The GIST

Billionaire Marc Lasry and Avenue Sports Fund back out of NC Courage deal

Per Sportico, billionaire sports investor Marc Lasry and his sports-focused private equity (PE) firm Avenue Sports Fund are no longer pursuing the purchase of the NC Courage, citing “NWSL restrictions for private equity investment as a control[ling] owner in teams.” With the NWSL being a sports league that uniquely allows PE investment, let’s dive into what we know.

December 02, 2024

Angel City FC invests in team, community with multimillion dollar practice facility

⚽

Angel City FC (ACFC) announced yesterday that it’s constructing a new and improved, nine-acre performance center on California Lutheran University’s campus, the largest such facility dedicated exclusively to an NWSL club. The move comes as ACFC continues to strive for business growth and upping its valuation.

November 15, 2024

UK broadcasters Sky and the BBC agree to historic WSL media rights deal

⚽

Women’s footy has finally caught its big break across the pond. Last week, the WSL — the top flight of UK women’s soccer — inked a five-year rights extension with Sky Sports and the BBC worth $84.5M. The deal follows months of speculation and has already been dubbed the “most significant” TV contract for women’s soccer in the UK and Ireland.

November 04, 2024

Men in Blazers becomes an official NWSL media partner with support from Ally

⚽

In an exclusive with The GIST today, soccer media company Men in Blazers (MiB) announced it will become an official media partner of the NWSL. Its coverage will be led by women’s soccer vertical The Women’s Game (TWG), run by former USWNT star Sam Mewis, who spoke to The GIST yesterday about her experience with the company.

November 01, 2024

Celebrity investment is changing the game for women’s soccer, including for expansion team BOS Nation

⚽

Launch day didn’t go as planned for NWSL expansion club BOS Nation FC, but it did successfully announce celebrity investment from actress Elizabeth Banks and gymnast Aly Raisman yesterday. The franchise uniquely boasts an all-women ownership group, but its incoming celeb investment follows an NWSL trend that’s helped franchises shine bright and far.

October 16, 2024

Klarna teams up with Angel City FC for Hispanic Heritage Month capsule collection

⚽

In an exclusive with The GIST today, AI–powered payment brand Klarna and Angel City FC (ACFC) announced the launch of the team’s limited-edition Hispanic Heritage Month capsule collection. The “del alma de los ángeles” drop was created in collaboration with LA–based designer Hija De Tu Madre to celebrate women’s sports and the Latinx community.

October 02, 2024

LAFC activates stake in ACFC as MLS, NWSL club relationships enter new era

⚽

Shortly after Sportico confirmed ACFC as the hottest NWSL club on the market, the publication exclusively revealed that a top MLS team also wants in. Los Angeles FC (LAFC) — the league’s highest-valued franchise at $1.15B — activated a tenet of its stadium-sharing agreement with ACFC to acquire a small stake in the women’s side.

September 27, 2024

Sports Business

Sportico releases updated NWSL valuations for 2024

⚽

September 27, 2024

Following the first-ever public NWSL valuations released last October, Sportico crunched the numbers again to determine updated 2024 values for the league’s 14 teams. The latest data not only show that the entire league is skyrocketing in value, but also that certain clubs have climbed the rankings thanks to dedicated owner investment.

Read Full Story

The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #416

PWHL sophomore season preview, plus a conversation with the Minnesota Frost’s Taylor Heise

November 28, 2024

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

PWHL sophomore season preview, plus a conversation with the Minnesota Frost’s Taylor Heise

Ready the Zamboni!

The PWHL’s sophomore season is just days away, so today’s episode is all about previewing the action before the puck drops on Season 2 on Saturday. From standout rookies to women’s hockey vets, the PWHL is dripping with talent, and co-hosts Ellen Hyslop and Steph Rotz have everything you need to know.

Speaking of massive talent, stick around for part two, where El chats with the Minnesota Frost’s Taylor Heise, the first pick in the inaugural 2023 PWHL draft. Heise already has one league championship to her name and is itching to add to her trophy collection — in between featuring in EA Sports NHL 25, of course. Puck yeah.

A big thank you to Aflac for partnering with us on today’s episode! Add Aflac to your team to close the insurance gap today. Learn more at aflac.com/thegist.