Basketball

Caitlin Clark’s Xfinity partnership brings men’s sports fans into the WNBA fold

Every women’s sports fan knows the struggle of not finding the game they want to watch on TV. That’s the driver behind Xfinity’s campaign to highlight its expanding WNBA coverage across platforms — and to underscore its message, the telecomms company brought in one of the faces of the league: former Iowa Hawkeye and current Indiana Fever sensation Caitlin Clark.

June 11, 2026

Jess Smith breaks down the Golden State Valkyries’ billion-dollar strategy

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The Golden State Valkyries may as well be in Valhalla (or Ballhalla, as they call it). Shortly after the team shared its season two promotional campaign, CNBC deemed the Valks a billion-dollar franchise — the first in women’s sports history. That’s no accident. Valkyries president Jess Smith and her team have been busy building a juggernaut brand — and in a region full of fervent fans and powerful sponsors, that becomes a billion-dollar pursuit. Last month, we spoke with Smith about the strategies she’s implemented to reach this pinnacle, as well as what’s going to keep the club climbing in year two.

May 15, 2026

Nielsen, ESPN share WNBA viewership insights that illustrate league’s growth among key demos

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Earlier this week, Nielsen shared WNBA viewership insights from the 2025 season and the 2026 WNBA Draft. The numbers show impressive overall success, as well as high growth in specific demographics and regional markets. That, coupled with brand-new viewership data from ESPN, illustrates that the league is stronger than ever in year 30. Let’s get into the paint.

May 14, 2026

New Endy partnership illustrates value of partnering with Canadian WNBA athletes

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Canadian mattress brand Endy is returning as the WNBA’s official sleep partner in Canada, touting a new campaign that stars Canadian athletes across the league. The move doubles down on impressive fan growth in the country, which both Canadian and multinational brands are noting.

May 12, 2026

The Dallas Wings are shooting their shot

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This year, the Dallas Wings got lucky again. They landed back-to-back No. 1 overall picks, first choosing Paige Bueckers in 2025, then Bueckers’ former teammate Azzi Fudd just a month ago. (The pair are an item on and off the court, but don’t ask the club about it.) In April, we chatted with Wings CEO Greg Bibb about how the team has flourished under his tenure and the hype around the Dallas market, for W fans and brands alike. Everything’s bigger in Texas, after all.

May 09, 2026

Skechers chats about the brand’s basketball strategy amid its new WNBA partnership

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May 07, 2026

Sportico, CNBC share differing WNBA valuations that both prove rising value of the league

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Over the weekend, both Sportico and CNBC shared their estimated valuations for all WNBA teams. While both outlets came to the same conclusion — the Golden State Valkyries are the highest-valued team — they ended up with different calculations, likely because CNBC included the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire and Sportico did not. Let’s crunch the numbers.

May 05, 2026

Chase and WNBPA leaders discuss the value of their recent partnership

Sports Business

Chase and WNBPA leaders discuss the value of their recent partnership

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April 21, 2026

The WNBPA's new deal with JPMorganChase goes deeper than its previous partnerships.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #570

How FIFA lost control of the World Cup

July 07, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

On Sunday, FIFA shocked the world by announcing that American striker Folarin Balogun’s red card had been suspended, allowing the USMNT’s World Cup leading scorer to play in yesterday’s Round of 16 match against Belgium.

That decision set off a flurry of conversations about fairness and opportunity at the World Cup — particularly after a certain president inserted himself into the narrative. Today, co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz break down the situation, detailing how FIFA’s controversial decision sparked outrage from other competing nations, inciting chaos and tainting the legacy of this tourney.