Butterfly effect

The GIST: Unrivaled enjoyed a strong debut in its inaugural season, but some are concerned the novelty has worn off. With the exception of its 1v1 tournament, league viewership has petered off since January, with TNT Sports execs telling the Sports Business Journal’s Mollie Cahillane they believe the league should consider touring to reach new markets. Taking it coast to coast.

The details: Unrivaled hasn’t committed to switching up its current model as early as next season, but two TNT producers are already pushing for it. It’s rare for a broadcaster to offer public input on how sports leagues are run, but TNT has a uniquely vested interest: It's Unrivaled’s exclusive broadcast partner and a league investor.

• Touring Unrivaled games would not only allow for more fans and local sponsors to enjoy the action up close, but could add more production value to the broadcasts. Since all games are currently played at the same venue with limited capacity, they tend to look the same on TV, drawing comparisons to the WNBA’s “Wubble” in 2020.

The problem: Despite concerns on the production side, it’s worth noting that the Medley venue was purpose-built for the Unrivaled season. Players have raved about facility amenities unique to women’s sports, such as glam suites and childcare centers, thanks to the league’s partnership with Mediapro, which also outfitted the venue with broadcast tech.

• Plus, Unrivaled has already worked to integrate sponsor advertising across its facility, with brands like State Farm, Morgan Stanley, Sprite, and Vistaprint all visible through on-court signage. Uniform sponsor Under Armour also sells apparel at the venue, while makeup partner Sephora is featured in its tunnel walk.

Looking ahead: While other leagues like Athletes Unlimited and the PWHL have enjoyed the benefits of touring their leagues, it remains to be seen if that will work with Unrivaled’s gameplan and its promises to brands. So much has been invested into its existing facility, the cost may be too great for the league and its sponsors to take the show on the road.

• Alternatively, utilizing a tour to increase attendance and broadcast reach wouldn’t just help TNT, but would help Unrivaled’s sponsors with additional opportunities for on-court signage and advertising. Much to think about.

The GIST: Women’s sports grew in just about every way last year, including on the ad side. A new report from TV marketing firm EDO illustrates how much advertisers were willing to spend in the women’s sports industry and what they got out of it. Let’s dive into the numbers.

📺 $244M: The total ad spend in women’s sports, marking a 139% increase YoY. This was driven by a 131% jump in TV viewership for women’s sports, with women’s basketball receiving the largest chunk of ad spend.

🔎 40%: The increase in impact for ads that aired during women’s sports programs compared to the average primetime advertisements, according to brand searches after these spots aired. That’s not surprising considering the brand loyalty and awareness among women’s sports fans. Here for it.

🥍 25%: How much ad effectiveness increased when brands advertised around NCAA women’s lacrosse, which was the most engaging women’s sports event for advertisers in 2024. The US Open women’s singles action, women’s March Madness, college gymnastics, and the WNBA all followed closely behind.

⭐ 103%: The increase in ad efficacy when a WNBA player starred in an ad during a W game, with the NWSL also seeing 39% more efficacy when ads during their games starred its athletes. Plus, certain players drove more brand value: State Farm spots with USC standout JuJu Watkins were 20% more impactful than the company’s average commercial. Nothing average here.

😅 USWNT legends Tobin Heath and Christen Press know a thing or two about high-pressure moments — but launching their company, RE-INC, came with a whole new set of challenges. From re-imagining soccer fandom to managing day-to-day finances, building their business takes more than just grit — it takes the right tools.

• That’s where Intuit QuickBooks comes in. With an all-in-one platform, QuickBooks enables small business owners to automate and grow critical aspects of their organization, leaving them time to focus on what really matters — changing the game.

• Click here to learn how QuickBooks helps small businesses thrive.