The GIST

Everything’s coming up roses in Portland. 🌹 • We're in your inboxes with all the latest in women's sports biz! Subscribe for free today: https://lnkd.in/e8sEiSAD • Per Sean Highkin of the Rose Garden Report, the Bhathal family — which already owns the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL)’s Portland Thorns FC — is buying Portland’s newest sports franchise. Talk about trailblazers. 😉 • Similar to Toronto’s journey to WNBA (Women's National Basketball Association) ownership under Larry Tanenbaum, the expansion effort has now found a new champion under the Bhathals, who have been principal co-owners of the National Basketball Association (NBA)’s Sacramento Kings since 2013 and recently bought the Thorns for a record $63M this January. • While the league has yet to officially confirm the bid and sale price, close sources indicate the Bhathals beat out multiple bidding groups. And despite the failed deal last year, Oregon’s largest city was still widely considered the frontrunner to land a new franchise, which will begin play in 2026. 🏀 • A Portland team also adds another West Coast rival for Seattle and Golden State, meaning the W’s 16th expansion franchise city could be anyone’s game. Multiple cities, including Philadelphia and Denver, are still campaigning. 👀 • It’s too bad it didn’t work the first time around for Portland, because it’s only getting more expensive to add a WNBA team. Golden State paid $50M, then Toronto put up a full $115M commitment that included a $50M expansion fee. This summer, the average WNBA team was worth $96M, and that was before the W netted $2.2B in media rights. 💰 • Values are rising quickly, and investors want in, with entrepreneurs in the NWSL and WNBA snatching up stakes wherever possible. The Bhathals paid a record asking price once, and they’ll likely have to do it again — but it’s oh so worth it. • Who's taking the 16th franchise spot, GISTers? 👇

Angel is getting a SIGNATURE shoe! 👟 • Angel Reese is set to become the 2nd player in history to get a signature shoe from Reebok, following Rebecca Lobo. 🤩 • Reese said in her future, “I will definitely have a signature shoe.” She debuted Reebok's "first performance basketball shoe in nearly a decade" on Aug. 30 when she wore the Reebok "Engine A" against the Fever. 🔥 • Can't wait to see these kicks making history on and off the court! 🏀✨ #thegist • (c/o @sportsbusinessjournal) • #womenssports #basketball #sportsbiz

Women’s sports are not a charity. Period. 😌 • Let’s talk about progress in women’s soccer. In January 2022, the National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) and the National Women's Soccer League Players Association (NWSLPA) agreed to their first-ever collective bargaining agreement (CBA) in the league’s 10-year history. 🤯 • Amidst the negotiations, in 2021, the NWSLPA launched a campaign called #NoMoreSideHustles, with some players detailing the extra jobs they had to work to support themselves on the league’s paltry $22K minimum salary. Yikes. 😬 • Then, in May 2022, the USWNT Players Association (USWNTPA) shattered a glass ceiling with a historic CBA of its own. After years of contentious litigation and negotiation, the U.S. Soccer Federation struck equitable labor deals with both the women’s and men’s unions. Truly, one nation, one team. 💪 • In the leadup to last year’s FIFA Women's World Cup™ (WWC), CanWNT found themselves in a labor dispute, which included threats of a strike before the squad reached an interim funding agreement with their federation. 👀 • In a first for a major American sports league, the NWSL eliminated the draft, allowing players to negotiate with teams in an open market. In terms of compensation, the league’s minimum salary is set to rise from $48.5K in 2025 to $82.5K by 2030. All the way up. 💸 • GISTers, what league should take a page out of the NWSL’s book? #thegist

