Soccer

K-pop activation at MLS playoff game signals prime opportunity for women’s sports to play into K-pop fandom

Korean entertainment company HYBE (which cultivated K-pop sensations BTS and Katseye) is getting into sports, sponsoring MLS club LAFC’s first playoff game later today at BMO Stadium. Inspired by Korean player Son Heung-Min’s impact on the team, HYBE is celebrating Korean culture with popular eats from Koreatown staple Love Hour and a lightshow set to K-pop hits.

October 29, 2025

Black Star shares details amid upcoming player showcase amid data proving power of Black soccer fandom

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Today, Black Star — ForSoccer’s media and events brand cultivating Black soccer culture — announced the player lineup and an exclusive capsule collection for the Allstate Next Wave National Showcase, the first national showcase displaying the skills of the top-ranked Black women soccer players in the U.S.

October 29, 2025

Canada’s NSL debuts its celebration to honor winningest team and fans

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The Northern Super League (NSL) ended its inaugural season yesterday with a Fan Appreciation Match for its popular club, AFC Toronto, which finished with the most regular-season points. Because of that, the NSL used the appreciation night to also award the Supporters’ Shield, a trophy that rewards the winningest team while also acknowledging the value of its fans.

October 20, 2025

Apple inks WSL deal amid white space in European women’s soccer for tech brands, streamers

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Yesterday, tech giant Apple announced an extensive partnership with the Barclays Women’s Super League (WSL) and Women’s Super League 2 (WSL 2), the top two tiers of women's pro soccer in the U.K. Through the deal, each team will utilize the latest Apple products to capture and analyze game footage in real time.

October 17, 2025

NWSL makes flurry of business-driven moves as playoffs approach

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As the NWSL builds toward its future (one commissioner Jessica Berman plans to lead), the league is making key decisions to level up its on-field product, including through its recent digital media partnership with The GIST. Let’s review a few of the NWSL’s moves announced this week, and what they might mean for the league and interested sponsors.

September 19, 2025

BWSL taps IMG to market international rights as UK women’s soccer league is primed for global following

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Last week, the Barclays Women’s Super League (BWSL) — the top flight for UK women’s soccer — enacted a multiyear partnership with global sports marketing firm IMG to exclusively handle its international media rights. The powerhouse agency has experience securing deals with top channels in emerging markets as well as wide-reaching platforms in popular regions.

September 08, 2025

Chelsea’s Alyssa Thompson signing highlights benefits, drawbacks for soccer sponsors amid athlete moves

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Alyssa Thompson is the latest NWSL star headed to Chelsea on a five-year deal that is commanding a $1.3M transfer fee. This follows the Blues’ play for Naomi Girma — when Chelsea paid a record $1.1M fee in January — and a general trend of USWNT standouts being courted across the pond.

September 05, 2025

Sports Business

Parity research indicates women’s soccer fans show above-average loyalty to sponsors in the space

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August 22, 2025

On Wednesday, women athlete sponsorship platform Parity released a report on the distinct brand opportunity among women’s soccer fans. While we’ve known that soccer fans tend to create uniquely passionate communities, Parity’s survey uncovered just how much that camaraderie extends to sponsors.

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The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #503

In our Victor Wembanyama era

October 28, 2025

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Remember the name.

The NBA is back in full swing, and one men’s hoops story is rising above them all: San Antonio Spur Victor Wembanyama’s breakout season. Even before he arrived to the league in 2023, Wemby was touted as the NBA’s next generational star. Now in his third season, the French big man is exploding on the court. There’s never been an athlete like the 7-foot-4 Wemby, and today’s episode of The GIST of It will break down why Wembanyama is him, including a look into all of his offseason side quests.