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From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
TGIF!
Between Timothée Chalamet’s mustache, Taylor Swift memes, and a podcast featuring Gen Z hoops love, this week was *chef's kiss.* And thankfully for you, today’s newsletter keeps the vibes just as high.
— Taylor Swift commenting on her newfound football knowledge during her Wednesday appearance on New Heights, the podcast co-hosted by her boyfriend, the Kansas City Chiefs’ Travis Kelce and his brother, retired Philadelphia Eagles star Jason Kelce. We know all too well that the showgirl would crush.
WNBA
🏀 Growing pains
The GIST: Tonight’s WNBA Canada game was set to be a victory lap, celebrating the league’s growth and Toronto as its first Canadian expansion city. But some on- and off-court drama is crashing the party before the 10 p.m. ET tipoff, demonstrating the challenges of a rapid rise to the mainstream.
🌋 Conflict erupts on the court: Wednesday’s matchup between the Chicago Sky and Connecticut Sun made headlines for all the wrong reasons — Connecticut’s Bria Hartley and Chicago’s Rebecca Allen and Ariel Atkins were ejected when a fight for a rebound turned into an actual fight.
- The W has always been a sharp-elbowed league, but it’s under a microscope recently thanks to a spate of hard fouls on Indiana Fever superstar Caitlin Clark, prior to her most recent injury.
- Clark’s arrival has been tremendous for the W’s popularity, bringing legions of new fans to the game — and some aren’t used to the W’s history of physicality, meaning not all of this new attention is positive.
🌡️ Off-court tension rising: Behind-the-scenes drama also rocked the league this week. Fever forward Sophie Cunningham continued her public campaign against the W’s referees on her podcast, accusing them of playing favorites with Dallas Wings rookie Paige Bueckers. Equally messy were the conflicting narratives around the Sun’s potential sale and relocation.
- And all of this happens against the backdrop of ongoing collective bargaining agreement negotiations, in which the league is positioned as an adversary against its stars. Eek.
🔍 Zooming out: With the intense scrutiny the league is suddenly enduring, growing pains are to be expected. But while the public infighting draws more eyeballs, some worry that the drama isn’t good for the game. Is it true that all press is good press? Reply to this email to let us know your thoughts.
Question of the Day
Speaking of the WNBA, as mentioned, reports indicate that multiple cities are in the running for the Connecticut Sun’s potential relocation. It’s time for you to weigh in: Where should the Sun go?
⚾ MLB-best Milwaukee Brewers extend win streak to 12 games
Something magical is brewing in Cream City as outfielder Christian Yelich’s crew erupted for 12 runs, completing their three-game sweep over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Wednesday to stay undefeated in August. The best team in baseball will swing for their 13th straight dub when they take on their National League Central foes, the Cincinnati Reds, tonight at 6:40 p.m. ET.
⚽ Can the Orlando Pride derail the Kansas City Current?
The top two teams in the NWSL go head-to-head tomorrow at 4 p.m. ET, but as we inch closer to playoffs, the NWSL Shield (awarded to the best regular-season squad) feels like KC’s to lose. Thanks in large part to forward Temwa Chawinga’s Golden Boot–leading season, there’s a 12-point gap between the Current and the next best teams: the Pride and the Washington Spirit.
- That said, if anyone can thwart KC’s momentum, it’s striker extraordinaire Barbra Banda and the Pride. Don’t miss a minute.
⛳ World No. 16 Robert MacIntyre tops the leaderboard at BMW Championship
The penultimate FedEx Cup event is off to a riveting start, with No. 1 Scottie Scheffler trailing behind both MacIntyre and No. 13 Tommy Fleetwood on the tight leaderboard. This is the second of three events in the FedEx Cup Playoffs, and with only 30 spots in next week’s TOUR Championship, the pressure is on to make the cut — and compete for $10M.
🎾 Cincinnati Open: World No. 2 Coco Gauff vs. No. 9 Jasmine Paolini — Today at 8:30 p.m. ET — Tennis Channel
- A slay in her fresh New Balance x Miu Miu collection, Gauff is rediscovering her hard court groove at the US Open tuneup. Gauff and Paolini have faced off four times, each winning twice — but Gauff’s never lost to Paolini on her signature surface. Aces all around.
⛳ LPGA: Portland Classic — Ongoing through Sunday — Golf Channel
- There’s a three-way tie atop the leaderboard in Oregon, with world No. 52 Brooke Henderson among the best. The Canadian, a two-time tourney winner, hasn’t lifted an LPGA trophy in two years, making yesterday’s four-birdie start a welcome surprise.
⚽ Premier League: Arsenal vs. Manchester United — Sunday at 11:30 a.m. ET — Peacock
- With the 2026 FIFA World Cup looming, it’s time to start talking about the top players in international footy — and England’s Premier League is the perfect place to start. It’s tea time: This spicy season opener between historic enemies is loaded with talent, as Arsenal boasts top winger Bukayo Saka, while ManU counters with captain Bruno Fernandes.
Here’s what passed The GIST squad’s vibe check this week:
👟 What to do
Move. Increase your chances of living longer with 14 gym-free ways to sneak more movement into your day. It doesn't have to last for hours or involve equipment; a practice based on the concept of non-exercise activity thermogenesis, or NEAT, can still help you improve your health.
🎧 What to listen to
The first episode of Fudd Around And Find Out. UConn basketball star Azzi Fudd teams up with sideline reporter and former professional athlete Ashanti Plummer, where they talk All-Star weekend stories and ESPYs mishaps.
🏀 What to relive
WNBA All-Star Weekend. The league’s top players weren’t just competing on the court; the tunnel walk became a draw for fans, and players partnered with fashion houses and designers to showcase high-stakes fashion moments all weekend long that the internet is still talking about.
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