which will share the Crew’s home turf, adds to the city’s rich soccer history and its stable of MLS, NHL, and MLV teams. The local reception: Columbus and Franklin County will each contribute $25M toward infrastructure, but not without tradeoffs. Not only are taxpayers concerned about tax dollars going toward the new team (which happens in men’s sports, too), but the new practice facility supplanted renovation plans in an underserved neighborhood. The NWSL sees it differently, saying the public funding is “a really important litmus test and proxy” when the league evaluates expansion teams. Berman also noted that government funding has rarely been allocated to women’s sports franchises, something she’s highlighted in the past. The brand play: We know that the NWSL prioritizes experienced sports owners in their expansion bids, and we’ve examined the benefits of banking on a well-run, well-funded organization. But there’s another factor that comes into play: Existing sports owners often extend their brand portfolio to new clubs, thus boosting the valuation and financial viability of new teams. Like Ryan Smith in Utah and the Bhathals in Portland, the Haslam family has stretched relationships across multiple properties, including with Legends Global, Huntington Bank, and healthcare partners. It’s another example of how brands looking to activate in a certain market or across several sports should consider partnering with multi-franchise ownership groups. Talk about a foot(y) in the door.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/chase-wnbpa-discuss-partnership-0c5c7cbb-e2d3-5efd-b8fd-376a4df28851Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last week, the WNBPA signed JPMorganChase as its financial education partner and financial services sponsor. It’s another example of Chase deepening its commitment to women’s sports, especially in women’s basketball, and it illustrates how the WNBPA is increasingly positioning itself as a valuable property reflecting player voices and values. We spoke with JPMorganChase’s head of sports and entertainment marketing Kate Schoff and WNBPA executive director Terri Carmichael Jackson about how this partnership benefits both sides. Take it to the bank. The partnership: Most of the WNBPA’s current partnerships center on licensing deals for athlete NIL — but this one goes deeper. Schoff said the Chase deal expands the bank’s existing commitment to the NBPA and to supporting athletes off the court with financial education and services, noting that WNBA athletes have “completely redefined the business of sports” with “discipline” and “drive” in business endeavors. Carmichael Jackson pointed to an increased “depth” in the WNBPA’s recent partnerships, saying the org wants to work with partners “who invest in players as a whole, supporting everything from business ventures and content creation to advocacy work.” The value: Carmichael Jackson said the WNBPA is more than a labor organization: It’s “a platform, a storytelling engine, and a direct connection to a highly engaged, values-driven fanbase.” Moreover, member athletes lend “authenticity and credibility” to discussions around pay equity that attracts financial brands, because “when that connects to real financial opportunity, it carries weight.” While teams and leagues offer “scale and structure,” according to Carmichael Jackson, the union offers authenticity, access, and trust. For brands, the opportunity to build real relationships with athletes “opens the door for more meaningful storytelling, deeper engagement, and ultimately stronger loyalty” — not to mention “values-based alignment” with athletes leading powerful cultural trends. The takeaway: There likely isn’t a better time to partner with WNBA athletes, especially after several months of contentious CBA negotiations. Athlete profiles are rising, and their perspective matters — and so does seeing brands support them. The WNBPA has already been the focus of a feature-length documentary, and fans flock to athletes on social media. Unrivaled’s “player-forward” approach has proven to win over fans, and clearly there’s still a lot of white space with the WNBPA — the union doesn’t have many partnerships like its extensive one with Chase. Cha-ching.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/flaujae-johnson-ot-select-owner-19a45d90-3821-5346-ab98-203205295840Tue, 21 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last week, new WNBA draftee Flau’jae Johnson announced she would become an owner of an Overtime (OT) Select team dubbed Flau State (which fellow rapper Wale may coach). We checked in with Johnson last week to discuss how OT Select bolsters the women’s basketball pipeline and what the deal means — to her and to sponsors. The background: Johnson has been heavily involved in the elite high school girls’ basketball league since its 2024 launch, first participating as a player and later as a coach. Now, she’s excited to be “on the ownership side,” noting that current players are inspired to see a fellow baller rise up through the ranks to become an owner. The impact: Johnson said that if OT Select existed when she was in high school, she would have “had a chance to really build a platform” — a remarkable statement from NCAA basketball’s leading NIL athlete. She said the program is giving girls an unprecedented spotlight, and there’s increasing interest from brands to sign women’s basketball players as early as possible. Johnson says OT excels at showcasing player personalities so fans and followers “fall in love with them as people,” creating “these mini superstars” that are “a step ahead” of what she had entering college. For brands, getting in early with star athletes has its benefits — consider how Geico followed Azzi Fudd and State Farm followed Caitlin Clark to the WNBA. Brands like Invisalign are already looking to OT Select to win over what Johnson calls “real fans.” Zooming out: Brands are increasingly seeing the opportunity with OT Select’s avid audience, and its brand portfolio has only grown. Gatorade, State Farm, Adidas, Target, Hershey, T-Mobile, and E.l.f. have all signed on as Season 3 sponsors. Media and brand exposure will continue to raise the profile of athletes as they come up, something brand partners can take advantage of by backing an athlete early. As Johnson and Cameron Brink have told us, early brand loyalty matters to athletes. “Investing in women is amazing, but investing in girls is generational,” Johnson said. “It’s exactly what we need.” Who run the world?]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/brink-refuses-to-be-sidelined-52c205f7-ac15-55a5-bb48-ebaa75fa47e2Sat, 18 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Brink is a brand partnerships juggernaut, leading all WNBA athletes in brand deals with 31 as of last March. But what’s especially interesting is how she navigated partnerships after her devastating ACL injury in June 2024, just 15 games into her much-hyped rookie season. The No. 2 pick in the 2024 WNBA Draft missed the remainder of that season, returning to the court 13 months later. Historically, serious injuries like ACL tears can jeopardize brand deals. Companies typically partner with athletes when they’re excelling in competition, centering on campaigns and activations during a season or around tentpole events — and a player’s absence from the action can make them less attractive to brands. When Brink was injured, she told herself she wouldn’t “sit around and mope” and set a goal to “make as much money as possible during that time.” She had an excellent collegiate resume and a lot of time on her hands, which she channeled into building her brand portfolio. Brink “made it [her] mission to put [herself] out there,” and it worked. During that time, she launched new campaigns with New Balance, Urban Decay, SoFi, and jewelry brand Gorjana and modeled for Sports Illustrated Swimsuit, proving that athletes remain marketable when sidelined. Instead of being a major setback, Brink considers it great time in her life because she learned “so much on the business side.” “I think I worked myself a little bit too hard, if I'm being honest, but it was worth it in the end,” she said. “And I really wanted to show brand partners that I'm very dedicated, and I really appreciate what they do and the marketing of it all.”]