The Call Up | The GIST

Using tentpole moments to break into or grow within the sports industry

The cyclical nature of sports means there’s always something big on the horizon. These tentpole moments — from the Super Bowl and Grey Cup to FIFA World Cups and playoff pushes — represent the best of competition and golden opportunities to accelerate your career.

October 13, 2026

Being entrepreneurial with Kirby Porter

🏀

Kirby Porter isn’t just any C-suite exec: She was named Unrivaled’s CBO at just 27 years old, after a career that spanned working for corporate and venture capital firms, launching her own podcast, and founding a startup called New Game Labs. At Unrivaled, she’s responsible for crafting how the league shows up in the world — and making sure more of the world gets to see it.

October 08, 2026

New report from the Women’s Sports Foundation highlights a potential pipeline disruption

The Women’s Sports Foundation (WSF) dropped its inaugural WSF Sport Report™ 2026 to provide an in-depth look at whether the current pipeline can sustain the women’s sports boom.

October 06, 2026

Adidas announces multiyear partnership with Unrivaled

🏀

Adidas signed a new multiyear partnership with Unrivaled yesterday, becoming the league’s official uniform and performance apparel partner starting in the 2027 season, a switch from its initial deal in 2024 with Under Armour.

September 24, 2026

Upshot league continues making moves after completion of inaugural season

🏀

In case you needed a reminder, the Upshot League debuted in May in hopes of fulfilling a much-needed development gap for the WNBA. While the 5v5 league isn’t associated with the W like the G League is with the NBA, it allows more women to stay game-ready and offers professional scouts an easy way to track talent when roster spots open up from inevitable injuries.

September 22, 2026

Looking at three decades of the cultural impact of WNBA fashion

🏀

The WNBA is the most-followed women’s sports league in the world, and its 30th anniversary has been a celebration of the players and the everyday people contributing to that achievement. From a branding perspective, the W has always been one-of-one, and the look and feel of this league is just as remarkable and impactful today as it was in the 90s.

September 19, 2026

New data underscores a record-breaking regular season for the WNBA

🏀

Over 1.2M people watched Team USA win its fifth consecutive FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup despite competing with the US Open men’s final and the NFL’s first Sunday of the season. Needless to say, fans are ready for more hoops.

September 17, 2026

Racing Louisville FC’s future in doubt following unprecedented league growth

The Call Up

Racing Louisville FC’s future in doubt following unprecedented league growth

⚽

September 15, 2026

There are a lot of questions surrounding the future of Racing Louisville FC in the NWSL. While most clubs are making (or considering) major infrastructure investments and looking to capitalize on the bright future of women’s soccer, Racing Louisville is falling behind despite only being in the league for five years.

Read Full Story

The GIST of It Podcast

Ep #596

Rob Gronkowski talks gameday spreads and growth mindset

October 08, 2026

Listen on Apple Music Listen on Spotify

Rob Gronkowski talks gameday spreads and growth mindset

Today’s episode is all about the gridiron. First, The GIST’s managing editor Lauren Tuiskula sits down with the one and only Rob Gronkowski to chat about the four-time Super Bowl champ’s broadcasting debut, growth mindset, and go-to gameday eats. Then, Tuiskula and co-host Ellen Hyslop forecast the Week 5 football climate. No flags on this play.