1 00:00:07,280 --> 00:00:11,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Strictly Business, Variety's weekly podcast featuring conversations with 2 00:00:11,880 --> 00:00:15,280 Speaker 1: industry leaders about the business of media and entertainment. I'm 3 00:00:15,320 --> 00:00:19,200 Speaker 1: Cynthia Lyttleton, co editor in chief of Variety Today. My 4 00:00:19,280 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: guests are Alex Morgan and Dan Leavey. Alex is a 5 00:00:23,200 --> 00:00:28,360 Speaker 1: soccer superstar. She recently retired from her professional career after 6 00:00:28,520 --> 00:00:33,040 Speaker 1: two Women's World Cup wins and two Olympic gold medals. Today, 7 00:00:33,360 --> 00:00:37,400 Speaker 1: she's a partner in the women's sports platform Together. That's 8 00:00:37,440 --> 00:00:40,240 Speaker 1: the company that markets the great T shirt that declares 9 00:00:40,840 --> 00:00:45,520 Speaker 1: everybody watches women's sports. Alex also recently became a part 10 00:00:45,520 --> 00:00:48,080 Speaker 1: owner of the San Diego Wave, the team that she 11 00:00:48,159 --> 00:00:52,560 Speaker 1: previously played for. Dan is her business partner who works 12 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:56,320 Speaker 1: for the Big LA based sports agency Wasserman, and he 13 00:00:56,360 --> 00:00:58,560 Speaker 1: works for the unit known as the Collective that is 14 00:00:58,600 --> 00:01:02,280 Speaker 1: focused on advancing women's sports. The three of us sat 15 00:01:02,320 --> 00:01:06,280 Speaker 1: down on July seventeenth at Variety's annual Sports and Entertainment 16 00:01:06,319 --> 00:01:10,320 Speaker 1: Breakfast event held in West Hollywood. Alex and Dan joined 17 00:01:10,319 --> 00:01:14,119 Speaker 1: our event the morning after Alex was honored by ESPN 18 00:01:14,400 --> 00:01:18,600 Speaker 1: at the sb Awards with its Icon Award. That's where 19 00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:22,040 Speaker 1: our conversation starts. Couldn't be two more people that are 20 00:01:22,040 --> 00:01:24,800 Speaker 1: more in the thick of what we're trying to really 21 00:01:24,840 --> 00:01:28,240 Speaker 1: focus on here today, which is that nexus of sports 22 00:01:28,640 --> 00:01:33,440 Speaker 1: media entertainment, and I would add entrepreneurship, which is quite 23 00:01:33,520 --> 00:01:36,480 Speaker 1: a you know, which is quite just such a boom. 24 00:01:36,520 --> 00:01:38,160 Speaker 1: Right now, we're really going to talk about that, But 25 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:41,399 Speaker 1: let's start with last night. It was a big moment. 26 00:01:41,760 --> 00:01:44,840 Speaker 1: Sports Royalty was at the Dolby Theater. Alex, what was 27 00:01:44,840 --> 00:01:48,120 Speaker 1: that moment for you, like having receiving the Icon Award 28 00:01:48,160 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 1: with Diana Tarassi, an incredible fearce WNBA player who just 29 00:01:52,640 --> 00:01:55,360 Speaker 1: recently retired as you did, recently from soccer. 30 00:01:55,640 --> 00:02:02,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, she had an incredible, really long, extravagant career, lots 31 00:02:02,360 --> 00:02:06,240 Speaker 2: of goal medals, WNBA Championship, MVPs. So it was great 32 00:02:06,240 --> 00:02:10,040 Speaker 2: to share the stage with her. Also, Dan's wife and 33 00:02:10,120 --> 00:02:12,200 Speaker 2: daughter were honored as well. They were up for Best 34 00:02:12,200 --> 00:02:15,079 Speaker 2: Team as his wife coaches a UNC women's lacrosse team 35 00:02:15,120 --> 00:02:16,680 Speaker 2: and his daughter plays on that team. 36 00:02:16,760 --> 00:02:19,360 Speaker 3: So, oh, we were there celebrating a lot of things. 37 00:02:19,360 --> 00:02:19,760 Speaker 1: Awesome. 38 00:02:19,960 --> 00:02:21,680 Speaker 4: Yeah, no, it was really neat. It was a full 39 00:02:21,720 --> 00:02:23,560 Speaker 4: circle moment, as you can imagine. 40 00:02:23,560 --> 00:02:25,639 Speaker 1: For me, a lot of applause for you, No. 41 00:02:25,720 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 4: Not for me, but oh from me. Yeah, but you know, 42 00:02:28,680 --> 00:02:32,600 Speaker 4: seeing Alex at this stage in her career received that 43 00:02:32,680 --> 00:02:36,720 Speaker 4: kind of an award, it is just incredible, incredibly gratifying 44 00:02:37,480 --> 00:02:40,359 Speaker 4: for me to see how far she's come. And then 45 00:02:40,360 --> 00:02:42,919 Speaker 4: to have our daughter and Jenny up there was pretty 46 00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:43,320 Speaker 4: neat too. 47 00:02:43,560 --> 00:02:45,720 Speaker 1: It's all in the family. But Alex, I mean again, 48 00:02:45,800 --> 00:02:47,720 Speaker 1: looking out at that crowd where you I'm sure you 49 00:02:47,720 --> 00:02:50,200 Speaker 1: saw so many familiar faces and stars and you know, 50 00:02:50,360 --> 00:02:52,440 Speaker 1: probably people you're a fan of. To get that kind 51 00:02:52,480 --> 00:02:55,840 Speaker 1: of recognition for you at this stage of your career, 52 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,359 Speaker 1: you're recently retired, you're doing a lot more in business 53 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: and media and content incredible advocacy. What was it like 54 00:03:02,520 --> 00:03:04,840 Speaker 1: to kind of be in that moment? Was it pretty surreal? 55 00:03:05,120 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 4: Yeah? 56 00:03:05,360 --> 00:03:05,640 Speaker 1: It was. 57 00:03:05,800 --> 00:03:06,840 Speaker 3: It was really incredible. 