Sports Business | The GIST

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

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.

August 18, 2026

New data shows market gap in fans wanting to watch women’s sports

Sports Poll by SSRS — the world’s longest-running market research study on sports fandom — dropped some data proving what we’ve known all along: it shouldn’t be this hard to watch women’s sports.

August 13, 2026

WNBA leadership set to meet on rising tensions surrounding trans athletes

🏀

In the 30 years since the WNBA was founded, exactly zero transgender women have played in the league. And yet, the conversation surrounding trans athletes is reaching dangerous levels as the attempts to turn this tiny, vulnerable group of people into a supposed threat to women’s sports increase each day.

August 11, 2026

Meet three women who have transformed the WSL into an international juggernaut

⚽

The Barclays WSL launched in 2011 with eight founding clubs and checks in with a whopping 14 teams for the 2026–27 season. The league has emerged as a worldwide leader in the development and expansion of women’s soccer — so today, we’re highlighting three women who helped turn it into a global powerhouse.

August 08, 2026

Cleveland’s forthcoming WNBA franchise announces name and branding

🏀

A little over a year ago, Cleveland was announced as the WNBA’s 16th franchise after Rock Entertainment Group (REG) paid a historic $250 million expansion fee. Now, the city finally knows who they’ll be cheering for: the Sirens. The club debuted its name and branding on Tuesday at Rocket Arena, the 19.4K-seater stadium where it will begin play in 2028.

August 06, 2026

NWSL terminates contract with streaming platform Victory+, effective immediately

⚽

The NWSL hasn’t yet confirmed or denied if it’ll be starting the 2027 season a full month earlier due to the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC), but it did surprisingly reveal the immediate termination of its media rights agreement with streaming partner Victory+ last Thursday.

August 04, 2026

FIFA president Gianni Infantino abandons plan to sell World Cup equity after backlash

⚽

FIFA president Gianni Infantino is in the “find out” phase after his plan to sell stakes in the World Cup to private equity firms united the soccer world against him in record time. The proposal was officially abandoned on Friday but the backlash (and gaslighting) are just getting started.

August 04, 2026

Sports Business

Simmons paves the way with Women’s Sports Business MSM Program

August 01, 2026

Women’s sports will conquer new territory in 2026: the classroom. Simmons University in Boston makes history this fall with the first cohort of its Women’s Sports Business Program. Matriculated students will earn a Master of Science in Management (MSM) with a Business and Leadership in Women’s Sports Concentration, the first of its kind. The development is unsurprising for the historically female institution. At the time of its founding in 1974, the Simmons School of Management (SOM) offered the world's first MBA program designed specifically for women, and over 50 years later, Simmons is making way for even more progress.

Read Full Story

The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #582

A brilliant money move: Diana Taurasi explores the athlete-to-owner pipeline

August 18, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

A brilliant money move: Diana Taurasi explores the athlete-to-owner pipeline

Over the weekend, WNBA legend Diana Taurasi’s jersey was officially retired by the Phoenix Mercury — but her legacy in the desert is far from over: She told ESPN that she hopes to join the Mercury’s ownership group in the near future. Investing in a sports team is so hot right now. On today’s episode, The GIST of It co-hosts Steph Rotz and Alessandra Puccio explore why it’s all the rage in a rapidly changing world.