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Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're wondering

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Speaker 1: if the high tides of that big blue wave across

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Speaker 1: America on Tuesday had anything to do with the full

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Speaker 1: Beaver supermoon we've been hearing so much about. I don't

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Speaker 1: know in my experience. You want something done, get a

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Speaker 1: beaver involved. It's Thursday, November sixth. Then on today show,

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Speaker 1: we'll be chatting with Ali Cleva, the chief growth officer

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Speaker 1: for Athletes Unlimited, about the latest season of AU volleyball,

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Speaker 1: big announcements to expect to head at the next Athletes

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Speaker 1: Unlimited Softball League season, the power of investing in top

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Speaker 1: front office talent, and how advice from an Uber driver

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Speaker 1: resulted in a years in the making gift for her kids.

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Speaker 1: Plus a battle we're not sure we want and not

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Speaker 1: entirely altruistic move, and celebrating the midway point between the legs.

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Speaker 1: It's all coming up right after this Welcome back slices.

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Speaker 1: Here's what you need to know today. Let's start with soccer.

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Speaker 1: The NWSL, the league's players Association, and the Orlando Pride

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Speaker 1: have all issued statements in support of Barbara Banda in

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Speaker 1: response to the latest de Lujah harassment directed toward the

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Speaker 1: Pride Star. Earlier this week, Banda was named to the

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Speaker 1: fIF Pro World eleven Team, an award given to the

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Speaker 1: most outstanding players on the globe and voted exclusively by

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Speaker 1: the players, but she's also been subjected to continued online

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Speaker 1: abuse following the publication of Elizabeth Eddies New York post

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Speaker 1: op ed in which Banda's photo was used to promote

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Speaker 1: the story about gender policy in the league. In a statement,

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Speaker 1: the Players Association said, quote, we stand firmly with all

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Speaker 1: our members, including and especially the African women, who have

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Speaker 1: been targeted by divisive and demeaning rhetoric. Every NWSL player

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Speaker 1: was assigned female at birth, and every NWSL player has

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Speaker 1: earned her place in the women's game, and those whose

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Speaker 1: eligibility is being questioned have already competed on the world's

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Speaker 1: biggest stages, the Olympics and the Women's World Cup. Our

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Speaker 1: league is better because they play in it. End quote.

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Speaker 1: Now that PA's statement has received some criticism because in

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Speaker 1: defending current players who are assigned female at birth and

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Speaker 1: shouldn't be facing transphobia, it unfortunately doesn't provide any support

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Speaker 1: for the potential of trans players in the league in

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Speaker 1: the future. Meantime, the league made its own statement saying,

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Speaker 1: in part quote, Barbara's selection to the FIEF Pro World eleven,

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Speaker 1: a distinction voted on exclusively by her peers from across

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Speaker 1: the global game, is a testament to our extraordinary talent,

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Speaker 1: relentless work, ethic, and impact on our sport and league.

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Speaker 1: Her contributions to the Orlando Pride and the NWSL have

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Speaker 1: been transformative. Any harassment or hateful attacks toward Barbara are

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Speaker 1: unacceptable and have no place in our sport, league or

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Speaker 1: our communities. We stand unequivocally with Barbara and with every

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Speaker 1: NWSL player end quote. Now. The statement from the league

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Speaker 1: has received criticism from some fans who have expressed frustration

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Speaker 1: that transphobic attacks weren't explicitly called out as such, and

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Speaker 1: the statement from the PA has been criticized for using

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Speaker 1: a trans exclusive argument to rebut a very transphobic attack. Now.

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Speaker 1: A year ago, I would have said the same thing

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Speaker 1: about including the word trans. But now I wonder if

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Speaker 1: leagues and teams are actually served in the long term

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Speaker 1: by statements with specific language involved transgender athletes. Understanding the

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Speaker 1: way the current media space operates and knowing that the

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Speaker 1: Trump administration and his right wing lackeys are more than

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Speaker 1: willing to involve themselves in these things and potentially recavic

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Speaker 1: policies should be clear, internal dialogue should be clear, and

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Speaker 1: support for players should be clear. But what a statement

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Speaker 1: here with specific words actually result in more abuse and

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Speaker 1: speculation for BANDA than this league statement which is clear

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Speaker 1: to those in the space but won't necessarily draw the

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Speaker 1: eye of those outside of it, Because that's really what happens.

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Speaker 1: Usually is a very specific quote or statement they can

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Speaker 1: get weaponized via quote panels or chirons on TV programs,

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Speaker 1: riling up the worst of the worst and drawing more attention, anger,

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Speaker 1: and harassment to a league that hasn't and doesn't have

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Speaker 1: a problem. No matter what Elizabeth Eddy says, I never

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Speaker 1: want to be scared into not speaking out or being

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Speaker 1: specific about things. But I do think we have to

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Speaker 1: be smart about whether a statement that clearly and definitively

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Speaker 1: shouts down bigotry and anti transsentiment but actually makes things

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Speaker 1: worse for the most vulnerable and targeted is the right

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Speaker 1: approach in the current moment. In the meantime, Elizabeth that

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Speaker 1: he has been milking the moment including on a Fox

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Speaker 1: News appearance on Wednesday morning, and it was pretty much

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Speaker 1: exactly the type of quote unquote journalism you'd expect from

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Speaker 1: that outlet. More on WSL News. Olivia Moultrie has signed

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Speaker 1: a contract extension with the Portland Thorns, an agreement that

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Speaker 1: runs through twenty twenty nine. In a statement, Moultrie said,

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Speaker 1: quote from day one, this organization has believed in me

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Speaker 1: and supported my development in ways I'll always be grateful for.

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Speaker 1: I grew up in this league wearing Thorn's colors, and

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Speaker 1: that's shaped me and my expectations. End quote. The now

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Speaker 1: twenty year old Moultrie first signed with the team as

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Speaker 1: a fifteen year old in twenty twenty one, at the

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Speaker 1: time the youngest player ever to sign with the NWSL.

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Speaker 1: In fact, in order to join the league, she had

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Speaker 1: to file an antitrust lawsuit against the NWSL, challenging its

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Speaker 1: rule that athletes must be at least eighteen to play.

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Speaker 1: During her tenure with the Thorns, Moultri has appeared in

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Speaker 1: ninety five matches, scoring eighteen goals and recording eleven assists,

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Speaker 1: helping the team to the twenty twenty two NWSL title.

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Speaker 1: Along the way, She's also earned time with the US

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Speaker 1: women's national team, including scoring a brace against Portugal and

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Speaker 1: a friendly during the last international window. Oh And Moultrie

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Speaker 1: isn't the only one who has signed on for the

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Speaker 1: long term. On Tuesday, the Chicago Stars announced the resigning

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Speaker 1: of Canadian national team player Julia Grosso to a contract

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Speaker 1: that runs through twenty twenty eight. The midfielder appeared in

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Speaker 1: twenty four matches for the color Neutral Stars this season,

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Speaker 1: recording a team high twenty five chances created. More NWSL

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Speaker 1: expansion team Denver Summit FC announced on Monday it'll play

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Speaker 1: the first game of its inaugural season in March of

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty six at Empower Field at Mile High. The stadium,

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Speaker 1: which is home to the NFL's Denver Broncos, seat seventy

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Speaker 1: six thousand fans. For the rest of the twenty twenty

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Speaker 1: six and twenty seven seasons, Denver plans to play at

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Speaker 1: a temporary stadium in Centennial, Colorado, before moving into a

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Speaker 1: permanent venue at Santa Fe Yards in Denver in twenty

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Speaker 1: twenty eight. More soccer, this time from that league up north,

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Speaker 1: the Northern Super League and the playoffs are in full swing.

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Speaker 1: The league uses a two legged format for as semi

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Speaker 1: finals aka home and away, and the team with the

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Speaker 1: highest aggregate score will advance to the single game championship.

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Speaker 1: On November fifteenth, AFC Toronto took the first leg of

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Speaker 1: their semi final with the two nail victory over the

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Speaker 1: Montreal Roses on Saturday, while the Vancouver Rise defeated Ottawa

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Speaker 1: Rapid FC two to one in the opener of their

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Speaker 1: semi Tuesday night at t D Place. Ottawa and Vancouver

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Speaker 1: meet again this Saturday, while Montreal and Toronto play game

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Speaker 1: two on Sunday to the ice and the final meeting

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Speaker 1: between Team USA and Hockey Canada before the two top

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Speaker 1: ranked teams meet in the Olympics in February. It's the

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Speaker 1: sixth iteration of the rivalry series, and Team USA hosts

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Speaker 1: the first two games tonight at seven pm Eastern at

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Speaker 1: Rocket Arena in Cleveland, Ohio, and Saturday at the Key

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Speaker 1: Bank Center in Buffalo, New York. Canada hosts the second

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Speaker 1: pair of games December tenth and thirteenth in Edmonton, Alberta.

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Speaker 1: These four games will help decide the twenty three players

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Speaker 1: who make each team's Olympic roster to tennis. It was

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Speaker 1: announced on Tuesday that women's world number one Arena Sablenka

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Speaker 1: will play men's world number six hundred and fifty two

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Speaker 1: Nick Kyrios in a quote unquote Battle of the sex's

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Speaker 1: exhibition match in Dubai on December twenty eighth, more than

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Speaker 1: fifty years after Billy Jean King defeated Bobby Riggs in

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Speaker 1: nineteen seventy three. Curios, who has been ranked as high

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Speaker 1: as number thirteen in the world, has been out for

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Speaker 1: most of the year after having risk reconstruction surgery, and

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Speaker 1: he's previously been criticized for his comments about women in tennis,

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Speaker 1: women in general, and in twenty twenty three he pleaded

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Speaker 1: guilty to common assault of his ex girlfriend, though the

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Speaker 1: charge was later dismissed. The match will be a best

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Speaker 1: of three sets and played on adjusted sized court, with

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Speaker 1: the court on Savalnka side shrunk by nine percent in

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Speaker 1: both length and width. Both players will get just one serve.

