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The National Football League has long considered women important in its efforts to broaden the league’s appeal additional profits received soon speed when taylor swift started dating my fianceTravis Kelce.
The NFL partnered with Beechs last year and finalized a partnership with female-fan-focused sports site The Gist in August.
“As we look to connect with this audience, authentic, real storytelling is absolutely critical,” said Marissa Solis, senior vice president of global brand and consumer marketing at the NFL. “So instead of doing targeted ads that don’t really connect… you give (Baches and The Gist) access, but they tell the story from their perspective, right there, front and center. And I think that connection is something that paid advertising can’t do.”
At the 2025 NFL Draft, some of the league’s top prospects were asked a few questions outside of specific sporting areas.
“What’s a skort?” an interviewer asked Travis Hunter, who gave his best guess.
“What is a primer?” He continued. Shemar Stewart wasn’t entirely convinced.
The questions were part of a social media video in which players were asked about women’s products. It was created by Batches, a media company that caters to young female audiences and has been viewed 1.5 million times. Instagram,
While it may not be traditional NFL content, it echoes and builds on the league’s effort to attract young women through partnerships with female-focused media outlets.
Both outlets receive access to additional league content as well as access to NFL tentpole events – the Super Bowl, the Draft and the Combine, to name a few – to create articles and content for their platforms. For example, Bacchus launched a tailgate tour series as part of its partnership, and The Gist launched a free game to predict each week’s winners.
All of these partnerships are aimed at growing and engaging the league’s large female fan base, a demographic that has often been underestimated or overlooked. A September survey by ipsos It was found that 41% American The women were NFL fans.
This translates into big business potential, leading the NFL to turn to outlets that already have deep relationships with women.
“We put women at the center of everything we do. It’s not an afterthought, it’s not like you’re adding a W at the end espn,” said Jackie DeHoop, who co-founded The Gist in 2017 with Ellen Hislop and Rosalyn McLarty. “More data and research on women is showing how deprived and huge this audience and fan base is.”
In addition to traditional game reports and on-the-field breakdowns, a big part of the strategy to attract a new generation of women and NFL fans more broadly is human-centric content. Through an approach the NFL is aptly calling “Helmet Off,” the league and their partners are focusing on content about the players themselves, trying to build stronger relationships using more personal storytelling.
According to Solis, that approach has “opened the door to really emotional and human-centered storytelling that really appeals to our female fans” – and that’s an area where Bachs and The Gist can help fill it.
“There’s a clear white space, and we know how to speak to the average fan. They care about the culture, they care about the person behind these players, and we talk in that relatable, authentic tone,” said Randy Windt, senior vice president of revenue partnerships at Betches.
Windt added, “Making a connection with someone will make them lean toward it, rather than pushing a marketing narrative that you think will probably get someone on Sunday.” The NFL “isn’t just looking for that tune-up… We’re really looking to collaborate to grow fan numbers over time.”