Sports Business | The GIST

Gotham FC announces move to Queens’ Etihad Stadium in 2028

The NWSL’s Gotham FC made a huge announcement this week: In 2028, the team will move from New Jersey’s Sports Illustrated Stadium to Etihad Park, the massive, all-electric stadium being built in Flushing, Queens.

July 09, 2026

PWHL expands summer camp initiative across markets in year two, encouraging fandom and sponsor opportunities

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Following success in year one, the PWHL announced the expansion of its PWHL Summer Camps program to over 30 events across 16 U.S. and Canadian cities. The camps — which feature PWHL staff and players — will take place over the next two months and welcome all ages and skill levels.

July 09, 2026

NWSL shares midseason growth metrics driven by increased attendance and access

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On Friday, the NWSL shared midseason KPIs and milestones that illustrate explosive, multidimensional growth. The league saw gains across every major metric — a positive sign in the lead up to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

July 07, 2026

WTA releases new content series spotlighting athletes’ global connections to food and culture

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The WTA is embracing storytelling opportunities around its global (and highly-marketable) athletes. In May, the women’s tennis league debuted Style Unpacked, a docuseries that paired WTA athletes with world-class stylists. Last week, the WTA recalibrated that formula with WTA Tour Bites, an original series that tells personal stories through the lens of food.

June 30, 2026

The NWSL is getting in on soccer’s North American surge

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It’s a rare and special moment when soccer is the mainstream sport in North America, one American soccer (specifically, the NWSL) wants to sustain after the crowds head home. In May, the women’s soccer league announced its Summer of Soccer initiative to capitalize on WC fervor. In June, we spoke to NWSL CMO Rachel Epstein about why the league has “locked arms” with FIFA and how the tourney can be an entry point for sustained footy fandom.

June 27, 2026

Teeing off on the lucrative growth of women’s golf

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The prize pool for this weekend’s KPMG Women’s PGA Championship is an astounding $13M, the largest purse in women’s golf history. As the players, ahem, swing into action this morning, let’s tee off on the lucrative growth of the women's game.

June 25, 2026

PWHL welcomes outside investment for first time in league history

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In big PHWL news, the women’s hockey league under a single-entity ownership structure opened itself to outside investment for the first time yesterday. The PWHL — founded and owned by Mark and Kimbra Walter — welcomed Kilmer Sports Ventures and Ilitch Companies into the league as strategic investors with a commitment of over $100M.

June 23, 2026

The Realest teams up with the WPBL for a series dedicated to women’s baseball

Sports Business

The Realest teams up with the WPBL for a series dedicated to women’s baseball

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June 18, 2026

There’s nothing more American than baseball (cards), right? That’s the idea behind sports authentication platform The Realest’s new partnership with the Women’s Pro Baseball League (WPBL). Together, they will launch and develop the first officially licensed trading card program for an active pro women’s baseball league in the U.S..

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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.