Rebel with a cause
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Happy Wednesday!
It’s a special one for us over here at The GIST, as this won’t be the last time you hear from us today. We’re excited to share a new level of GIST fandom, so keep an eye on your inbox and scroll on for the latest and greatest in the business of women’s sports.
Media
📺 Fun for the whole family
The GIST: Today, girls empowerment platform Rebel Girls (RG) announced a new partnership with Swerve Sports, a FAST channel dedicated to women’s sports that’s available in 80% of U.S. and Canadian households. Together, the partnership will create Rebel Girl Sports Hour, a first-of-its-kind kids and family program for women’s sports that will air under its Rebel Girls Sport vertical.
- We’ve explored how this youth-focused brand has its finger on the pulse of what content Gen Alpha girls are looking for, leading to several prominent sports partnerships. But this new collab highlights a key component of winning over the young generation — winning over their parents, too.
The details: Swerve Sports is airing six episodes of Rebel Girl Sports Hour starting October 11th, all of which will be hosted by teen sports journalist Pepper Persley. Initial episodes focus on snow sports, motorsports, and Olympic sports, featuring Chloe Kim, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Michelle Kwan. Episodes will be available to stream on demand after each release.
The background: This is the latest in RG’s’ sports strategy: Since starting its Rebel Girls Sport vertical in January, the brand has teamed up with LOVB, AUSL, and Gotham FC as sports teams and leagues also consider Gen Alpha audiences.
- RG simply listened to the data: Before launching RG Sport, 45% of its 20 most-watched YouTube videos focused on sports, and eight months into the vertical’s YouTube presence, the channel had 8.4M views and 236K hours watched.
The context: While parental sports traditions often inspire youth fandom, sports fandom can also flow from children to parents. In women’s sports, this especially comes into play when considering Gen Alpha has more avid fandom for the WNBA and women’s soccer than older generations.
- Having children in the home increases the likelihood of sports viewership, while the involvement of daughters, sisters, and mothers sport boosts the likelihood of women’s sports fandom. And among Gen Alpha parents in a recent study, 60% have watched a pro sports event with their youngest child, and 39% have attended a pro game with their youngest.
Zooming out: It’s important to create accessible, kid-centered sports content for Gen Alpha girls, especially as RG and its partners realized that kids can be key to unlocking brand awareness and affinity for the whole family. Research shows that over 70% of Gen Alpha kids influence their parents’ purchasing decisions and wield as much as $100B in direct spending power annually.
- It’s worked for NFL media partners that have leveraged kid-friendly brands like Nickelodeon and Disney to put sports in children’s terms and encourage viewership. Gen Alpha and their parents should be a prime target market — and reaching them through activating around family-centered programming checks so many boxes. Put them in slimetime.
🏉 Barbie unveils limited-edition dolls emulating women’s rugby stars
On Monday, toy brand (and budding women’s sports sponsor) Barbie announced four new limited-edition dolls modeled after women’s rugby stars, including Team USA sensation Ilona Maher. After its collaborations with the WNBA’s Chicago Sky, the NWSL’s Washington Spirit, and the PWHL, Barbie is going to where the sports girlies are — especially emerging sports like hockey and rugby.
✨ Angel Reese leads an iconic Y2K brand relaunch (again)
For those who lived through the velour track suit era, luxury casualwear brand Juicy Couture is redefining its image for a new generation with none other than WNBA star Angel Reese. This week, the brand announced Reese as a global ambassador, making her the new face of its Viva La Juicy perfume as well as co-designer for her limited-edition “Angel Couture” apparel line.
- Sound familiar? It’s not the first time the Gen Z icon has been picked to revive a nostalgic Y2K brand: She helped relaunch Reebok Basketball years after its early 2000s heyday, and she’s making Juicy Couture sweatsuits culturally relevant again. Can’t go on without you.
👀 WNBA CBA controversy continues as league rolls through historic playoffs
Napheesa Collier’s heated comments last week are continuing to kick up controversy as NBA commissioner Adam Silver was pressed to comment on the WNBA’s CBA negotiations. Silver said things have gotten “too personal,” but believes a new agreement will be reached.
- Thankfully for the league, the CBA remains valid through the playoffs, which are fielding record viewership and driving travel interest. They were ESPN’s most-watched WNBA semifinals ever, with last week’s Game 5 between the Indiana Fever and Las Vegas Aces averaging 1.83M — the third most-viewed playoff game outside the Finals since 1999.
🐾 Seattle Reign FC named pet insurance company Trupanion its front-of-kit sponsor in a multiyear deal, the team’s first such agreement since its ownership change. Pawsome.
▶ ️ Unrivaled is partnering with media company Studio71 to boost the league’s digital and social reach, primarily through encouraging YouTube engagement.
🏒 Lululemon is building on its successful partnership with Fanatics and the NHL through a new fan collection that now includes all 32 NHL teams. Quite the power play.
💰 The WSL is reportedly working with Deloitte and Goldman Sachs to consider opportunities to raise funds, which could include selling stake.
💼 Global ad agency M+C Saatchi Group acquired Women’s Sports Group Limited, a specialist advisory and media rights consultancy that has worked with the Billie Jean King Cup, Tour De France Femmes, and Angel City FC.
📈 Togethxr noted that the valuation of both WNBA Finals teams has soared by over $100M YoY, with a $290M value for the Aces (up 107% YoY) and $250M for the Phoenix Mercury (up 138% YoY).
🏦 M&T Bank launched Team M&T — a four-athlete ambassador roster that includes NWSL star Emily Sonnett — with support from women’s sports sponsorship platform Parity. Teamwork makes the dream work.
Hi. It’s us. We’re the recommenders, it’s us.
📺 Who to know
Tatiyana Smallwood, the only Black woman producer on ESPN’s First Take. Paving the way from behind the scenes.
💡 What to check out
The future of fandom is female. A new report shows that women fans aren't just watching the game, they're shaping the industry. From controlling trillions in spending power to demanding authentic connection, the opportunity for brands, teams, and leagues to win her loyalty have never been bigger.
🔬 What to follow
Gatorade’s research. The Gatorade Sports Science Institute is launching a new study specifically for female athletes to analyze their sweat and how it differs from their male counterparts. Several WNBA teams, including the NY Liberty, are taking part.
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