Beware the Ides of March…Madness
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Beware the Ides of March!
March madness, that is. But don’t worry, you don’t have to go it alone — you’ll have a full Selection Sunday Scroll before the NCAA tournament brackets are released, not to mention an NWSL special edition season preview in your inbox later this afternoon. Booked and oh so busy.
— Josh Cavallo, the first openly gay pro men’s soccer player, announcing his engagement to fiancé Leighton Morrell after proposing at his team’s home stadium in Australia. Pass the tissues.
Sportswashing in tennis
🎾 At their break(ing) point
The GIST: New attempt at sportswashing just dropped: Saudi Arabia has reportedly offered to invest $2B to unite the WTA and ATP Tours, the latest effort by the oil-rich country to steer attention away from their atrocious human rights record through sport.
The context: With the WTA in financial trouble, conversations about merging with the ATP in a new Premium Tour model picked up steam recently — especially as top women’s players openly criticize their governing body.
- Now, the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund’s (PIF’s) alleged offer extends the WTA Tour a much-need financial lifeline in exchange for hosting important tournaments like the WTA Finals — something former and current players are expressing serious discomfort with.
- What’s more, PIF’s offer reportedly comes with a time-sensitive deadline: the WTA allegedly has just 90 days to decide on the proposed deal.
What they’re saying: In January, women’s tennis legends Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert spoke out against the WTA’s involvement in Saudi Arabia, decrying the move due to the country’s repressive laws against women and criminalization of the LGBTQIA+ community.
- According to The Athletic, other unnamed players on the WTA Tour also disapprove of the proposed plan to hold tourneys in Saudi Arabia, so a phone call between top names in the women’s game and Saudi Arabia’s Princess Reema bint Bandar Al-Saud to discuss the country’s treatment of women is reportedly in the works.
Zooming out: The PIF already inked a multi-year partnership with the ATP Tour in February, alongside signing Saudi Tennis Federation ambassador, 22-time Grand Slam winner Rafael Nadal. But an investment of this magnitude would permanently reshape tennis for men and women, much like LIV Golf’s arrival impacted that sport in 2022.
🍁 Toronto Maple Leafs right winger Mitch Marner is listed as day-to-day after suffering a high ankle sprain last week, but the Buds still soared to a 6–2 win over the Philadelphia Flyers last night.
⛳ World No. 2 Rory McIlroy and world No. 6 Xander Schauffele lead the field after yesterday’s opening round at THE PLAYERS Championship, while Canadian Nick Taylor sits one stroke behind them, tied for fourth. The par-tee continues from TPC Sawgrass today.
🎾 American world No. 3 Coco Gauff will have the crowd buzzing during her Indian Wells Open semis match against Greece’s Maria Sakkari tonight at 9 p.m. ET.
🏈 More NFL quarterbacks (QBs) are on the move: veteran QB Joe Flacco signed a one-year, $8.7M deal with the Indianapolis Colts yesterday while the Seattle Seahawks acquired former Washington Commanders QB Sam Howell in a trade.
👀 Speaking of the NFL, the league is reviewing whether the Philadelphia Eagles and Atlanta Falcons violated tampering policies before free agency officially opened on Wednesday.
🏀 The Boston Celtics are the first team to clinch an NBA playoff spot this season, booking their ticket over a month before the postseason starts. Must be the luck of the Irish.
🏀 NBA: Orlando Magic vs. Toronto Raptors — Tonight at 7:30 p.m. ET — TSN4/5
- There’s nowhere to go but up for the Raptors, who’ve lost five straight games. Hopefully they can conjure up a winning spell as they take on the playoff-contending Magic.
⚽ NWSL Challenge Cup: San Diego Wave FC vs. NJ/NY Gotham FC — Tonight at 8 p.m. ET — NWSL+
- The regular season kicks off tomorrow, but the revamped one-game-only Challenge Cup takes the stage tonight, featuring the 2023 Shield-winning Wave and the defending champion, new-look Bats. Golazos on deck.
🏒 NHL: Colorado Avalanche vs. Edmonton Oilers — Tomorrow at 10 p.m. ET — Sportsnet 360
- The Saturday night lights will shine bright in this battle of Hart Memorial Trophy contenders: Avs center Nathan MacKinnon and Edmonton center Connor McDavid.
🥅 PWHL: Toronto vs. Montréal — Sunday at 12:30 p.m. ET — CBC Gem
- Toronto’s nine-game win streak will be put to the ultimate test in this weekend showdown where the winner can surge to the top of the league standings. No pressure.
Together With Tangerine
We can’t all be Cardi B — talking about money can be challenging. Enter: Tangerine, the bank offering no-fee chequing accounts, cash-back credit cards, and winning Client Satisfaction awards because of it.
- What’s more, Tangerine — a foundational partner of the WNBA — runs The Juice, a collection of personal finance articles and videos aimed at helping folks overcome money barriers. Now that’s how you celebrate Women’s History Month.
Here’s what has The GIST team currently hyped:
🩰 What to watch
Dance Life. If you like Dance Moms, then you’ll love this docuseries following a group of young, talented dancers fighting to break into Australia's professional dance scene.
🍺 What’s coming to NYC
Althea's, a women's sports bar in the Lower East Side named for tennis legend Althea Gibson. Cheers to that.
⚾ What to play
MLB The Show 24, the video game that will feature women ball players for the first time. Hell to the yes.
Question of the Day
ICYMI, yesterday was Pi Day! In honor of the sweet celebration, we want to know: what’s your fave kind of pie? Choose from the options below, or reply with your go-to slice.
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