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Speaker 1: The event has been organized by the agency that reps

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Speaker 1: both players, called the Volve, and it seems to mostly

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Speaker 1: be about publicity. While it'd be nice to see notorious

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Speaker 1: shit poster and manchild Curios take one on the Chin.

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Speaker 1: I think women have kind of moved past needing to

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Speaker 1: defeat men to prove something, And if Kurios wins, his

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Speaker 1: already tired stick about how women aren't worthy will likely

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Speaker 1: only get louder and more vitriolic. So for me feels

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Speaker 1: like there's more to lose here than win more tennis.

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Speaker 1: The women's singles group played stage of the WTA Finals

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Speaker 1: concludes today in Riad, Saudi Arabia. At the end of

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Speaker 1: the round robin portion of the competition, the top two

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Speaker 1: players in each group four athletes total move on to

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Speaker 1: the semi finals. As of this recording, American Amanda Nisimova

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Speaker 1: and kazakhstans Elena Rebakina have both earned spots in the semifinals,

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Speaker 1: while Arena Sablenka, Coco Goff, and Jessica Pagoula are currently

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Speaker 1: in contention for the remaining two berths. We'll link to

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Speaker 1: the full WTA Finals schedule in the show notes and

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Speaker 1: can you Believe it? Even more Tennis. In an interview

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Speaker 1: with Sky Sports, Tunisian player On Jabur criticized the current

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Speaker 1: tennis schedule, saying its quote unquote killing everyone. Jabur cited

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Speaker 1: the number of star players who ended their season early

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Speaker 1: as an example of how the tour length and intensity

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Speaker 1: is harming players. Jabor, a three time Grand Slam runner up,

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Speaker 1: announced her own break back in July. In an Instagram post.

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Speaker 1: At the time, she wrote, quote, for the past two years,

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Speaker 1: I've been pushing myself so hard, fighting through injuries and

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Speaker 1: facing many other challenges, but deep down, I haven't truly

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Speaker 1: felt happy on the court for some time now. End quote.

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Speaker 1: Shabor expanded on that sentiment in the interview with Sky Sports,

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Speaker 1: saying quote, I'm done letting the schedule dictate what I

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Speaker 1: should do and what I shouldn't do. I suffered a

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Speaker 1: lot mentally more than physically, but my body was screaming

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Speaker 1: for help for a long time. I haven't listened. I

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Speaker 1: think I had depression without even knowing. And people call

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Speaker 1: me the Minister of Happiness. I wasn't minister of happiness anymore.

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Speaker 1: I was very sad for a long time. I'm putting

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Speaker 1: myself first for me. That's a huge step end quote. Finally,

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Speaker 1: some more basketball news. The Unrivaled club roster reveal is

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Speaker 1: happening right after this recording, so we'll get you updated

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Speaker 1: on all the players and where they're playing. In Friday's

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Speaker 1: show Slices, we mentioned the exciting news that the Denver

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Speaker 1: Summit will debut at Mile High, But there's a little

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Speaker 1: more Summit content to get to want to shout out

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Speaker 1: slice Charlie Johnson, who reached out after our episode with

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Speaker 1: Summit president Jen Millett. He wrote in to say he

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Speaker 1: was bummed that the interview quote didn't mention that a

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Speaker 1: men's Ultimate Frisbee team I know, I know, already owned

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Speaker 1: that name and agreed to give it up, not sell

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Speaker 1: it in order to make a welcoming environment for the

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Speaker 1: new women's team end quote. We were intrigued, so we

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Speaker 1: searched the trademark database for records, and while it's true

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Speaker 1: that the Ultimate Frisbee Team did give the name up,

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Speaker 1: there's a little more to the story. So you may

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Speaker 1: recall that the Denver and WSL team picked its name

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Speaker 1: following a name the club fan vote back in February. Specifically,

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Speaker 1: on February nineteenth, the club announced that fans could vote

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Speaker 1: from a shortlist of six names, which didn't actually include

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Speaker 1: the name Denver Summit but did include Colorado Summit. While

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Speaker 1: February twentieth, the day after the shortlist was announced the

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Speaker 1: Ultimate Frisbee Team, which had been using the name Colorado

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Speaker 1: Summit since twenty twenty two, first filed their trademark application. Now,

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Speaker 1: it's not uncommon for organizations to use a name without

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Speaker 1: having a trademark for it, but having a trademark provides

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Speaker 1: legal protection and gives organizations the power to protect against

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Speaker 1: an unaffiliated group wanting to use the same name. So likely,

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Speaker 1: the frisbee team saw the potential for the soccer team

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Speaker 1: to snag the name trademarket and make them change, so

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Speaker 1: they filed for it themselves fair enough, but after some

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Speaker 1: talks between Summit Frisbee and Summit Soccer, things changed. In

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Speaker 1: early June of twenty twenty five, the US Patent and

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Speaker 1: Trademark Office received an abandonment request from the Ultimate Frisbee Team,

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Speaker 1: and one month later, the NWSL team officially introduced itself

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Speaker 1: as the Denver Summit. That same day, the Ultimate Frisbee

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Speaker 1: Team announced on its Instagram that the team was quote

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Speaker 1: handing over its name in a new partnership with the

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Speaker 1: Denver NWSL team end quote. The team also said, quote

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Speaker 1: the partnership represents a rare and refreshing show of sportsmanship

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Speaker 1: in the Colorado Sports World, where a team from the

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Speaker 1: fast growing sport of Ultimate frisbee is enthusiastically supporting the

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Speaker 1: rise of Denver's new professional women's soccer team, the globe's

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Speaker 1: most popular sport end quote. A spokesperson for the Denver

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Speaker 1: Summit told local news Org the Denver Right quote. There

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Speaker 1: was no payment for the team name. The two clubs

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Speaker 1: collaborated on a mutually beneficial relationship end quote, and it

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Speaker 1: is the soccer team gets to use the name most

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Speaker 1: voted by their fans, and the Ultimate Frisbee team got

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Speaker 1: a ton of pub out of their support for and

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Speaker 1: partnership with the soccer team. The frisbee team is now

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Speaker 1: listening new names for twenty twenty six. You can chime

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Speaker 1: in if you want at Colorado Ultimate dot myshopify dot com.

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Speaker 1: By the way, I reached out to Denver sum at FC,

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Speaker 1: the soccer club, for any other missing info, and I

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Speaker 1: learned there's one more twist. A queer flag football club

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Speaker 1: also named Denver Summit FC, part of the Denver Gay

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Speaker 1: and Lesbian Flag Football League. The flag football team is

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Speaker 1: sticking with their name and the Soccer Summit have pledged

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Speaker 1: not to file trademark complaints or mess with the flag

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Speaker 1: football team's name in Marx. We love it. Good game

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Speaker 1: to everyone involved. Isn't it best when we all summit together?

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Speaker 1: Wink wink. We got to take a quick break when

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Speaker 1: we come back. It's AU's Ali Cleve. I caught up

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Speaker 1: with her on Monday, one day after Jordan Thompson won

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Speaker 1: this year's AU Volleyball title. Ali was in a busy

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Speaker 1: space helping coordinate the upcoming AU Hoop season in Nashville.

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Speaker 1: So you might hear a couple pings in the background

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Speaker 1: of the combo stick around joining us now, she's the

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Speaker 1: Chief Growth Officer for Athletes Unlimited. A former consultant for

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Speaker 1: Bloomberg Philanthropy, she also spent a decade at CNN, including

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Speaker 1: several years as VP of Strategic Partnerships in Marketing. Before that,

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Speaker 1: eight years in the Mayor's Office for New York City

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Speaker 1: and a few years at New Line Cinema helping promote

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Speaker 1: ELF and the Notebook. Asuma cum laud graduate of Boston College,

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Speaker 1: she sends emails that won't arrive to their recipients till

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Speaker 1: at least twenty thirty six. It's Ali Cleve Hi, Ali

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Speaker 1: Hi Sarah. Before we get to those emails, and before

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Speaker 1: we get to what's been a huge year for athletes

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Speaker 1: unlimited in particular in the pro softball space. I do

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Speaker 1: want to talk about that resume because it's kind of

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Speaker 1: a wild mix of things, a lot of movies, some government,

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Speaker 1: always with a tie to entertainment. What's the biggest lesson

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Speaker 1: that you learned at the Mayor's office and also the

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Speaker 1: biggest lesson learned at CNN.

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Speaker 2: For both experiences, I just enjoyed working for these incredibly

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Speaker 2: kind of visible brands that had real world impact on

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Speaker 2: the folks that interacted with it, whether it be constituents

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Speaker 2: of the City of New York or viewers and users

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Speaker 2: from around the world when it's a global news media company.

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Speaker 2: So I just think, I look at the through line

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Speaker 2: of my career, I think the thing that I've just

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Speaker 2: really loved is being able to shape and grow and

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Speaker 2: build within these organizations that truly do have impact on

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Speaker 2: people's lives. And it was just an incredible run at

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Speaker 2: each of those organizations and really just enjoyed every experience

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Speaker 2: that I had.

