Sports Business | The GIST

Venus and Serena Williams seize podcast opportunities as they continue to monetize fame

On Monday, iconic tennis (and sister) duo Venus and Serena Williams announced the launch of their Stockton Street podcast, which debuts on X today. The podcast — a notable get for X as it competes for original content — celebrates their legendary status through an accessible, storyline-powered medium.

September 17, 2025

How pro sports leagues and their sponsors can make the most of temporary markets

Front Office Sports recently examined a trend among leagues like the Premier Lacrosse League (PLL) and Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL): Traveling teams and exhibition matches are a smart way to identify prime markets before establishing permanent teams. Let’s explore when traveling teams work and what this format means for sponsors.

September 15, 2025

Recovery footwear brand Oofos taps into power of microinfluencers through widespread collegiate partnership

Last week, Oofos teamed up with Her Campus Media (HCM) to offer over 1.5K college women athletes a chance to partner with the recovery footwear brand. The open-ended opportunity could mean the first NIL deal for many of these athletes, who still offer significant value as microinfluencers.

September 12, 2025

Unrivaled announces $340M valuation, plans for upcoming season

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On Monday, Unrivaled shared that after last December’s successful Series A investment round, the league’s recent Series B round brought its valuation to $340M, or almost 10x its initial May 2024 valuation. With investors and sponsors circling the next big thing in women’s basketball, let’s dive into why the league works and what makes it truly unrivaled.

September 10, 2025

Athlos inks multiyear media rights deal with ION

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Athlos — Alexis Ohanian’s elite women-only track competition — entered a multiyear partnership with Scripps Sports yesterday to make its Ion network the domestic linear broadcast partner for this year’s Athlos NYC competition taking place October 10th.

September 10, 2025

BWSL taps IMG to market international rights as UK women’s soccer league is primed for global following

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Last week, the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) — the top flight for UK women’s soccer — enacted a multiyear partnership with global sports marketing firm IMG to exclusively handle its international media rights. The powerhouse agency has experience securing deals with top channels in emerging markets as well as wide-reaching platforms in popular regions.

September 08, 2025

Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson signing highlights benefits, drawbacks for soccer sponsors amid athlete moves

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Alyssa Thompson is the latest NWSL star headed to Chelsea on a five-year deal that is commanding a $1.3M transfer fee. This follows the Blues’ play for Naomi Girma — when Chelsea paid a record $1.1M fee in January — and a general trend of USWNT standouts being courted across the pond.

September 05, 2025

Sports Business

Women athletes continue to drive culture

September 03, 2025

Add Althea Glitterson to the list after WTA world No. 24 Naomi Osaka debuted her fourth bedazzled Labubu at the US Open yesterday. The Grand Slam, already known for its “cool factor” was the perfect backdrop for Osaka, who has made the tennis court her runway and accessorized with the trendiest dolls on the market: Labubus.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #494

Legendary reporter Holly Rowe does it all…with the help of caffeine and bubblegum

September 18, 2025

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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.

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