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/gen-z-athlete-advocacy-db057708-8f23-5f9f-9ae5-5862f8183b93Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a national study involving Gen Z teens yesterday, highlighting that sports and athletes heavily influence how teens perceive societal issues. This dovetails with recent Parity research on Gen Z’s deep trust in women athletes — important synergy as brands develop athlete-driven, socially conscious campaigns. Let’s look at the numbers. The findings: In the study, 77% of respondents said sports are a good way to learn about problems affecting society, with 71% of respondents recalling past anti-racism efforts in sports. Of these respondents, 77% took action after seeing such efforts. Additionally, 80% of respondents supported athletes, coaches, and teams talking about issues affecting people, and 78% supported athletes discussing racism and discrimination. The context: Women athletes have historically called attention to social issues spanning sports and fanbases, especially in the WNBA and NWSL communities. The W drove important conversations around racism in 2020, and league vet Brianna Turner made headlines this week for speaking out against the IOC’s new policy banning trans athlete participation. Looking ahead: While brands have partnered with vocal athletes for campaigns rooted in their identity, such as NWSL icon Megan Rapinoe, this new data illustrates a clear opportunity around mission-driven campaigns aimed at growing Gen Z fanbases. Athletes clearly have a role in shaping public opinion, and Gen Z women athletes have excelled at this organically. Naomi Osaka — who was dubbed the generation’s most popular athlete in a recent American survey — may be the most prominent example: Her sponsors have supported her mental health discussions, and formula brand Bobbie used her platform and visibility to campaign for federalized paid maternity leave. Always holding court.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/wnba-international-expansion-03bb494e-3a28-5318-9d94-cf75a7782242Thu, 16 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: For the WNBA’s 30th season, the league is looking back — and abroad. Three of the first 12 WNBA Draft picks were international, including No. 3 Awa Fam Thiam from Spain. It makes sense to lure stars stateside as the league hopes to build fandom abroad: W commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she’s “heavily looking at” staging international WNBA games. This echoes the NBA’s trajectory, but let’s dive into the unique progression on the women’s side — and what this could mean for both domestic and international brand partners. Flying intercontinental. The precedent: Once the W scales up to international games, there’s fandom ready to meet them: In 2024, the league saw a 322% increase in online searches globally compared to its previous four-year average and StubHub saw a surge in ticket interest internationally in 2025. Canada is a prime example, hosting two successful preseason games before nabbing a Toronto franchise. Men’s basketball’s global ecosystem has produced top athletes and cultivated massive fanbases. In 2024, four of the 10 most-viewed players globally were European, NBA Europe YouTube viewership jumped 220% YoY, and over 75% of the NBA’s social following was from outside the U.S. Global interest and access could similarly boost the W’s impact as it did in Canada. The context: Right now, the WNBA doesn’t have many international partners: Most are either U.S.–based brands or multinational brands with a strong U.S. presence, like France’s Sephora or Germany’s Puma. But there is one brand that stands out: Swiss luxury watchmaker Tissot, the WNBA’s official timekeeper that just doubled down with a NY Liberty deal. In 2024, Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla told The GIST that the brand experienced its biggest growth within the previous five years from Gen Z, a surge he credited to Tissot’s NBA and WNBA partnerships and Gen Z’s affinity for basketball. Zooming out: This should be a signal for international brands to get in while they can: The league may still be U.S.–centric, but that’s changing quickly. And it’s an ideal opportunity for multinational brands to partner with global athletes and bridge fanbases: Thiam is going to win over a lot of Seattle Storm fans, after all. It’s rare, but while most major WNBA athlete brand ambassadors are American, some brands have considered the value of partnering with international athletes. Examples include Mazda’s commercial starring Croatia’s Nika Mühl and Nike’s basketball court initiative honoring Satou Sabally’s Berlin roots. Wunderbar.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/lovb-sf-owners-f00de132-3e91-5322-8900-34ffd0cc42e1Tue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: This Thursday, LOVB serves up its championship weekend, which will air on USA Sports for the first time. This will be the last chip featuring the league’s inaugural six teams as three expansion teams will be added next year, including LOVB San Francisco. This week, we had the opportunity to hear from members of the new team’s ownership group — Danielle Slaton, Chantell Preston, Arielle Chambers, Kate Johnson, and Stephanie Martin — about why they’re keen on bringing volleyball to the Bay in a whole new way. Dig it. The location: According to LOVB SF’s owners, the Bay is an ideal place to launch a new franchise. Slaton highlighted that “every business across the globe has ties to the Bay Area,” while others cited its unique ecosystem rooted in rich community, and how its progressive mindset shapes fandom. Chambers said in her experience, “other women’s sports are trying to figure out how to get participation like volleyball” and noted strong D1, youth, and adult recreational volleyball interest in the Bay Area. Slaton noted how the Bay Area was voted the best women’s sports city, and Chambers said when she began posting about LOVB SF online, fans engaged immediately and dubbed themselves “Love Bugs.” This is similar to how the city’s WNBA and NWSL teams received warm welcomes before their inaugural seasons. Preston celebrated the region’s startup culture and ability to assess future value, saying it’s “ahead of the rest of the country” in women’s sports support because “it understands value before it becomes obvious.” Preston also suggested it’s the best place to build the future of sports because “there’s a natural alignment here around innovation, equity, and long-term thinking.” The brand value: Previously, fellow LOVB SF owner Jes Wolfe told us she envisions LOVB SF games as a networking event, with Slaton echoing this is “part of the vision” for LOVB SF gamedays — especially for women business leaders. And owners are already signaling which categories should tap in: Johnson said she’s eager to form relationships with women’s health and med tech companies. Martin said other sectors should consider the opportunity with this primarily family-oriented audience of women: LOVB says its target fanbase is about 68% women. She said the club is “especially focused” on categories catering to everyday life – beauty, wellness, finance, tech, retail – where women are the primary decision-makers. Holding all the tickets.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/caddix-lacrosse-cleats-511609c5-ed7d-5b74-a4ef-05996c84790aTue, 14 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Nike netted a multiyear agreement with the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and the Women’s Lacrosse League (WLL) yesterday as the official apparel partner of both leagues. This includes Nike-designed uniforms and sideline apparel, but isn’t exclusive regarding cleats, a white space in the women’s lacrosse world — one that Caddix, a new USA Lacrosse partner, is busy filling. In March, we spoke with Caddix lacrosse director Suzy Emerson to learn how the cleat brand has created lab-tested, cutting-edge designs beloved by women and men in football, soccer, and especially lacrosse, where no other cleat designed for women exists. Let’s explore. The brand: Founded in 2020, the cleat company creates football cleats for men, soccer cleats for women, and lax cleats for both. The patented tech in these cleats allows for better pivoting, reducing ACL injury risk. While Adidas and Ida Sports also have women-specific soccer cleats, no one else has a lacrosse cleat for women, which is why many WLL stars have bought in. Caddix is essentially letting the product speak for itself, doing a lot of “boots-on-the-ground” work spreading the word in youth markets by appearing at lacrosse events so athletes can try on their cleats. The white space: Fortunately for Caddix, the Nike deal is non-exclusive with cleat brands, meaning WLL players will be able to continue sporting their Caddix cleats. This is important, because until recently, sports apparel giants largely ignored the concept of sports shoes designed for women — a gap that startups like Caddix, Ida Sports and Moolah Kicks have quickly filled. But bigger brands are responding, with Adidas dropping its first-ever soccer cleat designed for women last year, using prominent brand ambassador Trinity Rodman to shape and promote it. On Nike’s website, there’s only one lacrosse cleat available in men’s and women’s sizes — that could change after this deal. Zooming out: Nike may have the bandwidth and relationships to institute a league-wide deal, but Caddix and its landmark deal with the sport’s governing body proves there’s opportunity for smaller, niche competitors to carve out space and build brand affinity, especially with the direct co-sign and approval of athletes themselves. And Lexie Hull recently shed light on why women athletes genuinely endorsing products matters: People trust them, and women love learning about new brands from their friends and role models. Like it, love it, gotta have it.