The GIST

Finding where your skills, passions, and the industry intersect with Sarah Spain

A longtime friend of The GIST (and hero of our newsletter team), Sarah shared incredible advice on carving out a space for yourself in sports: Find your ikigai (more on what that means below). Spain discussed her pivot from her original passions — acting and comedy — to her iconic sports career as an ESPN journalist.

October 22, 2026

Taking stock of the WNBA Finals storylines after Game 2

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The best-of-seven WNBA Finals is knotted at one after the Atlanta Dream topped the Golden State Valkyries 79–65 in Monday’s Game 2, the franchise’s first-ever Finals win. Let’s take stock of the top storylines as the series shifts to Atlanta for tonight’s 8 p.m. ET Game 3.

October 21, 2026

Why Canadian Tire’s 50/50 milestone is a masterclass in sports business

In 2023, Canadian Tire Corporation (CTC) gave itself a three-year deadline to hit a 50/50 split of sponsorship dollars going towards women's and men’s professional sports. On Wednesday, the company achieved it. More than a milestone, this is a seismic shift in the sports business ecosystem.

October 20, 2026

Spilling the tea on the 2026-27 NBA season

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The NBA returns with tomorrow’s juicy tripleheader — but the best part of men’s basketball is the drama. The tea is always piping hot on the hardwood, and this season’s scorching storylines hinge on the whereabouts of the league’s superstars.

October 19, 2026

Previewing the 2026 WNBA Finals

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The Golden State Valkyries and Atlanta Dream hit the hardwood today at 3:30 p.m. ET for Game 1 of the best-of-seven WNBA Finals. Rumor has it defense wins championships, but only one defensive juggernaut can win their franchise’s first-ever title.

October 17, 2026

Milwaukee Brewers sweep two-time defending champ LA Dodgers, advance to first World Series in 44 years

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From the downing of a dynasty to unlikely clutch performances, postseason baseball remains full of surprises. One half of the World Series matchup is officially set, and the other half could be decided by the end of the weekend.

October 16, 2026

NWSL playoff push is on with three weeks remaining

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There are just three weeks to go in the NWSL regular season and six of eight playoff spots still to be claimed. With so much still up in the air, let’s narrow in on tomorrow’s tilts, featuring eight teams still firmly in contention. Every inch matters in these very tight standings.

October 16, 2026

Being authentic in the workplace with Susie Piotrkowski

The Call Up

Being authentic in the workplace with Susie Piotrkowski

October 15, 2026

Susie Piotrkowski is one of one: At ESPN, she drives the growth of women’s sports across the network’s massive portfolio. It’s a pretty big job, so she’s all about incremental progress — what can we do today to make women’s sports easier to find, watch, and be a fan of?

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #599

The Jalen Hurts situation: What we know and what we don't

October 22, 2026

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The Jalen Hurts situation: What we know and what we don't

Today, we need to address the football elephant in the room: Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, who will not compete in the NFL again this season after being diagnosed with multiple blood clots in his lungs. There’s a lot to unpack with this story, from the timeline around Hurts’ diagnosis to the NFL Players Association now calling for a “full investigation” into his treatment during this saga. That’s why co-hosts Steph Rotz and Alessandra Puccio are here to clearly define what we do know about this story and what we don’t. Game on.