58 00:03:06,880 --> 00:03:09,760 Speaker 2: I looked back to ten years ago when Abby Woonbox 59 00:03:09,800 --> 00:03:12,440 Speaker 2: stood on that stage with Peyton Manning and Kobe Bryant 60 00:03:12,440 --> 00:03:15,040 Speaker 2: and received that Icon Award, and I just looked up 61 00:03:15,040 --> 00:03:16,639 Speaker 2: to her for so many years, so to one to 62 00:03:16,680 --> 00:03:20,639 Speaker 2: your teammates one for ten years so to or however 63 00:03:20,720 --> 00:03:23,799 Speaker 2: many years, so to see her receive that award and 64 00:03:24,040 --> 00:03:26,720 Speaker 2: see everyone just applaud her and recognize her in the 65 00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:28,600 Speaker 2: way that I did, and then be in that position 66 00:03:28,680 --> 00:03:30,880 Speaker 2: ten years later. It was a little bit of a 67 00:03:30,919 --> 00:03:34,240 Speaker 2: surreal moment, but it was incredible and brought a lot 68 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:36,000 Speaker 2: of my family along with me, so they got to 69 00:03:36,080 --> 00:03:37,000 Speaker 2: enjoy the night as well. 70 00:03:37,880 --> 00:03:42,440 Speaker 1: That's fantastic. Well, let's talk like where do we start. 71 00:03:43,520 --> 00:03:47,720 Speaker 1: Let's talk about you are one of four co founders 72 00:03:47,760 --> 00:03:50,680 Speaker 1: of a company called Together, the people that make this 73 00:03:50,960 --> 00:03:53,080 Speaker 1: fine T shirt. And I will say too, it's a 74 00:03:53,240 --> 00:03:55,760 Speaker 1: very good T shirt. It's very well made, good quality. 75 00:03:55,800 --> 00:03:57,200 Speaker 1: There you got a good quality T shirt. 76 00:03:57,720 --> 00:03:59,920 Speaker 3: You probably get lots of compliments too, I get. 77 00:04:00,160 --> 00:04:02,840 Speaker 1: I mean, you know, people like at an airport, people 78 00:04:02,880 --> 00:04:04,760 Speaker 1: will you know, wave it. I mean, it really is 79 00:04:04,800 --> 00:04:07,600 Speaker 1: a conversation starter and it's and it's so good because 80 00:04:07,600 --> 00:04:10,720 Speaker 1: it is so true. But you are one of four 81 00:04:10,760 --> 00:04:14,160 Speaker 1: co founders of Together, Alex Morgan, Chloe Kim, who is 82 00:04:14,200 --> 00:04:17,880 Speaker 1: also an alumni of the sports and entertainment Breakfast Snowboarding 83 00:04:18,160 --> 00:04:21,800 Speaker 1: Snowboarding Champ, Simone Manual, and Sue Byrd again names that 84 00:04:21,839 --> 00:04:25,480 Speaker 1: don't need much introduction to sports fans. Together it's an 85 00:04:25,480 --> 00:04:27,640 Speaker 1: interesting company because you're doing a lot of different things. 86 00:04:27,680 --> 00:04:31,279 Speaker 1: But but front and center is representation in women's sports 87 00:04:31,640 --> 00:04:34,039 Speaker 1: at all levels, and I love you have it. There's 88 00:04:34,040 --> 00:04:37,599 Speaker 1: a there's a there's a slogan on the website that says, 89 00:04:38,200 --> 00:04:41,839 Speaker 1: legacy isn't just about wins and losses. You talk about 90 00:04:41,880 --> 00:04:44,600 Speaker 1: the ethos and really what what you're trying to do 91 00:04:45,120 --> 00:04:48,960 Speaker 1: and how you're going to measure success over time. 92 00:04:49,320 --> 00:04:49,520 Speaker 4: Yeah. 93 00:04:49,520 --> 00:04:52,640 Speaker 2: Absolutely, Actually, this was an idea that myself and Dan 94 00:04:52,839 --> 00:04:55,719 Speaker 2: came to the table to talk about many years ago 95 00:04:56,600 --> 00:05:01,240 Speaker 2: and eventually came into us launching the buzsiness in twenty 96 00:05:01,279 --> 00:05:05,159 Speaker 2: twenty one. We really wanted to create a community for 97 00:05:05,400 --> 00:05:11,400 Speaker 2: FEMA athletes, fans, people around the women's sports just atmosphere 98 00:05:12,120 --> 00:05:16,080 Speaker 2: and a real safe space and great community for people 99 00:05:16,160 --> 00:05:21,240 Speaker 2: to come together and support women in sport. And so 100 00:05:21,360 --> 00:05:24,800 Speaker 2: we've been able to do that over the last four years, 101 00:05:24,839 --> 00:05:28,560 Speaker 2: but it was really started as an idea what eight 102 00:05:28,640 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 2: or nine years ago. 103 00:05:29,640 --> 00:05:31,800 Speaker 1: Can you give me a for instance, I'd love to 104 00:05:31,800 --> 00:05:34,200 Speaker 1: talk to Dan about setting that up in the business. 105 00:05:34,200 --> 00:05:36,640 Speaker 1: Can you give me an example of something, something really 106 00:05:36,680 --> 00:05:40,040 Speaker 1: concrete that you're doing for women's sports. Is it supporting 107 00:05:40,080 --> 00:05:40,839 Speaker 1: young athletes? 108 00:05:41,520 --> 00:05:46,479 Speaker 2: Yeah, So we work with brands to activate in the 109 00:05:46,480 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 2: women's sports space. We also do a lot of studio 110 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:55,080 Speaker 2: work in either partnership with other media brands or production 111 00:05:55,200 --> 00:06:01,320 Speaker 2: companies or doing We just actually signed a deal with 112 00:06:01,360 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 2: Dear Media to ramp up our podcast categories. So we're 113 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,640 Speaker 2: doing And then we are a space where we are 114 00:06:10,680 --> 00:06:13,920 Speaker 2: trusted by FEMA athletes and brands within the FEMA athletes, 115 00:06:14,279 --> 00:06:17,599 Speaker 2: within the women's sports space because it is a company 116 