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Speaker 1: You got kind of sick of the news game, though,

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Speaker 1: and I don't blame you, and I'd have to say,

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Speaker 1: I think you got out in time for things to

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Speaker 1: get even worse in the news games. So how did

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Speaker 1: you end up at Athletes Unlimited?

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Speaker 3: When I left News, I knew I wanted to be

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Speaker 3: in sports.

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Speaker 2: I loved working with our Turner sports colleagues when I

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Speaker 2: was at CNN. Every time we did it was just

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Speaker 2: bringing such positivity and kind of a feeling of uniting,

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Speaker 2: especially coming from a world of news at the time

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Speaker 2: that was more increasingly kind of divisive. And so I

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Speaker 2: loved kind of working with our sports colleagues. And so

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Speaker 2: when I left, I said, I want to do something

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Speaker 2: that's again kind of highly culturally relevant, visible and leveraging

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Speaker 2: personalities to make a solid positive impact in the world.

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Speaker 2: And so when I left, I was just looking around

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Speaker 2: the space and reconnected with John Patchrikov, who I had

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Speaker 2: known while he was the president of Tribeca Film Festival

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Speaker 2: back in my Mayor's office days, and just seeing what

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Speaker 2: he and Jonathan Soros had built for the few years,

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Speaker 2: you know, since they founded AU, and just kept the

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Speaker 2: conversation going. You know, the networking game, when you're looking

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Speaker 2: for a job, you're just always keeping those contacts open,

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Speaker 2: and one conversation will inevitably lead to an opportunity, and

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Speaker 2: that's what happened in this case.

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Speaker 3: A year after I connected with him.

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Speaker 2: They posted this job and he said, you might be

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Speaker 2: interested in kind of The rest is history. I've been

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Speaker 2: here for a year and a half and feels like

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Speaker 2: dog years, but in a good way.

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Speaker 1: Yeah, a lot has happened. You've had a lot of

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Speaker 1: work to do and a lot of crazy cool things

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Speaker 1: have happened. Do you have a sports background? I feel

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Speaker 1: like you were an athlete, right.

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Speaker 3: I mean a washed up high school one like I.

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Speaker 2: Before working at AU I thought I was a pretty

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Speaker 2: solid athlete, and then you're quickly humbled by being surrounded

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Speaker 2: by these you know, badass athletes. And so I do

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Speaker 2: believe I have a passion for sports. As a kid,

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Speaker 2: I loved playing sports. I think it taught you so

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Speaker 2: much in terms of how to be a good team

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Speaker 2: a leader, how to manage your time, how to win,

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Speaker 2: how to lose, like all the things that we now

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Speaker 2: talk about as I talk about as a parent of

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Speaker 2: why A my kids, I want I want my kids

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Speaker 2: to experience that. It's the same thing I feel like

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Speaker 2: growing up that I loved about sports and then I'm married.

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Speaker 2: I'm a lifelong New Yorker married a Boston native, and

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Speaker 2: so my house is just constantly in chaos with all

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Speaker 2: of the sports. So I'm excited to be in it.

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Speaker 1: Love that love that, you know. In an interview with

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Speaker 1: AU Siarah Jones, you said, quote, I feel like I'm

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Speaker 1: a generalist in that I can approach a professional challenge

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Speaker 1: with an entrepreneurial mindset coming to AU and understanding that

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Speaker 1: that skill is exactly what is needed to help grow

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Speaker 1: the brand. It's just an application of skills in a

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Speaker 1: different environment. I love that. What was the biggest learning

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Speaker 1: curve upon arriving at AU to try to figure out

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Speaker 1: how to take the skills you had in your previous

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Speaker 1: gigs to the space.

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Speaker 3: It's really interesting.

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Speaker 2: I never worked in a startup environment before, so I

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Speaker 2: think that was the biggest kind of I wouldn't say challenge,

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Speaker 2: but adjustment that I'd have to make. I mean, coming

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Speaker 2: from the City of New York, which is a massive,

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Speaker 2: massive organization, and then the global media brand, you know,

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Speaker 2: you just are It's a scale, and so you have

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Speaker 2: resources that not even financial resources, which is like human

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Speaker 2: capital resources that you're able to tap into and with

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Speaker 2: AU it was really just recognizing like where we are,

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Speaker 2: what we are looking to achieve, and then figuring out

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Speaker 2: what we have, what levers to pull in, how to

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Speaker 2: organize around that, and so it was a very interesting challenge.

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Speaker 2: I think in the year and a half that I've

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Speaker 2: been here, the team collectively has has I felt. I

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Speaker 2: feel like we've evolved like that we're really trying to

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Speaker 2: evolve our systems so that we're really kind of being

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Speaker 2: the most efficient that we can be in getting the

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Speaker 2: things that we want to achieve. So I think that

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Speaker 2: was the biggest change. But you know, in each of

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Speaker 2: it's interesting. In both CNN and in the Mayor's office,

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Speaker 2: particularly while these were massive brands, I did have the

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Speaker 2: freedom within those two opportunities to act a little entrepreneurial

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Speaker 2: because of the spaces that I was operating and I

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Speaker 2: was not a journalist, I was not an editor, so

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Speaker 2: I was really responsible for connecting in CNN case, with

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Speaker 2: kind of our new audiences and so how do you

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Speaker 2: take that brand and how do you do really creative

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Speaker 2: things around how to connect and grow it. So I

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Speaker 2: was given a lot of creative freedom and license there,

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Speaker 2: and so I think that piece was able to translate

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Speaker 2: very easily to AU because it's that same kind of

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Speaker 2: what are we looking to do and how can we

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Speaker 2: be scrappy and creative to do it?

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Speaker 1: Yeah. Well, one of the things that AU did was

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Speaker 1: a shift from their player led model, which is what

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Speaker 1: they use across moost so there's sports, to a more

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Speaker 1: traditional softball league. And this was the first season for

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Speaker 1: the Athletes Unlimited Softball League AUSL. What a first season.

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Speaker 1: Twenty sold out games, three hundred and forty seven thousand

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Speaker 1: peak viewership during the championship game on ESPN, over a

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Speaker 1: million dollars in merch sales, two hundred and forty million

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Speaker 1: plus impressions across your social channels, and five point three

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Speaker 1: million page views on THEAUSL dot com, which is something

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Speaker 1: I have to remind myself because whenever I type in

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Speaker 1: AUSL dot com, I get to a different way. So

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Speaker 1: it's the AUSL dot com until you can kick those

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Speaker 1: people off or buy it from them or whatever. But

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Speaker 1: that shift to a more traditional league, how did that

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Speaker 1: come about? Who was like this, this is the time,

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Speaker 1: this is the moment, and this is what we need

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Speaker 1: in order to really grow in this space.

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Speaker 3: I think AU to its core.

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Speaker 2: When we even say player led, its player centered listening

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Speaker 2: to athletes both, you know, in governance of the leagues

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Speaker 2: for you know, traditionally with our leagues in volleyball, basketball

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Speaker 2: and softball having that PEC Player Executive Committee to lead

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Speaker 2: in governance. And I think what we saw after the

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Speaker 2: twenty twenty four season was focus groups with our athletes

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Speaker 2: to ask them what they were interested in, our softball

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Speaker 2: athletes what they wanted more of, and all of them

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Speaker 2: really were saying, we want to play traditional softball. And

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Speaker 2: I think that player desire coupled by the fact that

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Speaker 2: from a competitive landscape, you looked across the pro softball

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Speaker 2: space and there was a bit of a white space

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Speaker 2: for us, right like, there was an opportunity for us

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Speaker 2: to expand and extend our softball footprint in a space

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Speaker 2: where we knew that there was opportunity to really that

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Speaker 2: we knew that we had the institutional and organizational kind

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Speaker 2: of prowess that were running this leave, we know how

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Speaker 2: to operate it, we had the trust of the athletes

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Speaker 2: to do so. And so those kind of two combinations

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Speaker 2: of seeing the opportunity from a competitive landscape as well

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Speaker 2: as understanding that our athletes wanted more and wanted traditional

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Speaker 2: we said, Okay, this is the time to do it.

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Speaker 2: And so June sixth of twenty twenty four we made

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Speaker 2: that announcement I believe or June fourth, of one of

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Speaker 2: the June early June's And a year later, you know,

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Speaker 2: on June seventh, we threw the first pitch and so

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Speaker 2: that shift was a definite shift for us. But I

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Speaker 2: still think while the AUSL is not governed in the

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Speaker 2: same way that the other sports are, it is still

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Speaker 2: very much centered around the athlete, and our PEC still

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Speaker 2: has a voice in the AUSL considerable voice. We want

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Speaker 2: to make sure that we're operating this thing, you know,

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Speaker 2: with our ear to what they want, what their what

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Speaker 2: their issues are, what their challenges are, how we make

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00:20:55,160 --> 00:20:57,840
Speaker 2: it better. We want to hear where they can you know,

433
00:20:57,960 --> 00:21:01,480
Speaker 2: lean in, and whether it's weighing in on logos or

434
00:21:01,600 --> 00:21:03,520
Speaker 2: uniforms or cities that we're going to be in. We

435
00:21:03,560 --> 00:21:06,000
Speaker 2: want to make sure that where we can partner, we

436
00:21:06,080 --> 00:21:08,520
Speaker 2: are partnering. And I think you see that a year later.

