Life in plastic

The GIST: Despite a season marked by unprecedented growth for the WNBA, the Washington Mystics don’t have the same level of big-name recognition that’s helping some other teams sell out their arenas. What they do have, however, is a genius marketing strategy.

• Their four-game “Brunch & Basketball” series is stealing spotlights and filling seats while providing a lesson to front offices on how to successfully play the hand you’re dealt.

The context: Major offseason roster changes saw the Mystics start the year without a superstar. Two-time MVP Elena Delle Donne announced she would be sitting out the season a week after Washington’s all-time assist leader Natasha Cloud signed a new deal with the Phoenix Mercury.

• While the Mystics did very well in the 2024 draft by snagging UConn standout Aaliyah Edwards with their first-round pick, she doesn’t have the same pull as Chicago Sky’s Angel Reese, LA Sparks’ Cameron Brink, or Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.

The precedent: Much like tailgating in football or the famous food at the Masters, this remixed approach to dinner theater is creating a fan experience — and you don’t have to be a raving Mystics fan to want to partake.

• For only $105, you get a lower level seat for the game, bottomless mimosas, chicken & waffles, and other brunch essentials.

The draw: The WNBA’s audience is already young and diverse, but this ticket package is, ahem, serving millennials and Gen Z what they want. Regardless of how the currently 0-4 Mystics finish the season, this is still a win for the organization because they were able to create a valuable, memorable, and repeatable experience during a rebuilding year.

• To further drive the point home, a recent Hilton report noted that these generations are drawn to unique and shareable dining experiences, which the Mystics are certainly providing. Proof that brunch is always a good idea.

The GIST: Yesterday, the NCAA Board of Governors and the Power Five conferences voted to settlement terms in House v. NCAA, the lawsuit claiming the NCAA’s pre–NIL ban on student-athlete compensation violated antitrust regulations. The settlement, if approved by the judge, will change college sports’ business model, creating industry-altering shockwaves.

The details: They’re still emerging, but sources say the NCAA will owe nearly $2.8B in damages (aka back pay) to Division I athletes who were barred from earning NIL money between 2016 and the 2021 NIL legalization. About $1.2B will come from the NCAA’s reserves, with the rest raised by withholding revenue distributions to conferences and schools for the next 10 years.

• More crucially, settling also means a new revenue-sharing model: Starting in fall 2025, schools can opt to distribute up to $20M of their own revenue directly to athletes each year — which many predict will become required spending to stay competitive at the most elite level. In other words, pay-for-play is officially here.

• This essentially kills the NCAA’s beleaguered amateurism model, but it doesn’t automatically make athletes official school employees (or grant them all the associated federal labor protections). There’s still lots of negotiating and lobbying to be done before that happens.

What it means: Even for Power Four programs with massive revenue streams, funneling up to $20M per year to athletes (not to mention losing NCAA–provided revenue) will require some major budget rearranging. And at smaller schools without powerhouse football programs, like those in the Big East and Big Sky conferences, that could mean cuts to sports and athlete resources.

• This could further deepen the disparity between major football schools and everyone else, making NCAA president Charlie Baker’s top-tier Division I proposal an increasingly likely scenario.

• As is, the settlement isn’t perfect. But if the NCAA hadn’t settled and then lost at the January 2025 trial, the penalties could put the org out of business for good.

What’s next: Even after a settlement, there will be many unanswered questions, particularly regarding the impact of revenue-sharing on non-revenue sports and female athletes. There’s also another active antitrust case, Fontenot v. NCAA, which could take things even further. No matter what happens, college sports will never be the same as it was.

Memorial Day Weekend means summer ’fits are just around the corner. Treat yourself to a new look, courtesy of Armoire, the busy woman’s favorite clothing rental service. Here are a few pieces that caught GIST HQ’s eye:

• This Zuri ¾ Sleeve Kenya Kitenge Dress

• These Adrianna Pleated Full Shorts

• And this Yumi Kim V-Neck Romper. So chic.

Plans start at just $89 a month for four pieces, with an unlimited option available for less than $250. Best of all, GISTers receive up to 50% off their first month of membership by using code THEGIST. Happy shopping.

Our very first IRL podcast, recorded in front of a live Toronto audience, is available free to stream on The GIST of It, thanks to our friends at Destination Toronto. You'll hear The GIST’s co-founder Ellen Hyslop and MLB reporting legend Hazel Mae dish on all things women’s sports, the business of sports, and of course, baseball.

• Why tape in Toronto? Because that’s where the idea for The GIST was born. Toronto is a bucket list destination for any sports fan and, with a thriving business community, is the perfect spot to host your company’s next big event or quarterly offsite.

So tune in to hear El share The GIST’s origin story, one made possible by Toronto’s global mindset, supportive startup community, and vibrant pro sports scene. A swing for the fences success.