The GIST - Touch that grass
From The GIST Team |
Happy hump day!Looking for a little midweek pick-me-up? Look no further than today’s newsletter as we fly into your inbox with the latest from the court to the diamond and everything in between. Let’s do this. |
Quote of The Day |
It’s the place that I’ve dreamt of playing all my life. | |
— LA Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, sharing his excitement about playing in his first World Series, which will be a true clash of titans, pitting the Dodgers against the NY Yankees. Friday can’t come soon enough. |
The Latest |
🖊️ Let’s get down to business
Source: Scott Taetsch/Getty Images
The GIST: As discussed on yesterday’s episode of The GIST of It, less than 24 hours after the WNBA Finals final whistle, the Women’s National Basketball Players Association (WNBPA) announced on Monday that they’re opting out of their historic 2020 collective bargaining agreement (CBA). These women mean business — let’s hoop to it. The priorities: The WNBPA will push for an equity-based economic model to build on the players’ 10% share of league revenue, while additional points of negotiation will include professional standards (no children’s birthday parties here) and retirement, pregnancy, and family planning benefits. Yes, please. The complexity: The NBA has been subsidizing the WNBA for years, which has allowed the W to take millions of dollars in losses as it continues to build — but because of this, the WNBA only controls 42% of its cap table. The NBA controls another 42% and an investment group that includes Nike owns the remaining 16% after a $75M capital raise in 2022.
Looking ahead: The WNBPA has until the end of next season to strike a deal with the league, but according to current ESPN analyst (and former W hooper) Chiney Ogwumike, the players are in no rush to finalize a deal and would consider a work stoppage if necessary. What we do know is that the league wins when its players do — watch this space. *P.S. Want to learn more about the business of women’s sports? Subscribe to our three-times weekly sports biz newsletter. |
⚽ Touch that grass
Source: MLS/X
The GIST: The quest for the 2024 MLS Cup is officially underway, but while you’ll have to wait until Friday to see Lionel Messi’s MLS postseason debut with Eastern Conference top-seed Inter Miami CF, fantastic postseason footy is already…afoot. Let’s kick it. How it works: The playoffs begin with a whirlwind 48-hour single-elimination Wild Card round, which began last night and wraps tonight. The Wild Card operates like the NBA’s play-in tournament and sees the No. 8 and No. 9 seeds in the Eastern and Western Conferences battle on their respective coasts to clinch the final two Round One spots.
The Wild Card games: No. 9 Atlanta United clinched the Eastern Conference Wild Card berth last night, topping No. 8 CF Montréal 5-4 in penalties after the Canadian squad’s tremendous second-half comeback evened the score at 2–2 in regulation. It’s all about how you finish.
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Buzzer Beaters |
🏆 To absolutely no one’s surprise, Sunday’s WNBA Finals Game 5 between the champion NY Liberty and Minnesota Lynx was the most-watched Finals game in 25 years, garnering 2.2M viewers, a 142% increase from last year’s clinching game. Going out with a bang. 🏀 The 79th NBA season opener delivered iconic moments from the first tip as the Boston Celtics started their title defense with a 132–109 rout of the NY Knicks, and LA Lakers father-son duo LeBron James and Bronny shared the court for the first time in LA’s 110–103 win over the Minnesota Timberwolves.
⚽ Over 100 pro women’s soccer players are urging FIFA to nix its partnership with Aramco after the sports governing body inked a partnership with the Saudi oil company in April. 🏈 NFL Week 8 doesn’t kick off until tomorrow, but there’s already a batch of NFL updates. Detroit Lions wide receiver (WR) Jameson Williams is facing a two-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing substances policy.
👑 The University of South Carolina will retire the jersey of legendary Gamecock (and reigning WNBA MVP) A’ja Wilson on February 2nd, before the top-ranked defending champs play Auburn. Queen sh!t. ⛳ The LPGA Tour continues play in Asia when the second edition of the Maybank Championship tees off from Malaysia tomorrow. Tune in to see if last week’s champ, Australia’s Hannah Green, can stay hot on the fairways or if France’s Celine Boutier can repeat in Kuala Lumpur. |
Giveaway Alert
Source: Fredo de Luna/VW PICS/Universal Images Group via Getty Images
It’s starting to get a little colder out there, so now’s the time to spoil yourself with a stay for two in one of the world’s most unique and gorgeous destinations: Tulum, Mexico. Vamos!
No time to waste — enter to win today. |
The GIST's Picks |
Peep our squad’s MVPs (Most Valuable Picks):
❤️ What to learnCPR. Chelsea FC captain Millie Bright is on a mission to bust taboos around giving CPR to women with the #CPRbra. 🎧 What to listen toThe Sports Gossip Show, a pod that digs into the sometimes messy off-field lives of athletes. Spill the tea every week with hosts Madeline Hill and Charlotte Wilder. 📖 What to readThis article on the women’s sports merchandise shortfall. Even during the WNBA’s massive 2024 season, fans struggled to find their favorite players’ gear. |
Fun & Games |
Question of the DayThis year’s MLB World Series will feature some of the biggest stars in the game — namely LA’s Shohei Ohtani and NY’s Aaron Judge — who happen to be fathers to the most adorable furry friends. With that in mind, we want to know: do you have a pet? |
Older messages
Last call! It’s your final chance to nab a limited edition “Bet on Women” t-shirt
Tuesday, October 22, 2024
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Sunday, October 20, 2024
Literal cinema
Sunday Scroll: What dreams are made of
Sunday, October 20, 2024
Iconic behavior
Down bad crying at the gym
Sunday, October 20, 2024
More than a game
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