437
00:21:09,680 --> 00:21:11,280
Speaker 2: I just got off a PC call this morning and

438
00:21:11,280 --> 00:21:14,399
Speaker 2: they're still very, very engaged. So I think that shift,

439
00:21:14,440 --> 00:21:18,280
Speaker 2: while operationally looks different from what we've done before, still

440
00:21:18,320 --> 00:21:19,720
Speaker 2: maintains who we are at it's core.

441
00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:21,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, I mean, I think it's something I've talked about

442
00:21:21,680 --> 00:21:24,080
Speaker 1: with athletes unlimited since I first started to learn about,

443
00:21:24,200 --> 00:21:26,639
Speaker 1: was how much there is a back and forth between

444
00:21:26,640 --> 00:21:28,720
Speaker 1: ownership and the players in terms of what they want

445
00:21:28,760 --> 00:21:31,520
Speaker 1: to prioritize, if there's money, where they want that to go,

446
00:21:31,600 --> 00:21:33,520
Speaker 1: if they care more about something than something else. You

447
00:21:33,520 --> 00:21:35,480
Speaker 1: can actually have that conversation with them about and I

448
00:21:35,480 --> 00:21:38,760
Speaker 1: think that pipeline between the two sides is so necessary

449
00:21:38,800 --> 00:21:40,800
Speaker 1: and would benefit a lot of other leagues if they

450
00:21:40,800 --> 00:21:44,520
Speaker 1: had a better through line conversation between ownership and front

451
00:21:44,520 --> 00:21:48,080
Speaker 1: office and players. Also, you've got this incredible player advisor group,

452
00:21:48,119 --> 00:21:50,600
Speaker 1: So you've got the Player Executive Committee, which is active

453
00:21:50,640 --> 00:21:53,840
Speaker 1: players who are talking about and helping you create and

454
00:21:53,920 --> 00:21:56,719
Speaker 1: continue to evolve leagues. And then you've got former players

455
00:21:56,760 --> 00:21:59,760
Speaker 1: and in this case for AUSL, folks like Jessica Mendoza

456
00:21:59,800 --> 00:22:02,040
Speaker 1: and Jenny Finch, some of the greatest players of all time.

457
00:22:02,560 --> 00:22:04,600
Speaker 1: What did they teach you as you were putting together

458
00:22:04,640 --> 00:22:07,760
Speaker 1: the AOSL about what's worked in previous professional softball leagues,

459
00:22:07,800 --> 00:22:10,720
Speaker 1: what hasn't and what you needed to make sure you prioritized.

460
00:22:11,080 --> 00:22:14,359
Speaker 2: I think they were invaluable sources of information. Kat and

461
00:22:14,400 --> 00:22:17,080
Speaker 2: Jess have been involved with AUSL for quite some time,

462
00:22:17,200 --> 00:22:21,800
Speaker 2: Jenny had not, and Natasha, you know, tangentially somewhat on

463
00:22:21,840 --> 00:22:23,960
Speaker 2: the broadcast side. And I think what they brought was

464
00:22:23,960 --> 00:22:27,320
Speaker 2: exactly what you reference, which was decades long experience in

465
00:22:27,480 --> 00:22:32,040
Speaker 2: failed professional experience, understanding what players want, having the ability

466
00:22:32,080 --> 00:22:35,680
Speaker 2: to step back and thoughtfully consult with us. I think,

467
00:22:35,760 --> 00:22:38,479
Speaker 2: you know, we again announced them in June and brought

468
00:22:38,920 --> 00:22:43,120
Speaker 2: Kimming on very shortly after as a senior advisor at

469
00:22:43,119 --> 00:22:46,600
Speaker 2: that time. And I think they worked incredibly closely with Kim,

470
00:22:46,640 --> 00:22:50,200
Speaker 2: who they all wildly respect and admire, to make sure

471
00:22:50,240 --> 00:22:51,359
Speaker 2: and Kim ask the right questions.

472
00:22:51,400 --> 00:22:52,920
Speaker 3: She wanted their input, She wanted to.

473
00:22:52,840 --> 00:22:55,359
Speaker 2: Know where the potholes were, what we were going to

474
00:22:55,359 --> 00:22:57,720
Speaker 2: step into, what you know, what worked and what didn't.

475
00:22:57,760 --> 00:23:01,120
Speaker 2: And I think they've been incredibly close aligned with us

476
00:23:01,160 --> 00:23:04,359
Speaker 2: over the past year, both as consultants and as champions.

477
00:23:04,400 --> 00:23:07,680
Speaker 2: They step in to help us to promote this league

478
00:23:07,680 --> 00:23:10,879
Speaker 2: where possible, and they do that truly out of a

479
00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,080
Speaker 2: love for the sport and a desire that it sees

480
00:23:14,119 --> 00:23:17,639
Speaker 2: and maintains a home in terms of a sustainable organization.

481
00:23:17,760 --> 00:23:20,920
Speaker 2: So their their partnership in this could not be overstated.

482
00:23:21,440 --> 00:23:23,480
Speaker 2: I think, you know, with Jenny, for example, you bring

483
00:23:23,760 --> 00:23:27,119
Speaker 2: one of the best mainstream, well known softball players in

484
00:23:27,160 --> 00:23:30,840
Speaker 2: American history, and I think that she brings such that

485
00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:33,920
Speaker 2: you know, such validity to this, as do her her

486
00:23:33,960 --> 00:23:36,880
Speaker 2: teammates and friends. So we're so lucky to have them

487
00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:40,800
Speaker 2: join Kim. And you know, Kim's pedigree speaks for itself.

488
00:23:40,840 --> 00:23:44,640
Speaker 2: But having an executive of her caliber thirty plus years

489
00:23:44,640 --> 00:23:48,160
Speaker 2: in MLB running a team at the highest level, come

490
00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,520
Speaker 2: in and shape this organization and lead this organization again

491
00:23:51,640 --> 00:23:55,520
Speaker 2: just brings such a seriousness and a validity to what

492
00:23:55,560 --> 00:23:57,920
Speaker 2: we're trying to achieve. And so those you know, Kim

493
00:23:57,960 --> 00:24:01,440
Speaker 2: at the Helm, supported by those women in terms of

494
00:24:01,800 --> 00:24:04,840
Speaker 2: helping to shape it, has been invaluable.

495
00:24:05,040 --> 00:24:07,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, let's talk about Kim ng because bringing her into

496
00:24:07,119 --> 00:24:09,760
Speaker 1: AUSL and the naming her commissioner seemed to me to

497
00:24:09,800 --> 00:24:12,919
Speaker 1: be a massive turning point. She obviously carries with her

498
00:24:12,960 --> 00:24:16,600
Speaker 1: such incredible pedigree. The first female GM of any of

499
00:24:16,640 --> 00:24:19,080
Speaker 1: the four major men's professional sports league spent a long

500
00:24:19,119 --> 00:24:21,760
Speaker 1: time in MLB before coming over to AUSL has her

501
00:24:21,800 --> 00:24:25,320
Speaker 1: own background in softball, but that move felt like you

502
00:24:25,359 --> 00:24:28,199
Speaker 1: were stepping into a new level. And the connection that

503
00:24:28,280 --> 00:24:30,800
Speaker 1: it brought to the MLB. I have to assume that

504
00:24:30,920 --> 00:24:33,399
Speaker 1: Kim's relationship is part of the reason that MLB finally

505
00:24:33,640 --> 00:24:36,240
Speaker 1: made a significant investment in a professional women's softball league.

506
00:24:36,680 --> 00:24:38,919
Speaker 2: I think you know that the conversation with MLB had

507
00:24:38,960 --> 00:24:42,080
Speaker 2: preceded Kim joining us, but it's hard to imagine that

508
00:24:42,119 --> 00:24:44,760
Speaker 2: her coming did not shift the scale. She You know,

509
00:24:44,840 --> 00:24:47,239
Speaker 2: she has the respect again from the front office at

510
00:24:47,320 --> 00:24:49,760
Speaker 2: MLB and so many of the people at that building

511
00:24:49,840 --> 00:24:54,400
Speaker 2: an organization that I would you know, I'm sure that

512
00:24:53,640 --> 00:24:57,400
Speaker 2: that helped to put that decision or crystallize that decision

513
00:24:57,440 --> 00:24:59,800
Speaker 2: for them, just knowing that this organization was in such

514
00:24:59,800 --> 00:25:03,639
Speaker 2: an using capable hands, and knowing what her track record was.

515
00:25:04,040 --> 00:25:06,120
Speaker 1: I guess the question is have they seen her dance

516
00:25:06,160 --> 00:25:08,120
Speaker 1: to footloose with a full glass of wine in her hand?

517
00:25:08,160 --> 00:25:11,679
Speaker 1: Because you and I have and have they tried to

518
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:14,359
Speaker 1: convince her to get on the shoulders of another AUSL

519
00:25:14,400 --> 00:25:16,760
Speaker 1: employee and walk into the party like two kids in

520
00:25:16,800 --> 00:25:19,639
Speaker 1: a trench coat, Because we did. It didn't happen, but

521
00:25:19,680 --> 00:25:20,399
Speaker 1: she was close.

522
00:25:20,600 --> 00:25:23,800
Speaker 2: She was close, and I will have that happen before

523
00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:25,920
Speaker 2: before my days a day you are over.

524
00:25:26,320 --> 00:25:28,640
Speaker 3: But no, I don't think they had that on her either,

525
00:25:28,720 --> 00:25:29,320
Speaker 3: not the pleasure.

