Top bins
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Ello!
And welcome back from the long weekend! ICYMI, British Vogue is embracing its inner sporty spice by creating The Sports Desk, a digital hub devoted to women’s sports. The UK mag strategically launched just before the Lionesses begin their UEFA Women’s Euro title defense later this summer — especially after fandom doubled in the country after their 2022 victory. Top bins.
Media
📺 Dialed in
The GIST: Sundial Media and Technology Group (SMTG) — the media and live events company behind Essence, Afropunk, and Refinery29 — finalized a unique partnership with Grand Slam Track (GST), a new track and field competition that kicked off this year. SMTG will facilitate media coverage of GST in addition to improving track day experiences for fans.
- Additionally, SMTG will help broker sponsorships for GST, illustrating how media brands can help elevate the fan experience by cultivating matchday activations while also using powerful connections to negotiate corporate partnerships. Firing on all cylinders.
The details: SMTG will negotiate commercial partnerships for GST starting next season, with 10% of sponsorship sales going directly to GST athletes. The group also plans to leverage GST’s stars in its media coverage, create digital content featuring behind-the-scenes access, and add a new fan-powered media platform.
- This comes nearly two weeks after GST canceled the final meet of its inaugural season, which was slated to take place in LA at the end of June, along with additional in-season cutbacks. Still, GST founder Michael Johnson has insisted the entity accomplished its first-year goals.
The trend: Other sports leagues are inking comparable innovative media partnerships: The NWSL is giving Overtime similar behind-the-scenes access, while MLB is investing in baseball’s creator community through stake in Jomboy Media.
- Another comparison would be how sports and event agency Horizon Sports & Experiences (HS&E) co–CEO David Levy negotiated Unrivaled’s media rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery last October, with HS&E additionally being an investor in the league.
The takeaway: Companies like SMTG and Scripps Ion — which is working on Sports Illustrated’s SI Women’s Games — are increasingly focused on live experiences and media opportunities, a conversation that’s especially hot following Cannes Lions. Media brands should consider packaging not only the viewership element of games, but also activations around live events. Taking notes.
🏀 Portland WNBA fans anticipate upcoming name reveal
Last Friday, Portland’s yet-to-be-named WNBA team teased a July 15th announcement, which fans expect to be a name reveal. Many believe the team will brand itself as the “Portland Fire,” although not everyone is a fan of bringing back the name of the city’s defunct early 2000s franchise.
- What’s in a name? Consider how the WNBA’s Golden State Valkyries extensive market-testing resulted in high fan engagement and historic ticket sales, or how the NWSL’s Boston Legacy experienced backlash that prompted a rebranding of the team, which is still considered to be in its “trust-building era.” Learning on the low-key.
⭐ Tampa Bay invests in USL Super League stadium after winning inaugural championship
Good things come to those who wait win. Last week, Tampa Bay Sun FC — winners of the first-ever USL Super League championship — shared its intent to construct one of the world’s few stadiums built for a pro women’s soccer team. The plans include a 15K-seater stadium in nearby Ybor City, flanked by a boutique hotel and an urban district that would include the USL’s headquarters.
- The move is facilitated by Sun FC majority owner and Tampa business leader Darryl Shaw, who is leading the waterfront Ybor Harbor development set to house the stadium. It’s also a big win for investment giant Gainbridge, which signed on as the league’s title partner in April.
🏆 Tennis star Sloane Stephens and volleyball setter Jordyn Poulter are among the athletes committed to playing in SI’s Women’s Games. Game, set, match.
✅ Caitlin Clark leads the first round of WNBA All-Star voting, followed by Napheesa Collier, with Breanna Stewart, Paige Bueckers, and A’ja Wilson also all in the top 10.
🇶🇦 Fanatics shared plans to open a regional office in Doha, Qatar, as the sports apparel giant builds on its existing partnership with Qatar. On a world tour.
👟 Pro softball player SilentRain Espinoza is headlining a new Nike apparel collection celebrating Native and Indigenous athletes.
🏒 Montreal Victoire captain and Team Canada forward Marie-Philip Poulin won the IIHF Female Player of the Year Award after leading in scoring at the World Championship and winning tournament MVP.
▶️ YouTube CEO Neal Mohan confirmed in his 2025 Cannes Lions Festival keynote address that Shorts are averaging 200B daily views, a 186% YoY increase. Pressing play.
Together With McLaren and Mastercard
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Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
🏋️ What to wear
Something from Literary Sport. Chic, thoughtful, and designed for the mind and body in motion.
🩰 What to read
This Misty Copeland interview. After 25 years of breaking barriers, the trailblazing ballet dancer is retiring — and reflecting on what diversity in the arts really means.
🐶 Who to dress
Your pet. That's right, adidas just dropped a retro capsule…for dogs and cats. Me-ow.
Today's email was brought to you by Aryanna Prasad and Briana Ekanem. Fact checking by Sara Buck. Operations by Elisha Gunaratnam and Marga Sison. Ads by Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Molly Potter and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.