1 00:00:00,560 --> 00:00:02,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where I'm still 2 00:00:02,720 --> 00:00:06,720 Speaker 1: getting absolutely wrecked by jet lag from my trip to Africa. 3 00:00:07,240 --> 00:00:09,440 Speaker 1: If anyone has any hacks to get my brain and 4 00:00:09,480 --> 00:00:13,280 Speaker 1: body back on track besides sunlight and coffee and all 5 00:00:13,360 --> 00:00:17,799 Speaker 1: those things, please let me know. It's Friday, September nineteenth, 6 00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:20,680 Speaker 1: Happy Friday. Slices. On today's show, We're going to be 7 00:00:20,760 --> 00:00:24,440 Speaker 1: chatting with Women's Tennis Association CEO Portia Archer about her 8 00:00:24,480 --> 00:00:27,040 Speaker 1: first year on the job, the role that players have 9 00:00:27,200 --> 00:00:31,680 Speaker 1: in WTA decision making, managing a global organization, and understanding 10 00:00:31,680 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: and advancing commitments that were made before her time. Plus 11 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: Sidney McLauchlin Lavroni is unstoppable, a busy week for the NWSL, 12 00:00:39,920 --> 00:00:43,120 Speaker 1: and women's college hockey is back Baby, It's all coming 13 00:00:43,200 --> 00:00:57,920 Speaker 1: up right after this Welcome back. Here's what you need 14 00:00:57,960 --> 00:01:03,200 Speaker 1: to know today in WNBA playoff news, the top seeded 15 00:01:03,200 --> 00:01:05,760 Speaker 1: Minnesota Lynx became the first team to advance to the 16 00:01:05,840 --> 00:01:08,679 Speaker 1: w semi finals on Wednesday night, coming back from a 17 00:01:08,760 --> 00:01:12,320 Speaker 1: seventeen point third quarter deficit on the road to beat 18 00:01:12,319 --> 00:01:15,440 Speaker 1: the Golden State Valkyrie seventy five seventy four and finish 19 00:01:15,520 --> 00:01:17,800 Speaker 1: off the two games sweep. It was a hard fought 20 00:01:17,840 --> 00:01:20,240 Speaker 1: game and the Valks were in control for a majority 21 00:01:20,280 --> 00:01:22,920 Speaker 1: of it in front of a sellout crowd of eighteen thousand, 22 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:26,320 Speaker 1: five hundred and forty three fans yep, the home court 23 00:01:26,440 --> 00:01:29,800 Speaker 1: Juice traveled. The game was played nearly fifty miles south 24 00:01:29,800 --> 00:01:32,199 Speaker 1: of the Chase Center at the NHL San Jose Sharks 25 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:35,640 Speaker 1: SAP Center because of scheduling conflicts, but the Valx fans 26 00:01:35,640 --> 00:01:38,720 Speaker 1: still showed up despite their support, and a FISA collier 27 00:01:38,920 --> 00:01:41,679 Speaker 1: wouldn't be stopped. She went ten for sixteen from the 28 00:01:41,680 --> 00:01:43,840 Speaker 1: field on the night, scoring fourteen of her twenty four 29 00:01:43,880 --> 00:01:47,600 Speaker 1: points in the second half Golden State's to Chilia Zandalasini 30 00:01:47,640 --> 00:01:49,360 Speaker 1: had a chance to give her squad the win with 31 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,160 Speaker 1: a mid range jumper at the final buzzer, but it 32 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,920 Speaker 1: was just a little strong. As she sat on the 33 00:01:54,920 --> 00:01:58,360 Speaker 1: court in tears being consoled by her teammates, the fans 34 00:01:58,440 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: serenaded her and the whole organization with cheers and applause 35 00:02:02,520 --> 00:02:06,000 Speaker 1: in