526
00:25:29,480 --> 00:25:31,160
Speaker 1: Yeah, they got a lot of sturdy folks with good

527
00:25:31,160 --> 00:25:33,240
Speaker 1: shoulders out in the LB, though, what a real missed

528
00:25:33,240 --> 00:25:35,240
Speaker 1: opportunity for them, to be honest.

529
00:25:35,320 --> 00:25:37,600
Speaker 3: I agreed. But at least we're having a good time.

530
00:25:37,600 --> 00:25:40,600
Speaker 1: That's right. This was, of course, at the espnW summit

531
00:25:41,560 --> 00:25:44,840
Speaker 1: After Dark if you will. AUSL was named one of

532
00:25:44,880 --> 00:25:47,240
Speaker 1: the most innovative leagues of twenty twenty five by Front

533
00:25:47,240 --> 00:25:50,680
Speaker 1: Office Sports, and it did step into, like you said,

534
00:25:50,680 --> 00:25:53,480
Speaker 1: a space that professional softball was lacking. I think some

535
00:25:53,520 --> 00:25:58,040
Speaker 1: of the other AU leagues being individually led, it's additive

536
00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:01,200
Speaker 1: to pre existing leagues, or it's an interesting and cool

537
00:26:01,240 --> 00:26:02,760
Speaker 1: and new way to see the players that you know.

538
00:26:03,119 --> 00:26:06,399
Speaker 1: But without having an established, dominant league with all of

539
00:26:06,440 --> 00:26:09,399
Speaker 1: the best players in it that followed the traditional format

540
00:26:09,440 --> 00:26:12,200
Speaker 1: for softball, it seemed necessary. So it's interesting how going

541
00:26:12,200 --> 00:26:14,480
Speaker 1: traditional made it innovative, right.

542
00:26:14,560 --> 00:26:17,359
Speaker 2: Yeah, absolutely, And I still think like trying to do

543
00:26:17,440 --> 00:26:20,080
Speaker 2: things a little bit differently, trying to be a responsive

544
00:26:20,160 --> 00:26:22,919
Speaker 2: right traditional in the format, But where we can be

545
00:26:23,080 --> 00:26:26,200
Speaker 2: thoughtful and innovative and responsive to players and still keeping

546
00:26:26,200 --> 00:26:28,359
Speaker 2: that out of our core I think is really important.

547
00:26:29,440 --> 00:26:32,560
Speaker 2: And so I think that that is an interesting observation

548
00:26:32,680 --> 00:26:36,480
Speaker 2: to go from our format to traditional as being innovative.

549
00:26:36,480 --> 00:26:38,960
Speaker 2: But I also think it's sowing like we're responsive, right,

550
00:26:39,040 --> 00:26:42,720
Speaker 2: we're adaptable. We're looking at the landscape and understanding where

551
00:26:42,760 --> 00:26:45,600
Speaker 2: opportunity is and we're going to go there. And so

552
00:26:45,680 --> 00:26:48,280
Speaker 2: I think it was a really a huge credit to

553
00:26:48,320 --> 00:26:51,880
Speaker 2: the company for taking that leap and for seeing that

554
00:26:51,880 --> 00:26:55,159
Speaker 2: that leap is actually really helping helping it thrive.

555
00:26:55,160 --> 00:26:57,600
Speaker 1: Well in some of the really smart decisions, like having

556
00:26:57,640 --> 00:27:00,199
Speaker 1: it be a barnstorming league in that first season so

557
00:27:00,240 --> 00:27:04,280
Speaker 1: you can really in practice see which cities responded, Where

558
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:07,040
Speaker 1: were the fans showing up, Where did the infrastructure make

559
00:27:07,119 --> 00:27:09,960
Speaker 1: sense to put a team full time. Do we expect

560
00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:13,280
Speaker 1: soon that announcement about expansion, the new teams and the

561
00:27:13,280 --> 00:27:14,760
Speaker 1: home cities for the teams. Yeah.

562
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:16,959
Speaker 2: I think we're going to have some really exciting announcements

563
00:27:16,960 --> 00:27:19,680
Speaker 2: coming up. As we've said before, we're excited to expand

564
00:27:19,760 --> 00:27:22,440
Speaker 2: from four teams to six teams and marry those teams

565
00:27:22,440 --> 00:27:24,840
Speaker 2: to cities. I think you'll see that coming up in

566
00:27:24,840 --> 00:27:27,199
Speaker 2: the next few months. You know, we have a season

567
00:27:27,200 --> 00:27:30,200
Speaker 2: to play in June, so in order to make those

568
00:27:30,240 --> 00:27:33,320
Speaker 2: local markets have increased fandom and get everybody excited, we're

569
00:27:33,359 --> 00:27:35,879
Speaker 2: going to want to do that thoughtfully. So we're excited

570
00:27:35,920 --> 00:27:38,720
Speaker 2: about the many, many announcements that are coming our way.

571
00:27:38,760 --> 00:27:41,320
Speaker 2: Like I said, Team Cities, we're going to be doing

572
00:27:41,680 --> 00:27:44,159
Speaker 2: our Golden Ticket College Draft again, So I think we

573
00:27:44,480 --> 00:27:46,000
Speaker 2: have a lot to look forward to between now and

574
00:27:46,040 --> 00:27:47,360
Speaker 2: first pitch of twenty twenty six.

575
00:27:47,680 --> 00:27:50,520
Speaker 1: The Golden Ticket was such a fantastic idea for those

576
00:27:50,560 --> 00:27:55,120
Speaker 1: who don't remember showing up for top collegiate players while

577
00:27:55,119 --> 00:27:57,480
Speaker 1: they're still playing with their college teams and handing them

578
00:27:57,480 --> 00:27:59,600
Speaker 1: a ticket that they will be part of the draft.

579
00:28:00,119 --> 00:28:01,960
Speaker 1: The AUSL is such a great way to connect the

580
00:28:02,040 --> 00:28:05,160
Speaker 1: enthusiasm and excitement at the collegiate level with this professional

581
00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:08,159
Speaker 1: league and hopefully pull some of those fans from the

582
00:28:08,200 --> 00:28:10,560
Speaker 1: players that they love watching in the Women's College World

583
00:28:10,560 --> 00:28:13,400
Speaker 1: Series and in the collegiate level up into this new league.

584
00:28:13,920 --> 00:28:15,720
Speaker 1: Just really really smart. You know, you've got a really

585
00:28:15,720 --> 00:28:19,119
Speaker 1: impressive advisory board at athletes unlimited, folks like Cheryl Swoops,

586
00:28:19,200 --> 00:28:23,760
Speaker 1: Kevin Durant, Rich Kleinman, Abby Wambach. How does their feedback

587
00:28:23,840 --> 00:28:27,080
Speaker 1: or advice inspire decision making. Do you recall in particular

588
00:28:27,119 --> 00:28:30,520
Speaker 1: anything that that board brought to the table that you thought, wow,

589
00:28:30,640 --> 00:28:33,679
Speaker 1: that is different and innovated or something we should consider.

590
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:36,280
Speaker 2: You know, when that board was first set up that

591
00:28:36,320 --> 00:28:38,760
Speaker 2: predated me, and I do know that, you know, folks

592
00:28:38,760 --> 00:28:42,560
Speaker 2: like Angela Orgerio were so critical in how, you know,

593
00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:44,600
Speaker 2: in advising on how we were setting up. I think

594
00:28:44,640 --> 00:28:47,680
Speaker 2: our advisory boards often there to you know, bounce ideas

595
00:28:47,720 --> 00:28:50,160
Speaker 2: off of I think they're an incredible group of people. Obviously,

596
00:28:50,240 --> 00:28:54,680
Speaker 2: Cheryl is engaged far beyond her advisory role with AU

597
00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,280
Speaker 2: Pro Basketball at time, so I think, you know, just

598
00:28:57,360 --> 00:29:00,880
Speaker 2: having the ability to have that group of people at

599
00:29:00,960 --> 00:29:03,200
Speaker 2: the ready to give us advice, I think is just

600
00:29:03,200 --> 00:29:06,760
Speaker 2: something that we don't take lightly at all. So I

601
00:29:06,760 --> 00:29:09,280
Speaker 2: think you know that it's an impressive group. We want

602
00:29:09,280 --> 00:29:10,720
Speaker 2: to make sure when we ask them for things that

603
00:29:10,800 --> 00:29:14,560
Speaker 2: we're using their times time wisely. So I think, you know,

604
00:29:14,600 --> 00:29:17,080
Speaker 2: we continue to just make sure that we were keeping

605
00:29:17,080 --> 00:29:19,240
Speaker 2: them in the loop and obviously open to any and

606
00:29:19,360 --> 00:29:22,240
Speaker 2: all advice and thoughts that they have to make this

607
00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:24,760
Speaker 2: league and this company just continue to grow and evolve.

608
00:29:25,080 --> 00:29:28,000
Speaker 1: You mentioned Cheryl Swoops and AU Basketball. AU Basketball is

609
00:29:28,040 --> 00:29:31,480
Speaker 1: back in Nashville with some big, big names this year.

610
00:29:31,520 --> 00:29:34,440
Speaker 1: What are you most excited about as AU pro Hoops approaches.

611
00:29:34,880 --> 00:29:36,560
Speaker 3: You know, I'm here now in Nashville.

