Sports Business | The GIST

LOVB announces San Francisco franchise with ownership group led by Rebel Girls CEO Jes Wolfe

oday, LOVB announced the launch of a new franchise in San Francisco set to hit the court in January 2027. Rebel Girls CEO Jes Wolfe — a prominent LOVB media partner — co-led the ownership group with growth strategist Chantell Preston as they assembled a team of all-women investors, including Olympian and LOVB founding athlete Kelsey Robinson Cook.

December 18, 2025

Grand Slam Track announces bankruptcy as Athlos, others illustrate what emerging sports leagues need for success

After months of financial difficulties, track & field league Grand Slam Track (GST) — spearheaded by Olympic legend Michael Johnson — officially filed for bankruptcy last week. As popular Olympic sports try to extend their reach beyond the global competition, GST presents a cautionary tale as it endured common issues faced by upstart sports leagues.

December 16, 2025

Partners of pro athletes offer organic, engaging marketing opportunities for brands and untapped potential in women’s sports

WAGs are where it's at

December 12, 2025

Paige Bueckers makes waves with snack product launches as women athletes win over Gen Z consumers

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Last week, Good Eat’n — a plant-based snack brand launched by NBA legend Chris Paul — announced that WNBA phenom Paige Bueckers joined the company as an equity partner and will launch her own new snack called Ragerz.

December 11, 2025

Mercedes-Benz announces game-changing WTA partnership to close pay gaps

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December 11, 2025

Netflix and Paramount Skydance make billion-dollar moves to acquire Warner Bros. Discovery, shaking up sports landscape

On Friday, Netflix announced it will acquire the streaming and studio divisions of Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), now separated under the Warner Brothers (WB) brand, in a $82.7B deal. But in dramatic fashion, Paramount Skydance threatened to finish what it started as it launched a $108.4B hostile bid for the entire company to compete with what was considered a done deal.

December 09, 2025

Germany’s Frauen Bundesliga makes bold move to separate from DFB as league goes independent

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Last week, the Frauen Bundesliga — Germany’s 14-club professional women’s soccer league — made the surprising decision to split from the Deutscher Fußball-Bund (DFB), the nation’s governing body for the sport.

December 09, 2025

Angel Reese offers playbook on how athletes and brands can capitalize on authentic off-court experiences for Gen Z

Sports Business

Angel Reese offers playbook on how athletes and brands can capitalize on authentic off-court experiences for Gen Z

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December 06, 2025

“At this point, Angel Reese is as much of a socialite as she is a basketball player,” writes Marie Claire’s Ariel Baker in an article singing the 23-year-old’s praises, lauding Reese’s iconic French twist while sitting front-row at a Chanel show in NYC while effusing about being “obsessed with her duality.”

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #517

How two torn ACLs are shaking up the NFL

December 16, 2025

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’Twas a dark NFL Sunday.

Two major injuries rattled the league in Week 15. First, superstar Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in the final two minutes of his team’s loss to the LA Chargers. But that wasn’t all: hours later, Green Bay Packers defensive tackle Micah Parsons went down with a non-contact knee injury that was later confirmed to be an ACL tear. Today’s episode of The GIST of It takes a look at how these devastating injuries will impact the NFL.