recognition of their incredible inaugural season. Kind of made 36 00:02:06,040 --> 00:02:09,680 Speaker 1: me emotional, actually. Congrats Tofi and the Links for moving on. 37 00:02:09,760 --> 00:02:11,639 Speaker 1: They'll face the winner of the four to five series 38 00:02:11,639 --> 00:02:14,360 Speaker 1: between the Phoenix Mercury and New York Liberty. We're recording 39 00:02:14,360 --> 00:02:17,040 Speaker 1: this before Game three in that series on Thursday night, 40 00:02:17,280 --> 00:02:18,919 Speaker 1: so we'll get you all caught up on the action 41 00:02:19,080 --> 00:02:23,079 Speaker 1: next week. More hoops news. The awards announcements keep coming, 42 00:02:23,200 --> 00:02:26,280 Speaker 1: and we've got a first time in WNBA history moment 43 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:29,359 Speaker 1: for Minnesota Links forward Alana Smith and Las Vegas Aces 44 00:02:29,360 --> 00:02:33,160 Speaker 1: center Asia Wilson. They've been named the co Defensive Players 45 00:02:33,200 --> 00:02:36,240 Speaker 1: of the Year. Smith and Wilson received twenty nine votes apiece. 46 00:02:36,320 --> 00:02:39,280 Speaker 1: It's the first KIA WNBA Defensive Player of the award 47 00:02:39,280 --> 00:02:42,359 Speaker 1: for Smith and the third for Wilson. Smith posted a 48 00:02:42,440 --> 00:02:45,840 Speaker 1: league best ninety seven point five defensive rating, helping Minnesota 49 00:02:45,880 --> 00:02:48,880 Speaker 1: finish the regular season with the top ranked defense. She 50 00:02:48,960 --> 00:02:52,160 Speaker 1: also finished second overall in combined steals in blocks, third 51 00:02:52,200 --> 00:02:54,920 Speaker 1: in blocks per game and total blocks, and tied for 52 00:02:55,040 --> 00:02:58,600 Speaker 1: tenth in total steals. Meantime, Wilson led the WNBA in 53 00:02:58,639 --> 00:03:02,480 Speaker 1: blocks per game, total resounds, defensive rebounds, and combined steals 54 00:03:02,480 --> 00:03:05,320 Speaker 1: and blocks. She also ranked second in total blocks and 55 00:03:05,400 --> 00:03:08,480 Speaker 1: rebounds per game, and she was third in total steals 56 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:12,520 Speaker 1: and fourth in steals per game. More hoops. WNBA Legend 57 00:03:12,560 --> 00:03:15,440 Speaker 1: Elena Deladon is making her way back to the hardwood, 58 00:03:15,639 --> 00:03:18,919 Speaker 1: becoming the first ever managing director of the USA Basketball 59 00:03:18,960 --> 00:03:22,320 Speaker 1: three x three women's national team. The USA Basketball Board 60 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 1: of Directors unanimously approved the selection of Deleadon, a twenty 61 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:29,440 Speaker 1: sixteen Olympic champ and twenty eighteen World champ, and announced 62 00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,680 Speaker 1: her selection earlier this week. Teleadan will select the team's 63 00:03:32,720 --> 00:03:36,840 Speaker 1: coaching staff and players for major international competitions including the 64 00:03:36,960 --> 00:03:39,880 Speaker 1: LA twenty twenty eight Olympic Games, FOBA three x three 65 00:03:39,920 --> 00:03:42,960 Speaker 1: World Cup, PHOEBA three x three Champions Cup, FOBA three 66 00:03:43,040 --> 00:03:45,680 Speaker 1: x three America Cup, and the PHOBA three x three 67 00:03:45,720 --> 00:03:48,560 Speaker 1: Pro Circuit, as well as the program's training camp participants 68 00:03:48,560 --> 00:03:52,000 Speaker 1: through twenty twenty eight. The two time WNBA MVP's journey 69 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:55,000 