612
00:29:37,080 --> 00:29:41,080
Speaker 2: We're here with nine players, a real incredible mix of

613
00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:44,680
Speaker 2: vets and newcomers, so everyone from you know Isabelle and

614
00:29:44,720 --> 00:29:49,479
Speaker 2: Dory Harrison or Daughters of Nashville, Sidney Coulson, Teresa Place once,

615
00:29:49,560 --> 00:29:53,200
Speaker 2: Lexie Brown and bringing newcomers like Tahina Poupou and Anissa

616
00:29:53,280 --> 00:29:57,760
Speaker 2: Morrow and Jace Sheldon here to experience what AU pro

617
00:29:57,840 --> 00:30:00,520
Speaker 2: Basketball is, which is, you know, a really uniq format

618
00:30:00,520 --> 00:30:03,479
Speaker 2: where we bring forty you know, professional basketball players and

619
00:30:03,520 --> 00:30:06,040
Speaker 2: we have them compete in four weeks of intense competition

620
00:30:06,120 --> 00:30:09,360
Speaker 2: to crown an individual champion. You know, hearing from the

621
00:30:09,400 --> 00:30:12,040
Speaker 2: players what they love most about this and I think

622
00:30:12,160 --> 00:30:14,240
Speaker 2: the strength of the roster this year shows how this

623
00:30:14,320 --> 00:30:18,120
Speaker 2: brand continues to grow. Is that's a really interesting community

624
00:30:18,120 --> 00:30:20,200
Speaker 2: place for them to play. It's a place where they

625
00:30:20,240 --> 00:30:22,280
Speaker 2: can play five on five basketball, where they can learn

626
00:30:22,320 --> 00:30:24,520
Speaker 2: from each other, where there's freedom that you know, the

627
00:30:24,520 --> 00:30:28,800
Speaker 2: PEC has a huge role in Aupro Basketball where there's

628
00:30:28,800 --> 00:30:31,520
Speaker 2: some kind of level of mentorship and mentee ship, not

629
00:30:31,600 --> 00:30:34,320
Speaker 2: obviously official, but more that you have you know, folks

630
00:30:34,320 --> 00:30:38,000
Speaker 2: at various stages of their career in community together, a

631
00:30:38,040 --> 00:30:39,880
Speaker 2: lot of them falling back in love with the game

632
00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:42,760
Speaker 2: that they play. And so I couldn't be more excited.

633
00:30:42,800 --> 00:30:46,560
Speaker 2: I think Megan Perry, who is our vice president of basketball,

634
00:30:46,640 --> 00:30:49,120
Speaker 2: has done an incredible job every year of leveling up

635
00:30:49,440 --> 00:30:51,440
Speaker 2: the play. I think, you know, there's more players and

636
00:30:51,480 --> 00:30:54,560
Speaker 2: there is opportunity women's basketball, so to be able to

637
00:30:54,640 --> 00:30:59,360
Speaker 2: convene these incredible athletes together and give them a platform

638
00:30:59,400 --> 00:31:02,040
Speaker 2: here in Nashville, which AU Pro Basketball is the only

639
00:31:02,120 --> 00:31:05,480
Speaker 2: women's professional sports league in Nashville, and so we have

640
00:31:05,560 --> 00:31:09,280
Speaker 2: the opportunity of being a kind of a destination for

641
00:31:09,400 --> 00:31:13,080
Speaker 2: women's sports fans here. The community here has embraced us

642
00:31:13,120 --> 00:31:16,320
Speaker 2: with open arms, with you know, true Southern hospitality. Everybody

643
00:31:16,320 --> 00:31:22,160
Speaker 2: from city hall to local government officials, community groups, the Titans,

644
00:31:22,200 --> 00:31:26,120
Speaker 2: the Predators, Nashville s see all really leveraging their platforms

645
00:31:26,120 --> 00:31:28,360
Speaker 2: to drive awareness of the fact that we're here in

646
00:31:28,360 --> 00:31:29,520
Speaker 2: February for four weeks.

647
00:31:29,600 --> 00:31:32,440
Speaker 3: So we are really excited to be here.

648
00:31:32,520 --> 00:31:35,360
Speaker 2: We think Nashville is an incredible place with a storied

649
00:31:35,440 --> 00:31:38,680
Speaker 2: history of women's basketball, and to be able to deliver

650
00:31:38,800 --> 00:31:41,240
Speaker 2: this product to fans is just a huge opportunity. So

651
00:31:41,280 --> 00:31:43,160
Speaker 2: we could not be more excited. I mean it's a

652
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,040
Speaker 2: pretty fun city.

653
00:31:44,120 --> 00:31:46,200
Speaker 1: I mean, yeah, good place to be for a couple

654
00:31:46,240 --> 00:31:46,640
Speaker 1: of weeks.

655
00:31:47,200 --> 00:31:49,840
Speaker 2: Yeah, there are worse places to be in February. So

656
00:31:49,920 --> 00:31:53,280
Speaker 2: I think our athletes obviously enjoy it, we as a

657
00:31:53,320 --> 00:31:55,239
Speaker 2: staff enjoy it, and the fans enjoy it.

658
00:31:55,520 --> 00:31:57,280
Speaker 1: I'm just bummed because I couldn't make it down last

659
00:31:57,360 --> 00:31:59,040
Speaker 1: year and then I was like, oh, I'm going this year.

660
00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:01,160
Speaker 1: I've been mean to get back to Nashville and now

661
00:32:01,160 --> 00:32:03,320
Speaker 1: I'm going to be in Italy for all of February.

662
00:32:03,320 --> 00:32:05,880
Speaker 1: Not that I'm complaining to be covering the Olympics, but

663
00:32:05,920 --> 00:32:08,479
Speaker 1: I'm missing AU hoops again, which is a bummer. You know,

664
00:32:08,520 --> 00:32:11,760
Speaker 1: you mentioned the mentorship, and I do love this because

665
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:14,640
Speaker 1: talking to someone like Alicia Clark who's been playing AU

666
00:32:14,680 --> 00:32:18,120
Speaker 1: for a long time, her ability to bond with younger

667
00:32:18,160 --> 00:32:21,280
Speaker 1: players and to help them learn and understand what it's

668
00:32:21,320 --> 00:32:23,640
Speaker 1: like to be a professional basketball player and have a

669
00:32:23,680 --> 00:32:26,840
Speaker 1: long career so important. And you mentioned young folks like

670
00:32:26,880 --> 00:32:31,000
Speaker 1: Tahina Pow Pow, Caitlin Chen making their debuts alongside someone

671
00:32:31,040 --> 00:32:34,880
Speaker 1: like Tina Charles, who I believe is the longest run

672
00:32:34,880 --> 00:32:36,960
Speaker 1: and player ben at it for maybe Alisha. I know

673
00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,920
Speaker 1: Alisha is the oldest, but you've got these incredible vets

674
00:32:40,160 --> 00:32:42,959
Speaker 1: meeting up with these new players, and because of the

675
00:32:42,960 --> 00:32:45,720
Speaker 1: way the teams switch each week, you really have a

676
00:32:45,760 --> 00:32:48,800
Speaker 1: lot of contact with different players, different styles of play.

677
00:32:48,960 --> 00:32:51,760
Speaker 1: It's a great place to hone your game. And then

678
00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:54,080
Speaker 1: there's you know, five hundred thousand dollars in prize bonuses,

679
00:32:54,120 --> 00:32:56,400
Speaker 1: so that's not too bad either. What do you hear

680
00:32:56,440 --> 00:32:59,440
Speaker 1: about the desire to come play especially I think now

681
00:32:59,440 --> 00:33:02,160
Speaker 1: with Unry you would consider it almost a rival, But

682
00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:05,280
Speaker 1: I actually think what it does is drive more players

683
00:33:05,280 --> 00:33:08,239
Speaker 1: to want to play basketball in the States and not

684
00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:10,640
Speaker 1: leave in the off season and have the five on

685
00:33:10,720 --> 00:33:12,400
Speaker 1: five opportunity.

686
00:33:11,960 --> 00:33:14,400
Speaker 2: Exactly exactly, And listen, this is a community of players

687
00:33:14,440 --> 00:33:16,800
Speaker 2: that talk to each other, right, and so they're choosing

688
00:33:16,840 --> 00:33:19,640
Speaker 2: to come here because you know, I'm sure that they're

689
00:33:19,680 --> 00:33:21,719
Speaker 2: hearing from folks that have played with us, just what

690
00:33:21,760 --> 00:33:25,360
Speaker 2: the experience is like, how AU feels like a community,

691
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,680
Speaker 2: what we're trying to build here and should you want

692
00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:29,960
Speaker 2: to play domestically and want to play five on five,

693
00:33:30,360 --> 00:33:32,040
Speaker 2: it's a really great place to be.

694
00:33:32,040 --> 00:33:33,240
Speaker 3: Competitive for four weeks.

695
00:33:33,720 --> 00:33:36,480
Speaker 2: So you know, I think more basketball all around is

696
00:33:36,520 --> 00:33:39,720
Speaker 2: good for women's professional sports. I think having the opportunity

697
00:33:40,040 --> 00:33:43,040
Speaker 2: to play with US or with unrivaled is again great

698
00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:46,240
Speaker 2: for these athletes. And so again, you know, we are

699
00:33:46,680 --> 00:33:49,840
Speaker 2: super excited about the group our returners many come back,

700
00:33:50,840 --> 00:33:52,480
Speaker 2: and the new folks that are coming to see what

701
00:33:52,520 --> 00:33:56,200
Speaker 2: it's about. And it's all because of incredible leadership that

702
00:33:56,200 --> 00:33:59,280
Speaker 2: we have within that PEC. Who are you know, ambassadors

703
00:33:59,320 --> 00:34:03,520
Speaker 2: for this lead to the community. So I'm excited to

704
00:34:03,520 --> 00:34:05,120
Speaker 2: see what it's going to be like. I think it's

705
00:34:05,240 --> 00:34:07,400
Speaker 2: it's I think it's going to be fun. I think

706
00:34:07,480 --> 00:34:10,640
Speaker 2: it's going to be a really interesting thing to see

707
00:34:10,640 --> 00:34:11,960
Speaker 2: who is at the top of the leaderboard. I mean

708
00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:14,520
Speaker 2: last year it was so cool that you know, several

709
00:34:14,680 --> 00:34:17,560
Speaker 2: folks come here unsigned and many were invited to camps

710
00:34:17,600 --> 00:34:19,640
Speaker 2: and many were signed to teams. I mean, sid Coulson

711
00:34:19,680 --> 00:34:21,480
Speaker 2: will say the story of how she came to au

712
00:34:22,239 --> 00:34:24,920
Speaker 2: not without a contract and then was on the aces.

