The GIST of It Podcast 
Behind-the-scenes of the Golden State Valkyries with team president Jess Smith
The Golden State Valkyries are that team.
ICYMI, the WNBA’s 13th team absolutely crushed it in their debut season, becoming the first expansion team to make the playoffs in their inaugural campaign — but the on-court accomplishments are only half the story. The Valks sold out every single home game in 2025, creating an ultra-supportive women’s hoops fanbase that’s now considered the blueprint for success as the W continues to grow. Today, The GIST’s co-founder Ellen Hyslop sits down with Valkyries team president Jess Smith for a behind-the-scenes convo on the business behind the basketball, from making crucial decisions with the front office to her advice for young leaders. Don’t miss it.
We’re not talking enough about four-time WNBA MVP A’ja Wilson
Crown her.
Las Vegas Aces icon A’ja Wilson won a historic fourth career WNBA MVP on Sunday, the most of any player in league history. Wilson’s more than just the WNBA’s best player; she is the moment in women’s sports…but when it comes to marketing, she’s simply not getting her due. In this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz dig into Wilson’s unprecedented season before diving into the disparities in WNBA athlete marketing, namely, how Wilson sees fewer sponsorship opportunities than her relatively unproven fellow hooper, the Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark.
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Legendary reporter Holly Rowe does it all…with the help of caffeine and bubblegum
It’s not every day you meet your heroes.
But The GIST’s Associate Managing Editor Lauren Tuiskula did just that earlier this week, sitting down with legendary ESPN reporter Holly Rowe to discuss the evolution of female fandom across the sports universe. Tune in to this episode of The GIST of It to hear Lauren and Holly discuss college football, Holly’s biggest storyline of the ongoing WNBA playoffs, and to hear about Holly’s work with the Allstate Good Works Team, which highlights NCAA student-athlete community service projects across the U.S.
This episode was brought to you by Amazon Business, the ultimate partner for smart business buying. Amazon Business offers a one-stop shop for all of your business needs, helping companies of all shapes and sizes simplify their purchasing process. Learn more by checking out business.amazon.com today.