Speaker 1: with USA Basketball began with a gold medal win back 70 00:03:55,040 --> 00:03:57,560 Speaker 1: in twenty eleven at the World University Games while she 71 00:03:57,640 --> 00:03:59,800 Speaker 1: was playing at Delaware, where she was a two time 72 00:04:00,080 --> 00:04:03,240 Speaker 1: ap All American. Since officially hanging up her sneakers at 73 00:04:03,240 --> 00:04:05,160 Speaker 1: April twenty twenty five, dell it On has served as 74 00:04:05,200 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: a special advisor to Monumental Basketball, the parent company of 75 00:04:08,880 --> 00:04:12,240 Speaker 1: the Washington Mystics, to the Track and the World Track 76 00:04:12,280 --> 00:04:16,400 Speaker 1: and Field Championships. After shattering a nineteen year old American 77 00:04:16,440 --> 00:04:19,320 Speaker 1: record in the four hundred meter during her semi final heat, 78 00:04:19,400 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: running forty eight twenty nine, Sidney McLaughlin Lavaroni was even 79 00:04:22,960 --> 00:04:26,520 Speaker 1: faster and winning the final on Thursday, clocking forty seven 80 00:04:26,720 --> 00:04:29,960 Speaker 1: seventy eight, good for the second fastest time in history, 81 00:04:30,360 --> 00:04:34,040 Speaker 1: behind only the world record of forty seven sixty set 82 00:04:34,080 --> 00:04:37,039 Speaker 1: way back in nineteen eighty five by Marita Coch who 83 00:04:37,080 --> 00:04:41,120 Speaker 1: represented East Germany. McLachlin Lavarni, the first person to win 84 00:04:41,200 --> 00:04:43,359 Speaker 1: world titles in both the four undred meter hurdles and 85 00:04:43,400 --> 00:04:46,000 Speaker 1: the four undermeter flat, and the first American woman to 86 00:04:46,080 --> 00:04:48,360 Speaker 1: run the four hundred in less than forty eight seconds, 87 00:04:48,640 --> 00:04:52,279 Speaker 1: also broke the world championship record with her time. Talk 88 00:04:52,520 --> 00:04:56,279 Speaker 1: about dominance and not too shabby for someone who started 89 00:04:56,279 --> 00:04:59,159 Speaker 1: focusing on the four hundred meters just this season because 90 00:04:59,200 --> 00:05:02,599 Speaker 1: she wanted a new ChIL ange to the NWSL. There's 91 00:05:02,640 --> 00:05:05,560 Speaker 1: a lot at stake headon into Week twenty one. First up, 92 00:05:05,600 --> 00:05:08,920 Speaker 1: the Kansas City Current could clinch the NWSL shield as 93 00:05:09,040 --> 00:05:11,960 Speaker 1: early as this weekend. We're recording this ahead of Thursday 94 00:05:12,040 --> 00:05:14,919 Speaker 1: nights match between the Washington Spirit and Angel City, but 95 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:18,240 Speaker 1: if Washington wins that Kansas City can clinch the shield 96 00:05:18,240 --> 00:05:20,880 Speaker 1: with a win against Seattle on Saturday night. We'll link 97 00:05:20,920 --> 00:05:23,680 Speaker 1: to the full NWSL weekend schedule in the show notes 98 00:05:24,360 --> 00:05:27,160 Speaker 1: and some more footy news. The Portland Thorns announced Wednesday 99 00:05:27,400 --> 00:05:29,400 Speaker 1: that the club will retire friend of the Show and 100 00:05:29,560 --> 00:05:33,800 Speaker 1: NWSL legend Christine Sinclair's jersey during her Thorns Hall of 101 00:05:33,800 --> 00:05:36,800 Speaker 1: Fame induction ceremony. The celebration is set to take place 102 00:05:36,839 --> 00:05:40,320 Speaker 1: October fourth at Providence Park before the team's match against BFC. 103 00:05:40,920 --> 00:05:45,080 Speaker 1: Sinclair was a force over her twelve year career with Portland. 