Sports Business | The GIST

New Deloitte report highlights lucrative WSL landscape as league attracts top talent

Sports Business

New Deloitte report highlights lucrative WSL landscape as league attracts top talent

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January 22, 2026

The year-round marketing power of Eileen Gu illustrates opportunity around Olympic, Paralympic athletes

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The Olympics have a marketing problem: While passion for the Summer Games is a worldwide phenomenon, it’s only accessible to brands every four years. It’s even worse for the Winter Olympics, which has fewer marketing dollars and less media attention, demonstrating that brands often fail to harness the total appeal of winter sports.

January 17, 2026

West Coast wellness franchise Bay Club extends hand to WNBA athletes amid free agency woes

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As predicted earlier this week, the WNBA and WNBPA have agreed to a moratorium on free agency transactions as the two sides continue to iron out a new CBA. In the meantime, free agents are left in the lurch when it comes to training in offseason facilities — but universities and companies are closing the gap.

January 15, 2026

West Coast wellness franchise Bay Club extends hand to WNBA athletes amid free agency woes

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January 15, 2026

Crux Football expands women’s soccer portfolio as investors recognize opportunity

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Yesterday, Swedish football club FC Rosengård transferred ownership of its women’s club under a new holding, FC Rosengård Elitfotboll AB, which gives Crux Football 49% ownership. This is the second women’s football team under Crux, a multi-club ownership group investing across Europe.

January 15, 2026

Brands big and small seize social-forward Olympics marketing opportunities

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On Friday, Canadian figure skater Deanna Stellato-Dudek stunned in a costume crafted by luxury designer Oscar de la Renta — the label’s first-ever figure skating outfit. Partnering with Stellato-Dudek is a splashy move considering her 2024 world title and compelling backstory, and it epitomizes the kind of hype luxury brands are embracing at the Olympics.

January 13, 2026

Brands turn to emerging women’s sports leagues to reach young digital natives

Softball. Baseball. Lacrosse. What do these sports have in common? In 2025, they all fielded brand-new professional women’s leagues.

January 10, 2026

TGL announces WTGL in partnership with LPGA as women’s golf attracts young, tech-savvy audience

Sports Business

TGL announces WTGL in partnership with LPGA as women’s golf attracts young, tech-savvy audience

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January 08, 2026

After months of consideration, Tomorrow Golf League (TGL) is teaming up with the LPGA to launch the WTGL, a virtual offseason golf league featuring LPGA athletes. When announcing the league on ESPN’s SportsCenter, LPGA star Lexi Thompson said WTGL “brings in a whole different fan base” than traditional golf does.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #524

Naomi Osaka brings couture to the Australian Open

January 22, 2026

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Naomi Osaka brings couture to the Australian Open

Work, cover girl.

Tennis star Naomi Osaka is making good on her April 2025 promise to treat every Grand Slam like the Met Gala, walking into her first-round match at the Australian Open in full custom couture on Tuesday. A four-time Slam winner, Osaka is generating a lot of conversation — both supportive and critical — with her look, which is why this episode of The GIST of It is about how fashion and sport aren’t so different after all.