A slice of the pie
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Hey there!
Congrats to Aryna Sabalenka, who defended her US Open title against Amanda Anisimova on Saturday. That makes four Grand Slam titles for the WTA world No. 1, who now ranks eighth all-time in prize money with $42.3M and had already raked in $25.4M this year prior to the Open, including $13M in endorsements. Getting her slice of the pie.
BWSL
🌎 A world-class league
The GIST: Last week, the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) — the top flight for UK women’s soccer — enacted a multiyear partnership with global sports marketing firm IMG to exclusively handle its international media rights. The powerhouse agency has experience securing deals with top channels in emerging markets as well as wide-reaching platforms in popular regions.
- With the BWSL and BWSL2 (formerly the Women’s Championship) reaching an estimated 72.1M viewers globally last season, the UK league has its sights set on cultivating international fandom like the Premier League, which has spun UK men’s soccer into a global phenomenon. Everybody wants to rule the world.
The details: For the upcoming season, IMG has already bumped BWSL broadcasts onto prime networks in existing markets such as Australia, Norway, MENA, Spain, and Italy. Additionally, the league is banking on increased exposure through major deals in emerging markets such as China, Brazil, Sub-Saharan Africa, Mexico and Central America, and Southeast Asia.
- Notably, the BWSL doesn’t have a specific U.S. rights broadcaster, although the league reportedly renewed its one-year deal with ESPN to stream marquee games on ESPN+. Interestingly, IMG also helped the NWSL negotiate its current domestic media rights deal as well as securing international distribution in overlapping BWSL markets.
The precedent: Meeting the international appetite for soccer is something the Premier League has done successfully, with top clubs like Manchester City, Manchester United, and Chelsea investing in global marketing efforts in Asia, South America, and Africa. Among these, Man City boasts the highest share of non–UK fan interest with 97% of search interest coming outside the region.
- Premier League fandom is pervasive, and for many, fairly recent. The league is followed by 1.87B people, with 34% becoming interested in the past four years. A substantial portion of these fans are in Asia: In 2023, 56% of soccer fans in Southeast Asia were following the Premier League.
The opportunity: The Asia and Pacific region continues to be the clearest global growth opportunity for women’s soccer — consider the viewership in the region, including a record number in China, during the 2023 FIFA Women’s World Cup. However, there’s opportunity in the U.S. as well, evidenced most recently by record Women’s Euro viewership.
- The BWSL is building a prestigious brand, one that’s courting American players and American partners. With the BWSL already permeating the U.S. soccer scene through matches, transfers, and increasing coverage, the UK league may be poised to be the world’s next Premier League in terms of global branding. Time to meet their own goals.
☀️ Connecticut Sun fields new bid from the state of Connecticut
On Thursday, Connecticut submitted a proposal to keep the Connecticut Sun in the state and split its home games between its current home turf, Mohegan Sun Arena, and the PeoplesBank Arena in Hartford. Additionally, the state promised a new practice facility to remain competitive among other bids from Boston, Hartford, and possibly Houston.
🥍 Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) plans to transform NYC public space to promote league
Similar to what the PLL did in Chicago earlier this summer, the men’s lacrosse league is partnering with U.S. Bank on a lacrosse exhibition at the Oculus World Trade Center on Tuesday in NYC. Both PLL and WLL players will be present to greet fans, and the event will support FDNY and NYPD charities with a $10K donation from U.S. Bank.
- PLL co-founder and president Paul Rabil said putting turf inside the Oculus and creating a lacrosse hotspot there has “never been done before,” which was also the league’s selling point when it hosted the first lacrosse game on water in Chicago.
📺 ESPN keeps the door open to future equity deals after landmark NFL agreement
ESPN chairman Jimmy Pitaro emphasized the strength of the channel’s sports-rights portfolio after its recent acquisition of NFL equity, which allowed ESPN to obtain some of NFL Network’s most noteworthy programming. Pitaro appeared open to the idea of future equity exchange with other sports leagues, which could benefit the many women’s sports leagues partnered with the network.
- ESPN has doubled down on expanding and improving its women’s sports programming this year with its Big East conference deal, streaming agreements with new leagues like the NSL and AUSL, and an expanded national WNBA broadcast slate catering to the league’s growing fandom. Thanks for the vibe check.
🏀 The Golden State Valkyries are the first-ever WNBA expansion team to clinch a postseason spot in their inaugural season, while also setting the record for most regular-season wins by an expansion team. The hottest ticket in town.
🏈 Mexico women's national flag football team quarterback Diana Flores appeared in Under Armour’s latest football-focused campaign.
💼 NBA CMO Tammy Henault, who oversaw the league’s addition of an in-season tournament, is leaving her position at the WNBA parent company.
💊 Parity announced a new partnership with vitamin and wellness retailer Vitacost as the official online health retailer for its community of athletes. In her wellness era.
🔥 The Portland Fire named Kimberly Veale as marketing and communications SVP and hired Kyle Burns as ticket sales and service VP.
💰 The American Gaming Association estimates bettors will drop a record $30B on NFL games this season as men’s football bets comprise nearly a quarter of wagers placed by women.
👀 Personal care brand Dude Wipes is now sponsoring the Philadelphia Eagles’ patented “Tush Push” play, proving the marketing potential for just about anything. No, ifs, ands, or butts about it.
Here’s what has GIST HQ buzzing:
🎓 What to read
This piece about how college sports are changing. NCAA sports have become more professionalized, with football and men’s basketball generating massive sums of money. Class on the evolving landscape is in session.
💅 Who’s teaming up
Fenty x WNBA. Fenty’s partnership with the NY Liberty is a prime example of brands seeing opportunity in women's sports — look good, feel good, play good, right?
🎨 Who to know
Landon Khiry. The 24-year-old mixed-media collagist from Brooklyn narrates tales of resilience and passion through his art, which features athletes and musicians as larger-than-life icons. His work seamlessly blends street style, sports, and Afro Surrealism.
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