713
00:34:25,000 --> 00:34:27,520
Speaker 2: And Sidney Coulson is you know, has been in the

714
00:34:27,920 --> 00:34:28,680
Speaker 2: w for years.

715
00:34:28,760 --> 00:34:30,680
Speaker 1: Face of the league, face of the league, as she

716
00:34:30,840 --> 00:34:33,400
Speaker 1: likes to say, Yeah, I was gonna say, Sidney Coulson

717
00:34:33,480 --> 00:34:35,719
Speaker 1: is there, so it can't be boring. It will be

718
00:34:35,760 --> 00:34:38,600
Speaker 1: a good time if Sidney Coulson is anywhere, But especially

719
00:34:38,600 --> 00:34:41,680
Speaker 1: in Nashville, we've seen some of those performance. Is a

720
00:34:42,080 --> 00:34:44,360
Speaker 1: is a generous word for what she's doing at karaoke,

721
00:34:44,520 --> 00:34:47,200
Speaker 1: but what a blast. I'm looking forward to seeing all

722
00:34:47,200 --> 00:34:50,840
Speaker 1: the dispatches from Nashville and that group. You just recently

723
00:34:50,880 --> 00:34:55,000
Speaker 1: wrapped up the volleyball season. AU Pro Volleyball best roster

724
00:34:55,080 --> 00:34:57,400
Speaker 1: of players yet, I mean, didn't it just feel like

725
00:34:57,440 --> 00:34:59,920
Speaker 1: you had the best group pulling from Love and M

726
00:35:00,320 --> 00:35:01,680
Speaker 1: in all the top international leagues.

727
00:35:01,880 --> 00:35:02,440
Speaker 3: Absolutely.

728
00:35:02,480 --> 00:35:05,000
Speaker 2: I think you know, we were really proud to be

729
00:35:05,040 --> 00:35:06,960
Speaker 2: the first league five years ago to prove that there's

730
00:35:07,120 --> 00:35:09,400
Speaker 2: a market for women's volleyball in the US. And obviously

731
00:35:09,440 --> 00:35:11,920
Speaker 2: since then, you LOVE and MLV have entered the landscape,

732
00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,080
Speaker 2: and again it's great that there's more opportunities for folks

733
00:35:15,080 --> 00:35:18,480
Speaker 2: to play domestically. I think this year we repositioned ourselves

734
00:35:18,480 --> 00:35:21,239
Speaker 2: as essentially an all star competition, and so you saw

735
00:35:21,280 --> 00:35:23,440
Speaker 2: that in the roster. You saw the best of the best.

736
00:35:23,480 --> 00:35:26,960
Speaker 2: You saw Jordan Thompson last night be crowned the champion.

737
00:35:27,000 --> 00:35:29,200
Speaker 2: She's a two time Olympic medalist for Team USA. I

738
00:35:29,200 --> 00:35:33,640
Speaker 2: think our roster spoke to the incredible level of talent

739
00:35:33,719 --> 00:35:37,239
Speaker 2: and competition, and I think they too enjoyed the experience. So,

740
00:35:38,320 --> 00:35:40,360
Speaker 2: you know, we couldn't be more proud of about the

741
00:35:41,239 --> 00:35:43,880
Speaker 2: level of talent and the competition that we are building

742
00:35:44,280 --> 00:35:45,920
Speaker 2: with the volleyball property.

743
00:35:46,400 --> 00:35:49,840
Speaker 1: And you mentioned Jordan Thompson talk about an advertisement for

744
00:35:49,960 --> 00:35:53,160
Speaker 1: competing with AU after she was crowned the season champion.

745
00:35:53,680 --> 00:35:56,319
Speaker 1: She said that AU really helped her fall in love

746
00:35:56,360 --> 00:35:59,160
Speaker 1: with the sport again, which is just a wonderful thing

747
00:35:59,200 --> 00:36:02,279
Speaker 1: to hear from someone, particularly as we talked about kind

748
00:36:02,280 --> 00:36:07,080
Speaker 1: of a different and unique experience that isn't just replicative

749
00:36:07,200 --> 00:36:09,400
Speaker 1: of their other league, but something that allows them to

750
00:36:09,480 --> 00:36:12,280
Speaker 1: engage with their you know, fellow players in a different

751
00:36:12,320 --> 00:36:15,080
Speaker 1: way and really cool to see that. What's next for

752
00:36:15,160 --> 00:36:18,040
Speaker 1: a You got any big announcements to make or any

753
00:36:18,440 --> 00:36:20,720
Speaker 1: changes that we should anticipate coming down the pipe.

754
00:36:20,800 --> 00:36:23,239
Speaker 2: I think we are just going to continue to grow

755
00:36:23,320 --> 00:36:26,840
Speaker 2: these three properties, create their identities, and serve the fans

756
00:36:26,960 --> 00:36:29,959
Speaker 2: that they each have. I think we had an incredible year,

757
00:36:30,320 --> 00:36:32,719
Speaker 2: and I know I'm not trying to blow smoke, but

758
00:36:32,920 --> 00:36:34,839
Speaker 2: I can't even wait to see what the next year brings.

759
00:36:34,880 --> 00:36:36,520
Speaker 3: Because if you had told me a year ago we'd

760
00:36:36,560 --> 00:36:37,280
Speaker 3: be sitting here.

761
00:36:37,120 --> 00:36:41,520
Speaker 2: Today, I'd be hard pressed to acknowledge that we could

762
00:36:41,520 --> 00:36:43,360
Speaker 2: come this far in such a short time. That's not

763
00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,319
Speaker 2: because of blood, sweat and tears, but because it's in

764
00:36:46,360 --> 00:36:49,719
Speaker 2: the case of AUSL it's exponential, and I see that

765
00:36:49,760 --> 00:36:51,799
Speaker 2: with the basketball property as well. It's coming a year

766
00:36:51,840 --> 00:36:53,560
Speaker 2: back to Nashville. It feels like we're in a very

767
00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:55,960
Speaker 2: different place. And seeing with volleyball, to see, you know,

768
00:36:56,040 --> 00:36:58,560
Speaker 2: Jordan Thompson being crowned last night, it's a matter of

769
00:36:58,600 --> 00:37:01,000
Speaker 2: where these things are going to go. We have a

770
00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,239
Speaker 2: lot of work ahead of us, but I couldn't be

771
00:37:03,280 --> 00:37:05,960
Speaker 2: more encouraged and excited by all that's to come.

772
00:37:06,320 --> 00:37:09,040
Speaker 1: Yeah, and I love that you mentioned serving the different

773
00:37:09,080 --> 00:37:11,640
Speaker 1: fans of these sports, because that's one thing I think

774
00:37:11,719 --> 00:37:16,360
Speaker 1: AU is stepping into is better understanding how the demos

775
00:37:16,400 --> 00:37:18,960
Speaker 1: are a little bit different for basketball, volleyball, and softball,

776
00:37:18,960 --> 00:37:21,560
Speaker 1: and how do you make sure that the sport feels

777
00:37:21,760 --> 00:37:25,000
Speaker 1: still like it's AU but it's its own thing and

778
00:37:25,040 --> 00:37:27,120
Speaker 1: it has a fit for that space totally.

779
00:37:27,160 --> 00:37:29,880
Speaker 2: I think, you know, recognizing that there are different communities

780
00:37:29,920 --> 00:37:32,440
Speaker 2: of athletes, they're different communities of fans, and how do

781
00:37:32,480 --> 00:37:34,760
Speaker 2: we speak to those fans and create a genuine experience

782
00:37:34,760 --> 00:37:37,399
Speaker 2: for all of them to connect with athletes unlimited, which

783
00:37:37,480 --> 00:37:40,560
Speaker 2: has a through line right of centering with the athlete,

784
00:37:40,600 --> 00:37:43,280
Speaker 2: and so it just it might be expressed in different ways,

785
00:37:43,280 --> 00:37:45,120
Speaker 2: in different properties, but that's still at the core of

786
00:37:45,120 --> 00:37:45,520
Speaker 2: who we are.

787
00:37:46,000 --> 00:37:48,520
Speaker 1: Yeah, before I let you go, we're going full circle

788
00:37:48,600 --> 00:37:50,680
Speaker 1: back to the beginning. I need to hear about these

789
00:37:50,719 --> 00:37:54,280
Speaker 1: emails and how an uber driver inspired you to start

790
00:37:54,600 --> 00:37:57,080
Speaker 1: sending emails that won't be read for at least another

791
00:37:57,120 --> 00:37:58,239
Speaker 1: decade or so. Yeah.