104 00:05:45,360 --> 00:05:48,320 Speaker 1: She's the club's all time leading goal scorer with seventy 105 00:05:48,400 --> 00:05:52,760 Speaker 1: nine goals across all NWSL competitions. She's got Portland's record 106 00:05:52,760 --> 00:05:55,159 Speaker 1: for most matches played with two hundred and thirty seven, 107 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:58,440 Speaker 1: most games started with two hundred and fifteen, most minutes 108 00:05:58,480 --> 00:06:01,080 Speaker 1: played eighteen thousand, five one hundred and seventy nine, and 109 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:05,200 Speaker 1: most penalty goals with ten. She also tallied nineteen assists, 110 00:06:05,520 --> 00:06:09,040 Speaker 1: which is third most in Thorn's history. A captain, beginning 111 00:06:09,080 --> 00:06:12,400 Speaker 1: with the club's inaugural twenty thirteen season, Sinclair led the 112 00:06:12,440 --> 00:06:16,440 Speaker 1: Thorns to three NWSL Championships in twenty thirteen, seventeen, and 113 00:06:16,520 --> 00:06:20,240 Speaker 1: twenty two, and two NWSL Shields in twenty sixteen and 114 00:06:20,279 --> 00:06:25,760 Speaker 1: twenty one, and also the twenty twenty one NWSL Challenge Cup. Wow, 115 00:06:26,120 --> 00:06:28,800 Speaker 1: that is a legacy. Tickets are available now if you'll 116 00:06:28,839 --> 00:06:30,480 Speaker 1: be in the area, We'll throw a link in our 117 00:06:30,480 --> 00:06:33,960 Speaker 1: show notes more NWSL. On Wednesday, the league announce the 118 00:06:34,000 --> 00:06:36,760 Speaker 1: launch of its first ever combines, which will give players 119 00:06:36,760 --> 00:06:39,640 Speaker 1: the chance to flex their skills for NWSL clubs and 120 00:06:39,680 --> 00:06:42,679 Speaker 1: sign as free agents. The three day Combines are intended 121 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:45,400 Speaker 1: to provide a clear avenue for players to join teams 122 00:06:45,640 --> 00:06:48,520 Speaker 1: now that the NWSL no longer has a draft. The 123 00:06:48,560 --> 00:06:50,840 Speaker 1: Combines will happen in December, just ahead at the start 124 00:06:50,839 --> 00:06:53,800 Speaker 1: of the twenty twenty six NWSL preseason, and will be 125 00:06:53,839 --> 00:06:56,480 Speaker 1: split into two groups U eighteen through U twenty three 126 00:06:56,760 --> 00:07:00,800 Speaker 1: and You thirteen to U seventeen. Thought we were finished, Nope. 127 00:07:01,080 --> 00:07:03,760 Speaker 1: Been a busy week for the NWSL. On Thursday, the 128 00:07:03,800 --> 00:07:07,719 Speaker 1: league also announced an expansion of its media rights package. First, 129 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:11,080 Speaker 1: the league is partnering with streaming television sports network Victory 130 00:07:11,120 --> 00:07:13,720 Speaker 1: Plus through the twenty twenty six to twenty seven seasons 131 00:07:14,120 --> 00:07:17,000 Speaker 1: bringing in Victory Plus will add twenty five Sunday night 132 00:07:17,080 --> 00:07:20,720 Speaker 1: broadcasts in twenty twenty six, coinciding with Boston Legacy FC 133 00:07:20,760 --> 00:07:24,080 Speaker 1: and Denver Summit FC's inaugural seasons. Also part of the 134 00:07:24,080 --> 00:07:27,400 Speaker 1: new media rights package, ABC and ESPN networks will carry 135 00:07:27,440 --> 00:07:31,200 Speaker 1: weekly regular season games and hold exclusive rights to all 136 00:07:31,360 --> 00:07:34,680 Speaker 1: eight Decision Day matches. You remember, that's when eight matches 137 00:07:34,720 --> 00:07:38,680 Speaker 1: are contested simultaneously to close out the season. The NWSL 138 00:07:38,720 --> 00:07:41,880 Speaker 1: also announced an expansion of its agreement with CBS Sports. 