The Albany Gazette - The GIST Doubles Revenue Amid Rising Demand for Equal Sports Coverage

NEW YORK CITY, NY / ACCESS Newswire / March 25, 2026 / The GIST, an inclusive sports media brand dedicated to leveling the playing field by providing equitable coverage to both women's and men's sports, today reports 100% year-over-year growth in revenue and expanded partnerships with leading global brands, including Toyota and Adobe. A broader industry shift toward equal sports coverage is driving this momentum, as brands move beyond one-off women's sports campaigns to integrated strategies that mirror how modern fans actually consume sports.

"Female fans are real, engaged, and influential - and they don't experience sports in silos," said Jacie deHoop, co-founder at The GIST. "They're obsessed with Coco Gauff and Trinity Rodman, and with Josh Allen and Steph Curry. They want one destination that covers it all, and so do the brands trying to reach them. That's exactly what we've built, and it's why brand partners including Nike, Toyota, Adobe and Chase work with us. We help them show up credibly across the entire sports landscape, not just in pockets of it."

The company's numbers tell the story. Women's sports-driven revenue grew 118% year-over-year while campaigns integrating women's and men's sports - the kind that reflect how fans actually watch and engage - surged 270% and now represent 46% of The GIST's total revenue mix.

For Super Bowl LX, The GIST scored its first official NFL deal and teamed up with brand partners to diversify how they were connecting with fans and bring more awareness to women in sports during one of the biggest sports moments of the year.

That demand from sponsors to authentically connect with female fans showed up clearly across Super Bowl weekend. Toyota teamed up with The GIST and the NFL at the NFL Media Center to champion the growth of girls' flag football while Adobe tapped The GIST to put creative tools in the hands of female sports content creators using AI and NFL templates to turn fans into storytellers. Together, the activations showcase how leagues and brands are partnering with The GIST to reach women fans in ways that go far beyond traditional media buys.

"Around the Super Bowl, we sought partners to elevate our investment in the future of girls flag football, including the Toyota Glow Up Classic - a glow-in-the-dark game that marks a moment-defining step for the sport," said Dedra Delilli, VP of Marketing Communications at Toyota. "The GIST's deep connection to the women's sports community made them a natural collaborator to bring visibility to the event and the broader conversation. They have a unique way of engaging that community, and they certainly delivered."

"Working with The GIST allows us to reach fans across women's and men's sports authentically," said Meredith Batcheller, Head of Global Sports Marketing at Adobe. "They know sports fans better than anyone else in the space right now. Through our mission, empowering everyone to create, Adobe equips fans with creativity tools powered by AI to express their passion for their sport. The way Gist creators are able to shape storytelling across leagues and genders makes our campaigns resonate with diverse audiences. Partnerships like this help us integrate into main stages like the Super Bowl in a way that actually adds value to the fan experience and connect with fans in unique ways that other traditional media can't."

"Doubling revenue is a milestone, but it's by no means the finish line," said deHoop. "We're proving that building for underserved fans is the future of sports media. The brands and leagues that get that early are the ones winning right now, and we're just getting started."

2025 Highlights:

Record Revenue Growth & Profitability:

• 100% growth in revenue year-over-year

• 140% growth in average deal size year-over-year

• Profitable

Partnership Expansion & Equal Coverage Leadership:

• Women's sports revenue grew 118% year-over-year

• Integrated women's and men's sports campaigns grew 270% year-over-year

• Partnerships with leading global brands, including Toyota and Adobe

What's Next for 2026 and Beyond

The GIST entered 2026 with a bang securing brand partnerships around the Super Bowl and increasing coverage around the Milan-Cortina Winter Olympic Games, and the team plans on continuing momentum into the second half of the year as well.

To keep the celebrations roaring and recognize the incredible female athletes who competed at the Olympic Winter Games, The GIST is partnering with rapper and long-time GISTer Flavor Flav to co-host the She Got Game weekend in Las Vegas this July. The event will go beyond just awareness - The GIST will coordinate with brands to provide resources such as corporate job opportunities and networking, and lock in sponsorship deals for the athletes.

About The GIST:

Founded in 2018, The GIST is a women-led sports media company built for the fans the traditional sports world overlooks. Through witty newsletters, podcasts, and social content, The GIST delivers equitable coverage of women's and men's sports to an inclusive and growing community of fans. For more information, visit thegistsports.com or follow The GIST on TikTok (@thegistsports), Instagram (@thegistusa, @thegistca), and X/Twitter (@thegistusa, @thegistca).

Media Contact:
Martina Corona
[email protected]
781-346-3349

SOURCE: The GIST

View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire

(W.Williams--TAG)