W|W WEDNESDAY NEWSLETTER: AUG 27, 2025
When you hear the name Adidas, the first sport you think about is surely not football. Well, the German brand is aiming to change that by helping young talent in Miami-Dade Public Schools.
In Arizona, the WM Phoenix Open continues to lead the charge on sustainability while raising funds for local charities. And just last week in L.A., Sparks and team USA star point guard Kelsey Plum launched her own foundation with a key tenet: amplifying what already exists for the benefits of youth.
A year away from the FIFA World Cup, the U.S. Soccer Foundation announced a partnership with Purina, making the brand their first-ever official pet care partner through 2030. And well, if you throw us a bone, you know we’ll jump on it. As you can imagine, we had ideas on how to Level-Up this new relationship, even though it’s doggone good already.
We hope you enjoy the Labor Day weekend out there. Stay cool and hydrated.
Until next week,
The WIN | WIN team
ICYMI: THIS WEEK’S W|W DOWNLOADS
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ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The WM Phoenix Open, affectionately known as "The Greatest Show on Grass,” has raised over $142 million for Arizona charities since Waste Management became the title sponsor in 2010. Along with being the world's largest zero-waste sporting event, it’s a masterclass in creating community impact through sports and entertainment.
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YOUTH ACCESS TO SPORTS
Adidas recently announced a $13.5 million investment in Miami-Dade County Public Schools over the next five years, empowering them to reallocate state-funded resources that were previously used for athletic equipment to other essential educational areas. The investment will provide greater access to sports for kids across 41-county schools.
Read more →
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Image source: Clutchpoints
“I hope to give [LA] everything it deserves, knowing this isn’t just about me giving back, it’s about amplifying the incredible work already happening here and using my platform to ensure girls have access to the full experience of sport, not just a glimpse of it."
Kelsey Plum of the WNBA’s LA Sparks on the launch of her foundation
Visit the Kelsey Plum Foundation (KPF) website here
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And, check out our latest Beyond the Scoreboard episode, where we chat with the architect of KPF about how it all came together.
Just yesterday, the U.S. Soccer Foundation and Purina announced a new multi-year partnership, making the household pet-care brand the first-ever Official Pet Care Partner of U.S. Soccer in a deal that runs through 2030. The partnership comes at a key time for the sport, as the U.S. prepares to host some of the world’s most iconic soccer events over the next few years.
Image source: Purina
We love how this collab is focused on celebrating the bond between sports fans and their pets, a core part of so many families' lives. As part of the partnership, Purina has already announced a variety of initiatives, including co-branded merch, player-and-pet content, team adoption days, a “Purina Club” a pet-friendly stadium concept, and halftime performances by their "Incredible Dog Team.”
But one thing we noticed that was missing from the partnership’s announcement was any mention of the Purina Trust Fund, the philanthropic arm of the retail brand, whose mission is to “bring people and pets together, [and support] causes that help communities and environments thrive,” or the brand’s connection to the RedRover’s Purple Leash Project, which helps domestic violence shelters and service providers create pet-safe spaces.
Both of these efforts do an incredible amount of good in local communities, and we’d love to see them benefit from the spotlight created as part of the U.S. Soccer collab, too. Access to soccer equipment and coaching for kids displaced by domestic violence, for example, would make an incredible and immediate impact.
Image generated by AI
And while we know that dogs are man’s best friend, what about their feline counterparts? Maybe it’s not realistic to create cat-friendly areas in soccer stadiums, but it would also be a big miss to leave out half of the pet-owning population from these efforts.
One easy activation would be for Purina and U.S. Soccer to sponsor low-cost vaccination or spay/neuter clinics in cities hosting national team games, which would benefit all pet owners, as well as local veterinary service providers.
Or, mirroring Purina's existing partnership with the St. Louis City SC to bring a certified facility dog into the stadium to support player and staff well-being, Purina and U.S. Soccer could work in tandem with therapy cat (yes, it’s a thing) and dog training programs to provide support pets to more pro teams, and youth leagues, around the country.
Image gen-purr-ated by AI
Don’t get us wrong — this partnership is already top notch, and honestly, a league/pet collab of this caliber was long overdue. But by going one step further, and integrating community impact into their fan engagements, both brands could truly achieve their shared goal of “making life better for people and their pets.”
WHAT ELSE WE’RE FOLLOWING
🍔 Whataburger’s new partnership with the Carolina Panthers and Charlotte FC includes year-round support for youth and community programs. WIN | WIN | WIN!
🌯 Chipotle’s looking to democratize NIL by offering 2000 student athletes (including walk-ons) with free weekly meals at OSU, UF, and UGA. Is this the rise of food-for-fandom?
🏅LA28 unveiled its Impact and Sustainability Plan for Summer Olympics - focusing on wildfire resilience, nature restoration, and ocean protection. We’ll be keeping our eyes on this one.
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