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/the-realest-sports-memorabilia-17a554c7-b336-5f96-a7e5-e13c9d190ae8Sat, 11 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Memorabilia matters. In an era of synthetic fakes and AI slop, these items bring fans back to “real-life memories and moments.” At its best, memorabilia allows athletes to directly profit from items that fervent fans want to own. But Keeney described the traditional memorabilia industry as “gated,” “antiquated,” and “riddled with fraud.” Issues with authentication and athletes’ ability to profit left “a market that was just wildly underserved in a number of sectors.” And if the men’s sports memorabilia market is this complicated, “I don't even know how to describe women's memorabilia,” Keeney said. “We always believed that [in women’s sports] there was a market that didn't have any access and was largely being ignored by this old-school industry for a number of reasons.” The challenges in ensuring quality control and authenticity, plus the lack of attention to women fans and women’s sports, illustrated the need for a better system. “You might as well centralize control, protect your fans, and do it in an elevated way,” he explained. And that’s why The Realest entered the chat in 2023. Keeney knew the right people, like co-founder Venika Streeter, who runs the company’s patented authentication process after heading authentication for MLB’s Minnesota Twins for 15 years. Together, they wanted to create something different. The space has traditionally catered to older, affluent, male consumers and is dominated by men’s sports history. But Keeney thought “a whole new demographic was being priced out, wasn't being marketed to and spoken to, and didn't have products or a platform that really connected with them.” “We launched, in essence, to create a new market [with] items that are affordable for everybody.”]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/ny-liberty-anniversary-campaign-218e4cc3-6fce-55cf-a57b-750378129ae6Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On Tuesday, the WNBA launched its campaign to celebrate its 30th season. The initiatives play into the nostalgia love among W fans, and we chatted with WNBA business growth AVP Keri Lenker last week about the league’s plans, the data that informed the campaign, and why brands are jumping on the bandwagon. All aboard. The details: The campaign, which marks the league’s first retro-themed programming, will celebrate the W’s 30-year history with storytelling through media, experiences, and merchandise. This includes WNBA Court Origins Nights, where the league will nationally televise games involving the three remaining original franchises. And in the Legacy Trail merchandise program, a new licensee collaboration will be unveiled on the 30th of every month, with collections planned until November — but Lenker said interested brands can still reach out, especially since the Court Origins program will be evergreen. “We would love to bring new brands into the fold as we tell those nostalgia stories.” Individual teams are also recognizing the opportunity here, like the NY Liberty, one of the OG franchises that launched a similar retrospective. The Liberty’s campaign includes a throwback-inspired logo and a campaign spot with dedicated merch to come. Can’t wait. The opportunity: Lenker highlighted that the league has rolled out retro items before, but a desire for more dedicated nostalgic callbacks inspired this program. With the league’s explosive growth in recent years, the 30-year mark was the perfect time to look back. Lenker added that knowing how engaged W fans are around merch drove this campaign. “It’s really a part of their everyday lifestyle,” she said. “So when we think about the product categories, we’re really mindful [to] introduce new products that can really round out that fan’s lifestyle” by incorporating their fave team, player, or the league itself into their daily life. Looking ahead: While the full roster of involved brands will come month-by-month, we do know the first three activating: Wine brand La Crema, apparel giant Nike, and nostalgic clothing brand Mitchell & Ness. As we’ve seen with the Houston Comets, the Seattle Supersonics, and other vintage-era basketball teams, there’s a real thirst for nostalgia, especially among fans that feel they’ve been overlooked. Here for it.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/wnba-power-of-recommendations-689f9834-a798-5bfa-ac3a-c59debf8bd42Thu, 09 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On March 31st, WNBA star Lexie Hull co-launched Forta, a skincare brand designed for athletes. She’s amplifying her brand on Faves, a new platform that allows athletes to recommend products they actually use. We chatted with Hull yesterday about what makes Forta and Faves special and why putting her skincare line on the platform makes sense, especially considering how women consumers interact and perceive brand recommendations. Sign us up. The background: Hull initially got involved with Forta’s ownership group, tried out the products, and genuinely recommended them to family and friends, before expanding her recommendation to the Faves platform. Faves allows athletes to endorse their must-have products — for Hull, that’s “tall girl clothes” and her Theragun. What makes these recs so powerful is these aren’t traditional paid product placements — athletes genuinely love and use these products — and Faves intends to become a place where athletes can facilitate the purchase of their favorite products and allow brands to benefit from the exposure. The why: Athlete recommendations are powerful because they are typically perceived as trustworthy by the general public. That’s even truer for women athletes, who are more engaging than other types of influencers because of their authenticity and personality. Brands should pay attention, Hull notes, because women are powerful (and curious) consumers, and word-of-mouth recs power purchasing consideration. “Women are buying more, trying new things, so I also think that’s so much of our mindset,” she said. Hull is right — women’s discretionary spending has been growing faster than men’s in recent years. The takeaway: Faves is designed to foster genuine athlete endorsements, and that’s a signal for brands to build genuine relationships with influential athletes so they’ll want to recommend those brands naturally. If athletes actually like a product, it’s going to show in their social media content — and it’s going to make broader, unsolicited co-signs possible. That’s what happened with Cameron Brink, who we spoke with yesterday (more on that soon). Brink said she actually drank Optimum Energy in her training, recommending it to all her teammates. Now, she and the brand have an extensive partnership, which matters as Brink said she’s becoming “more intentional” with her brand deals. Get in while you can.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/angel-reeses-move-to-the-atlanta-dream-to-have-massive-business-implications-a50cb538-56e4-5eda-b0fa-fca01464f6d4Tue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: In a shocking, blockbuster trade yesterday, the Chicago Sky sent Angel Reese to the Atlanta Dream for Atlanta’s first-round picks in 2027 and 2028. It’s a bold move that the Dream believes will revamp their roster, but also has implications beyond the court. Does this mean Chi-Town Barbie is now A-Town Barbie? Let’s explore. The context: Chicago is middle-of-the-pack in terms of team valuation, while the Dream ranked dead last in Sportico’s 2024 and 2025 league-wide rankings. The Sky went from a $95M valuation in 2024 to $210M in 2025 (a 121% increase YoY), while the Dream rose from a $55M valuation in 2024 to a $165M valuation in 2025 (a 200% YoY boost). It’s well-documented that Reese consistently drew large crowds no matter how the team performed. Last August, the Sky sold out seven games (two at United Center), meaning more than 40% of its home games sold out despite a losing record. When Reese was injured, average attendance fell. The player: With 5.2M Instagram followers — the most of any WNBA player — Reese is one of the league’s most influential players. Embracing her position as a cultural tastemaker has made her the ideal brand ambassador for national brands, especially fashion and beauty companies looking to reach Gen Z audiences such as Juicy and a revamped Reebok Basketball. While most of Reese’s deals are national and thereby impervious to a move, her departure from Chicago will affect the brand activations her starpower brought to the Sky. CashApp and Barbie hosted local activations, while Hershey’s Reese’s campaign engaged Sky fans who cultivated her “Reese’s Pieces” nickname. Zooming out: The landscape is changing quickly, and from a business perspective, there’s value in getting a player beyond just their on-court product. We’ve seen this in men’s sports when a megastar switches franchises, but this impact is much rarer in women’s sports. This year’s free agency could see more big stars on the move, but none with more business implications than this one. Having the “Reese Effect” hit Atlanta could help the Dream find a better home venue, and in a league that’s prioritizing NBA ownership for expansion teams, the Dream’s independent leadership could battle back from its low-ranked valuation to become a top-tier team — one that may be able to build a dedicated practice facility like Chicago. As we’ve seen with the NY Liberty and Golden State Valkyries, partnerships are everything, and both the Indiana Fever and the Sky have seen the dramatic effect one player can have on bringing partnerships to the team. Now, it could be Atlanta’s turn. Dream big.