Ready, set, glow
From The GIST Sports Biz (hi@thegistsports.com)
Leveling The Playing Field
Hi there!
The WNBA CBA deadline came and went, but both sides appear to still be working on a resolution. Reports indicate the WNBA and WNBPA met for a 12-hour bargaining session, yet no deal was agreed upon. Hopefully, the lengthy meeting indicates both sides are close to finalizing the details so the season can launch as planned on May 8th. Teamwork makes the dream work.
F1
🏎️ Ready, set, glow
The GIST: Today, F1 Academy — the racing league’s circuit for women drivers — named Sephora as its official beauty retail partner. The global beauty store is the latest in the space to flag racing as a place to connect with women fans, as many are being drawn to the sport.
- As women fandom in racing grows, and as opportunities increase for women drivers, Sephora is one of many brands thinking about how to bridge the gap and bring women F1 fans who support the men’s league to its women’s equivalent. Revved up.
The details: The deal brings Sephora products to fans at select F1 Academy races with activations such as glam bars, which will be held in the F1’s hospitality suite. Additionally, Sephora is hosting a new event celebrating drivers at the end of the season, and is adding a branded livery to rookie driver Natalia Granada’s car.
The history: Sephora went big on its sports strategy in 2025, starting with its Unrivaled partnership and Toronto Tempo deal last January. In April, Sephora became a founding Golden State Valkyries sponsor before its inaugural tipoff, which extended to include the NBA’s Warriors in November. And last July, Sephora teamed up with AUSL — a smart move in a league with plenty of white space.
The context: Sephora isn’t the first beauty brand to enter the chat: E.l.f. made waves when it sponsored NASCAR driver Katherine Legge last April, which it doubled down on a month later. And industry leaders like Wella and Charlotte Tilbury have also flocked to F1 Academy.
- The growth in women F1 fandom is promising: They account for 3 of 4 new fans in an F1–commissioned study, where nearly half of respondents were Gen Z women. And converting them to F1 Academy fans has been fairly successful, as 42% of women F1 fans watch the women’s racing series, too.
Zooming out: The data indicates that F1’s surge of women fans — largely driven by mainstream exposure thanks to shows like Drive To Survive — coincides with the generation’s focus on gender equity in sport. F1’s recent deal with Apple reflects growing interest in the U.S., and F1 Academy is still fairly new, meaning there’s plenty of opportunity for brands to get high, concentrated exposure.
- And F1’s global prestige offers sponsors distinct brand recognition and loyalty. With so many women F1 fans already naturally gravitating toward F1 Academy, it makes sense that burgeoning sports sponsor Sephora wants to meet them there. Beautiful.
📈 Unrivaled shares season two wins across virtually all metrics
On Tuesday, Unrivaled shared wins from its second season across social media, merch sales, viewership, and attendance success in Miami and Philadelphia. And because of its compensation structure, more revenue meant more player earnings — something to consider as the WNBPA keeps pushing for greater revenue sharing in ongoing CBA negotiations.
💎 Unrivaled players sport GLD as popular jewelry brand makes exec move
When Breanna Stewart accepted her Unrivaled MVP trophy, she was sporting a Cuban link chain necklace worth over $35K from GLD, a surging lifestyle and beauty brand that had a major presence at Unrivaled. Fellow players Erica Wheeler, Natasha Cloud, Rickea Jackson, Shakira Austin, Aaliyah Edwards, and Rhyne Howard were also spotted in GLD this season. Shine bright.
🏒 Canadian brand Royale launches PWHL activation
Toronto Sceptres forward Emma Maltais is teaming up with Canadian paper brand Royale for an initiative where, instead of giving young fans her autograph, Maltais asked them to sign her jersey and pledge to continue playing hockey.
- Royale’s activation is driven by reports that one in three Canadian girls drop out of sports early, promising to donate $25 per signature (for the first 1K) to the PWHL Mentorship Program. The good news? Many Canadian girls are more interested in sports than ever, with encouragement like this paving their path.
🍎 NWSL and WNFC launch health-focused advisory councils focused on women athletes
This week, the NWSL launched the NWSL Health Advisory Council to bring together medical professionals and athletes in hopes of improving athlete health and wellbeing across the league. New NWSL health and wellness partner, CVS Health, will also provide advice and strategic planning for the initiative.
- Similarly, the Women’s National Football Conference (WNFC) announced its own medical advisory group last year — the first advisory body for women in pro tackle football — and named its members yesterday. Great minds think alike.
Trying to break into the sports industry (or grow within it) can feel isolating. The GIST Plus — our new premium membership community — creates space for honest career conversations.
Job paths, hiring trends, and hot tips are all discussed openly on our Discord. You’ll hear what fans are reacting to and how the industry is responding.
It’s community, context, and career intel (sprinkled in with some fun women’s sports banter) in one place. If that sounds helpful to you, check out The GIST Plus today.
💸 The number of sponsorship deals across Europe’s top women’s soccer leagues is up 53% since the 2022–2023 season. Ace.
⚽ Mercury13, the PE firm dedicated to acquiring women’s soccer franchises in Europe and Latin America, expanded to Spain by purchasing a majority stake in FC Badalona Women.
🏀 UConn star (and friend of The GIST) Azzi Fudd enjoyed her eighth straight month as the top-earning woman athlete on NIL merch platform NIL Store for February.
🤘 Kevin Durant partnered with the University of Texas for a comprehensive NIL program and kicked things off by gifting Longhorns hooper Madison Booker shoes and apparel from his brand. Hook ‘em.
📺 Roku expanded its X Games partnership by securing exclusive streaming rights for the newly-launched X Games League, although its linear rights will remain with ESPN.
🎙️ Marriot Bonvoy is teaming up with the Indiana Fever’s Sophie Cunningham’s Show Me Something podcast to launch Live From the Bracket, a limited March Madness podcast series.
🚗 MorningConsult shared new data about why prominent sports sponsor Toyota leads the automobile category. Going places.
📊 What to check out
These participation numbers. AP reports girls’ high school basketball participation has dropped at least 21% since 2000, raising questions about access and the youth pipeline.
🍝 What to watch
Megan Thee Stallion’s Milan food reviews. The rapper tours Milan’s food scene alongside Olympic gold medalist Laila Edwards. An iconic duo.
😂 What to laugh at
This SNL promo. Heated Rivalry star Connor Storrie and James Austin Johnson go head-to-head in an accent duel ahead of SNL. No notes.
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