139 00:07:42,280 --> 00:07:42,440 Speaker 2: Now. 140 00:07:42,440 --> 00:07:45,320 Speaker 1: This is all good news, but I simply must quote 141 00:07:45,360 --> 00:07:49,080 Speaker 1: Andre Carlyle aka eight thirty eight Carlisle on Blue Sky, 142 00:07:49,360 --> 00:07:52,120 Speaker 1: who had a little bit of fun with the NWSL's tagline, 143 00:07:52,320 --> 00:07:58,120 Speaker 1: just watch quote NWSL Just watch. Sometimes on ESPN, sometimes 144 00:07:58,120 --> 00:08:01,520 Speaker 1: on ESPN two, sometimes on CBS, sometimes at ABC, sometimes 145 00:08:01,520 --> 00:08:04,280 Speaker 1: on CBS Sports Nuts, sometimes on Amazon Prime, sometimes on Ion, 146 00:08:04,320 --> 00:08:07,080 Speaker 1: sometimes on Galazzo Network, sometimes on ESPN Plus, sometimes on 147 00:08:07,080 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: ONWSILP Plus, sometimes on Paramount Plus, and now sometimes on 148 00:08:09,600 --> 00:08:14,360 Speaker 1: Victory Plus two for some reason. Tavib's Love League one 149 00:08:14,440 --> 00:08:18,040 Speaker 1: Volleyball is also making a TV money move. Media company 150 00:08:18,120 --> 00:08:22,480 Speaker 1: versuant comcasts planned spinoff of NBCUniversal's cable channels, including things 151 00:08:22,520 --> 00:08:25,400 Speaker 1: like USA and Golf Channel, has acquired the rights to 152 00:08:25,480 --> 00:08:29,000 Speaker 1: Love in a multi year agreement. USA Network will exclusively 153 00:08:29,040 --> 00:08:31,040 Speaker 1: air the league's match of the week in primetime on 154 00:08:31,080 --> 00:08:34,360 Speaker 1: Wednesdays at eight pm Eastern, and will provide live primetime 155 00:08:34,400 --> 00:08:37,080 Speaker 1: coverage of the league's playoffs, including the twenty twenty six 156 00:08:37,200 --> 00:08:41,280 Speaker 1: LOVE Championship match to the Ice. Women's college hockey gets 157 00:08:41,280 --> 00:08:44,559 Speaker 1: started tonight. Three official contests kickoff the twenty twenty five 158 00:08:44,600 --> 00:08:47,880 Speaker 1: twenty twenty sixth season at six eastern. Fifth ranked Minnesota 159 00:08:47,920 --> 00:08:53,000 Speaker 1: Duluth visits Mercyhurst, and Minnesota State travels to Renstler Polytechnic Institute. 160 00:08:53,080 --> 00:08:55,720 Speaker 1: You can catch the latter game on ESPN Plus. Then 161 00:08:55,800 --> 00:08:59,080 Speaker 1: at seven Eastern, Number thirteen Saint Cloud State host Lindenwood, 162 00:08:59,360 --> 00:09:02,320 Speaker 1: sixth ranked Colgate, and ninth rank Saint Lawrence will also 163 00:09:02,360 --> 00:09:05,520 Speaker 1: plan an exhibition tonight. There are five more games Saturday 164 00:09:05,520 --> 00:09:07,280 Speaker 1: and one on Sunday as well. We'll link to the 165 00:09:07,280 --> 00:09:10,080 Speaker 1: full college hockey schedule in our show notes, and don't 166 00:09:10,080 --> 00:09:11,959 Speaker 1: forget to follow a friend at the show, Nicole Hazy 167 00:09:12,040 --> 00:09:14,600 Speaker 1: for all your women's college hockey news. We'll link to 168 00:09:14,640 --> 00:09:20,319 Speaker 1: her Blue Sky in the show notes, we got to 169 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:22,280 Speaker 1: take a quick break. When we come back, I dig 170 00:09:22,280 --> 00:09:26,040 Speaker 1: in with fellow Chicago and Women's Tennis Association's CEO, Portie 171 00:09:26,200 --> 00:09:38,560 Speaker 1: Archer back in a jim joining us Now, she's the 172 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:43,040 