Servers, meet servers
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hi there!
Yesterday, Netflix — which owns the exclusive U.S. media rights to the 2027 and 2031 FIFA Women’s World Cups — shared how it’s getting into the mix for the 2026 men’s FIFA World Cup in lieu of a broadcasting deal. The streamer is building a mobile game that lets users play online together or solo.
- As Netflix edges into the sports space, it’s interesting to see it flex its gaming platform when it’s unable to bag broadcasting rights directly. This could also result in building additional content around the tourney, which it’s done in the past with Under Pressure. Hello, net gains.
LOVB
💕 The Bay is bae
The GIST: Today, LOVB announced the launch of a new franchise in San Francisco set to hit the court in January 2027. Rebel Girls CEO Jes Wolfe — a prominent LOVB media partner — co-led the ownership group with growth strategist Chantell Preston as they assembled a team of all-women investors, including Olympian and LOVB founding athlete Kelsey Robinson Cook.
- Yesterday, we chatted with Wolfe, Preston, Cook, and LOVB Pro president Rosie Spaulding about why the league is choosing to launch its next team in the Bay Area and what drew them to become owners in the league.
The ownership: The group includes Bay FC co-founders, USWNT legend Abby Wambach, former NWSL star Ali Riley, journalist Arielle Chambers, and elite athletes as well as Bay Area executives. The investors we spoke with recruited values-aligned athletes and execs, with Wolfe lauding the expertise from Bay FC as the area’s first women’s sports team.
The location: Spaulding said the Bay Area had been on its list of preferred markets, with LOVB hoping to launch between two and four teams by 2027. She indicated the league evaluates different factors such as existing sports teams in the area, as well as the commercial opportunity around volleyball and women’s sports in general.
- “We know that the Bay Area really gets behind women's sports, and with knowing the opportunities with brands and partners in the Bay Area, as well as this incredible participation and success that there's been on the collegiate side, it just makes so much sense,” Spaulding said.
- Wolfe noted that men in Silicon Valley head to Golden State Warriors games to network, stating she wants to build a “deeply rich networking community of women supporting women” at LOVB games.
The learnings: LOVB boasts 234K Instagram followers and the highest engagement rate of any women’s sports league on TikTok according to Spaulding, largely by winning over Gen Z and Gen Alpha girls with BTS content and off-court stories related to financial literacy, nutrition, and mental health. Its Rebel Girls partnership is paying off too: Their YouTube series notched 1.5M views.
- While winning over social media followers is important, so is media exposure, which Spaulding is excited to build on in year two. The league has continued ESPN coverage, as well as new deals with Versant and emerging sports FAST channel Victory+.
The opportunity: According to Spaulding, LOVB has more than 30 brand partners — many in their first-ever sports partnerships — because the league is “resonating with innovative and creative brands across all categories.” Some have even extended league deals to clubs (like Yeti in Austin), which Spaulding believes could mean tech partnerships in San Francisco. Servers, meet servers.
Looking for a last-minute holiday gift that’s thoughtful, meaningful, and shows you care? Meet The GIST Plus — our premium membership built by women in sports, for the fans changing the game.
✨ Why it’s the perfect present:
- You’re supporting a women-led, independent media company — not a big network.
- You’re fueling the work of a women-only newsroom, creating sports coverage through a new lens.
- You’re championing a corner of the internet that actually feels good to be on.
- And you (or your lucky giftee) get bonus perks. Think early podcast drops, discounts from our partners (like the NY Giants, Boston Bruins, and more), exclusive content, and community events.
🚫 Scripps, Warner Bros. Discovery reject bids as media landscape remains in flux
While the media landscape has been shifting in a world of mega-mergers, some major moves aren’t going as planned. Weeks after it was announced that local television giant Sinclair Inc. would acquire E.W. Scripps Co., Scripps rejected the acquisition bid.
- Meanwhile, the board of Warner Bros. Discovery is rejecting the hostile $108.4B bid launched by Paramount Skydance to compete with the Netflix bid the board recently approved. Drama.