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:21,600 Speaker 2: built by female athletes and for FEMA athletes, and we 117 00:06:21,680 --> 00:06:26,240 Speaker 2: have we want the voice coming from the FEMA athlete 118 00:06:27,760 --> 00:06:32,159 Speaker 2: completely unfiltered and uh and because of that, women come 119 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:35,359 Speaker 2: to us when they want to highlight their retirement game. 120 00:06:36,400 --> 00:06:39,760 Speaker 2: You know brown as Stewart and her and her wife, 121 00:06:40,240 --> 00:06:45,080 Speaker 2: We were able to shoot the birth of their child, 122 00:06:46,240 --> 00:06:49,760 Speaker 2: you know, in the hospital room. So uh, it's it's 123 00:06:49,800 --> 00:06:53,279 Speaker 2: a lot of FEMA athletes coming to us and wanting 124 00:06:53,320 --> 00:06:57,120 Speaker 2: to highlight stories. And there are so many incredible stories 125 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,839 Speaker 2: that go unrecognized and unheard and unread in the female 126 00:07:01,839 --> 00:07:06,400 Speaker 2: sports space that together is focusing. 127 00:07:05,920 --> 00:07:09,080 Speaker 1: On now interesting twenty twenty one is you know, two 128 00:07:09,120 --> 00:07:12,560 Speaker 1: years before the kind of catalyst moment that has that 129 00:07:12,600 --> 00:07:15,200 Speaker 1: has activated a lot of what has come in the 130 00:07:15,280 --> 00:07:18,000 Speaker 1: last couple of years, which of course the NCAA Women's 131 00:07:18,080 --> 00:07:20,360 Speaker 1: Caitlin Clark really you know, getting out there and just 132 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:24,840 Speaker 1: putting up points like people couldn't believe. Dan, what did 133 00:07:24,840 --> 00:07:27,720 Speaker 1: you learn in setting this company up again well before 134 00:07:27,720 --> 00:07:30,960 Speaker 1: this sort of current wave, What did you learn about 135 00:07:31,000 --> 00:07:33,760 Speaker 1: the market for women's sports and where the opportunity was 136 00:07:33,880 --> 00:07:38,000 Speaker 1: by helping them put this put this really interesting multifaceted 137 00:07:38,040 --> 00:07:38,640 Speaker 1: company together. 138 00:07:38,800 --> 00:07:39,040 Speaker 2: Yeah. 139 00:07:39,040 --> 00:07:43,280 Speaker 4: Well, we've been in women's sports for two decades plus, 140 00:07:43,400 --> 00:07:46,720 Speaker 4: so I started my career with me and him, so 141 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:51,000 Speaker 4: I go way back. But the reality is the great 142 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:54,720 Speaker 4: thing about Together and Alex was that was during her 143 00:07:54,760 --> 00:07:57,000 Speaker 4: peak powers as a player, you know, and a lot 144 00:07:57,040 --> 00:08:01,480 Speaker 4: of athletes struggle with trying to figure out how to 145 00:08:01,560 --> 00:08:04,320 Speaker 4: manage their career and be the best at what they 146 00:08:04,360 --> 00:08:06,840 Speaker 4: do on the field on the court at the same 147 00:08:06,920 --> 00:08:11,600 Speaker 4: time put in the time, effort and work to build 148 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:14,560 Speaker 4: their business outside of it. And so for me, it 149 00:08:14,680 --> 00:08:18,160 Speaker 4: was just really inspiring to see her take this idea 150 00:08:18,960 --> 00:08:21,960 Speaker 4: run with it, but also dedicate the amount of time 151 00:08:22,080 --> 00:08:24,360 Speaker 4: and effort that it took for us to go out 152 00:08:24,400 --> 00:08:28,000 Speaker 4: and find partners and build this company. So I think 153 00:08:28,040 --> 00:08:30,760 Speaker 4: it's it's rare that you have someone who can sort 154 00:08:30,800 --> 00:08:34,600 Speaker 4: of do all those things in the middle of you know, 155 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:37,000 Speaker 4: in the prime of their career. But we were able 156 00:08:37,040 --> 00:08:39,040 Speaker 4: to We were able to get find some great partners, 157 00:08:39,080 --> 00:08:42,920 Speaker 4: and obviously with Sue and Simoon and Chloe, we had 158 00:08:42,960 --> 00:08:46,600 Speaker 4: a great group, some of whom are waspering clients too, 159 00:08:46,600 --> 00:08:49,280 Speaker 4: which was helpful. But the reality is is that it 160 00:08:49,320 --> 00:08:52,440 Speaker 4: was not about Wasserman. It was about Alex's vision, and 161 00:08:52,920 --> 00:08:55,320 Speaker 4: I was just being there to help her realize. 162 00:08:54,880 --> 00:08:59,160 Speaker 1: That what do you have benchmarks? Like are you are there? 163 00:08:59,400 --> 00:09:01,320 Speaker 1: Are there things that you're looking for in terms of 164 00:09:01,320 --> 00:09:03,839 Speaker 1: whether it be salary, whether it be you know, the 165 00:09:03,840 --> 00:09:07,240 Speaker 1: amount of time for women's sports on television, which has 166 00:09:07,360 --> 00:09:10,280 Speaker 1: grown exponentially in these last twenty four months. What are 167 00:09:10,320 --> 00:09:13,480 Speaker 1: you looking for to say in five years time, you know, 168 00:09:13,960 --> 00:09:15,960 Speaker 1: this is where we moved the ball. Yeah. 169 00:09:16,000 --> 00:09:19,479 Speaker 2: Well, one of the one of kind of those markers 170 00:09:19,559 --> 00:09:22,960 Speaker 2: when we started the company was that women's sports got 171 00:09:23,280 --> 00:09:27,640 Speaker 2: four percent of the total attention in the sports landscape, 172 00:09:27,679 --> 00:09:31,440 Speaker 2: and we wanted to push that number. It's now sixteen percent. 