Basketball

Nailcare brand Orly’s VP Tal Pink shares insights on the brand’s LA Sparks partnership

This week, nailcare brand Orly celebrated its 50th anniversary by launching its first-ever sports partnership with the LA Sparks. As nailcare brands begin tapping on women’s sports, we enjoyed an in-depth conversation with Orly about how consumer trends and its LA roots led to this partnership.

August 22, 2025

WNBA reportedly prefers Houston over bids to keep Connecticut Sun in New England

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This week, Front Office Sports (FOS) shared updates on the ongoing saga surrounding the sale of the WNBA’s Connecticut Sun. In early August, weeks after Steve Pagliuca pledged a record $325M to bring the Sun to Boston, FOS reported the Mohegan Tribe approved the deal, but the W never did.

August 15, 2025

Relo Metrics CEO Jay Prasad shares 2025 WNBA season insights on sponsorship media value

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Last year, Relo Metrics spoke with The GIST about its first year of tracking sponsor media value (SMV) in the WNBA. On Wednesday, we checked in with company CEO Jay Prasad on how the 2025 season so far compares with an explosive 2024 season that generated $136M in SMV for league sponsors.

August 01, 2025

Overtime Select shares engagement metrics ahead of its second season’s tip-off

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Season two of Overtime Select — the high school girls’ basketball tournament launched by Gen Z sports brand Overtime (OT) last year — tips off on Saturday, so we spoke with OT about its growth numbers and the ROI for brands that want to capitalize on the next generation of women’s basketball stars.

August 01, 2025

Caitlin Clark card shatters records as the WNBA superstar transforms the women’s sports trading cards landscape

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The Indiana Fever’s Caitlin Clark has shattered records once again — or at least her likeness has. Last Thursday, a signed one-of-one Panini trading card depicting Clark sold for $660K, beating the previous $366K record set by another of Clark’s Panini cards in March. Let’s explore how Clark has recalibrated the memorabilia market with her unparalleled WNBA stardom.

July 28, 2025

SponsorUnited CEO Bob Lynch shares insights on inaugural WNBA Partnerships Report

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Yesterday, sponsorship insights platform SponsorUnited released its inaugural WNBA Partnerships Report, covering 12 WNBA teams over 2024 season and the 2025 season so far. The report — which Lynch says has been three years in the making — notes a 17% surge in deals during the 2025 WNBA season alone.

July 25, 2025

WNBA teams lead the way in social media engagement among pro sports teams

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Earlier this month, Sports Business Journal shared data from sponsorship analytics platform Blinkfire on social media engagement among professional North American sports teams. Eight of the top 10 are WNBA teams, led by the Dallas Wings, Indiana Fever, and Golden State Valkyries.

July 23, 2025

Sports Business

Viral success of WNBA’s StudBudz proves the power of authentic, player-driven storytelling

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July 21, 2025

The WNBA’s All-Star Weekend (ASW) drove a variety of online conversation, from ongoing CBA negotiations to the proliferation of StudBudz, the player-powered shared social media profile that offered an entertaining inside look into ASW.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #487

It’s messy: Breaking down the messy potential Connecticut Sun sale

August 21, 2025

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It’s messy: Breaking down the messy potential Connecticut Sun sale

Money, money, money.

Always funny in a rich man’s world — like the WNBA, where the Connecticut Sun’s potential sale is causing some serious drama. On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down a new report from ESPN that details the behind-the-scenes moves as the league’s smallest market tries to find a new home. From potential buyers in new cities to the W’s plan to move the team whenever they like, it’s messy, messy, messy. Buckle up.