Speaker 1: CEO of the Women's Tennis Association aka the WTA. Previously, 173 00:09:43,080 --> 00:09:46,360 Speaker 1: she worked as COO of the mnba's development competition, the 174 00:09:46,400 --> 00:09:49,880 Speaker 1: g League. A University of Chicago and Columbia Business School graduate, 175 00:09:49,920 --> 00:09:52,600 Speaker 1: she boasts two decades of experience in the global sports 176 00:09:52,600 --> 00:09:56,560 Speaker 1: and media industries, including senior positions at NBC Sports Group, HBO, 177 00:09:56,640 --> 00:09:59,000 Speaker 1: and the BBC, a member of the Board of Trustees 178 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,439 Speaker 1: for the Women's Sports Foundering, and an adjunct professor for Columbia. 179 00:10:02,520 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: She's probably got leather patches on her elbows right now. 180 00:10:05,400 --> 00:10:09,040 Speaker 1: It's Porsia Archer. Hi, Porsche, Hi, Sarah. 181 00:10:09,080 --> 00:10:10,200 Speaker 2: How are you? 182 00:10:10,240 --> 00:10:13,199 Speaker 1: Do we have any academic specific blazers with elbow patches? 183 00:10:13,960 --> 00:10:15,800 Speaker 2: Nope, I don't have any of those. 184 00:10:16,559 --> 00:10:19,000 Speaker 1: All right, it's a real missed opportunity in my opinion. 185 00:10:20,720 --> 00:10:22,920 Speaker 1: You grew up in Chicago, That's my city. Did you 186 00:10:22,960 --> 00:10:24,240 Speaker 1: play sports growing up? 187 00:10:24,600 --> 00:10:27,640 Speaker 2: Oh? Yeah, I grew up playing all manner of sports. 188 00:10:27,760 --> 00:10:32,679 Speaker 2: My mom is a huge sports enthusiast, and I, you know, 189 00:10:33,200 --> 00:10:37,440 Speaker 2: ran track and played girls of volleyball, and did a 190 00:10:37,440 --> 00:10:40,720 Speaker 2: little bit of hoops and played hoops in college as well. 191 00:10:41,559 --> 00:10:48,360 Speaker 2: Trampoline jumping, wow, tree climbing. No very active as a kid. 192 00:10:49,240 --> 00:10:51,520 Speaker 1: I think I know everything about you as a person 193 00:10:51,640 --> 00:10:53,840 Speaker 1: from hearing you say I played a little bit of 194 00:10:53,880 --> 00:10:57,760 Speaker 1: hoops and then hoops in college. Yeah, there's a very 195 00:10:57,760 --> 00:11:01,000 Speaker 1: specific kind of person that expresses that kind of humility 196 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,880 Speaker 1: about something before then revealing that they continued to play 197 00:11:03,920 --> 00:11:07,000 Speaker 1: at one of the highest levels. No tennis for you, though, 198 00:11:07,040 --> 00:11:09,520 Speaker 1: So what was your connection or impression of tennis growing up? 199 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:12,880 Speaker 2: You know, I did play tennis in high school, but 200 00:11:13,600 --> 00:11:17,840 Speaker 2: it was sort of a gift because I was a 201 00:11:17,880 --> 00:11:22,640 Speaker 2: pretty good athlete in high school and I decided I 202 00:11:22,640 --> 00:11:26,640 Speaker 2: wanted to try out tennis, and I was really bad, 203 00:11:27,200 --> 00:11:32,360 Speaker 2: but I was athletic enough that they said, listen, we 204 00:11:32,440 --> 00:11:34,719 Speaker 2: don't want to cut you. That that would kind of 205 00:11:34,760 --> 00:11:39,080 Speaker 2: be a bad look for a varsity athlete here. But 206 00:11:39,240 --> 00:11:44,040 Speaker 2: you can't play singles. You have to play doubles to 207 00:11:44,160 --> 00:11:47,080 Speaker 2: give us a chance to at least put out a 208 00:11:47,120 --> 00:11:52,840 Speaker 2: competitive field. So I did play for one year in 209 00:11:52,920 --> 00:11:59,080 Speaker 2: high school, and I really sucked, but it was fun. 210 00:11:59,280 --> 00:12:03,240 Speaker 2: It was fun for me. It was definitely a challenge, 211 00:12:03,400 --> 00:12:06,800 Speaker 2: And as I said, I'm a big sports fan. I 212 00:12:06,840 --> 00:12:09,360 Speaker 2: grew up watching all kinds of sports with my mom, 213 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:12,040 Speaker 2: and yeah, watched a lot of tennis. 