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/charlotte-leads-as-potential-wta-finals-host-which-could-benefit-the-banking-capital-and-related-financial-brands-3098b345-0a41-5513-bcdc-a9ef9cd3cd7aTue, 07 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Charlotte, NC, has emerged as the leading contender to host the WTA Finals in 2027 after the three-year deal to host the WTA’s final tournament in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, wraps later this year. The North Carolina city is being floated as an option amid geopolitical tensions in the Gulf, which have already affected the sporting calendar. Charlotte — and the Finals themselves — are both in a new position these days that could help make this tournament the marketing and business opportunity it should have always been. Bank on it. The context: Three years ago, the WTA Finals were looking for a new home after several logistical nightmares hosting in Mexico. Saudi Arabia stepped up to the plate despite criticism, offering financial backing no one else matched. But having Charlotte, which hasn’t hosted a WTA Tour event since the 1970s, vie for the tourney could be a win for U.S.–based athletes and brands able to access American fans and audiences. After all, the city has courted the interest of tennis fans via the Charlotte Invitational and even became a relocation consideration for the Cincinnati Open. The banking opportunity: Beyond local tennis interest, its banking background makes it a prime pick. Charlotte is the second-biggest banking center in the U.S.: Bank of America and Truist Financial are headquartered there, and it’s also a hub for Wells Fargo and Ally. Ally has highlighted the value of its “hometown strategy,” or its intention to host sporting events in its Charlotte and Detroit hubs. This inspired recent PWHL Detroit activations as well as Ally Tipoff, the early-season women’s college basketball tourney that the brand and the city of Charlotte have doubled down on through 2028. Finance brands love tennis, and in a new era of women’s sports, they’re capitalizing further on the women’s side. Morgan Stanley is already a WTA partner, but there’s still the opportunity to activate around tennis events the way JPMorgan (US Open), BNP Paribas (Indian Wells), and Credit One Bank (Charleston Open) have. Open for business.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/how-flaujae-johnson-is-taking-notes-and-putting-on-a-clinic-in-nil-entrepreneurship-3273e991-cec0-5236-aeb0-880f2ed4a8acSat, 04 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[Johnson’s mother Kia Brooks once observed that her daughter “never gets to celebrate her achievements because she works so much and they come so fast.” In five seasons, Johnson accrued over 40 NIL deals, all while balancing student-athlete life and dropping several albums and EPs. Johnson came to LSU at the beginning of the NIL era, so she was able to fully reap the benefits throughout her collegiate career. She also benefitted from a fifth season due to COVID-19 eligibility extensions. Now, her total net worth is an estimated $7M, with her brand deals and music IP accounting for about $4.5M. Her NIL worth is $1.5M, the highest in the women’s game. She partly credits her school for helping develop and promote her public persona. “LSU markets their athletes well,” Johnson said. “That purple and gold is just so noticeable,” she continued, calling LSU “a worldwide brand.” “Even being attached to LSU in any kind of way, it's beneficial for the athlete, but also for LSU,” she said. “And they know that, and they promote you so well, ” she continued, citing their promotion of Heisman Trophy winners Joe Burrow and Jayden Daniels. “It’s definitely a hand-in-hand thing,” she said. “It's not just like they heavily promote [athletes]… It’s both brands collaborating to make the best product possible.” Put the pendant on the trophy.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/mikaela-shiffrin-explains-the-value-of-sponsorship-from-us-ski-snowboard-stifel-and-luxury-brands-a5fef9e3-d79b-5fb3-b09b-3bd901ebdcd6Thu, 02 Apr 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Mikaela Shiffrin was one of the most recognized athletes heading into Milano Cortina 2026, and she emerged from the Games with more hype than ever before. Shiffrin is enjoying a new era for women Winter Olympians, who can now leverage their athletic success beyond the Games through fashion and media. This week, we spoke with Shiffrin about her recent NYC press tour and how brands, especially luxury ones, are engaging with her and supporting her creative endeavors. Ready to sleigh. The support: Shiffrin thinks of U.S. Ski & Snowboard as her “highest-impact sponsor” because of the resources they allocate to athletes, especially without government funding. Because U.S. Ski & Snowboard and its sponsors invest heavily in athletes, “we want to be successful” in delivering ROI for them, and the governing body “gives us the platform to do that,” she explained. In December, U.S. Ski & Snowboard CEO Sophie Goldschmidt described their creative approach to selling the snow sports lifestyle and bringing new sectors into the fold. This includes financial brand Stifel, a key sponsor Shiffrin described as “instrumental in supporting” her recently-launched podcast. The insights: Shiffrin said now, women athletes are being more humanized than ever, giving her the freedom to explore her creative endeavors. She recently photographed a Brooklyn Nets game, illustrating how those across sports and fashion value her point of view, whether through photography or styling luxury fashion. One major way she’s doing that is with her podcast, which allows her to remain curious and relatable through the scope of her elite athleticism. Her logo launch and podcast are “next steps in exploring what my world can look like,” Shiffrin said. “Skiing is a really big part of me…but there’s just so much more that piques my interest.” The opportunity: Like Eileen Gu and Naomi Osaka, Shiffrin commands the spotlight outside sport. As an engaging, relatable athlete, fashion-focused brand partnerships uniquely give her the chance to showcase her style. This week, Shiffrin is working with Naeem Khan, Cynthia Rowley, Hugo Boss, Dôen, and Tiffany & Co., as well as existing partners Adidas and watch company Longines. “Getting to explore this is one of the most beautiful things that you can get from such an incredible Olympic experience: The opportunity to connect with brands…The fashion world is something that I really love, but I don’t get to dip my toes into that world as much as I’d like,” she said. Who wouldn’t love a little ski brand lift from Shiffrin?]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/connecticut-sun-sold-to-houston-ownership-with-plans-to-revive-vintage-comets-franchise-0cb30891-bac7-55ab-8a48-c70c630e0d42Tue, 31 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On Friday, the Mohegan Tribe — the longtime ownership group of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun — reportedly sold the team to Houston Rockets owner Tilman Fertitta and family for a record $300M. The move solidified months of speculation that the W would steer the sale toward Houston after the league reportedly denied Boston’s even higher bid for $325M. While missing out on one of the nation’s top sports markets puzzled many, especially after historic W crowds at TD Garden, Houston does have a lot to offer, including a nostalgic brand that few other WNBA bids can top. Like a comet pulled from orbit. The context: Sun president Jen Rizzotti has been vocal about wanting to keep the team in New England and serve the fanbase it’s developed there for 23 years. So when Boston Celtics minority owner Steve Pagliuca offered $325M for the team last year, it seemed a likely move. But the league shut down the sale, preferring groups that went through the formal bid process ahead of Boston. WNBA commissioner Cathy Engelbert previously said Houston was next after granting expansion teams to Cleveland, Detroit, and Philadelphia, which will all debut in later seasons. For now, the Sun will remain in Uncasville, CT, through the 2026 season and will relocate to Houston in 2027. In addition to wanting cities to submit formal bids, the W seems to prefer ones backed by NBA ownership — such has been the case in the Bay Area, Toronto, Portland, and the three aforementioned markets. All have wealthy and experienced owners who can support the clause in the