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From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Good morning!
Did you miss us this weekend? Sorry our Saturday Scroll didn’t make it to you — we ran into some technical difficulties, but we’re back in your inbox and better than ever today. Scroll on for the latest in the business of women’s sports.
Women's sports
🫡 Reporting for duty
The GIST: Not one, but two major reports have dropped since our last newsletter and the results overwhelmingly show that women’s sports are no longer a trend, but a triumph. From increased viewership to brand loyalty and women impacting the growth of men’s sports, the data is singing the praises of this movement and it’s a song we love to hear.
In its “More Fans, More Often” report, Nielsen revealed that U.S. audiences watched over 46B minutes of women’s sports in 2025 and 28.6B minutes in the first half of 2026, an 18% increase YoY. Plus, 52.8% of Americans said they were interested in women’s sports.
- Nielsen found that women accounted for nine million of an estimated 16 million new sports fans from last year, and women’s sports fans in particular outpace general sports fans in both social media and podcast engagement.
- Women fans also accounted for 107% growth in NCAA Men’s College World Series viewership, were every 2 of 5 viewers for the FIFA men’s World Cup final on Fox, and comprised 46% of NASCAR fans. Talk about an impact.
The wins kept coming in the Trade Desk’s “Women’s Sports: A Movement, Not a Moment” report, which focused more on consumption habits, what advertisers should know about women’s sports, and what this unique fan group really wants from brands. TL;DR: Authenticity matters.
- A majority of those surveyed (89%) agreed they want to see brands advertising who represent the values of the sport and consistently show up, not just for big moments.
- Equally interesting, the numbers showed that 72% of women sports fans consume sports content daily compared to 58% of men, with women sports fans spending 32% more time on podcasts than the average American. We know one they might like.
Zooming out: Both these reports tell a similar story — the time to invest in women’s sports was yesterday. Nielsen put it flawlessly when it noted, “an equally powerful shift is redefining the traditional fan base, as women increasingly claim their space as passionate, knowledgeable stakeholders in men's sports leagues.” Duh.
🏀 Phoenix celebrates Diana Taurasi’s basketball legacy
Not only did Taurasi have her jersey raised to the Phoenix Mercury’s rafters in a halftime ceremony on Sunday, but the city itself also paid homage to the WNBA’s all-time leading scorer. A street (aptly-named “10646 Taurasi Way” in honor of her career points total), three refurbished outdoor courts, and a painted mural round out the city’s offerings for the iconic hooper.
- And Taurasi’s legacy in the desert is still evolving: She’s planning on joining the Mercury ownership group within the next two years. Team ownership is a lucrative trend many retired athletes are jumping on — chalk it up to the relative financial stability of the sports space.
🎾 WTA vote expected to ease burden of tennis schedule
The grueling women’s tennis schedule has been openly criticized for years, and for good reason: Current WTA rules require many top players to play at least 17 tournaments a season. The player-led WTA Tour Architecture Council plans to address this by potentially cutting the number of mandatory 500 events (e.g., smaller tourneys like the Mubadala DC Open) athletes must compete in.
- A council-wide vote is expected to take place during this month’s US Open, and it’s not just added recovery time at stake: Fewer top-level athletes competing at 500 tournaments could impact available prize money for women’s events. Watch this space.
💸 Is the Buss family selling their remaining 17.8% ownership stake in the LA Lakers?
TBD. The family were reported to be selling their stake in the franchise yesterday afternoon, but chaos has ensued since then. Jeanie Buss — the Lakers’ governor since 2013 — opposed the sale through her lawyer last night, claiming that a 2017 court order prevents her five siblings from selling the 17.8% stake without her explicit consent. Messy.
- Buss was supposed to remain in her current role despite the team’s recent sale to former Disney CEO Bob Iger and venture capitalist Josh Kushner, but that would be off the table if the family opts to sell nearly five decades after acquiring the team.
- The NBA requires that all team governors maintain at least a 15% ownership stake, a threshold Buss would no longer meet should the sale be approved. Watch this space.
🏫 The NCAA debuted a new campaign highlighting student-athletes who don’t go on to play pro sports after graduation, reviving its iconic “Going Pro In Something Other Than Sports” messaging — especially interesting in the NIL era, as some NCAA athletes pursue employee status.
💄 Modeling and influencer agency Society Management partnered with NIL agency Canopy Talent to expand its work with collegiate female athletes. Ready for their close-up.
🏀 Unrivaled released its latest class of NIL signings, highlighted by reigning Player of the Year and UConn women’s basketball star Sarah Strong.
🏈 TMRW Sports’ flag football league brought on Vanita Krouch — the sport’s most decorated female athlete — to help manage player relations for the nascent league. Hut hut, hike.
🏐 LOVB retained investment bank Inner Circle Sports to advise on the league’s long-term growth, including expansion and market evaluation, following the company’s work with the NWSL’s expansion process.
Today's email was brought to you by Rachel Fuenzalida, Lisa Minutillo, and Katie Foster. Fact checking by Bonnie Lee. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Ali Haberstroh. Managing edits by Molly Potter and Katie Foster. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.