Sports Media Report
The fastest growing and most popular women’s sports media company of its kind, TOGETHXR today announced a strategic partnership and equity investment in Sportsish and its founder Lily Shimbashi to bring fresh perspectives on sports and pop culture, while staying true to the coverage fans love. The partnership meets audiences where they are, creating a new entry point that champions female-forward sports storytelling and expands the conversation to celebrate both women’s sports and women who are fans of all sports.
In addition to a new series in development, the partnership will feature on-the-ground coverage at major sporting events, including the launch of “Bestie Bowl,” a new Sportsish-led franchise debuting around the biggest game in sports this February. With stars converging on the Bay Area, Shimbashi plays bestie matchmaker – helping NFL players find their next great friendship by interviewing potential candidates and using her “patented” formula to crown the perfect new NFL bestie.
Through this partnership, TOGETHXR broadens its content and reach for female-forward storytelling, and Sportsish will maintain its unique voice and cultural perspective, strengthened by TOGETHXR’s infrastructure and resources, while expanding the collective distribution of both companies.
Co-founded in 2021 by world-renowned athletes Alex Morgan, Sue Bird, Simone Manuel, Chloe Kim, and sports media veteran Jessica Robertson, TOGETHXR was created to elevate women’s sports and fill a longstanding gap in coverage. Since then, TOGETHXR has attracted 4 million social media followers and 200,000 newsletter subscribers in addition to producing a diverse slate of content, including podcasts, documentaries, scripted and unscripted programming, and a book.
“We are thrilled to welcome Sportsish into the TOGETHXR family and to celebrate Lily as a talented and dynamic creator with a unique voice that meets all sports fans through authentic storytelling,” said Kati Fernandez, TOGETHXR Chief Content Officer. “As Sportsish joins forces with TOGETHXR, it provides a powerful new connection with women who love sports across the board, while helping us grow with intention and make conversations bigger, bolder, and more engaging.”
Also founded in 2021, Sportsish has built a thriving community reaching more than 331,000 followers across social media, including 145,000 followers and 80% growth in the last year. Sportsish has generated 174 million total video views, earning 9.6 million engagements, more than 38 million total views, and 2.7 million engagements on TikTok alone in the last calendar year.
“It’s an honor to join forces with TOGETHXR to bring culture-driven sports content to a larger audience,” said Shimbashi. “The strategic partnership and investment allow us to remain an independent voice, backed by a trusted and mission-aligned media company, as we continue creating content that spans across the full spectrum of the entire sports landscape.”
For more information on the partnership, visit TOGETHXR.com.