recently-ratified CBA requiring all WNBA teams to have elite facilities. The city: Beyond Fertitta’s NBA resources, the nation’s fourth-largest city has much to offer women’s sports franchises. The NWSL’s Houston Dash has been there since 2014, while the McNair family — who helm the NFL’s Houston Texans — spearheaded the purchase of LOVB Houston last November. What’s more, 60% of residents are enthusiastic about hosting a W team. Houston offers another selling point: A chance to revive the Houston Comets franchise, the league’s earliest dynasty boasting the era’s best ballers. Residents express civic pride in the Comets’ prior success, and this fan buy-in combined with NBA–level resources (including the team’s new Toyota Center home) made Houston a very attractive option. Zooming out: In its 30-year history, the W has seen its share of ups and downs, with many teams moving and others, like the Comets, disbanding. Today, things are different: Everyone is banking on league expansion, and cities are lining up and waving millions to join the club. And for a handful of cities, there’s a unique opportunity to feed into sports nostalgia by resurrecting a franchise. This is what Portland did with its brand rollout last summer, a move that was ultimately successful: The Fire leads the league in new ticket sales. As in Portland, Houstonians are hyped to have their team back — and so are Detroiters who might be in for a shock. Electrifying.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/overtimes-first-of-its-kind-uconn-partnership-heralds-a-new-era-of-nil-brand-integration-96b6a7df-8a4a-59cb-8156-c5c328b0e206Sat, 28 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[For seamless integration, OT set up the content studio in Gampel Pavilion, right next to the women’s locker rooms. Athletes will have full access to the studio, allowing them to create posts for their personal social media as well as collaborative content with OT. Malas said all content will live on OT’s social channels, which have over 120M followers across platforms. Additionally, OT will feature all NIL–eligible athletes through the partnership. This means they’ll tap big-name stars like Azzi Fudd, Sarah Strong, and KK Arnold, but they’ll also have “the opportunity to work with some of the amazing players that are up and coming,” Malas explained. As an example, she noted former OT Select — the high school girls’ basketball showcase that’s become an integral part of the sport’s pipeline — participant Kelis Fisher is now able to work with OT again as a UConn athlete. So, what is OT getting out of all of this? Founded in 2016, the brand’s ethos has been creating engaging sports content for Gen Z, much of that rooted in basketball culture through a digital, social-focused lens. With the advent of TikTok and NIL deals, content delivery has changed, and so has OT’s approach to highlighting athletes. It’s gone beyond in-game highlights into deeper storytelling, and this groundbreaking partnership allows OT to do what no media company has done before.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/denver-summit-fc-arranges-a-40m-private-placement-in-historic-first-for-womens-sports-5b99a860-fe56-58b4-af04-437a32fd519fThu, 26 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: On Monday, Mesirow Capital Markets — an independent, employee-owned financial services firm — arranged a $40M private placement (or private bond financing plan) for Denver Summit FC, the Denver-based NWSL expansion club set to break attendance records at its home opener this weekend. Though common in major men’s sports, this is one of the first times a pro women’s sports team has accessed private bond financing, signaling a new era for financing in the space. With innovative approaches to accessing capital, the NWSL could scale like teams in men’s sports have through similar financial tools. A whole new world. The context: When Rob Cohen pitched a bid for Denver Summit FC, he promised a $110M expansion fee and millions more in infrastructure investment, including a purpose-built 14.5K-seater stadium in Denver. Instead of paying for the infrastructure with personal funds, private placement provides institutional investors with reliable credit support. But how? The $40M is backed by the predictable revenue secured in the practice facility’s naming rights deal with healthcare system CommonSpirit Health. This means that in its early stages of development, the club and its investors are able to count on revenue and access millions in credit, letting them build world-class infrastructure sooner. The precedent: As mentioned, this is basically unheard of in women's sports. But this approach reflects an attitude previously reserved for men’s sports teams: That investors can bank on them becoming profitable, with Denver already making quite the case. Revenue-backed financing plans helped MLS’ Nashville SC and Columbus Crew build new stadiums, with each team borrowing $225M and $45.5M respectively. Overall, assuming men’s sports would be profitable has allowed the Big Four leagues to flourish, as they benefited from $33B in public spending on infrastructure from 1970 to 2020. Securing such infrastructure spending across women’s sports has been challenging, but that’s changing. Around $1B has been committed to women’s sports facilities in a three-year span, and experts predict about 70% of NWSL and WNBA teams will have dedicated stadiums in a decade. And if the trend catches on, private placement could speed up this process even more. The takeaway: We’ve discussed how the NWSL’s approach to private equity investment would allow the league to scale rapidly and attract not just institutional investment, but also more sponsorship. The league has created an environment that makes this Denver Summit FC deal possible, and the fan fervor around the team qualms concerns about ROI or market buy-in. Private placement in the NWSL proves women’s sports isn’t a gamble — it’s a stable investment opportunity for individuals, companies, and brands. That’s something CommonSpirit Health took note of by making all of this possible — and with so many healthcare brands sponsoring NWSL facilities, they’re undoubtedly getting major value out of the deal too. Everybody wins.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/kim-decarolis-and-terese-whitehead-explain-the-power-of-women-athletes-in-nil-marketing-ef3635b9-a258-5448-8afa-b84654a46ff1Tue, 24 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: With March Madness finally here, we spoke with Terése Whitehead and Kim DeCarolis, who lead NIL and commercial strategy at Michigan and Georgia, respectively. Both are embedded on campus through their work with Altius Sports Partners, which launched in 2020 and has quickly become a leading strategic advisor for college athletic departments. Before NIL, Whitehead drove billions in athlete licensing revenue through the NFL Players Association, while DeCarolis carved out her path in college sports and brand partnerships. Both spoke to how changes in the NIL landscape prime women athletes to uniquely profit. Built for this. The landscape: Amid new NIL rules, DeCarolis said “the biggest shift is simply the volume.” She noted how pro sports focus on optimizing revenue, structuring brand partnerships, and building athletes’ value — something NIL deals are now doing at the collegiate level. This professionalization doesn’t just benefit athletes: There’s a whole economy around facilitating NIL deals. The role of women athletes: This new infrastructure is able to capitalize on the existing demand around women athletes, says Whitehead. “It’s no longer about proving interest. It’s about building the right platforms to support it,” she said. Brands are recognizing the value of women athletes, especially in what she called the “trifecta of fan loyalty to the sport, to the school, and to the athlete.” Whitehead noted how women student-athletes drive higher engagement than men, but their impact goes beyond numbers: Their authenticity and relatability is “what brands are looking for.” She identified “strong momentum” in basketball, volleyball, and gymnastics, where there’s a strong pipeline from college to pro leagues or the Olympics. And the rise of on-campus content studios allows athletes to “show up professionally and consistently, which matters in a social driven environment.” Since women athletes are “natural storytellers,” content studios give them the tools to elevate that — something we’ll explore at length soon in Overtime’s new content studio at UConn. The brand response: DeCarolis said those who think NIL primarily caters to men’s football and basketball are missing the big picture. “For brands, women’s sports offer something powerful. Not just visibility, but a deeply engaged audience.” This direct feedback from brands is supported by leading projections, with Opendorse projecting last year that total NIL spend in women’s sports would reach $663.3M by 2027-28, up from $305.9M in 2021-22. Sailin’ across the sun.