Par for the course

The GIST: The LPGA is following up last week’s game-changing sponsorship announcements with another one — this time, with Ally. It’s the progressive online bank’s first move into the golf space as it becomes the official retail banking partner of the USGA, U.S. Open, and U.S. Women’s Open. Play it as it Ally-s.

The details: The deal includes an extensive investment with NBC Universal, allowing Ally exclusive access to in-broadcast features during the U.S. Women’s Open, which has a record $12M purse this year. The agreement counts towards Ally’s 50/50 Pledge to spend equally on men’s and women’s sports media by 2027, which is expected to reach 45/55 by the end of 2024.

The athlete connection: Through the partnership, world No. 1 Lilia Vu will also become the latest member of Team Ally, a collective of famous athletes and influencers. Vu and her caddie will sport Ally’s logo on their hats during competitions — a big win considering Vu’s golf ’fit is running out of real estate.

The reasoning: Reaching golf’s affluent audience is smart business for many premium brands, and Ally clearly wants in on this approach. Golf has traditionally partnered with luxury watch companies like Rolex and financial institutions like Mastercard, while newcomers include tech’s SHI International and World Wide Technology.

Zooming out: It pays to be an ally, especially since women’s sports fans are exceedingly loyal. Rolex saw 9x higher engagement with women’s sports fans, and after investing heavily in women’s sports, Ally’s one of only four major U.S. banks that gained consumer trust in 2023.

• Plus, LPGA sponsors saw up to 400% ROI last year, making Ally’s investment in the golf tour a prudent one. Expect others to tee up in the future.

The GIST: In an effort to peer into the internal workings of the league, Shattered Glass: A WNBPA Story premiered on free streaming service Tubi yesterday. The documentary focuses on three athletes at the top of their game: NY Liberty stars Breanna Stewart and Jonquel Jones, and WNBPA president and current free agent Nneka Ogwumike (pronounced NEH-kuh oh-GWOO-mih-kay).

The plot: In a unique twist, the doc mostly centers around the work of the WNBPA — the longest running union in women’s professional sports — and how it’s preparing for November’s collective bargaining agreement (CBA) negotiations.

• The league’s 2020 CBA was groundbreaking and saw numerous improvements, including salary increases, paid maternity leave, and the development of free agency. However, players are still hoping for more advancements in the future.

• The aforementioned Stewie shared with Axios that additional roster spots, charter flights (a recently contentious issue), and pensions for retired players are all hot topics heading into this year’s negotiations.

The trend: From Netflix’s Under Pressure and Break Point to HBO’s Angel City, more streamers are cashing in on the women’s sports boom. And at the same time, women athletes are recognizing the power of storytelling in driving fandom and support.

• As Fubo Studios’ head Pam Duckworth recently told The GIST, there’s demand at every level to share on- and off-court women’s sports stories. “I like that kind of angle: [women are] finally getting respect for everything they do.” Couldn’t agree more.

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