173 00:09:31,559 --> 00:09:33,640 Speaker 2: Next year it might be twenty percent. We need to 174 00:09:33,720 --> 00:09:36,480 Speaker 2: keep getting it up to way. 175 00:09:36,320 --> 00:09:36,880 Speaker 1: Higher than that. 176 00:09:36,960 --> 00:09:41,320 Speaker 2: But I feel like together is taking it, taking holding, 177 00:09:42,120 --> 00:09:45,400 Speaker 2: is taking accountability and making sure that that number continues 178 00:09:45,440 --> 00:09:49,480 Speaker 2: to grow. So that's one of the biggest markers for us. 179 00:09:49,559 --> 00:09:52,640 Speaker 2: But just looking back, I wanted to also note about 180 00:09:53,400 --> 00:09:58,440 Speaker 2: our vision four Together initially was Dan has been in 181 00:09:58,480 --> 00:10:02,600 Speaker 2: the women's sports space for over two decades, Like he said, 182 00:10:02,640 --> 00:10:04,760 Speaker 2: so there was no other way. There was no better 183 00:10:04,800 --> 00:10:08,760 Speaker 2: way to build a business than with him in women's sports. 184 00:10:09,280 --> 00:10:09,760 Speaker 1: He was. 185 00:10:11,280 --> 00:10:15,360 Speaker 2: Advocating and representing female athletes before it was cool to 186 00:10:15,480 --> 00:10:19,160 Speaker 2: represent female athletes, before women's sports was cool, before it 187 00:10:19,320 --> 00:10:22,400 Speaker 2: was a big business. So now seeing where we are 188 00:10:22,520 --> 00:10:27,080 Speaker 2: now with Together, seeing the fact that Together is profitable 189 00:10:28,040 --> 00:10:30,360 Speaker 2: is a great moment for us in the growth of 190 00:10:30,360 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 2: this company. 191 00:10:31,360 --> 00:10:33,480 Speaker 1: What would you say, and because I know you were 192 00:10:33,520 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 1: producing content, you produce the docuseries Surf Girls with Hello Shunshine. 193 00:10:37,559 --> 00:10:40,520 Speaker 1: What is your driver that what is driving the profitability? 194 00:10:40,559 --> 00:10:43,360 Speaker 1: Profitability after four years, that's pretty impressive. 195 00:10:44,280 --> 00:10:46,160 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think, well, first of all, I think the 196 00:10:46,480 --> 00:10:48,840 Speaker 4: main driver is the community. You know, when you have 197 00:10:48,920 --> 00:10:52,520 Speaker 4: a community that realizes you show up every day and 198 00:10:53,040 --> 00:10:56,960 Speaker 4: it's real and the authenticity is there, I think that's 199 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:00,559 Speaker 4: what you build off of. We caught fire with Watches 200 00:11:00,600 --> 00:11:05,120 Speaker 4: women's sports, which meant so many things. Yet it was 201 00:11:05,120 --> 00:11:08,320 Speaker 4: such a simple message. So the merch piece of it 202 00:11:08,360 --> 00:11:11,800 Speaker 4: was not necessarily front and center to what we were building, 203 00:11:11,880 --> 00:11:15,800 Speaker 4: but it ended up being a nice exciting opportunity. 204 00:11:15,840 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 1: Tell us the origin story of this shirt because it 205 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:19,560 Speaker 1: just sort of it just seemed to me that it 206 00:11:19,640 --> 00:11:21,760 Speaker 1: just sort of popped into my social feed and I said, 207 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:24,720 Speaker 1: you know, must have like as soon as I probably 208 00:11:24,720 --> 00:11:27,400 Speaker 1: possibly could tell me the origin story of this phrase 209 00:11:27,440 --> 00:11:29,960 Speaker 1: in this shirt. I really think that's what happened with 210 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:30,720 Speaker 1: a lot of people. 211 00:11:30,800 --> 00:11:35,280 Speaker 2: And it was a simple phrase that we were you know, 212 00:11:35,679 --> 00:11:38,400 Speaker 2: merchandise isn't a big part of our company, but it's 213 00:11:38,520 --> 00:11:40,880 Speaker 2: you know, it is in a way a way for 214 00:11:41,080 --> 00:11:45,720 Speaker 2: together to continue to create revenue, but also also be 215 00:11:46,080 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 2: something that can bring the women's sports community together. 216 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:51,440 Speaker 1: As you say, the community factor. 217 00:11:51,559 --> 00:11:55,320 Speaker 2: Yes, So putting that on a T shirt, we just decided, 218 00:11:55,520 --> 00:11:57,280 Speaker 2: let's put this on a T shirt, Let's put it 219 00:11:57,320 --> 00:12:00,920 Speaker 2: out there, and within twenty four hours we had sold 220 00:12:00,960 --> 00:12:04,200 Speaker 2: out all of our inventory. We didn't want to sit 221 00:12:04,240 --> 00:12:06,400 Speaker 2: on any inventory, so we didn't we didn't go big 222 00:12:06,440 --> 00:12:06,640 Speaker 2: with that. 223 00:12:06,720 --> 00:12:09,000 Speaker 3: Initially, we had to keep ordering. 224 00:12:09,080 --> 00:12:12,480 Speaker 2: We had a hoodie then and eventually Nike came knocking 225 00:12:12,559 --> 00:12:15,360 Speaker 2: as they were a long term partner of ours since 226 00:12:15,520 --> 00:12:21,360 Speaker 2: the launch of Together, and now Nike is Nike in Together, 227 00:12:21,520 --> 00:12:25,120 Speaker 2: working together with the ever everyone watches women's sports T 228 00:12:25,240 --> 00:12:29,000 Speaker 2: shirt and they are getting out there globally. So now 229 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:32,520 Speaker 2: I believe if anyone wants to go online and purchase one, 230 00:12:32,600 --> 00:12:33,360 Speaker 2: it is available. 