We Activated the Moment, Not Just the Game

The WNBA All-Star Weekend in Indy proved the league’s star power runs deep. From a packed arena and bold brand activations to breakout performances and off-court flair, the event was a statement.

Caitlin Clark’s injury announcement did take a toll on the overall event’s performance.

So, yes, it did cast a long shadow, and ESPN’s not-so-clever PR move of comparing the viewership with 2023 fell flat on its face. But not WNBA.

Think of Studbuz: Courtney Williams and Natisha Hiedeman, two Minnesota Lynx teammates, who stole the show with their hypnotic live stream. WNBA All-Star game drawing over 1M viewers makes it part of a rare club, as you can see below:

Events like the 3-Point Contest and Skills Challenge drew buzz, especially as Caitlin Clark was part of those, drawing in her fanbase despite her absence from the main game. From Guggman Haus Brewing Co. releasing limited-edition brews to ClusterTruck rolling out All-Star meal deals, and The Fashion Mall at Keystone activating pop-ups, Indianapolis is leaning in.

How big businesses leveraged the moment

At the All-Star Weekend, the WNBA is evolving into a marketing force, building brands, powering small businesses, and energizing the entire city.

Nike:

AT&T:

Google:

So yes, despite Clark missing the game due to injury, the 2025 All-Star Weekend was a triumph in fan turnout and atmosphere. Attendance was up significantly from the 2024 game in Phoenix, which hosted 16,407 fans.

And as brands doubled down on visibility, EssentiallySports was right in the mix, making its presence felt courtside and across fan experiences. Up next: how ES turned fans into storytellers and created one of the weekend’s most talked-about booths.

When EssentiallySports showed up at WNBA All-Star Weekend, it wasn’t just to watch the game — it was to help rewrite how it’s told. At the Bullseye Event Center in Indianapolis, She Got Game, our women’s sports vertical, joined forces with Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment, iHeartMedia, Ensemble, DoorDash, Viarae, and Next Is Now to fill every gap between fans and fan favorites.

The All-Star Weekend served not only as a celebration of basketball but also as a case study for the future of sports storytelling. As a key sponsor and content partner, ES also played a role in the Jam Sessions programming lineup—featuring live tapings with Sarah Spain, Sheryl Swoopes, and athlete sit-downs with Natasha Howard and Azzi Fudd.

All of it while powering a celebration of the women driving the game forward, on court, online, and everywhere in between. Because It’s Her Moment, and we’re all in. Here’s how-

As part of Fan First Content Activation, She Got Game took every word from fans—raw and unfiltered—straight to Natasha across formats. Beyond the conversations, there were unfiltered snapshots with Caitlin Clark, ‘Fact or Foul?’ trivia face‑off, a photo booth that turned fans into mock newsletter cover stars, live polls, and post‑event newsletters packed with fan shoutouts and stories.

In turn, our newsletter received social-first reels, shareable stories, and deeper newsletter engagement. 

You could say that it triggered something bigger…

A shift: From visibility to connection

All-Star Weekend was a content festival in several ways. For major brands, it was about being seen. EssentiallySports turned the arena into a safe storytelling space by:

The result? A media activation that felt more like a group chat than a press junket.

​​It was about visibility, brand investment, and how today’s athletes are owning their narratives and their business. With behind-the-scenes access, fan voices, and lifestyle-first content, She Got Game gave attendees a reason to stay engaged long after the final buzzer.

From interviewing athletes like Natasha Howard and Azzi Fudd to meeting powerhouse voices like Sarah Spain and Ian Schafer from Ensemble, the energy around women’s sports was electric and undeniably growing.

Fan-led reels from the event drove significantly more engagement across She Got Game channels. The All-Star special edition saw a sharp spike in replies, shares, and story submissions. Fans from across the country — and even internationally — engaged with the content in real time and post-event.

The weekend pumped $10 million into the local economy. “The momentum from this week (All-Star weekend wasn’t just hype. It was a signal,” as our host Chloe V. Mitchell wrote.

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