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/how-the-bhathal-family-is-running-portland-26c22e09-0f1f-5bca-91cc-a1c4b1f4c34bFri, 20 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The Bhathals already co-owned the NBA’s Sacramento Kings when they “started hearing about the rise of women’s sports,” Bhathal Merage said. When the opportunity arose to purchase the Thorns, she went to a game at Providence Park to witness the “magic” firsthand. Convinced of the potential, “the stars aligned” for the Bhathals to land the NWSL team months later. Things fell into place once again after another ownership group’s bid for a WNBA team in Portland fell through and the Bhathals scooped up their second women’s sports franchise. This dual ownership is an anomaly in both leagues and something Bhathal Merage doesn’t anticipate others accomplishing, given how recent ownership bids are shaking out. It was the opportunity of a lifetime, and they were in the right place at the right time, with the right experience. The Bhathals’ previous sports ownership reportedly influenced their successful WNBA bid, and Bhathal Merage cites the city’s reputation as “the global epicenter of women’s sports” dating back to the 1970s as another selling point. Portland “punches way above its weight” in terms of its women’s sports fandom, she said, with the city and surrounding area home to about 2M residents and “the most highly engaged women’s sports community in the world.” Let’s dive into how the Bhathals and brands are serving fans an incomparable product.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/wnba-cba-agreement-is-a-win-for-league-players-and-brand-partners-a400e9e6-febe-5b71-9595-22770b2e0faeThu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: The WNBA and WNPBA reached a verbal agreement on their CBA yesterday, just 51 days before season tip-off. The news is considered a major win for both parties as well as W fans, but there are other players at stake with a lot pinned on the success of this deal: The W’s confirmed and prospective brand partners. Let’s explore what this new CBA means for everyone. The details: Per ESPN, the salary cap now starts at $7M (up from $1.5M) with supermax deals starting at $1.4M (up from $249K). The average salary is now around $600K (up from $120K) and the minimum salary is above $300K (up from $66K). Plus, the average revenue share — a major sticking point for the union — is reported to be nearly 20% throughout the deal. The negotiations managed to avoid changes to the 2026 schedule, with training camp still set for April 19th, preseason games tipping off April 25th, and the regular season beginning on May 8th. But the delayed deal means it’s crunch time for other crucial offseason activities: The league must now hold a two-team expansion draft and free agency for over 100 players. The brand impact: The stability is undoubtedly beneficial for the W’s burgeoning partnership portfolio. With uncertainty all these months, it was likely challenging for brands to confirm their plans around the W season, especially regarding the draft and tip-off. On the W’s website aggregating its partnerships news, there hasn’t been anything since last June, besides a State Street partnership in September. This means that through 2026 so far, no new league-level partners with the WNBA have been announced. With women’s March Madness increasingly becoming a connected storytelling opportunity to the WNBA Draft, brands have previously announced W partnerships within this timeframe to get attention. In early April 2025, the WNBA announced deals with Mielle Organics, Ally, and Coach, but with the CBA uncertainty, everything has been up in the air. Zooming out: Getting this done ASAP was essential to the W, which is still scaling up and very much needs to remain a welcoming environment for sponsors, particularly with players wanting increased revenue sharing. Now everything can roll on according to schedule, and we should see some new sponsorships stream in. Welcome to the party, pal.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/bank-of-america-institute-shares-new-data-insights-on-womens-sports-fans-618bc952-7449-50c5-9d42-a49b9258b367Thu, 19 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: This week, the Bank of America Institute — the bank’s internal think tank that analyzes consumer behaviors and trends from customer data — shared insights into how customers are engaging around women’s sports. The data supports trends we’ve seen, with these new numbers further strengthening the business case for women’s sports. Let’s dive in. 🚀 Women’s sports viewership in the U.S. has nearly tripled since 2020. Both traditional and social media outlets are increasingly catering to this audience that skews younger, affluent, and digitally native. It’s what happens when you put women’s sports on TV. 🥊 These engaged fans pack a punch. They’re driving greater live attendance, merch sales, and social media fandom, with surging interest in soccer, basketball, rugby, and cricket positioning the sector to grow at warp speed. 💰 These affluent, avid fans are pushing exponential revenue growth. The study projects more than 250% revenue growth across U.S. women’s sports by 2030, citing examples like soccer’s rapid influx of private equity investment. 🤝 And sponsors recognize the fiscal power of women in sports. Women are driving fandom growth across women’s sports and saw the wealth they control increase by 51% between 2018 and 2023. Their median deposit account balances are up 35% from the 2019 average, and according to Bank of America data, their discretionary spending growth outpaces male customers. The takeaway: It’s no coincidence financial brands are branching out from golf and tennis to meet women’s sports fans: They’re proven to be brand-loyal, and are willing to spend on travel for their fandom. Ally’s been rewarded for its commitment in this space, making a strong case for what the financial sector can gain from broad women’s sports sponsorship. Deposit that in the memory bank.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/the-sports-bra-teams-up-with-wpba-to-support-storytelling-community-around-womens-basketball-developmental-league-2d6e449b-77ba-5051-a82a-6e767a4884afTue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Today, The Sports Bra and the Women’s Premier Basketball Association (WPBA) — a developmental women’s league similar to the NBA’s G League — announced a strategic partnership that will use the sports bar’s reach among women’s sports fans to promote the WPBA as it looks to strengthen relationships with the WNBA and sponsors. Yesterday, we spoke with WPBA founder Faatimah A and The Sports Bra owner Jenny Nguyen about how this partnership came to be, the value of the WPBA, and how the bar and other brand partners can help level up its game so everybody knows their name. The WPBA: Founded in 2022, the league is “building the missing infrastructure for women's basketball that is a direct pipeline to getting players into the WNBA, into other top tier leagues around the world,” said Faatimah. Since then, the league has helped over 100 athletes further their careers while emphasizing financial literacy, wellness, and professional development off the court. The two entities will launch their collab at the 2026 WPBA Combine next month, where six out of 15 W teams will be scouting. The W’s small rosters have been a talking point as they limit the league and athletes, which is why Faatimah wants the WPBA to support a better pipeline for players. While no WPBA players have ascended through the league to the W (yet), several WNBA players have lost their roster spots in the past and played their way back in through the WPBA. “We’re starting to see the need for these pipelines,” Nguyen added, and The Sports Bra has a history of supporting local grassroots sports organizations. The alignment: Nguyen said her bar is focused on “telling stories of underrepresented groups” and wanted to boost the WPBA’s visibility with its immense “social capital,” something it's positioned to do as a gathering space for women’s sports fans. Faatimah noted “everyone loves a great underdog story,” and The Sports Bra’s reach allows them to “strengthen the ecosystem as much as possible.” And for those wondering: The WPBA is ironing out a streaming deal right now with content currently available on YouTube, Bench, and Instagram, and it will be available to watch at The Sports Bra soon. Zooming out: The WPBA is filling a crucial role in the women’s basketball ecosystem. Google Pixel and the U.S. Coast Guard have already partnered with the WPBA, but The Sports Bra partnership highlights how two up-and-comers reaching the same community of women’s sports fans can amplify reach with mutually-beneficial partnerships. Nguyen and The Sports Bra’s patrons clearly believe in the value of storytelling around all women athletes at all levels. That’s the kind of community who could be converted to fandom and make a difference for the WPBA’s reach and awareness, which could beget future partnerships. And on and on and on…]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/ally-scripps-sports-partner-to-present-pwhl-detroit-game-for-national-audience-on-ion-5d3657f0-fe1e-5e55-8f02-0fb311f19ae6Tue, 