💸 Forbes shares annual lists of top-earning women athletes and women’s sports teams
On Tuesday, Forbes shared its annual list of the world’s highest-paid women athletes, with the top 20 collectively earning $293M. As with Sportico’s recent list, tennis phenom Coco Gauff came in first with $33M, with Gauff and snowboarding sensation Eileen Gu making the most outside of competitions among active women athletes with $23M in endorsements each.
- Then, Forbes followed up with the most valuable women’s sports teams and the NY Liberty claimed the top spot ($400M). The list includes all 12 W teams, eight NWSL teams, and five European soccer clubs, which are worth $5.6B combined.
👟 Jordan Brand president Sarah Mensah discusses why women athletes are choosing the brand
In a recent interview for Fortune, friend of The GIST Sarah Mensah explained why women athletes, like WNBA star Napheesa Collier, are choosing the Nike-owned brand. While male athletes are constantly being compared to brand inspiration Michael Jordan, “you don’t have that same sort of comparison with female athletes,” Mensah said.
- Collier moved from Nike to Jordan, noting that its investment in women’s basketball inspired her decision. Such investment includes last year’s debut of the Jordan Heir series, which was the brand’s first product line designed specifically for women hoopers.
☀️ Hello Sunshine debuts documentaries as production company greenlights women’s sports content
On Monday, the Reese Witherspoon–led studio premiered the first two projects in its five-part documentary series on Peacock: WNBA 2024: The Year That Changed Everything and The New Moneyball. Plus, a PWHL documentary, a film focusing on SoCal skate culture, and a women’s NASCAR project are all in the works for 2026.
🏈 Why let college basketball have all the fun? The College Football Playoff kicks off next week, but we’re starting the party early with The GIST’s second annual, free-to-enter College Football Bracket Challenge. Whether you’re a diehard fan or just here for the weird bowl game traditions, this challenge is for you — no expertise required.
🤔 Why you should play:
- Rooting for your favorite team takes on a whole new meaning.
- Be a part of The GIST’s one-of-a-kind community and compete against friends.
- There are some bragging rights (and prizes) on the line.
👏 Trust us, it’s even more fun to watch the postseason action when you have some skin in the game…and when you’re watching with thousands of fellow GISTers. You have until Friday, December 19th at 6:59 p.m. ET to submit up to three brackets — may the odds be ever in your favor.
🎵 Expansion WNBA team Toronto Tempo dropped the jersey design for its inaugural season. Seen and heard.
💰 The Portland Thorns brought back Sophia Wilson on a $1M player option, breaking the record for an annual NWSL salary.
🔥 The Portland Fire named WNBA Hall of Famer Sylvia Fowles as an assistant coach ahead of its inaugural season.
🌊 The Coachella Valley Invitational, a preseason NWSL and MLS showcase, announced that three new NWSL teams will compete in the largest tournament to date.
⛳ Rose Zhang–backed TGL team The Bay Golf Club tapped Saatva as its mattress and restorative sleep partner as the league’s stance on including LPGA golfers hangs in the air.
🏐 LOVB partner Adidas Volleyball signed high school phenom Kari Knotts to an NIL partnership, making her one of the brand’s youngest athletes and its first high school volleyball player. Smashing.
🏆 Who to cheer for
Indianapolis. The Colts are changing the game, with ten women holding top sports roles, proving an intentional commitment to female leadership in the NFL.
🏨 What to check out
adidas' free elite recovery space. The brand opened the Hybrid Hotel in East London, for a special weekend offering complimentary pro-level recovery services like red-light therapy, supplements and product-testing.
💸 Who’s spending money
The NFL. League owners greenlit spending up to $32 million to launch a professional flag football league ahead of the sport’s Olympic debut in 2028.
Today's email was brought to you by Aryanna Prasad Bhullar and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Bonnie Lee. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Alessandra Puccio and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Molly Potter and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.