231 00:12:33,559 --> 00:12:36,760 Speaker 1: Well, that's a pretty good marketing partner in Nike. Dan 232 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,120 Speaker 1: tell Us drilled down in terms of you know, and 233 00:12:40,200 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: I don't want to overstate that everything changed in twenty 234 00:12:42,960 --> 00:12:44,800 Speaker 1: twenty three, but it was a moment and it did 235 00:12:44,800 --> 00:12:46,840 Speaker 1: catalyze a lot of discussion, and it came on a 236 00:12:46,840 --> 00:12:49,320 Speaker 1: lot of discussion of parity and gender equity from the 237 00:12:49,360 --> 00:12:52,000 Speaker 1: incredible work that you and Diana and others have done. 238 00:12:52,760 --> 00:12:54,880 Speaker 1: So what's changed, And let's call it the last five 239 00:12:54,960 --> 00:12:59,600 Speaker 1: years ten years for women's sports, more dollars have brands 240 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,720 Speaker 1: recked nice that there is just so much potential here 241 00:13:03,360 --> 00:13:07,880 Speaker 1: versus the you know, extremely high priced compared or in 242 00:13:07,880 --> 00:13:12,000 Speaker 1: addition to the extremely high priced sports that are you know, 243 00:13:12,120 --> 00:13:14,400 Speaker 1: established on television. What's really changed? 244 00:13:14,600 --> 00:13:17,200 Speaker 4: Yeah, I think well, we've always known that there was 245 00:13:17,200 --> 00:13:22,280 Speaker 4: an audience there because we'd have these tempole moments for 246 00:13:22,440 --> 00:13:25,720 Speaker 4: years that would capture especially in the United States, but 247 00:13:25,760 --> 00:13:31,520 Speaker 4: even globally sort of the hearts and minds of sports fans, 248 00:13:31,840 --> 00:13:33,360 Speaker 4: but also society at large. 249 00:13:33,679 --> 00:13:35,320 Speaker 1: World Cup we all remember. 250 00:13:35,040 --> 00:13:38,360 Speaker 4: Absolutely, I mean Brandy and Mia and Jewels and those 251 00:13:38,360 --> 00:13:41,880 Speaker 4: guys in ninety nine and then Alex's group, you know, 252 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 4: equal pay and we're winning it. Prior to that, that 253 00:13:45,440 --> 00:13:47,720 Speaker 4: had taken so long, but it was every four years. 254 00:13:47,720 --> 00:13:49,880 Speaker 4: You know, there's an Olympics every four years. It wasn't 255 00:13:49,920 --> 00:13:52,160 Speaker 4: like day in and day out, and so the leagues 256 00:13:52,400 --> 00:13:55,080 Speaker 4: went through their struggle, whether it was basketball or soccer 257 00:13:56,760 --> 00:13:59,640 Speaker 4: or others. And so we knew that that audience was 258 00:13:59,679 --> 00:14:02,800 Speaker 4: there if we could tell the stories, and quite frankly, 259 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,360 Speaker 4: people needed to start to invest in it, just like 260 00:14:05,400 --> 00:14:07,280 Speaker 4: they did on the men's side for years and lost 261 00:14:07,320 --> 00:14:10,560 Speaker 4: lots of money along the way. So and it takes 262 00:14:11,720 --> 00:14:16,319 Speaker 4: special people, quite frankly, athletes like Alex, like Abby or Mia, 263 00:14:16,480 --> 00:14:22,040 Speaker 4: and you know, Caitlyn came along and was as extraordinary 264 00:14:22,280 --> 00:14:26,280 Speaker 4: and that run to two straight national championship games alongside 265 00:14:26,280 --> 00:14:28,800 Speaker 4: like some fun rivalries with like an Angel and other 266 00:14:28,840 --> 00:14:33,760 Speaker 4: people like it just captured people's attention and brands also 267 00:14:33,800 --> 00:14:36,840 Speaker 4: started to realize, like it's good business, and you know, 268 00:14:36,920 --> 00:14:39,000 Speaker 4: we have at the collective, we do a lot of 269 00:14:39,040 --> 00:14:43,160 Speaker 4: research and analytics and start to like explore what the 270 00:14:43,200 --> 00:14:47,720 Speaker 4: women's sports fan and consumer actually looks like. And there's 271 00:14:47,760 --> 00:14:49,600 Speaker 4: a lot of buying power there. And I think people 272 00:14:49,640 --> 00:14:51,680 Speaker 4: just started to wake up when they really dug into 273 00:14:51,720 --> 00:14:55,160 Speaker 4: the numbers that it was going to move the needle 274 00:14:55,240 --> 00:14:59,680 Speaker 4: for them as companies. And I also think and alex 275 00:14:59,760 --> 00:15:03,760 Speaker 4: was a part of this twenty eleven World Cup, but 276 00:15:03,800 --> 00:15:07,560 Speaker 4: that was like social media Twitter, you know, Insta after that, 277 00:15:07,680 --> 00:15:10,040 Speaker 4: Like that was a big part of the growth of 278 00:15:10,040 --> 00:15:14,320 Speaker 4: women's sports because fans didn't need the networks to show 279 00:15:14,400 --> 00:15:17,720 Speaker 4: up every day reminding them that there was women's sports, 280 00:15:17,760 --> 00:15:21,440 Speaker 4: Like they could follow their heroes every day on social. 281 00:15:21,160 --> 00:15:24,320 Speaker 1: And people could see writ large that there were enormous 282 00:15:24,320 --> 00:15:27,160 Speaker 1: communities and especially because so many women had to leave 283 00:15:27,200 --> 00:15:30,160 Speaker 1: the US, there are actually to play in overseas leagues. 284 00:15:30,200 --> 00:15:33,720 Speaker 1: There's actually an international audience for a lot of women's sports. 