792
00:37:58,239 --> 00:38:01,279
Speaker 2: I was traveling a lot for business pregnant, and the

793
00:38:02,440 --> 00:38:04,520
Speaker 2: driver told me that he was writing in a book.

794
00:38:04,520 --> 00:38:06,440
Speaker 2: He was writing notes to his daughter when he was

795
00:38:06,480 --> 00:38:10,919
Speaker 2: on between rides, and it just struck me because I thought,

796
00:38:10,920 --> 00:38:13,880
Speaker 2: what an amazing gift to be able to, you know,

797
00:38:13,960 --> 00:38:17,319
Speaker 2: communicate to your kids without you know, just in a

798
00:38:17,440 --> 00:38:21,040
Speaker 2: very different kind of headspace. And so before they were born,

799
00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:24,320
Speaker 2: after they were born, I each have an email address

800
00:38:24,400 --> 00:38:25,880
Speaker 2: for both of them and I send them notes all

801
00:38:25,920 --> 00:38:28,439
Speaker 2: the time, and it could be anything from like don't

802
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,400
Speaker 2: be friends with idiots, to you know, a funny story

803
00:38:31,400 --> 00:38:33,399
Speaker 2: about who their best friend is this week, or if

804
00:38:33,400 --> 00:38:36,520
Speaker 2: somebody you know happened to maybe look at somebody else's paper.

805
00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:37,120
Speaker 3: For the first time.

806
00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:40,120
Speaker 2: So it's just a way that I hope that when

807
00:38:40,200 --> 00:38:42,879
Speaker 2: they do read them over time, they hear me talk

808
00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:45,080
Speaker 2: to them in my voice, not as their mom, but

809
00:38:45,120 --> 00:38:48,160
Speaker 2: as a person, and kind of I talk to them

810
00:38:48,200 --> 00:38:50,120
Speaker 2: like I would talk to my friends, And I think

811
00:38:50,120 --> 00:38:53,440
Speaker 2: that that might give them a different perspective when I'm old,

812
00:38:53,719 --> 00:38:55,120
Speaker 2: and I love that.

813
00:38:55,760 --> 00:38:58,680
Speaker 1: Yeah, no, hopefully not sad, but you might be there

814
00:38:58,960 --> 00:39:00,399
Speaker 1: because I hear that from my every pair.

815
00:39:00,840 --> 00:39:01,120
Speaker 3: That's it.

816
00:39:01,160 --> 00:39:03,000
Speaker 1: They want to hang on to the useful years. But

817
00:39:03,520 --> 00:39:06,600
Speaker 1: I do love that because I think you can try

818
00:39:06,640 --> 00:39:09,879
Speaker 1: your best to stay quote unquote cool and young as

819
00:39:09,920 --> 00:39:13,360
Speaker 1: a parent. But we all know, having been through it ourselves,

820
00:39:13,360 --> 00:39:15,520
Speaker 1: that we see our parents as a certain thing no

821
00:39:15,560 --> 00:39:19,200
Speaker 1: matter what, we just can't relate to them as ever

822
00:39:19,280 --> 00:39:22,080
Speaker 1: having been our age at any point in their lives.

823
00:39:22,320 --> 00:39:25,120
Speaker 1: So to actually have you be a cool young mom

824
00:39:25,200 --> 00:39:27,600
Speaker 1: who's you know, traveling around doing awesome things for work

825
00:39:27,600 --> 00:39:29,719
Speaker 1: and talking to them like you hal a friend. They

826
00:39:29,840 --> 00:39:32,840
Speaker 1: will always have that sort of time capsule, which is

827
00:39:32,880 --> 00:39:35,880
Speaker 1: really cool and I think, you know, some of us

828
00:39:35,920 --> 00:39:37,680
Speaker 1: would be good to do that for ourselves in some

829
00:39:37,719 --> 00:39:40,600
Speaker 1: sort of journal or email and able to remember things.

830
00:39:40,640 --> 00:39:42,680
Speaker 1: I used to remember a lot more when I kept

831
00:39:42,680 --> 00:39:44,880
Speaker 1: a journal. Now everything is based on whether I took

832
00:39:44,920 --> 00:39:46,759
Speaker 1: a photo. I'm like, oh, I remember I was there

833
00:39:46,760 --> 00:39:48,640
Speaker 1: because I have a photo of it, and that's about it.

834
00:39:48,760 --> 00:39:48,960
Speaker 3: I know.

835
00:39:49,000 --> 00:39:52,080
Speaker 2: It actually forces me to like critically think too.

836
00:39:51,920 --> 00:39:57,480
Speaker 3: Right and right? No, that would be an all time love. No,

837
00:39:57,680 --> 00:39:58,120
Speaker 3: not at all.

838
00:39:58,120 --> 00:40:00,200
Speaker 2: But it's cool too because I gave it to my parents,

839
00:40:00,200 --> 00:40:02,359
Speaker 2: and you know, also for them to be able to

840
00:40:02,600 --> 00:40:04,839
Speaker 2: communicate with them. I think that's just again a gift

841
00:40:04,840 --> 00:40:06,160
Speaker 2: that will keep on giving for them.

842
00:40:06,280 --> 00:40:09,120
Speaker 1: I love it. Yeah, so cool, so cool. Well, I

843
00:40:09,560 --> 00:40:12,080
Speaker 1: love getting to catch up with you about all things au.

844
00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:14,279
Speaker 1: We'll have to catch up again in a couple months

845
00:40:14,320 --> 00:40:16,040
Speaker 1: and see where this rocket ship has gone. Thank you

846
00:40:16,080 --> 00:40:16,960
Speaker 1: so much for the time.

847
00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:18,719
Speaker 3: Ali, Thanks Sarah, thanks for having me.

848
00:40:21,280 --> 00:40:23,520
Speaker 1: Thanks again to Ali for hanging out with us. We

849
00:40:23,560 --> 00:40:25,520
Speaker 1: got to take another break when we come back. How

850
00:40:25,600 --> 00:40:34,000
Speaker 1: is it already calendar season? Welcome back, Slaces, We love

851
00:40:34,080 --> 00:40:35,440
Speaker 1: that you're listening, but we want you to get in

852
00:40:35,440 --> 00:40:37,480
Speaker 1: the game every day too, So here's our good game

853
00:40:37,520 --> 00:40:40,040
Speaker 1: play of the day. Check out the great story Friend

854
00:40:40,080 --> 00:40:42,239
Speaker 1: at the Show Katie Barnes wrote about other friend of

855
00:40:42,239 --> 00:40:45,440
Speaker 1: the show, Azy Fud, from her decision to return to Yukon,

856
00:40:45,600 --> 00:40:48,080
Speaker 1: to self doubt returning from injury, and her work with

857
00:40:48,120 --> 00:40:51,279
Speaker 1: a sports psychologist. It's a great deep dive into as

858
00:40:51,480 --> 00:40:53,839
Speaker 1: one of the biggest names in college hoops. We'll put

859
00:40:53,840 --> 00:40:56,120
Speaker 1: a link to the story in the show notes. And

860
00:40:56,160 --> 00:40:57,560
Speaker 1: we always love to hear from you, so hit us

861
00:40:57,600 --> 00:41:00,400
Speaker 1: up on email Good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or

862
00:41:00,480 --> 00:41:02,279
Speaker 1: leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two o

863
00:41:02,440 --> 00:41:06,040
Speaker 1: four fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe, rate and review.

864
00:41:06,239 --> 00:41:10,719
Speaker 1: It's easy watch Super Slice. Joey Maldonado taken an early

865
00:41:10,800 --> 00:41:14,680
Speaker 1: lead for twenty twenty six MVP, rating twelve out of

866
00:41:14,719 --> 00:41:18,719
Speaker 1: twelve months of women's sports review. Our guy Joey is

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Speaker 1: back with a brand spankin new spreadsheet of women's sporting

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Speaker 1: events for twenty twenty six. Speeke, How's it already almost

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Speaker 1: twenty twenty six? The guy who brought you the very

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Speaker 1: first women's sports schedule spreadsheet is back for year two,

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Speaker 1: laying out all the Major League volleyball and AU basketball

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Speaker 1: games we know so far, and he's ready to add

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Speaker 1: more as the league roll out their schedules. Joey, you

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Speaker 1: truly are a mench. We'll link to this year's and

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Speaker 1: next year's spreadsheets in the show notes. Book Mark them,

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Speaker 1: love them, use them often. Now it's your turn. Y'all,

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Speaker 1: rate and review. Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Ali,

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00:41:53,000 --> 00:41:56,799
Speaker 1: Good game, Joey. You to whatever weird algorithm has been

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00:41:56,800 --> 00:41:59,840
Speaker 1: making My legitimate and very much not spam emails to

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00:42:00,160 --> 00:42:02,760
Speaker 1: everyone who works on this show get sent to email

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Speaker 1: purgatory and not to them. Good Game with Sarah Spain

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00:42:10,360 --> 00:42:13,000
Speaker 1: is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership with Deep

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Speaker 1: Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us on the

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00:42:15,600 --> 00:42:18,920
Speaker 1: iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

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00:42:19,080 --> 00:42:22,440
Speaker 1: Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azzie

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00:42:22,560 --> 00:42:26,520
Speaker 1: Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers

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00:42:26,560 --> 00:42:29,920
Speaker 1: are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder.

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00:42:30,239 --> 00:42:33,600
Speaker 1: Our editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, and Gianna Palmer.

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00:42:33,880 --> 00:42:37,520
Speaker 1: Production assistants from Avery LOFTUS and I'm Your Host Sarah

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Speaker 1: Spain