The WNBA is selling more than merchandise. It’s selling identity.

The WNBA’s Atlanta Dream has launched a retail partnership with Monarch Commerce designed to create a unique shopping experience for women. Backed by Monarch Collective, a $250 million venture fund dedicated to women’s sports, the partnership features a “Drip Shop” and a dedicated digital platform that seeks to capture “the distinct behaviors, cultural drivers, or identity-based purchasing patterns” of women’s sports fans. “Despite growing demand, women’s sports fans still have significantly less access to quality merchandise,” the Dream says, adding that traditional men’s sports models have a “watch then buy” strategy. “Emerging data and market behavior in women’s sports suggest a different dynamic: Fans often rep the gear first, using merchandise as identity, alignment and discovery.”