The GIST

Cherie DeVaux becomes first woman trainer to win the Kentucky Derby

A horse named Golden Tempo defied the 23-1 odds during the 152nd Kentucky Derby on Saturday, surging from last-place to win the Run for the Roses. With the victory, Cherie DeVaux became the first woman horse trainer to ever win the famed race — and her story is a true tale of groundbreaking grit.

May 04, 2026

Brand interest in new fencing, dance leagues illustrate marketing power in “niche” sports

Two new leagues — the World Fencing League (WFL) and International Dance League (IDL) — are gearing up to serve avid fandoms for niche sports. But are they really that niche? Maybe not, and brands are counting on that wide appeal. Let’s boogie.

April 30, 2026

How Edmonton is becoming a Canadian women’s sports haven

Edmonton, Alberta, is a unique place. At roughly 1.2M residents, it’s dwarfed by larger Canadian cities like Toronto and Metro Vancouver — and though it doesn’t have its own professional women’s sports team, it’s become a hot spot for major women’s sporting events. That’s largely thanks to its tourism board, Explore Edmonton, which sees the economic and social value in these events. We spoke with sport and culture events director Cindy Medynski about why this strategy serves Edmonton and what other cities can learn. Small but mighty.

April 25, 2026

Cameron Brink refuses to be sidelined

As the LA Sparks seek a fourth WNBA championship, they’re building a roster around big-name veterans like Kelsey Plum and Nneka Ogwumike. But one young superstar is also at the heart of the team and the WNBA at large: third-year forward Cameron Brink. Last week, we caught up with her to learn about how she’s built her illustrious brand portfolio with “intentional” partnerships — and how she turned a difficult injury setback into an opportunity to build her entrepreneurial skills.

April 18, 2026

New data on Gen Z teens underscores the generation’s appreciation for athlete advocacy around social issues

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a national study involving Gen Z teens yesterday, highlighting that sports and athletes heavily influence how teens perceive societal issues.

April 16, 2026

Women’s sports memorabilia is the next big thing, and The Realest is ready

In sports, fashion, media, and beyond, we’re seeing a multigenerational interest in nostalgia, one that women’s sports hasn’t always had the resources to meet. But that’s changing fast thanks to companies like The Realest, the authenticated memorabilia platform that raised $12M in funding earlier this year. In February, we spoke with founder and CEO Scott Keeney about how the new verified memorabilia brand has been able to break into the market, address authentication issues, and serve the women’s sports community like no one has before.

April 11, 2026

Kim DeCarolis and Terése Whitehead explain the power of women athletes in NIL marketing

With March Madness finally here, we spoke with Terése Whitehead and Kim DeCarolis, who lead NIL and commercial strategy at Michigan and Georgia, respectively. Both are embedded on campus through their work with Altius Sports Partners, which launched in 2020 and has quickly become a leading strategic advisor for college athletic departments.

March 24, 2026

Bank of America Institute shares new data insights on women’s sports fans

Sports Business

Bank of America Institute shares new data insights on women’s sports fans

March 19, 2026

This week, the Bank of America Institute — the bank’s internal think tank that analyzes consumer behaviors and trends from customer data — shared insights into how customers are engaging around women’s sports. The data supports trends we’ve seen, with these new numbers further strengthening the business case for women’s sports. Let’s dive in.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #555

Home runs and dark horses: Previewing the college softball national tourney

May 12, 2026

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Home runs and dark horses: Previewing the college softball national tourney

Softball is having a major moment this season, so on this episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz head to the diamond to preview the 64-team NCAA national softball tournament which begins on Friday. After consulting with former NCAA softball player (and our senior editor) Lauren Tuiskula, the gals have the low-down on the storylines you need to know, from a record-breaking season of home runs to explaining how the national tourney works. Batter up.