285 00:15:33,760 --> 00:15:35,800 Speaker 1: And it's I know, it's been a one big thing 286 00:15:35,880 --> 00:15:40,120 Speaker 1: has been that you know, fewer athletes just to make it, 287 00:15:40,240 --> 00:15:42,040 Speaker 1: just to make a living, have to do that. There's 288 00:15:42,080 --> 00:15:45,840 Speaker 1: more and WNBA players, more women's soccer players that can 289 00:15:45,880 --> 00:15:48,680 Speaker 1: stay here because of you know, in no small part 290 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:50,960 Speaker 1: to the work that you did to just raise the 291 00:15:51,080 --> 00:15:55,960 Speaker 1: general awareness of gender equity. Before you all started talking 292 00:15:56,000 --> 00:15:59,080 Speaker 1: about it, literally a couple of years ago, nobody even 293 00:15:59,080 --> 00:16:03,040 Speaker 1: thought that, gee, that why there would be this gigantic differential. 294 00:16:03,160 --> 00:16:06,040 Speaker 1: Not that there isn't a differential between women and men's pay, 295 00:16:06,040 --> 00:16:08,920 Speaker 1: but it was so it was so egregious in this area, 296 00:16:08,920 --> 00:16:10,600 Speaker 1: and it took a lot of guts for you in 297 00:16:10,640 --> 00:16:13,320 Speaker 1: the middle of your career, in your prime playing days, 298 00:16:13,360 --> 00:16:15,760 Speaker 1: as Dan said, to really stand up and say this 299 00:16:15,920 --> 00:16:16,440 Speaker 1: isn't right. 300 00:16:17,560 --> 00:16:22,040 Speaker 2: Yeah, we filed a lawsuit against our employer, against US 301 00:16:22,040 --> 00:16:24,720 Speaker 2: Soccer in twenty nineteen, in March, we had a World 302 00:16:24,760 --> 00:16:26,400 Speaker 2: Cup to play in June. 303 00:16:26,680 --> 00:16:29,120 Speaker 1: Raise your hand if you've ever sued your employer. I 304 00:16:29,120 --> 00:16:31,120 Speaker 1: have never sued my Blair. I mean, this really is 305 00:16:31,200 --> 00:16:31,560 Speaker 1: quite a bit. 306 00:16:31,680 --> 00:16:33,440 Speaker 4: In the middle of trying to win a World championship. 307 00:16:33,520 --> 00:16:38,000 Speaker 2: Yeah, it was like another full time job, but I 308 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:41,400 Speaker 2: feel like it bonded us even more. And winning a 309 00:16:41,400 --> 00:16:43,960 Speaker 2: World Cup was going to put us on like a 310 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:47,200 Speaker 2: stage and set us apart in a way where you know, 311 00:16:47,240 --> 00:16:51,040 Speaker 2: they couldn't close the door, They couldn't quiet us, and 312 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:53,920 Speaker 2: that's exactly what we did. It took until twenty twenty 313 00:16:53,920 --> 00:16:59,360 Speaker 2: two for US to sign equal contracts with US Soccer, 314 00:16:59,560 --> 00:17:03,240 Speaker 2: So it was it was a long and drawn out fight, 315 00:17:03,440 --> 00:17:06,679 Speaker 2: legal battle, but we were committed and I feel like 316 00:17:06,720 --> 00:17:09,600 Speaker 2: the effects of that we're still seeing today in and 317 00:17:09,640 --> 00:17:10,240 Speaker 2: out of the sport. 318 00:17:10,960 --> 00:17:13,520 Speaker 1: What generally, I know there's a broad question, but what generally, 319 00:17:13,640 --> 00:17:16,440 Speaker 1: for the excuse me, the National Women's Soccer League, which 320 00:17:16,480 --> 00:17:20,560 Speaker 1: is really taking root, what generally do you feel like 321 00:17:21,200 --> 00:17:24,399 Speaker 1: they are you know, obviously being a women's league, but 322 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:26,520 Speaker 1: do you think that they're aware of these issues? Are 323 00:17:26,560 --> 00:17:30,520 Speaker 1: they Are they aware that there's a need to continually 324 00:17:30,600 --> 00:17:32,680 Speaker 1: kind of raise the bar and get people to get 325 00:17:32,720 --> 00:17:35,680 Speaker 1: the women to where the MLS soccer soccer players are. 326 00:17:35,960 --> 00:17:38,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, well, I mean there's a lot of aspects to that. 327 00:17:38,480 --> 00:17:42,560 Speaker 2: We're looking at the valuations and now you know owners 328 00:17:42,600 --> 00:17:47,119 Speaker 2: coming in and paying I don't know what what Bob 329 00:17:47,119 --> 00:17:50,639 Speaker 2: and Willow paid for Angel City over to I think. 330 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:53,080 Speaker 1: The Biger head of Disney and will Obey his wife. Yeah, 331 00:17:53,119 --> 00:17:56,520 Speaker 1: the owners are majority owners of the Angel f C Club, 332 00:17:56,560 --> 00:17:58,399 Speaker 1: which has had a huge impact here you. 333 00:17:58,720 --> 00:18:01,960 Speaker 2: I want to say it was potentially two hundred or over. 334 00:18:03,080 --> 00:18:08,159 Speaker 2: San Diego Wave also coming in over one hundred and 335 00:18:08,560 --> 00:18:12,719 Speaker 2: three four or five years ago. Those teams were sold 336 00:18:12,760 --> 00:18:16,199 Speaker 2: for two to five million. So you just look at 337 00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:19,040 Speaker 2: those numbers and you look at the entry point for 338 00:18:20,359 --> 00:18:23,440 Speaker 2: four investors wanting to come in, and I think it's 339 00:18:23,480 --> 00:18:26,320 Speaker 2: a lot better of a deal than coming into a 340 00:18:26,400 --> 00:18:29,679 Speaker 2: men's league that has been operating for fifty or one 341 00:18:29,760 --> 00:18:33,879 Speaker 2: hundred years. We're only in our fifteenth season of the 342 00:18:34,000 --> 00:18:36,359 Speaker 2: NWSL and to see the growth just in a short 343 00:18:36,400 --> 00:18:39,879 Speaker 2: period of time, So you look at, well, who's the 344 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:42,600 Speaker 2: driving factor of it? It comes back to the players. 