This grass is greener
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hey, you!
Remember Katelyn Ohashi, the pint-sized gymnast who beat Simone Biles in 2013 and went viral for her flawless tumbling in 2019? Well, after seven years, she's returning to elite gymnastics: Ohashi and three-time Olympic medalist Jade Carey will make their competitive return this weekend at the American Classic meet. It’s never too late for a comeback.
Women's golf
⛳ It’s all grand, and it’s all green
The GIST: The prize pool for this weekend’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is an astounding $13M, the largest purse in women’s golf history. As the players, ahem, swing into action this morning, let’s tee off on the lucrative growth of the women's game.
The landscape: Turns out this grass is greener — the upcoming tournament’s purse is part of an LPGA–record $132M total season prize pool, and the influx of cash is warranted. Women’s golf viewership is surging: Look no further than the 2.2M fans who tuned into the final round of world No. 1 Nelly Korda’s U.S. Open win last month — a 78% increase YOY.
The growth: And the evolution of the women’s game isn’t limited to just the pros. Between 2020 and 2025, women’s golf participation in the U.S. grew 45%. That’s a total of 8.1M women regularly hitting the links, which shattered the previous high of 7.1M golfers set two decades ago and means women now account for nearly one-third of golfers in the U.S.
- It’s also worth noting that women golfers skew four years younger on average than their male counterparts. In fact, more than half of these participation gains are from women under 30, while just under half of women golfers are under 35. Talk about a youth movement.
Why it matters: It’s no secret golf has historically been dominated by white men. But that’s beginning to change, evidenced by more lucrative prize pools and sky-rocketing viewership numbers for the LPGA, alongside consistent growth at the grassroots level. Women’s golf is glowing up across its entire ecosystem, and brands should be on notice.
- As the women’s golf pipeline continues to evolve, there’s a valuable opportunity for brands to capitalize on the momentum at all levels. This youth-driven women’s golf boom lends itself to building brand affinity early and engaging casual and elite players alike. *golf clap*
⚽ Michele Kang adds Olympique Lyonnais to vast soccer portfolio
Just like the universe, Michele Kang’s soccer empire continues to expand. Already the owner of France’s Olympique Lyonnais women’s club, she’s now set to buy the men’s side, paying $30M for an 87.8% stake while vowing to inject up to $80.8M of capital into the club. And as Kang’s growing entity celebrates another major acquisition, former Lyon majority owner John Textor seethes (again).
- "Smear, divide, and conquer," Textor told Front Office Sports yesterday. "It worked with the Washington Spirit, so why not try again? Why buy a club when you can steal it?” Oy vey.
🎓 Eligibility and NIL woes intensify in the world of college sports
The NCAA’s new age-based player eligibility model is only a few hours old and already facing numerous lawsuits. With the five-year eligibility rules taking immediate effect, over 50 recently-retired NCAA athletes are expected to join lawsuits filed by attorneys Darren Heitner and Ryan Downton, arguing for additional years of eligibility.
- And over in D.C, the bipartisan Protect College Sports Act is also under fire. Three women’s basketball players labeled the act as “an assault on player rights,” arguing for a collective bargaining agreement and multi-branched union in its place.
💸 International Olympic Committee (IOC) announces groundbreaking $140M athlete fund
Weeks after president Kirsty Coventry opposed the allocation of Olympic prize money, the IOC announced its “Fit for the Future” opportunity, offering grants of $10K to Olympic athletes regardless of performance outcomes. Created to “support the sporting career or the career transition of Olympians,” the $140M fund will benefit the Milano Cortina cohort and LA28 Olympians.
- With women athletes reaching historic 49% representation (and counting) at the 2024 Games, this week’s development could directly impact many future and former female Olympians. Here for it.
💄 Front Office Sports highlighted a growing trend of WNBA players signing brand deals with game-ready performance cosmetic brands. Get your game face on.
🌐 Nonprofit Civicus blasted the men’s FIFA World Cup at this week’s UN Human Rights Council session, calling on the UN to “expose serious human rights violations taking place in the margins of mega-sporting events as well as in host or participating countries.”
🍻The Sports Bra owners announced their new location in Portland, ME, while an independent bar owner in Asheville, NC, prepares to open her own The Sports Bra–inspired joint.
🎾 Top players are serving up top brands ahead of Wimbledon, with Coco Gauff dropping a new Miu Miu x New Balance collection and Naomi Osaka ushering in a Nike sports dress frenzy.
🏄 The World Surf League expanded its partnership with Apple to include athlete-worn Apple Watch data in broadcasts, and the WSL said athletes are already using these analytics to their advantage. Far out.
🏈 After more than 30 years of coaching men’s football, Darryl Bullock will lead Norfolk State’s inaugural women’s flag program, adding another intercollegiate team to the mix ahead of the sport’s LA28 debut.
🤖 What to learn about
FIFA’s use of AI to combat online abuse. The technology can identify and hide abusive social media comments in seconds, and it’s being expanded for the 2026 World Cup. A complicated but increasingly important conversation.
🏀 What to check out
Lilly Singh’s case for investing in women’s sports. The Toronto Tempo co-owner explains why backing women’s sports is one of the smartest investments around — for business and for future generations.
😊 How to boost your mood
These World Cup fan photos. From packed watch parties to flag-covered streets, AP photographers captured the joy, nerves, and celebration that make sports fandom so special.
Today's email was brought to you by Lisa Minutillo, Caroline Price, and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Mikaela Perez. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam. Ads by Ali Haberstroh. Managing edits by Molly Potter, Katie Kehoe Foster, and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.