🎯 Sequel Partners with Indiana Fever: Feminine Hygiene Sponsorship Ignites Fan Debate

Indiana Fever has launched a ground‑breaking partnership this week with Sequel—a startup specializing in menstrual care products—announcing the company as the official tampon sponsor for the team. Lexie Hull, a Fever guard and Stanford alum, stars in a short video introducing the deal, which includes providing free Spiral Tampons in the team’s locker room and bathrooms throughout Gainbridge Fieldhouse. Despite its forward-thinking intent, fan reaction has been sharply divided. Reddit+11Sports Illustrated Lifestyle+11OutKick+11

🧴 What the Deal Entails

Under the agreement, Sequel tampons—designed with athletes in mind—are available to both players and fans free of charge. Spiral tampons will be stocked in locker rooms, restrooms, and other facilities across the Fever’s home arena. The move is part of a broader strategy to destigmatize period care in women’s sports and ensure comfort and confidence at every level of participation. Sports Illustrated Lifestyle

Amber Cox, Indiana Fever’s COO and GM, stated:

“We are proud to offer free Sequel products to our Fever family—both on court and in the stands—so they can enjoy the game with comfort and confidence.” oursportscentral.com

Sequel’s CEO, Greta Meyer, added:

“Partnering with the Fever allows us to support athletes and fans at the highest level of women’s sports, promoting a message that period care is essential equipment.” oursportscentral.com

Lexie Hull—a Stanford grad and Sequel ambassador—appears in the announcement video, emphasizing her connection to the brand and her pride in representing female-led innovation. Sports Illustrated Lifestyle+2OutKick+2

🌡️ Breaking New Ground: Why This Is Historic

This sponsorship marks the first-ever partnership in professional sports between a team and a menstrual care brand. While women’s health brands have entered leagues before, Sequel stands out by integrating products directly for athletes and fans across team facilities. Sports Illustrated LifestyleOutKick

Sequel’s Spiral Tampon, engineered with a patented helical design to resist leaks and support active lifestyles, was co-founded by former athletes and engineers Amanda Calabrese and Greta Meyer. The brand aligns with a growing push to treat women’s health in sports as essential rather than taboo. Sports Illustrated Lifestyle+1

This partnership also amplifies Lexie Hull’s personal story: while studying management science and engineering at Stanford, she observed classmates developing the tampon product before becoming its ambassador. Sports Illustrated Lifestyle

📈 Fever’s Commercial Edge and Brand Strategy

Indiana Fever is already basking in the Caitlin Clark Effect, with record-breaking attendance, skyrocketing jersey sales, and a social media presence rivaling NBA, NFL, and MLB franchises. That momentum has made their sponsorship opportunities far more appealing. Reddit+3Sports Business Journal+3thegistsports.com+3

With over 186,000 home fans in 2024, a 265% attendance jump, and a 1,000% increase in jersey sales, the Fever are regarded as a rising global brand. Sequel is the 73rd partner added in a short span, fueling Fever’s strategy to be a true 365-day brand. Sports Business Journal+2thegistsports.com+2

🗣️ Fan Reactions: Confusion, Criticism, and Comedy

The partnership’s announcement triggered a flood of fan commentary. Some responded with outright shock:

“Oh my god – that is just bizarre.”
“What? Are you kidding? Couldn’t you pick a better sponsor? Go play basketball!”
“We’re just… what are we doing? Find a different sponsor. This doesn’t help those girls.” Reddit+1

Another fan wrote:

“I get it, it’s women’s hygiene and essential. But damn!”
Many commented on Lexie Hull’s composure in delivering the announcement:
“She’s trying really hard not to laugh.”
“She must’ve lost the half-court contest earlier today.”
“Guys don’t understand why a women’s basketball team needs tampon sponsors 😂.” OutKick

🤔 Why the Backlash?

At first glance, a menstrual care sponsor may feel out-of-sync with traditional sports sponsorship, leading to confusion or mockery. To many fans, products like tampons aren’t associated with entertainment or athletics, especially in public-facing sport branding. Some see it as trivial—others see stale brand choices as missed opportunity.

However, a critical point often overlooked is Sequel’s intent: normalizing period care and elevating women’s needs in sport—not just soft branding. Lexington Hull’s STEM credentials and the athletic focus of Sequel give the partnership broader authenticity. Sports Illustrated Lifestyleoursportscentral.com

🎋 The Broader Impact: Destigmatizing Period Care in Sports

This deal represents more than just sponsorship; it’s a cultural statement. With menstruation still considered taboo in many athletic environments, Sequel and the Fever are tackling the issue head-on, treating period care as essential equipment. According to Sequel CEO Greta Meyer, this is about rethinking norms and elevating women’s needs in sports. Sports Illustrated Lifestyleoursportscentral.com

By distributing sequal products freely to players and fans, the partnership seeks to normalize menstrual care at public sporting events—a bold shift in sponsorship thinking. oursportscentral.com

🧩 Strategic Fit: Lexie Hull & Local Roots

Lexie Hull’s connection to Sequel stems from her personal and academic background at Stanford, where she observed her peers design the Spiral Tampon. This alignment gave her a natural role as ambassador—and a compelling authentic backing for the deal. Sports Illustrated Lifestyleoursportscentral.com

Hull’s presence in the promotional video reinforces credibility and ensures the partnership feels genuine—not opportunistic.

📊 What’s at Stake for Fever and Sequel

✅ Brand Signal:

Aligning with Sequel signals that the Fever support women’s health in a sporty, tech-savvy way. It’s an overt feminist and inclusive statement. Sports Illustrated Lifestyleoursportscentral.com

💡 Revenue & Reach:

With Fever’s unmatched fan engagement—800M video views, sellouts, merchandise growth—the deal offers serious exposure for Sequel and potential reach into new markets. Sports Business Journalthegistsports.com

🧠 Community Trust:

Lexie Hull’s credibility and Sequel’s origin story—rooted in personal experiences of athletes—lend weight to the partnership, allowing it to be more than a marketing gimmick. Sports Illustrated Lifestyleoursportscentral.com

📉 The Critics’ View

Critics question the relevance: “Why a tampon sponsor—why now?” Some fans argued that there were more appropriate sponsors—food, local businesses, even beverage brands—that might align more seamlessly with sports viewership and expectations. Reddit+1

Yet others see the hesitation as cultural discomfort. Many male fans admitted they didn’t understand the need for tampon sponsorship, highlighting a disconnect in frame of reference. Reddit+1

🧭 What Could This Unlock?

If handled thoughtfully, this could reshape sports sponsorship norms:

Normalize period support at large events.

Encourage other teams—male or female—to offer similar amenities.

Influence apparel, stadium, and league-level sponsors to consider women’s health products.

Spark broader conversations about equity and visibility in sports marketing.

💬 Final Thoughts

The Sequel–Indiana Fever partnership is provocative—yes—but intentional. Rather than another logo on a jersey, it’s a meaningful alignment aimed at dismantling taboos, meeting women’s needs, and elevating female athletes and fans. With Lexie Hull’s authentic involvement and the Fever’s wide influence, this brand move could redefine what “sports sponsor” looks like in 2025.

The backlash is real, but so is the impact: challenging norms and pushing forward progress. And while the critics may chuckle or balk, at its core, it may just be the boldest and most authentic sponsorship WNBA—and sports as a whole—has seen y