The gravy train keeps rolling for Olympic synchronized diving duo Kassidy Cook and Sarah Bacon. 🚃 • We're in your inboxes with all the latest in women's sports biz! Subscribe for free today: https://lnkd.in/e8sEiSAD • After successfully landing two food-related partnerships playing off their names before Paris 2024 - Comité d'organisation des Jeux Olympiques et Paralympiques de 2024, the silver medalists announced a third yesterday, this time with U.S. breakfast chain First Watch. Coming in hot. 🔥 • The campaign: First Watch Restaurants kicked off an interactive Instagram campaign yesterday where followers have until September 3rd to tag the “Cook” to their “Bacon,” or the person they are most in “sync” with. The restaurant will then reward two lucky duos with free breakfast for a year. 🤯 • The backstory: This is the third food-related campaign Cook and Bacon have ripped in the past two months, starting with the Minnesota Pork Board in July. Shortly after, Hormel Foods also announced a partnership with the duo, before First Watch signed on this month. 🤝 • Zooming out: It’s no surprise that Cook and Bacon have been two of Parity’s most “in-demand” athletes this year — puns have proven favorable in marketing, and so has teaming up with Olympic women athletes thanks to explosive social media growth. It already pays to promote alongside the Games, but the Olympics are a windfall moment not just for media companies and advertisers. 📈 • They are also a welcome brand opportunity for athletes themselves. On social media, rugby sevens (and TikTok) star Ilona Maher boasted a 12.07% engagement rate and gained 2.32M followers during the Games, a whopping 236% increase. In September, Maher will grace her first-ever Sports Illustrated Swimsuit cover. Spinning bronze into gold. 🥉➡️🥇

Keeping it clean on and off the court. 😮💨 • Dove announced a tennis ball–inspired soap bar in collaboration with Venus Williams. The product launch builds on their shared mission of building confidence for girls in sports, something that the body care brand is also involved in through its Body Confident Sport toolkit. So fresh, so clean. 🧼 • Tennis legend, Venus Williams, has won seven Grand Slam singles titles and 14 Grand Slam doubles titles, establishing herself as one of the sport's greatest players. Her remarkable career includes numerous Olympic gold medals and a significant impact on women's tennis both on and off the court. She’s THAT girl. 👑 • In addition to the collab, Dove is partnering with Black Girl Tennis Club in NYC for an in-person tennis experience hosted by Venus. 🎾 • Each bar comes in a limited-edition canister designed after tennis ball canisters. Fans who want to snag the limited-edition Dove x Venus #KeepHerConfident Beauty Bar packs can enter for a chance to win at Dove.com/ConfidentSports until September 20, 2024. 👀 • We're in your inboxes with all the latest in women's sports biz! Subscribe for free today: https://lnkd.in/e8sEiSAD

A first, but certainly not the last! We love to see it! 🙌⁣ •⁣ We're in your inboxes with all the latest in women's sports biz! Subscribe for free today: https://lnkd.in/e8sEiSAD •⁣ Today, Paris begins its hosting duties once again, this time for the 2024 Paralympic Games. While both the Olympics and Paralympics showcase athletes on the world’s greatest stage, only the Olympics have historically benefitted from comprehensive investment — something media partners like NBC and Paralympians are hoping to change. 👏⁣ •⁣ 📺NBC: Although the Paralympics began in 1960, media companies have only recently begun to close the coverage gap. NBC News first signed on for Sochi 2014, followed by 70+ hours of televised Rio 2016 coverage. The company profoundly expanded its offerings for Tokyo 2020 with over 200 hours of TV content, 1K hours of Peacock streaming, and its first-ever primetime Paralympic coverage.⁣ •⁣ Like it did with the Olympics, NBC is leveraging Peacock by offering over 1.5K hours of live content across all 22 Paralympic sports. 🔥⁣ •⁣ 🤳Social media: As mentioned on Monday, the official International Paralympic Committee TikTok has over 4.5M followers, including 250K from the past two weeks alone. The account’s edgy vibe is paying off — according to IPC chief brand officer Craig Spence — and so is another viral social campaign where Paralympians remind the world they’re competing, not participating.⁣ •⁣ 🌍 Zooming out: The rapid investment growth around the Paralympics illustrates a similar phenomenon we’ve seen in women’s sports: Media rights are key. With NBC expanding its coverage over the last few Games, the network has built up to record advertisers and a valuable relationship with Toyota Motor Corporation.⁣ •⁣ And like women’s sports, the Paralympics have benefitted from the democratizing nature of social media in connecting fans to content. Brands and advertisers should lean in, especially since younger fans strongly support a level playing field: 82% of Gen Z consumers are more likely to buy from brands that champion equality. Fair play. 💰⁣

