The GIST

Billionaire Marc Lasry and Avenue Sports Fund back out of NC Courage deal

Per Sportico, billionaire sports investor Marc Lasry and his sports-focused private equity (PE) firm Avenue Sports Fund are no longer pursuing the purchase of the NC Courage, citing “NWSL restrictions for private equity investment as a control[ling] owner in teams.” With the NWSL being a sports league that uniquely allows PE investment, let’s dive into what we know.

December 02, 2024

Angel City FC invests in team, community with multimillion dollar practice facility

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Angel City FC (ACFC) announced yesterday that it’s constructing a new and improved, nine-acre performance center on California Lutheran University’s campus, the largest such facility dedicated exclusively to an NWSL club. The move comes as ACFC continues to strive for business growth and upping its valuation.

November 15, 2024

UK broadcasters Sky and the BBC agree to historic WSL media rights deal

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Women’s footy has finally caught its big break across the pond. Last week, the WSL — the top flight of UK women’s soccer — inked a five-year rights extension with Sky Sports and the BBC worth $84.5M. The deal follows months of speculation and has already been dubbed the “most significant” TV contract for women’s soccer in the UK and Ireland.

November 04, 2024

Men in Blazers becomes an official NWSL media partner with support from Ally

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In an exclusive with The GIST today, soccer media company Men in Blazers (MiB) announced it will become an official media partner of the NWSL. Its coverage will be led by women’s soccer vertical The Women’s Game (TWG), run by former USWNT star Sam Mewis, who spoke to The GIST yesterday about her experience with the company.

November 01, 2024

Celebrity investment is changing the game for women’s soccer, including for expansion team BOS Nation

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Launch day didn’t go as planned for NWSL expansion club BOS Nation FC, but it did successfully announce celebrity investment from actress Elizabeth Banks and gymnast Aly Raisman yesterday. The franchise uniquely boasts an all-women ownership group, but its incoming celeb investment follows an NWSL trend that’s helped franchises shine bright and far.

October 16, 2024

Klarna teams up with Angel City FC for Hispanic Heritage Month capsule collection

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In an exclusive with The GIST today, AI–powered payment brand Klarna and Angel City FC (ACFC) announced the launch of the team’s limited-edition Hispanic Heritage Month capsule collection. The “del alma de los ángeles” drop was created in collaboration with LA–based designer Hija De Tu Madre to celebrate women’s sports and the Latinx community.

October 02, 2024

FIFA ruling alters European soccer transfer market, which could affect NWSL

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This week, the European Union’s (EU) top court ruled that some of FIFA’s rules around player transfer fees violate EU law following a successful suit by former Chelsea and Real Madrid men’s player Lassana Diarra. The decision is expected to have far-reaching implications, but one overlooked aspect is its potential effect on the new and improved NWSL market.

September 27, 2024

Sports Business

LAFC activates stake in ACFC as MLS, NWSL club relationships enter new era

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September 27, 2024

Shortly after Sportico confirmed ACFC as the hottest NWSL club on the market, the publication exclusively revealed that a top MLS team also wants in. Los Angeles FC (LAFC) — the league’s highest-valued franchise at $1.15B — activated a tenet of its stadium-sharing agreement with ACFC to acquire a small stake in the women’s side.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #420

A Heisman Trophy explainer, way-too-early NFL award predictions & a dive into the Women’s Lacrosse League

December 12, 2024

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A Heisman Trophy explainer, way-too-early NFL award predictions & a dive into the Women’s Lacrosse League

Hey there!

End-of-year awards season chatter is growing by the minute, and the football world is no exception. The fun begins on Saturday, when the Heisman Trophy, aka, the MVP award of college football, will be handed out. Before the winner is named, today’s episode of The GIST of It begins with an explainer on one of the most important trophies in college sports and the four players in contention for the coveted prize.

And the fun doesn’t stop there. With just four weeks left in the NFL regular season, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz share their way-too-early picks for some end-of-season NFL awards, along with their thoughts as to how the playoff picture might shape up.

And last but not least, the new Women’s Lacrosse League announced their inaugural four-team names yesterday, so the gals are taking a deep dive into one of the fastest-growing sports in the country.

A big thank you to Aflac for partnering with us on today’s episode! Add Aflac to your team to close the insurance gap today. Learn more at aflac.com/thegist.