Gaining yards in a game of inches
From The GIST (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hello there!
The queen is back — and making her return at Queen’s Club, no less. Tennis legend Serena Williams has entered the doubles wild card round at the HSBC Championships this week, a WTA 500-level competition leading up to Wimbledon. This marks the 44-year-old’s first professional tennis appearance since 2022.
- And it’s not the only win for women’s tennis this week. Monday’s French Open showdown between Aryna Sabalenka and Naomi Osaka was the first primetime women’s match at Roland Garros in three years, which has been the subject of controversy in the past.
WNFC
🏈 Gaining yards in a game of inches
The GIST: The Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) announced a multiyear agreement with ESPN yesterday to broadcast its June 21st championship game live on ESPN2. The league has seen recent growth, mostly thanks to increased media exposure and sponsorship, so we chatted with WNFC advisory board member, commentator, and former player Jennifer King to learn more. Spiking it.
The context: In 2023, the WNFC inked a content deal with the now-defunct free sports streamer Caffeine TV before joining emerging sports streamer Victory+ in November 2024. In 2025, the league aired its title game on ESPN2 for the first time, garnering 150K viewers. Its new deal solidifies ESPN as a consistent platform for national viewership that complements its full regular-season viewership on Victory+.
- However, the WNFC’s game isn’t the only women’s tackle football championship on the channel: ESPN2 has also been home to the Women’s Football Alliance (WFA) championship for several years, and its 2025 edition was the most-watched ESPN2 broadcast of that day with over 969K unique live viewers.
The wins: Appearing on Victory+ and ESPN2 has leveled up the league’s exposure — WNFC reported a 45% boost in live viewership from the beginning of the 2025 season thanks to its Victory+ deal, accompanied by record highs in merch and ticket sales. The league also stepped up its sponsorship game, signing major deals with Dove, Adidas, and Riddell.
- WNFC “got the big ones,” King said about landing Adidas and Dove. “With any sports league, for leagues [that] want to be respected, it’s important to have those sponsorships,” adding that partnerships with well-known brands drive credibility, especially when it comes to media rights deals.
Zooming out: Securing a multiyear ESPN2 deal is a positive sign both for the WNFC and overall interest in women’s tackle football, which is growing as the league sees better exposure. And while a nationally-televised title game is big, so is an entire season: AUSL aired all regular-season games across ESPN networks in 2025 and saw an 88% YoY viewership boost from the previous season.
- The WNFC’s growing Victory+ viewership is also empowering the burgeoning sports streamer, which has stepped in to fill the gap from previous RSNs and is becoming a major player with WNBA team deals. But it’s not the only game in town — and both leagues and streamers are getting more competitive than ever. Game on.
💸 Retired WNBA players will receive over $14M thanks to new CBA
Remember when the WNBA and WNBPA agreed to a CBA deal so the 2026 season could start? Well, they weren’t quite finished signing the dotted line. Last week, Front Office Sports reported both sides officially completed the full CBA, which includes a “Veteran Recognition Payment.”
- This means that over $14M will make its way to about 280 retired WNBA players, with award amounts commensurate with time in the league. Playing at least five years banks a minimum of $30K, while 12 or more years in the W (or, being voted league MVP) means $100K. Cha-ching.
🍺 The Sports Bra shares updates on its community investment campaign
Two weeks ago, The Sports Bra announced a new public investment opportunity that lets anyone own “a piece of the bra” for a $250 get-in price. Yesterday, the bar confirmed its campaign amassed over $686K in 14 days, 55% of its $1.24M goal. According to its data, women comprise the majority of investors, proving the power and appeal of this grassroots strategy.
📱 Sports Business Journal report finds most popular sports apps don’t have scores for emerging women’s sports leagues
Professional women’s sports has grown exponentially in recent years, but the tech hasn’t fully caught up. According to the Sports Business Journal’s Rachel Axon, score offerings on the nine most popular sports apps (ranging from ESPN in first to The Athletic in ninth) largely exclude U.S. pro women’s sports leagues that have launched since 2024.
- That includes the PWHL, which only has scores on theScore and The Athletic. Gainbridge Super League fixtures are on the ESPN app, and Unrivaled scores are on Bleacher Report’s app. However at least five pro leagues, including both full-season volleyball leagues and AUSL, lack inclusion across all top sports apps. A swing and a miss.
🏀 Dick’s Sporting Goods renewed multiyear partnerships with the Chicago Sky and Minnesota Lynx through the 2028 season. Slam dunk.
💜 The Golden State Community Foundation partnered with the Valkyries and team sponsor Kaiser Permanente for She Plays On, a campaign focused on keeping girls in sports by donating $25 from every jersey sold.
🏆 Jordan Chiles and Kelley O’Hara join a star-studded list of athletes who have officially committed to the Fanatics Games in July.
💰 Bolt Ventures led the latest strategic funding round for Just Women’s Sports, which closed last week.
⛳ There’s a new trend at play in women’s golf: Playing events at popular PGA Tour stops famous in the men’s golf world, continued by the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera. Nice shot.
🏨 What to check out
Why some U.S. hotels fear a World Cup tourism flop. Despite FIFA’s massive ticket sales, hotel groups say bookings across several host cities are lagging behind expectations ahead of the 2026 men’s World Cup. Not exactly the economic slam dunk many expected.
🧠 What to retrain
Your brain. Turns out, movement gives you a better dopamine hit than doomscrolling. Try swapping a screen break for a walk—your brain (and body) will thank you.
💧 What to learn about
This runner-turned-eco-inventor who replaced thousands of single-use race cups with reusable silicone ones. Saving the planet one sip and one race at a time.
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 Katie Kehoe Foster, Alessandra Puccio, and Lisa Minutillo. Managing edits by Molly Potter, Katie Kehoe Foster, and Ellen Hyslop. Head of content Ellen Hyslop.