345 00:18:42,600 --> 00:18:46,840 Speaker 2: They're the ones grinding, playing, creating the product on the field, 346 00:18:47,240 --> 00:18:51,520 Speaker 2: drawing the ten twenty thirty thousand fans. So naturally you 347 00:18:51,520 --> 00:18:54,600 Speaker 2: look at salaries. They have to go up or players 348 00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:56,680 Speaker 2: are going to find elsewhere to play. They're going to 349 00:18:56,720 --> 00:18:59,240 Speaker 2: go to Europe or wherever it is to find the 350 00:18:59,280 --> 00:19:03,320 Speaker 2: best compensation, to find the best value that they deserve. 351 00:19:03,600 --> 00:19:07,600 Speaker 2: So that's been something that I had fought for as 352 00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:11,359 Speaker 2: a player. Now as an investor in the San Diego Wave, 353 00:19:11,760 --> 00:19:15,600 Speaker 2: I'm on the other side of it, per se. But 354 00:19:15,600 --> 00:19:19,199 Speaker 2: but but seeing it from a player's perspective, I know 355 00:19:19,320 --> 00:19:25,960 Speaker 2: exactly I can give valuable you know, advice and information 356 00:19:26,119 --> 00:19:30,680 Speaker 2: to ownership groups about where the player's perspective lies and 357 00:19:30,760 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 2: how to keep our best talent here in the US 358 00:19:33,760 --> 00:19:35,199 Speaker 2: and how to keep the end to be sell the 359 00:19:35,200 --> 00:19:36,200 Speaker 2: best league in the world. 360 00:19:37,160 --> 00:19:40,240 Speaker 1: I'd love your perspective on because because yes, Alex, you 361 00:19:40,359 --> 00:19:43,160 Speaker 1: just recently became a part owner of the San Diego Wave, 362 00:19:43,480 --> 00:19:48,520 Speaker 1: one of the National Women's Soccer League major teams, and 363 00:19:48,560 --> 00:19:50,480 Speaker 1: that to me that that's got to be, like, you know, 364 00:19:50,520 --> 00:19:52,120 Speaker 1: for a team that you used to play for, that's 365 00:19:52,160 --> 00:19:54,840 Speaker 1: got to be a little bit like Lucille Ball being 366 00:19:54,880 --> 00:19:57,240 Speaker 1: under contract at r KO and then twenty years later 367 00:19:57,280 --> 00:20:00,360 Speaker 1: coming back and buying the studio. Pretty cool. But I'd 368 00:20:00,400 --> 00:20:04,280 Speaker 1: love to, you know, talk about sort of the entrepreneurial 369 00:20:04,280 --> 00:20:08,280 Speaker 1: opportunities that are available and including team ownership, which for 370 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,399 Speaker 1: years it's much more common now, but for years was 371 00:20:11,560 --> 00:20:15,680 Speaker 1: utterly unattainable for male athletes, let alone let alone female athletes. 372 00:20:15,840 --> 00:20:18,600 Speaker 1: What has change to allow that to happen. 373 00:20:19,600 --> 00:20:22,520 Speaker 4: Well, I think that the value in the business has changed, 374 00:20:22,720 --> 00:20:27,399 Speaker 4: and I think you also have real stars who have 375 00:20:28,359 --> 00:20:32,439 Speaker 4: business acumen because they've been forced to really dig in 376 00:20:32,560 --> 00:20:36,399 Speaker 4: and build their own businesses along the way, and I 377 00:20:36,440 --> 00:20:40,840 Speaker 4: think that's super exciting. I sort of touched on it before, 378 00:20:40,880 --> 00:20:46,480 Speaker 4: but like Alex has always been incredibly involved and excited 379 00:20:46,880 --> 00:20:51,040 Speaker 4: to do the work off the field without it affecting 380 00:20:51,080 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 4: what she was doing on it. And so that goes 381 00:20:55,000 --> 00:20:57,719 Speaker 4: also to sort of your next career too. You know, 382 00:20:57,920 --> 00:21:00,960 Speaker 4: you can't start planning or talking about out what's next 383 00:21:01,720 --> 00:21:05,040 Speaker 4: after you retire. You know, that had to happen a 384 00:21:05,040 --> 00:21:07,320 Speaker 4: few years ago when we didn't know when it was 385 00:21:07,400 --> 00:21:09,920 Speaker 4: going to happen, but we knew that at some point 386 00:21:09,920 --> 00:21:13,800 Speaker 4: it would, so understanding like where the areas of opportunity are, 387 00:21:14,080 --> 00:21:17,840 Speaker 4: what's exciting to her and to her peers, and certainly 388 00:21:17,880 --> 00:21:22,720 Speaker 4: investing in either other companies that care about your sport 389 00:21:22,840 --> 00:21:25,560 Speaker 4: or women's sports, or health and wellness or whatever it 390 00:21:25,560 --> 00:21:30,640 Speaker 4: may be. Or actually the league was something certainly on 391 00:21:30,680 --> 00:21:33,240 Speaker 4: our radar, and it was exciting to kind of look 392 00:21:33,280 --> 00:21:36,480 Speaker 4: ahead and put the pieces together potentially. 393 00:21:36,119 --> 00:21:39,280 Speaker 1: And again for you to take all that expertise and 394 00:21:39,359 --> 00:21:41,600 Speaker 1: channel it now in a different way to not only 395 00:21:41,640 --> 00:21:44,480 Speaker 1: helping to bring a team together and to help their performance, 396 00:21:44,480 --> 00:21:46,879 Speaker 1: but also you know, grow a business that's got to 397 00:21:46,920 --> 00:21:48,399 Speaker 1: be pretty exciting. And I just want to say, by 398 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,199 Speaker 1: the way, Alex also has two young kids, including a 399 00:21:51,200 --> 00:21:51,880 Speaker 1: three month old. 400 00:21:52,960 --> 00:21:55,280 Speaker 4: Yeah, well there's the mom thing too, the mom thing 401 00:21:55,359 --> 00:21:56,480 Speaker 4: the most important thing, right. 