The apparel thing has always confused me, since one of the most prevalent stereotypes about women is they love buying clothing — it would seem even the worst sexist would be able see the profit in marketing apparel to women, and yet:

“We talk to fans all the time, female fans, and they don’t love the silhouettes, they don’t love the fabrics, they’re not finding their sizes,” says Ami Galani, co-founder and managing partner of Tipt Ventures, an early-stage investment platform that invests in businesses adjacent to sports targeting female consumers. Offering merchandise that appeals to women is a lesson she learned as the head of business operations for the PWHL during the league’s 2024 rebrand. The six teams in the league are currently under a single ownership, an advantage for streamlining branding and merchandising.