17 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Ally and Scripps Sports are teaming up to present the PWHL’s first-ever nationally televised game in the U.S. on March 28th. This Takeover Tour stop in Detroit will give the PWHL the chance to reach more than 126M households via Scripps Sports network Ion, home to the NWSL, WNBA, and the upcoming SI Women’s Games. Last week, we spoke with Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer about the importance of televising the game nationally and why first movers should jump at such opportunities in women’s sports. If you’re not first, you’re last. The context: The PWHL has had four Canadian national broadcast partners since the puck dropped in 2024, yet none in the U.S. — American teams only have partnerships with local broadcast networks and stream games on YouTube. Brimmer, a self-described fan and hockey mom living in a hockey town, noted how hockey fandom isn’t as widespread in the U.S. and on the men’s side, the NHL “doesn’t have the ubiquity” of the NFL or MLB. “It's a very regional sport, and I think it has more regional interest,” Brimmer said. However, she noted that unlike the NHL, the PWHL can utilize a targeted strategy to “ride more of the wave of the excellence of women's sports in general,” giving them the “ability to create rabid fandom…because people are ravenous to consume as much women's sports as they can.” The why: Brimmer and Ally have experience bringing women’s sports to primetime with the NWSL Championship in 2022 and hosting Unrivaled watch parties in 2025. Media exposure has been a major key in fully unlocking the women’s sports opportunity for leagues and sponsors — reaching millions of Americans will, ideally, prove the PWHL’s viability to a national media partner. And why Ion? The network has enjoyed its own success with its women’s sports strategy, and Ally believes they share the same passion to amplify women’s sports. “They're a deeds, not words, kind of platform…they've really put their money where their mouth is,” Brimmer said. Zooming out: Brands can help close gender gaps in sports, whether it’s through media exposure or prize money. Ally has enjoyed boosted brand affinity through such partnerships, and convincing the league and Ion to put a game on primetime will, like the Takeover Tour, prove its broader appeal. Brimmer advised now is the time to get into the PWHL before “it’s about to explode.” “There's a lot to be said for getting in when you can still shape it,” she said, noting how saturated other women’s sports leagues are. “You still have a lot of room to get into something that's very evergreen and help shape the narrative, and to punch above your weight as a brand,” she added. And Ally knows a good investment when they see it: It began backing the NWSL eight years ago, while Breanna Stewart and Napheesa Collier pitched the concept for Unrivaled to Ally, its first and founding partner, over a Zoom call. Here since day one.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/nwsl-coo-sarah-jones-simmer-discusses-the-leagues-growth-strategy-ahead-of-2026-season-kick-off-8f640875-f701-543f-9b14-0fdb4d6ef146Sat, 14 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[In 2025, everyone wanted in on the NWSL. Average crowds exceeded 10K for the third straight year, including a record 40K at San Francisco’s Oracle Park, while season viewership rose 22% YoY (especially among young women). This year, national broadcast partners are covering 220 matches, and Denver Summit FC’s March 28th home opener has sold over 50K tickets, which should reset the U.S. record for the highest-attended women’s pro sports event. Women’s soccer is skyrocketing in popularity worldwide, but growth in the NWSL has a very specific engine. Jones Simmer says it starts with “the quality of the product on the field,” aka the players, which is why the league is going big on investing in them. The NWSL’s talent strategy, she said, is similar to the way “you think about attracting and retaining employees in any kind of company”: compensation is key. Just a few months ago, the league implemented the High Impact Player Rule (aka the Rodman Rule), named for the Washington Spirit star who preferred to stay stateside but wanted higher pay. In an increasingly competitive global pro women’s soccer landscape, the league must be intentional about how it scales from here — that logic was a cornerstone of its recent athlete-forward CBA. Jones Simmer knows exactly how vital the athletes are and how to draw them to the league. Turning goals into gold.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/sephora-enters-f1-academy-partnership-as-beauty-brands-consider-racings-women-fans-209f290b-038b-5468-b229-ea06320eca5dThu, 12 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Today, F1 Academy — the racing league’s circuit for women drivers — named Sephora as its official beauty retail partner. The global beauty store is the latest in the space to flag racing as a place to connect with women fans, as many are being drawn to the sport. As women fandom in racing grows, and as opportunities increase for women drivers, Sephora is one of many brands thinking about how to bridge the gap and bring women F1 fans who support the men’s league to its women’s equivalent. Revved up. The details: The deal brings Sephora products to fans at select F1 Academy races with activations such as glam bars, which will be held in the F1’s hospitality suite. Additionally, Sephora is hosting a new event celebrating drivers at the end of the season, and is adding a branded livery to rookie driver Natalia Granada’s car. The history: Sephora went big on its sports strategy in 2025, starting with its Unrivaled partnership and Toronto Tempo deal last January. In April, Sephora became a founding Golden State Valkyries sponsor before its inaugural tipoff, which extended to include the NBA’s Warriors in November. And last July, Sephora teamed up with AUSL — a smart move in a league with plenty of white space. The context: Sephora isn’t the first beauty brand to enter the chat: E.l.f. made waves when it sponsored NASCAR driver Katherine Legge last April, which it doubled down on a month later. And industry leaders like Wella and Charlotte Tilbury have also flocked to F1 Academy. The growth in women F1 fandom is promising: They account for 3 of 4 new fans in an F1–commissioned study, where nearly half of respondents were Gen Z women. And converting them to F1 Academy fans has been fairly successful, as 42% of women F1 fans watch the women’s racing series, too. Zooming out: The data indicates that F1’s surge of women fans — largely driven by mainstream exposure thanks to shows like Drive To Survive — coincides with the generation’s focus on gender equity in sport. F1’s recent deal with Apple reflects growing interest in the U.S., and F1 Academy is still fairly new, meaning there’s plenty of opportunity for brands to get high, concentrated exposure. And F1’s global prestige offers sponsors distinct brand recognition and loyalty. With so many women F1 fans already naturally gravitating toward F1 Academy, it makes sense that burgeoning sports sponsor Sephora wants to meet them there. Beautiful.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/data-from-nielsen-sponsorunited-highlight-brand-opportunity-among-womens-sports-audiences-491c8994-b92d-54d9-aea5-c322b77be7e3Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last week, Nielsen shared impressive statistics illustrating the growth of women’s sports U.S. viewership in 2025 across many disciplines and audiences. SponsorUnited also shared its own YoY data on trends in women’s sports investment, spanning leagues and industries. As various sectors like healthcare, finance, and technology are recognizing the prime opportunity with women’s sports audiences, let’s explore the data and identify where brands can find the hottest growth opportunities. In her glittering prime. The data: Nielsen highlighted record WNBA, NWSL, and WTA viewership, as well as how 26.7M average viewers watching U.S. women’s hockey and Alysa Liu drove the highest Winter Olympic weekday viewership in 12 years. There was also growth among NCAA audiences with record viewers across women’s basketball, volleyball, and softball. SponsorUnited’s data illustrated how brand investment mirrors audience growth. WNBA deal investment was up to $105M (45% YoY) as the average deal size rose 21%, with larger commitments from healthcare, financial, and consumer products sectors. NWSL deal volume was up 59% YoY, with capital concentrated in the financial and healthcare sectors. The takeaways: Thanks to the Nielsen data, brands can focus on growing audiences and map out how to reach their desired target demographics. We know that women’s sports fans tend to be tech-savvy and affluent, not to mention that many are Gen Z. Here’s what brands should take away: 💸 Financial brands have tapped into sports sponsorship since the beginning, especially in tennis and golf, but are starting to see the opportunity in other sports. One way is through financial literacy programs in women’s basketball and soccer — banks recognize Gen Z’s rising financial power and see value in reaching them broadly. 