The GIST

NWSL opening weekend was a downright party — and not just the birthday kind. From the two expansion squads making their heart-pumping debuts to our favorite golazo of the season thus far, here are the headlines to know with Matchweek one in the books.

March 16, 2026

NWSL COO Sarah Jones Simmer discusses the league’s growth strategy ahead of 2026 season kick-off

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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).

March 14, 2026

Checking in on the NCAA men’s basketball conference tournaments

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Dust off your dancing shoes because March Madness is right around the corner with Selection Sunday slated for, you guessed it, this Sunday. Most of the women’s conference tournaments have already wrapped, but the men are in the thick of it. Let’s shimmy into the latest.

March 13, 2026

Everything you need to know about the 2026 NWSL season

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The NWSL keeps growing and will feature 16 teams this season, with expansion squads Boston Legacy FC and Denver Summit FC joining the fun. Every club will compete in 30 regular-season matches (up from 26 in 2025), facing every team twice — once at home and once away.

March 13, 2026

Sephora enters F1 Academy partnership as beauty brands consider racing’s women fans

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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.

March 12, 2026

NFL teams ready to spend as free agency officially kicks off

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The NFL’s free agency period starts today, kicking off the 2026 league year. And there’s New Year resolutions everywhere you look as contenders fill out their rosters, stars hunt for new homes, and the trade market heats up. No dropping the ball here — let’s discuss the latest.

March 11, 2026

Flau’jae Johnson’s confident smile is her not-so secret weapon

Flau’jae Johnson’s confident smile is her not-so secret weapon

This feature is brought to you on partnership with Invisalign®.

March 11, 2026

Sports Business

Data from Nielsen, SponsorUnited highlight brand opportunity among women’s sports audiences

March 10, 2026

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.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #538

Taylor Heise’s golden advice for her March Madness-bound brother

March 12, 2026

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Taylor Heise’s golden advice for her March Madness-bound brother

A Heise hat trick? Say less.

All Team USA and Minnesota Frost forward Taylor Heise does is win, whether she’s donning a gold medal or hoisting the PWHL’s Walter Cup. And today, she’s on The GIST of It. Heise sat down with co-host Lauren Tuiskula to yap about three of our favorite things: Olympic hockey, the PWHL playoffs, and…March Madness? Talk about the perfect sports trifecta.