TOGETHXR: Building the Business of Women’s Sports Through Culture, Content, and Community

TOGETHXR

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The 7th Annual Awards

Nominee ✨

• Best Brand Sponsorship

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ABOUT THIS ENTRY

TOGETHXR and TJ Maxx partnered to bring style and storytelling to the forefront of women’s sports, signing 25+ athletes through direct investment and activating across three WNBA team tunnels. The always-on content strategy connected athletes, fashion, and fandom to drive both cultural relevance and brand impact.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

This work sets a new benchmark for fan engagement by proving that always-on, athlete-led storytelling can drive sustained interaction, not just short-term spikes tied to tentpole moments. By activating within culturally relevant spaces like WNBA tunnels and centering athlete identity and style, the campaign redefined how fans engage — shifting from passive viewership to active participation through sharing, conversation, and emulation.

It also establishes a new standard for brand involvement in women’s sports, demonstrating that direct investment in athletes and integrated, multi-platform storytelling is more effective than traditional, media-first sponsorship models. The scale of the campaign, with 25+ athletes and continuous content, shows that engagement can be both consistent and culturally relevant.

As women’s sports continues to grow, this work provides a blueprint for how brands can show up authentically, build long-term equity, and create deeper connections with fans — moving the industry from moments to sustained movements.

Objective

TJ Maxx sought to authentically enter women’s sports in a way that reflected its brand DNA of style, individuality, and accessibility, while avoiding traditional sponsorship models that often feel transactional or surface-level. At the same time, women’s sports fans, particularly Gen Z, were demanding deeper, more culturally relevant engagement that extended beyond the game itself.

The objective was to build a scalable, athlete-first platform rooted in direct investment, signing 25+ athletes and embedding TJ Maxx into the culture of women’s sports through fashion, storytelling, and always-on content. By activating across WNBA team tunnels and social platforms, the goal was to connect athlete identity with fan expression, driving both meaningful engagement and measurable brand impact.

Strategy & Execution

The campaign was designed with the modern sports fan in mind, recognizing that today’s audience engages with athletes as multidimensional personalities, not just competitors. Rather than focusing solely on in-game moments, the strategy centered on athlete identity, personal style, and behind-the-scenes access — areas where fans are most actively engaging across social platforms.

By activating in WNBA team tunnels, a space that has organically become a cultural touchpoint for fashion and self-expression, the campaign met fans where culture is already being created and consumed. This was paired with an always-on content strategy across social, ensuring consistent visibility and relevance beyond tentpole moments.

The use of 25+ athletes allowed for a diverse range of voices, styles, and personalities to be represented, reflecting the diversity of the fanbase and increasing relatability. This approach turned passive viewers into active participants, as fans engaged with, shared, and emulated athlete style, creating a two-way dialogue between brand, athlete, and audience.

Organizations

• TJ Maxx

• MindShare

Featured

• Sydney Colson
  Kelsey Mitchell
  Aliyah Edwards
  Rickea Jackson
  Dearica Hamby
  Brittney Sykes
  Alex Morgan
  Naomi Girma

  • 25+ athletes featured across overall TJ Maxx and Togethxr Partnership 

Celebrate in NYC

Join us for the 7th Annual Hashtag Sports Awards™ on the evening of June 24, 2025 as we celebrate finalists and reveal the winners of this year's awards live during the show.