The GIST: The overlap between luxury fashion and women’s sports continued this week with two designer-driven deals that recruited popular women athletes. On Wednesday, Coach revealed its athlete roster for its latest sneaker campaign, while New Balance (NB) furthered its Miu Miu collab the same day by debuting a Coco Gauff collection. Fit for a queen.

The Coach campaign: The brand’s “Not Just For Walking” campaign, which touts its new Soho Sneaker, features Auburn Tigers men’s hoops player Tahaad Pettiford, WNBA player Satou Sabally, and NASCAR driver Toni Breidinger.

• Coach CMO Joon Silverstein said these athletes are “shaping culture in their own way at the intersection of sport, music, and fashion,” something brands like Coach are recognizing, especially in basketball. The brand recently announced an extensive WNBA partnership that included styling for five 2025 WNBA Draft picks, including Paige Bueckers. Money.

The Miu Miu collection: In the upcoming collab, Gauff will sport Miu Miu and NB’s latest co-branded clothing and footwear in upcoming tournaments in Rome, Berlin, and Cincinnati. The collection features colorways connected to each tournament and a reimagined version of Gauff’s CG2 shoe, which has its own fascinating marketing history.

• NB has strategically released new colors of Gauff’s signature CG1 and CG2 kicks that correspond with specific tennis moments, like last summer’s “Grey Days” CG1 for the French Open and this spring’s CG2 Coco Delray that matched her Indian Wells and Miami Open looks.

Zooming out: Teaming up with these popular athletes makes sense for high fashion houses, especially when considering the proven success of hype drops. Per Fanatics, 20% of people buying from these collections were first-time Fanatics customers, illustrating how the fashion connection can bring new customers to the sports space.

• And it’s even better when women athletes — who are often elite brand ambassadors — sport these looks on social media and garner sky-high engagement. Athletes like Breidinger and Gauff have a built-in social following that makes advertising lifestyle pieces a breeze. Come for the slay, stay for the play.

Jacob Wilson singled in Luis Urias with two outs in the bottom of the ninth to give the Athletics a 4-3 walk-off victory over the Texas Rangers in the rubber match of their three-game series in West Sacramento, Calif.

The A’s trailed the Rangers 3-2 entering the ninth against reliever Luke Jackson (0-2). Max Schuemann walked with one out and then came all the way around to score on a single by Luis Urias when the ball bounced off the top of the glove of center fielder Leody Taveras for an error. One out later, Wilson lined the game-winning single to center to drive in Urias from second base.

It marked the first home series victory in four tries for the Athletics in their new temporary home. Tyler Soderstrom went 2-for-4 with a double and two RBIs, Gio Urshela added three hits and Grant Holman (2-0) picked up the win with two innings of hitless relief for the A’s.

Josh Jung, Jonah Heim and Taveras each hit solo home runs, and Wyatt Langford had three hits for Texas.

The Athletics took a 2-0 lead in the third inning on a two-out double into the gap in right-center by Soderstrom. The line drive drove in Lawrence Butler, who got a gift double when the left fielder Langford lost his routine fly ball in the lights, and Wilson, who reached on a fielder’s choice.

The Rangers then hit all three solo homers off A’s starter J.T. Ginn in the fourth inning to take a 3-2 lead.

Jung started the comeback with a towering 414-foot drive to left-center, and Heim followed with his fourth homer of the season, a line drive into the berm in right. One out later, Taveras lined his first homer of the season into the bullpen in right-center.

Texas loaded the bases after Taveras’ home run on a walk by Josh Smith, an infield single by Langford and a walk to Joc Pederson. But reliever Hogan Harris got out of the inning by getting Adolis Garcia to ground out to third.

–Field Level Media

Shedeur Sanders, the Colorado Buffaloes quarterback and son of NFL legend Deion Sanders, has been making waves both on and off the football field. While he’s projected to be a top-five pick in the 2025 NFL Draft, Sanders is also building a music career that reflects his self-confidence, ambition and desire to break the mold of the traditional athlete.

Shedeur Sanders’ Vision Beyond the Field

Sanders’ interest in music isn’t just a hobby—it’s a parallel dream he’s pursuing with real intensity. He’s stated publicly that if he gave music the same focus he gives football, he’d be a “No. 1 pick” there too. That belief reflects a growing trend among Gen Z athletes who are crafting personal brands that extend into entertainment and culture.

His commitment to music reflects a new generation’s mindset—where pro sports careers can coexist with creative ambitions. Unlike past athletes who dabbled in music after retirement, Sanders is growing both identities simultaneously, showing how modern athletes are redefining what it means to be multifaceted.

While his father, Deion, briefly explored music in the 1990s, Sanders has made it clear their artistic paths are separate. Joking that Deion would need to “pay me to get on my song,” Sanders is carving out his own space in the rap world. He’s even expressed interest in collaborating with big names like Snoop Dogg, suggesting a long-term vision for his music career.

‘Perfect Timing’ and the Rise of a Player-Rapper

Sanders debuted his rap career with the single “Perfect Timing,” inspired by his $70,000 Audemars Piguet watch and the celebration that shares its name. Dropped during Colorado’s spring game, the track includes luxury-driven lines like, “It’s never hot around, my jewelry change the climate.” The song became a stadium anthem at Folsom Field and earned over two million streams on Apple Music.

Critics offered mixed reviews — some dismissing it as “garbage” — but the numbers highlight its cultural impact. “Perfect Timing” resonated with fans through heavy rotation at games and a strong presence on social media.

Sanders followed up with “Life,” a more introspective track featuring Que and Junior. Paired with a video that includes Super Bowl 59 highlights, the song leans into a Drake-like tone, exploring themes of ambition and reflection. While not yet available on major streaming platforms, “Life” signals Sanders’ artistic growth and a shift toward deeper lyrical storytelling.

Balancing football stardom with artistic ambition, Sanders is proving to be a rare figure — an elite quarterback making a serious play in the music industry. His dual path reflects the evolving identity of today’s athlete, where pursuing multiple passions isn’t just accepted — it’s expected.