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The GIST: Lego wants a piece of the FIFA Women’s World Cup (WWC) hype. The toy company kicked off a new campaign yesterday to empower girls with the help of four soccer stars — the USWNT’s Megan Rapinoe, Australia’s Sam Kerr, Nigeria’s Asisat Oshoala, and Japan’s Yuki Nagasato.

The details: The project is part of Lego’s Play Unstoppable campaign, which aims to combat stereotypes that affect young girls. Lego will sell a play set featuring minifigures of the four players and released “Play Moves Us,” a one-minute film featuring the WWC–bound stars. Le-GOATs.

The context: In 2021, Lego partnered with the Geena Davis Institute to remove gender bias from its products and marketing in order to ditch the idea that it only creates toys for boys. Plus, the brand previously allocated marketing dollars to women’s soccer when it sponsored last year’s Women’s Euro.

Zooming out: Associating with women’s soccer is a smart move for Lego — the sport offers visibility with a potentially untapped (and international) audience, while also allowing the brand to stay relevant and expand its Play Unstoppable campaign globally. Putting it all together.

The GIST: English soccer’s governing body might’ve just made a total cock-up of things. According to a report last week, the Football Association’s (FA) brand-new sponsorship guidelines could put a serious dent in players’ existing endorsement deals weeks before the WWC kicks off on July 20th.

The details: The FA will restrict players from making physical appearances for personal sponsors from June 17th and will ban them from promoting those brands on social media starting July 5th. This is supposed to ensure players rest on their days off before and during the tourney, but the FA didn’t consult them or their agents prior to the rule change.

• The new guidelines could put some athletes in danger of breaching existing contractual obligations with their sponsors, but “amicable discussions” are reportedly underway to resolve conflicts.

The context: Last summer, the Lionesses followed similar rules en route to Women’s Euro glory, and the commercial ban for Australia’s WWC team starts even earlier compared to their English counterparts. The U.K.’s entire Olympic team is also subject to a commercial blackout before and during the Games.

• The ban is an extension of a longstanding rule at major tournaments, where official partners of the teams and competition are the only ones visible at stadiums, training facilities, and hotels. Hear no sponsors, see no sponsors.

The impact: New sponsorship guidelines don’t just cause contractual issues — they can hurt players’ bottom lines, too. Many Lionesses scored new deals since winning Euro 2022, which provide new sources of income for players and a chance for brands to activate before and during the WWC.

The lingering questions: While the FA tries to protect its players during an intense month of competition, it’s worth asking: Will a commercial blackout hinder investment in English women’s soccer — and its players — by limiting which brands can be involved during the sport’s marquee event?

• The new rules also feel particularly risky for women athletes, who often rely on endorsements to make up for unequal pay. A sound solution? Paying up.

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🏀 Opening weekend WNBA attendance rose 24% YoY, and related content garnered over 30M video views across social media.

⚽ Google signed a three-year partnership with Germany’s women’s soccer team that aims to increase the sport’s visibility in the country. Hurra!

⛳ Black Desert Resort will host and serve as title sponsor of a new LPGA event starting in 2025, which will mark the tour’s return to Utah after 60 years.

🏈 Memorabilia from the NFL’s “Run With It” Super Bowl spot starring flag football player Diana Flores was added to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.

🎾 A play depicting Billie Jean King’s trailblazing impact on sports opened in previews over the weekend in San Diego.

🎓 The Big Ten conference recently hired Rebecca Pany as SVP of sports administration.

Boston Children’s Hospital isn’t just revolutionizing care for kiddos; they’re also bringing the nation’s best care to elite young adult athletes. NCAA, meet Boston Children’s — we think you’re going to be great friends.

• With their careers on the line, college-aged stars know they can trust the innovative orthopedic care at Boston Children’s Sports Medicine division. With this multidisciplinary team behind them, torn ACLs and concussions don’t stand a chance.