Coast to coast

The GIST: Yesterday, Rebel Girls (RG) — a digital media company created to inspire Gen Alpha girls — announced two major partnerships with emerging pro women’s sports leagues: League One Volleyball (LOVB) and Athletes Unlimited Softball League (AUSL).

• The GIST chatted with RG CEO Jes Wolfe yesterday about why these leagues are the perfect place to meet the next generation of fans. A rebel with a cause.

Rebel Girls: In 2016, the brand sought to close the gender gap in children’s books by launching a Kickstarter campaign for its inaugural book spotlighting 100 inspirational women in history. Since then, RG has rapidly become a sprawling multiplatform brand that reaches 36M girls and their families globally with 11M books sold, 28M podcast downloads, and 37M views on YouTube.

• Speaking of YouTube, Gen Alpha girls spend an average of 84 minutes a day on the platform, with 69% of the generation getting their sports content there. This tracks with RG’s own metrics: Its sports-themed storytelling accounts for 45% of its top 20 most-watched YouTube videos.

The partnerships: Thanks to yesterday’s signings, RG is now LOVB Omaha’s official jersey partner and will feature its athletes in cross-channel content. On the AUSL side, RG became its official media rights partner, with more details coming soon. Can’t wait.

The alignment: It makes sense for these up and coming leagues to seek RG’s expertise on Gen Alpha, which encompasses anyone born between 2010 and 2024. Wolfe describes them as “the most diverse and the most educated generation in history” with almost 2B kids globally and a projected economic impact of $5T by 2029.

• And although Gen A is very online, they still love to play the game IRL — especially volleyball and softball. Though 95% of current LOVB players are Gen Z, the next generation is quickly lining up to serve at junior clubs. Little League Softball has around 300K participants aged 4 to 16 worldwide and has seen 8% growth in participation since 2018.

Zooming out: It’s a win that entities focused on empowering women can unite in a shared mission, but it’s also crucial for companies like RG looking to land sports opportunities at a lower price point. With the price of men’s sports sponsorship often out of reach, women’s sports have been a boon for niche, women-focused brands seeking distinct and mutually beneficial partnerships. On to the next.

The GIST: For the very first time, a whopping 12 teams are competing in the College Football Playoff (CFP), which means there’s never been a better time to choose a winner and make a free bracket (March Madness–style) with The GIST.

What’s at stake: In addition to clinching the ultimate bragging rights as The GIST’s top college football fan, the top three brackets will win Ticketmaster gift cards: $300 for first, $200 for second, and $100 for third. Perfect for buying tickets to a sporting event or concert.

How to play: Sign up for free and we’ll remind you to lock in your picks before the CFP officially begins. It’s that easy!

Knowledge is power, and that’s exactly why Canadian Women & Sport is teeing up a pair of data-driven resources to help level the playing field — they’re not the country’s leading voice on gender equity in sport for nothing.

• 1️⃣ The “It’s Time” insight reports, presented by Canadian Tire Corporation, collected data from thousands of pro women’s sports fans across Canada to learn about their fandom and what makes them tick.

• 2️⃣ In partnership with Canadian Tire Jumpstart Charities, The 2024 Rally Report lays out the need-to-know numbers about Canadian girls’ sports participation while highlighting ways to keep girls in the game.

Whether you’re a savvy investor looking to expand your business’ reach, a passionate sports advocate, or just curious about the women’s sports landscape, Canadian Women & Sport has your back.