🍎 Brands are embracing the healthcare opportunity across the WNBA and NWSL, but what about other sports? University health systems in Utah and Georgia are rallying around local LOVB clubs, which is something hospitals in new AUSL markets should consider — the league already has feminine care brand Sequel as partner. 🥎 On that note, we’d love to learn more about the brands interested in activating around softball. We’ve spoken to Rebel Girls about why it’s all in, but AUSL seems to still offer the biggest white space. Let’s not forget the league has a powerful partnership with MLB, which can bolster the league and its audience reach. 🏀 And sports leagues outside the ones mentioned above that land the same audiences should pay attention. Consider Unrivaled, which draws women’s basketball fans with its 3x3 format but distinguishes itself to brand partners with its player-centric approach. Ballin’.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/atx-open-unrivaled-demonstrate-the-value-of-building-player-centric-facilities-for-athletes-46b4cfa6-1da5-53bc-80d0-5b81a758c5b8Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Last week, Front Office Sports covered the ATX Open’s rage room, an idea that came from Jessica Pegula on the podcast she launched alongside Madison Keys, Jennifer Brady, and Desirae Kawczyk. After countless women players have been criticized for showing their frustrations on the court, Pegula argued athletes need this — and the tournament agreed. This week, we also spoke with Unrivaled president Alex Bazzell about league partner Samsung’s strategy in offering players a rest club. Let’s explore how innovations in player facilities are coming from savvy women athletes, and how brands are finding ways to bring these concepts to life…and getting great press along the way. A win-win. The facilities: Bazzell told us how intentional facilities courted brand interest, allowing them to integrate products and assist players all while building affinity among athletes and fans. “Being detail-oriented is what led to our early success,” he said. “Unrivaled identified a need for a rest area, and we were able to organically integrate partners [like Samsung].” Bazzell said he wants to treat the best players in the world as such, which is why Unrivaled considered player needs with facilities like a lounge and sauna. “And because players are owners, we can have these kinds of conversations,” he said. Bazzell also mentioned how Samsung’s sponsored content studio “allows athletes to showcase their personalities” and lets them further unlock sponsorships. “They’re skyrocketing in value because of what they’re doing from a social standpoint.” Zooming out: We have so much to learn from the athlete experience, and seeing tournaments and leagues embrace athlete-driven concepts in real time helps them stand out. Women’s sports organizations are used to throwing things at the wall to see what sticks, and when these opportunities come up organically, brands should take the lead and get involved. Samsung also supports Unrivaled’s Sephora Tunnel Walk by including a tablet at the end where players can see themselves, record content, and post immediately. Per social media director, Ali Palma, athletes want to be posted on socials — so much so they’ll even use dedicated Samsung phones to do so. Plugged in.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/what-mens-sports-can-learn-from-heated-rivalry-439da8e5-237b-5564-a185-c9655d292c90Sat, 07 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[ICYMI, the queer love story framed through a hockey rivalry has become a massive phenomenon averaging 10.6M U.S. viewers per episode, with millions of Canadian viewers returning to rewatch Shane Hollander and Ilya Rozanov’s love story. It’s HBO’s most-watched acquired series ever, and the book that inspired it is currently Canada’s top-selling novel. As evidence of the show’s popularity with women and queer audiences, take the social media metrics from your favorite women- and queer-focused sports media outlet: The GIST. Over the last 90 days, our social media content referencing Heated Rivalry drove over 16M impressions and an 18% engagement rate, far beyond the industry average. Specifically, our post about lead actor Hudson Williams and Canadian prime minister Mark Carney drove 8.6M impressions alone. That’s a lot of eyeballs. The show is a cultural juggernaut, and brands like Lyft and Tim Horton’s are playing along, while Canada Dry was dragged for missing a buzzworthy marketing opportunity. But most compellingly, IRL men’s sports — especially hockey, which has been infamously inhospitable to queer fans — are hopping on the bandwagon, too. Province of Canada is producing the Team Canada fleece worn by Hollander in the show, and the NHL’s Boston Bruins — the inspiration for Ilya Rozanov’s fictional Boston Raiders — have referenced the show with concession offerings and social posts. After the show’s debut, StubHub reported ticket interest was 6x higher than average for the Jan. 24th game between the Bruins and the Montréal Canadiens, which inspired Shane Hollander’s fictional team, the Montréal Metros. Across the league, weekly NHL ticket sales on SeatGeek surged 20% after the show first aired. What’s the benefit of participating in this trend for brands and leagues? It’s a direct line to nontraditional sports fans they’ve been trying to zero in on for years. Heated Rivalry has been a wake-up call for men’s sports and mainstream media on recognizing and embracing the power of female and queer audiences — and they have a lot to learn from women’s sports.]]>https://www.thegistsports.com/article/parity-sheds-light-on-the-power-of-paralympic-athletes-and-fans-in-latest-research-4798adac-69e2-5940-8ce5-b0297d32e542Thu, 05 Mar 2026 00:00:00 GMT<![CDATA[The GIST: Yesterday, Parity followed up its recent report on the Olympics with one about fan interest in the Paralympics, which officially kick off tomorrow. Parity’s data illustrates how those who are fans of the Paralympics and women’s sports — spaces where equity is front and center — are excited about Para women athletes and are very aware of brands in the space. For additional context, we spoke with Parity director of research and insights, Dr. Risa Isard, on what we can learn from these findings and how companies can promote Para athletes and score favorability along the way. Let’s dive in. The data: Over a third (36%) of U.S. Winter Paralympic fans plan to follow more than in years past, and women’s sports fans follow the Paralympics more than men’s sports fans. Sixty percent said athletes are the top reason they’re excited about the Games, which is why ensuring exposure to Paralympians through social, traditional media, and ad campaigns is critical. Paralympic fans are focused on equity — and the brands aligned with it. Compared to Olympic fans, Paralympic fans expressed a stronger commitment to gender equity, which aligns with Winter Paralympic fans being about 25% more likely than Winter Olympic fans to say a brand’s partnership with a woman athlete caught their attention during the Games. The overlap: Dr. Isard said the relationship between women’s sports fans and Paralympic fans is “really notable” and rooted in an “inclusive understanding of excellence.” She also noted that women’s sports fans have spent years championing athletes and teams excluded from mainstream coverage, which has fostered a fervent fandom and a “grit” that Paralympic fans also possess. When asked about women’s sports fans fielding more interest in “niche sports,” Dr. Isard said she wasn’t surprised. “I think any sport that is outside of the mainstream, or has historically been outside of the mainstream, fans have had to work really hard to cultivate their fandom…I think it's the same fan experience [between Paralympic sports and women’s sports].” The brand opportunity: While these insights into Paralympic fans should be encouraging for brands, this is still very much an overlooked opportunity. Historically, only a sliver of media coverage goes to the Paralympics compared to the Olympics, and in Parity’s data collection, Paralympians received only 6% of mentions between Winter Olympians and Paralympians. Dr. Isard noted that while interest in athletes is driving Paralympic interest, it’s challenging when lacking media coverage makes them less familiar to audiences. It’s a shame, because 24% of U.S. Winter Paralympic fans surveyed made a purchase because of Paralympic sponsorships — and Dr. Isard believes brands have a “really important role to play” in changing the narrative and closing the visibility gap. “I would challenge a brand out there that really wants to cement their mark in the Paralympic movement and [with] this consumer base that, again, we know is very intentional in their spending, to think about where they can be a strong advocate in the media landscape for Paralympic sports to get a little bit more shine,” she added. Shine on.]]>