Weekly Newsletter 3/29
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INNOVATION IN ACTION
STAFFING THE FRONT OFFICE FOR THE FANS
Adidas made history with a Name Image and Likeness deal that transcends the NCAA landscape. The brand announced on Wednesday that it is forming an NIL network that will be accessible to its 109 NCAA Division I partner schools. Through the program, eligible students across 23 D-I sports will have the opportunity to become a paid affiliate brand ambassador with Adidas, a first for a major sports brand. The initiative is the latest chapter of Adidas’s “Impossible Is Nothing” campaign, which promotes the brand’s goal of creating a more equitable and inclusive future in sports. Athletes need to view themselves as brands and their own personal media companies. The emergence of NIL and athlete-driven media is setting the stage for an era of athlete empowerment and opportunity.
Sports Innovation Lab Events
NAVIGATING THE FUTURE OF SPORTS
Our CEO and Co-Founder, Angela Ruggiero, joined Sue Anstiss on The Game Changers Podcast to discuss how Fans of Women’s Sports will dominate the future of our industry. The 4X Olympian knows first-hand what it is like to play professional women’s sports, and understands how the industry needs to change. Armed with the real fan intelligence data from our Fan Project initiative, hear how Angela believes the industry can unlock the business potential of women’s sports.
The Fan Project Spotlight
A BACK-TO-BACK RIDE TO THE TOP FOR THE PRIDE
The Boston Pride repeated as Premier Hockey Federation Champions with their 4-2 win over the Connecticut Whale in the Isobel Cup Finals in Tampa Bay, FL. The Pride are the first franchise to win consecutive PHF Championships, and this was the franchise’s third Isobel Cup since 2015. ESPN2 aired the championship game on Monday as well as the two semifinal matchups on Sunday. This was the first time the network aired a linear broadcast of a professional women’s hockey game. After a full season on ESPN+, and the final games getting air time on a major linear network, the PHF and its partners are clearly focused on growing the audience for women’s hockey and reaching new fans. In The Fan Project Report, we introduced the Community-Based Monetization Model, which emphasizes producing, distributing, and measuring women’s sports differently. The league should look to build on this energy by continuing to think differently about the ways it delivers the product of women’s hockey to fans.