Sports Business | The GIST

Inaugural season of the Upshot League fills much-needed development gap

While the NBA, MLB, and NHL have distinct talent developmental systems, the WNBA has…a major gap. To help change this, the Upshot League launched this May in hopes of creating more stateside opportunities for elite players.

September 01, 2026

Refurbished basketball courts breathe new life into community spaces

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With 27 Olympic gold medals between the men’s and women’s teams, USA Basketball knows a thing or two about cultivating talent. So what do they list as the number one value for their youth development program? Fun.

August 29, 2026

Backlash from disturbing golf ad opens door for new brands

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By now, everyone and their mother has probably seen the Callaway and Good Good Golf video where co-founder Garrett Clark shoved fellow golfer Alexis Miestowski to the ground and told her to never touch his new driver. After the ad went viral, the backlash was immediate and continues to grow.

August 27, 2026

Unrivaled reaches $650M valuation following successful Series C fundraise

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It’s Unrivaled’s world, and we’re just living in it. The upstart 3v3 women’s basketball league launched by superstars Napheesa Collier and Breanna Stewart is thriving, announcing yesterday that it nearly doubled its valuation in just one year.

August 27, 2026

Minnesota Lynx facing ownership changes with playoffs looming

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August 25, 2026

Flag Football World Championships underscore opportunities ahead of LA28

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As we wrote in February, flag football participation is surging at the youth level, particularly for girls. There are more opportunities for girls to play flag compared to tackle football, and athletes (and their parents) are drawn to it as a “safer” option. Let’s look at the numbers that support the sport’s grassroots success.

August 22, 2026

The Golden State Valkyries can’t stop winning — on and off the court

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As you may have heard, the WNBA All-Star Game (ASG) is headed to the Bay in 2027 — a monumental dub for a team that will only have played since 2025. It’s the latest in a long string of achievements for the Golden State Valkyries, who can’t seem to stop winning on and off the court.

August 20, 2026

New reports reveal feature key data around women’s sports fandom

Sports Business

New reports reveal feature key data around women’s sports fandom

August 18, 2026

Not one, but two major reports have dropped since our last newsletter and the results overwhelmingly show that women’s sports are no longer a trend, but a triumph. From increased viewership to brand loyalty and women impacting the growth of men’s sports, the data is singing the praises of this movement and it’s a song we love to hear.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #586

Exposing fake NFL players

September 01, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

On today’s episode of The GIST of It, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz turn the exposure all the way up, digging into not one, but two instances of men posing as NFL players online. It’s as ridiculous as it sounds — and one man scammed women out of $1.3M doing it. Plus, hear from Nebraska senior volleyball star Andi Jackson as the new season heats up.