The year’s final Grand Slam drew historic crowds last week thanks to its Fan Week activations. 📈⁣ •⁣ Since 2017, the US Open has welcomed fans during qualifiers and practices, enticing them with free admission and fun, family-friendly activities. This year, Fan Week took place from August 19th to 25th after the (USTA) United States Tennis Association added an additional day, and included a concert, star-studded exhibitions, comic books, and even a block party. 🎉⁣ •⁣ Last year’s event drew 157K attendees over six days, but the USTA is targeting 200K in 2024. Official totals aren’t out yet, but the record 47.8K in attendance for Arthur Ashe Kids’ Day is promising. If Fan Week accomplishes its goal and the main draw surpasses the 2023 record of 799K fans, the US Open could hit that 1M target. Ace. 🎾⁣ •⁣ Endeavors like Fan Week build a culture around the Open that makes tennis engaging and desirable, especially to new fans and their families. And it’s still ahead of the game: Last year’s Fan Week brought in nearly double what the Australian Open’s Opening Week drew in January. 👀⁣

A classic New York meet cute. 🥰 • After announcing a buzzworthy WNBA partnership in July, Bumble confirmed a new partnership with the NY Liberty as the team’s first official dating app partner that includes contests, events, and social media activations. 📱 • Since the Liberty have already punched its ticket to the postseason, Bumble will serve as the presenting sponsor for one of the team’s home games during the first round. The sponsorship also includes in-arena activations at Barclays Center and a mixer where Liberty fans can flirt over their fandom. 👀 • The deal also offers two lucky Liberty fans an exclusive VIP date night experience for a WNBA playoffs game. Beloved Liberty mascot Ellie the Elephant is also involved in the deal, headlining a novel social media content series that will offer dating tips and Bumble profile pointers. 💏 • According to a recent Bumble survey, nearly 31% of single Americans said a shared love of watching or playing sports is essential when dating. And for NYC singles, sports is the top interest badge on Bumble profiles, with basketball ranking high among users of all genders. Shooters gotta shoot. 🏀

The time to support women athletes is now, and rapper Flavor Flav understands the assignment. ⏰⁣ •⁣ Team USA women’s water polo’s official hype man has spent the past several weeks stepping up for Olympic women athletes across all sports. Do believe the hype. He invited Team USA women's water polo team — who he supported in Paris — to Las Vegas to go clubbing with him over the weekend. 🥳⁣ •⁣ We're in your inboxes with all the latest in women's sports biz! Subscribe for free today: https://lnkd.in/e8sEiSAD

Just like Taylor Swift, these ladies are selling out stadiums across the country. 💅 • The United Soccer League (USL) Super League—a new women’s pro soccer league—kicked off this weekend with three sold-out matches. Roughly 20,000 fans across Charlotte, Spokane, and Tampa combined snatched up tickets, with the Carolina Ascent drawing the biggest crowd of 10,553 attendees. What a slay. 🌟 • Women’s soccer has been gaining traction, with the success of the U.S. Women’s National Team driving excitement and attention to the sport. The league consists of eight teams: Brooklyn FC, Carolina Ascent FC, Dallas Trinity FC, DC Power FC, Fort Lauderdale United FC, Lexington SC, Spokane Zephyr FC, and Tampa Bay Sun FC. ⚽ • The league was created with a mission to expand opportunities for players, supporters, and communities. Clubs actively participate in local events and initiatives, making efforts to be visible and approachable within their communities. Queens. 👑 • It’s just the beginning for the new league, which already has a multiyear media rights deal with Peacock and whose Tampa Bay team inked a development partnership with Parity in February. Goals. 🙌  • GISTers, who are you picking as your new favorite team?  • For more sports biz news like this, subscribe to our free, 3x-weekly sports biz newsletter over at the #linkinbio! 💌 #thegist ⁣ • (c/o United Soccer League (USL), Forbes) • #womenssports #soccer