Flying intercontinental

The GIST: For the WNBA’s 30th season, the league is looking back — and abroad. Three of the first 12 WNBA Draft picks were international, including No. 3 Awa Fam Thiam from Spain. It makes sense to lure stars stateside as the league hopes to build fandom abroad: W commissioner Cathy Engelbert said she’s “heavily looking at” staging international WNBA games.

• This echoes the NBA’s trajectory, but let’s dive into the unique progression on the women’s side — and what this could mean for both domestic and international brand partners. Flying intercontinental.

The precedent: Once the W scales up to international games, there’s fandom ready to meet them: In 2024, the league saw a 322% increase in online searches globally compared to its previous four-year average and StubHub saw a surge in ticket interest internationally in 2025. Canada is a prime example, hosting two successful preseason games before nabbing a Toronto franchise.

• Men’s basketball’s global ecosystem has produced top athletes and cultivated massive fanbases. In 2024, four of the 10 most-viewed players globally were European, NBA Europe YouTube viewership jumped 220% YoY, and over 75% of the NBA’s social following was from outside the U.S. Global interest and access could similarly boost the W’s impact as it did in Canada.

The context: Right now, the WNBA doesn’t have many international partners: Most are either U.S.–based brands or multinational brands with a strong U.S. presence, like France’s Sephora or Germany’s Puma. But there is one brand that stands out: Swiss luxury watchmaker Tissot, the WNBA’s official timekeeper that just doubled down with a NY Liberty deal.

• In 2024, Tissot CEO Sylvain Dolla told The GIST that the brand experienced its biggest growth within the previous five years from Gen Z, a surge he credited to Tissot’s NBA and WNBA partnerships and Gen Z’s affinity for basketball.

Zooming out: This should be a signal for international brands to get in while they can: The league may still be U.S.–centric, but that’s changing quickly. And it’s an ideal opportunity for multinational brands to partner with global athletes and bridge fanbases: Thiam is going to win over a lot of Seattle Storm fans, after all.

• It’s rare, but while most major WNBA athlete brand ambassadors are American, some brands have considered the value of partnering with international athletes. Examples include Mazda’s commercial starring Croatia’s Nika Mühl and Nike’s basketball court initiative honoring Satou Sabally’s Berlin roots. Wunderbar.

The GIST: The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation released a national study involving Gen Z teens yesterday, highlighting that sports and athletes heavily influence how teens perceive societal issues.

• This dovetails with recent Parity research on Gen Z’s deep trust in women athletes — important synergy as brands develop athlete-driven, socially conscious campaigns. Let’s look at the numbers.

The findings: In the study, 77% of respondents said sports are a good way to learn about problems affecting society, with 71% of respondents recalling past anti-racism efforts in sports. Of these respondents, 77% took action after seeing such efforts.

• Additionally, 80% of respondents supported athletes, coaches, and teams talking about issues affecting people, and 78% supported athletes discussing racism and discrimination.

The context: Women athletes have historically called attention to social issues spanning sports and fanbases, especially in the WNBA and NWSL communities. The W drove important conversations around racism in 2020, and league vet Brianna Turner made headlines this week for speaking out against the IOC’s new policy banning trans athlete participation.

Looking ahead: While brands have partnered with vocal athletes for campaigns rooted in their identity, such as NWSL icon Megan Rapinoe, this new data illustrates a clear opportunity around mission-driven campaigns aimed at growing Gen Z fanbases. Athletes clearly have a role in shaping public opinion, and Gen Z women athletes have excelled at this organically.

• Naomi Osaka — who was dubbed the generation’s most popular athlete in a recent American survey — may be the most prominent example: Her sponsors have supported her mental health discussions, and formula brand Bobbie used her platform and visibility to campaign for federalized paid maternity leave. Always holding court.