Maxxed out
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
WNBA All-Star Weekend (ASW) is here!
The player showcase has become one for brands, too, as 34 league partners and licensees will power this year’s event, not to mention the countless brands hosting activations and parties. Women’s sports sponsorship platform Parity is one of them, hosting an event with its official community transformation partner, DNA Vibe.
- WNBA ASW has become “the women’s sports equivalent of Super Bowl week,” said Parity CEO Leela Srinivasan. It’s “the place to catch up with ecosystem partners, clients, and athletes alike,” especially due to the IRL nature of the weekend.
- AT&T assistant VP Sabina Ahmed agreed, saying it’s “evolved beyond a single game into a full weekend of programming” that attracts a broader audience. That growth has “raised the bar” for brands: Fans want experiences that feel “useful, authentic and connected,” which AT&T factored into its playbook. It’s a vibe.
Women's sports
✨ Maxxed out
The GIST: Budget-friendly retailer T.J. Maxx has been stepping up its women’s sports sponsorship game in recent years, partnering with ESPN, Boston Legacy FC, and over 55 women athletes, coaches, and broadcasters. At this year’s ESPYs, it doubled down on visibility with one of its top athlete ambassadors: rugby star Ilona Maher.
- Last week, we chatted with T.J. Maxx head of marketing Emily Trent about how the brand activated at the award show and why it’s investing in women’s sports. An original never blends in.
The ESPYs: Maher — who was styled in a T.J. Maxx look — presented the award for Best Athlete – Women's Sports, which was also sponsored by the brand. T.J. Maxx also sponsored the ESPY’s Red Carpet Digital Live Show, showcasing the night’s top looks.
- Outside of its award show, T.J. Maxx is the presenting sponsor of ESPN’s new Women’s Sports Sundays and worked with the network to create custom ad content featuring Maher and NWSL star Mallory Swanson, highlighting both their personalities and their T.J. Maxx ’fits.
The why: Trent noted that due to the “growing cultural crossover between women’s sports and fashion,” women athletes are being heralded as trendsetters. And although many women athletes have teamed up with luxury brands, there’s a unique element here that T.J. Maxx and Maher can capitalize on: aspirational yet accessible fashion.
- Seeing Maher co-sign accessible brands (she also has a Maybelline lipstick endorsement) not only empowers consumers, but means she can lend her magic touch and bring these brands to red carpet conversations.
The results: Letting athletes flaunt their fashion sense is smart business. Trent says T.J. Maxx’s women’s sports content is consistently top-performing and yields “overwhelmingly positive sentiment,” telling them they’re “meeting audience interest and resonating with fans.”
- They’re making an impact with athletes, too, with many highlighting T.J. Maxx as their “first-ever ‘brand deal’ or ‘sponsor.’” Shout out to all the Maxxinistas out there.
🎾 World Team Tennis announces home cities ahead of 2026 season
The mixed-gender league — originally founded by Billie Jean King in the 1970s — announced the three cities that will host teams in its inaugural season. NYC, Toronto, and Miami will each field teams across six events, with competition tipping off this December.
- These three markets were chosen for their fervent tennis fandoms — and while that might not be surprising in NYC or sunny Miami, Toronto is also drawing fans to the court. According to Tennis Canada, over 1M new tennis players hit the courts in the country last year. Causing a racket.
⚽ Former women’s soccer stars team up with European multi-club ownership platform Crux
Yesterday, Crux Football — a multi-club ownership group that’s focused exclusively on women’s soccer in Europe — added Ali Krieger and Jen Beattie to its investor roster. Additionally, these two former players became members of Crux’s new Player Investor Collective, which aims to give former women’s footballers and other athletes financial stake in European women’s soccer clubs.
🚫 WNBA, WNBPA meet to discuss recent abusive language directed at players
On Tuesday, the league and its athlete union met virtually to discuss various issues, including recent "racist, hateful, and abusive messages directed at players." Incidents involving Alyssa Thomas, Chelsea Gray, and Angel Reese have sparked conversations about how the WNBA addresses abusive, racially-charged behavior toward players. No space for hate.
👕 Insurance giant Progressive announced a historic jersey patch partnership, becoming the first WNBA sponsor to buy both available jersey patch spots — and for a Cleveland expansion team that doesn’t hit the court until 2028.
🤖 Portland Thorns and Portland Fire owner Raj Sports signed a multiyear partnership with Treasure AI to help shape the teams’ fan engagement strategies.
🎬 Run-A-Muck — the new media venture from Condé Nast alum Pamela Drucker Mann — is launching its women’s sports vertical, Reign, during ASW alongside the premiere of its star-studded film, Courtside.
🌴 The LPGA just added a dreamy new tournament in Hawaii featuring a $4M purse, four major sponsors, 95 LPGA athletes, and 25 collegiate golfers. The eagle has landed.
🎓 Campus Ink signed a deal with ESPN to become the sports network’s first officially licensed NIL apparel provider.
🏟️ Boston is being floated as a future host city for the 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cup. Another Tartan Army takeover perhaps?
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