402 00:21:57,160 --> 00:22:01,520 Speaker 2: Yes, absolutely got to to two nights away from the kids. 403 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 3: So I'm well rested. 404 00:22:03,080 --> 00:22:07,600 Speaker 1: Yes, p's break let me. I mean, we talked about 405 00:22:07,600 --> 00:22:10,080 Speaker 1: the San Diego wave. Let's talk about the Alex Morgan Foundation, 406 00:22:10,200 --> 00:22:12,240 Speaker 1: which is on top of everything else we've talked about. 407 00:22:12,320 --> 00:22:17,040 Speaker 1: You have a philanthropic effort. What is your area of 408 00:22:17,040 --> 00:22:19,760 Speaker 1: focus for that and where do you see the need 409 00:22:19,880 --> 00:22:20,960 Speaker 1: for that kind of impact. 410 00:22:21,440 --> 00:22:21,680 Speaker 4: Yeah. 411 00:22:21,720 --> 00:22:24,160 Speaker 2: Over the last three or four years, me and Dan 412 00:22:24,280 --> 00:22:27,920 Speaker 2: started talking about building out my foundation. What was important 413 00:22:28,000 --> 00:22:30,679 Speaker 2: to me. Dan has a lot of experience with helping 414 00:22:30,720 --> 00:22:36,640 Speaker 2: me build her foundation and helping her throughout the last ten. 415 00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 3: Fifteen years, twenty five, twenty. 416 00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,119 Speaker 2: Five years, so he was a perfect person to go 417 00:22:43,200 --> 00:22:46,399 Speaker 2: to and say, Okay, let's dig into really what you're 418 00:22:46,440 --> 00:22:50,840 Speaker 2: passionate about, how we want to activate moving to San. 419 00:22:50,640 --> 00:22:52,680 Speaker 3: Diego three or four years ago. 420 00:22:52,880 --> 00:22:55,800 Speaker 2: And being a part of the wave, knowing the long 421 00:22:55,880 --> 00:22:58,000 Speaker 2: term goal was to eventually be a part of the 422 00:22:58,040 --> 00:23:02,280 Speaker 2: wave in a business aspect, which I was able to 423 00:23:02,320 --> 00:23:05,479 Speaker 2: do over the last couple of months with investment. We 424 00:23:05,560 --> 00:23:10,440 Speaker 2: started the Alex Morgan Foundation about to UH two years 425 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:13,920 Speaker 2: ago now, and UH it has three pillars. The first 426 00:23:13,920 --> 00:23:18,520 Speaker 2: pillars focuses on sports equity and then we go into 427 00:23:18,720 --> 00:23:23,080 Speaker 2: creating opportunity and confidence for girls using sport as a platform. 428 00:23:24,280 --> 00:23:26,480 Speaker 2: And the last one, I'm you know that's near and 429 00:23:26,520 --> 00:23:29,679 Speaker 2: dear to my heart, is supporting supporting moms, new moms 430 00:23:29,680 --> 00:23:32,879 Speaker 2: in particular when moms are at their most you know, 431 00:23:33,000 --> 00:23:36,959 Speaker 2: vulnerable stage and need way more resources and support than 432 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,800 Speaker 2: we are given, you know, both you know, with work 433 00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,000 Speaker 2: and at home, so to be able to activate in 434 00:23:44,000 --> 00:23:46,320 Speaker 2: the community. One of the last, one of the most 435 00:23:46,320 --> 00:23:49,600 Speaker 2: recent campaigns that we did was our Coaching Moms initiative 436 00:23:50,440 --> 00:23:58,399 Speaker 2: where we identified moms who coach at universities around the 437 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:01,280 Speaker 2: country and helped get them a child's. 438 00:24:00,960 --> 00:24:05,480 Speaker 3: Care grant or yea, a grant to be. 439 00:24:05,480 --> 00:24:09,720 Speaker 2: Able to use that for childcare just as a little 440 00:24:09,760 --> 00:24:15,480 Speaker 2: support for them and creating awareness to moms that are 441 00:24:17,080 --> 00:24:20,480 Speaker 2: you know, working day in and day out. And Dan's wife, 442 00:24:20,560 --> 00:24:22,800 Speaker 2: Jenny is actually the perfect example of it, and she 443 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:27,360 Speaker 2: I believe had it gave birth and was back on 444 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:32,400 Speaker 2: the field coaching within to within ten days, and that's 445 00:24:32,440 --> 00:24:37,399 Speaker 2: after a C section and strapped with your son on 446 00:24:37,600 --> 00:24:38,399 Speaker 2: her chest. 447 00:24:38,560 --> 00:24:40,680 Speaker 3: But yeah, she's a beast. 448 00:24:40,760 --> 00:24:43,399 Speaker 2: So we took a lot of advice from Jenny in 449 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,520 Speaker 2: creating that campaign. But that's something that we've activated in 450 00:24:47,600 --> 00:24:51,120 Speaker 2: San Diego and then gone nationwide with a Coaching Mom's initiative. 451 00:24:52,200 --> 00:24:54,080 Speaker 1: I think, I mean, it's just the level of activity 452 00:24:54,119 --> 00:24:55,800 Speaker 1: and what you've been able to accomplish in a short 453 00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:58,880 Speaker 1: time with your business, with your foundation. It's absolutely incredible. 454 00:24:59,320 --> 00:25:01,080 Speaker 1: Really really thank thank you as a sports fan, I 455 00:25:01,080 --> 00:25:02,600 Speaker 1: thank you for your work. As a woman, I thank 456 00:25:02,640 --> 00:25:04,879 Speaker 1: you for your work, and I really also thank you 457 00:25:04,880 --> 00:25:06,760 Speaker 1: for taking the time for this conversation. 458 00:25:07,200 --> 00:25:08,080 Speaker 4: Thank you for having me. 459 00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:15,199 Speaker 1: Thank you everyone. Thanks thanks for listening. 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