214 00:12:12,440 --> 00:12:15,600 Speaker 1: What lessons did you take from the experience I mentioned 215 00:12:15,640 --> 00:12:19,040 Speaker 1: you had with big media brands HBO, BBC, NBC, Sports 216 00:12:19,120 --> 00:12:21,800 Speaker 1: All Time? Warner Like, that's a lot of spots before 217 00:12:21,840 --> 00:12:24,080 Speaker 1: you get to the WTA. Where do you see that 218 00:12:24,120 --> 00:12:25,360 Speaker 1: applying to the work you're doing now? 219 00:12:26,160 --> 00:12:29,040 Speaker 2: You know? I think some of it is kind of 220 00:12:29,120 --> 00:12:34,680 Speaker 2: under the hood. It's in the ways that those organizations operated. 221 00:12:34,800 --> 00:12:40,320 Speaker 2: They were top shelf professional organizations that taught me a 222 00:12:40,360 --> 00:12:44,760 Speaker 2: lot about how to think, how to learn, how to collaborate, 223 00:12:45,240 --> 00:12:49,839 Speaker 2: how to set up systems and processes, how to structure problems, 224 00:12:50,600 --> 00:12:56,760 Speaker 2: how to navigate corporate politics. So I think that there 225 00:12:56,760 --> 00:13:01,040 Speaker 2: are a lot of lessons learned through those early experiences 226 00:13:01,120 --> 00:13:04,720 Speaker 2: in my career that play in well to my time 227 00:13:04,760 --> 00:13:07,400 Speaker 2: at the WTA. But a lot of it is just 228 00:13:07,480 --> 00:13:11,800 Speaker 2: around the way the organizations operated and the way they 229 00:13:11,880 --> 00:13:15,680 Speaker 2: then enable me to learn how to operate and grow 230 00:13:15,920 --> 00:13:22,680 Speaker 2: in a professional setting with pretty high standards. I would say, 231 00:13:23,280 --> 00:13:26,480 Speaker 2: so you either needed to you know, sort of upper out, 232 00:13:27,080 --> 00:13:30,920 Speaker 2: You needed to advance, you needed to perform at a 233 00:13:30,960 --> 00:13:34,839 Speaker 2: high level where you needed to find somewhere else to go. 234 00:13:37,640 --> 00:13:40,160 Speaker 1: What about the G League any major epiphanies from your 235 00:13:40,160 --> 00:13:41,240 Speaker 1: time at CEO there. 236 00:13:42,440 --> 00:13:46,360 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, the G League was a great experience 237 00:13:46,520 --> 00:13:50,560 Speaker 2: for me personally as well as professionally. As I said, 238 00:13:50,600 --> 00:13:53,480 Speaker 2: I played hoops in college, so being a part of 239 00:13:54,679 --> 00:13:59,280 Speaker 2: a basketball league was really cool for me On a 240 00:13:59,280 --> 00:14:04,400 Speaker 2: personal level. I also used to coach girls basketball team. 241 00:14:04,440 --> 00:14:06,920 Speaker 2: I have two daughters, and I coached their teams as 242 00:14:06,960 --> 00:14:09,400 Speaker 2: they were growing up, and so it was just really 243 00:14:09,480 --> 00:14:14,080 Speaker 2: neat to sort of align my personal and my professional life. 244 00:14:14,120 --> 00:14:17,240 Speaker 2: I hadn't had a chance to do that in that 245 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:22,360 Speaker 2: intimate way until I arrived at the NBA. They gave 246 00:14:22,400 --> 00:14:26,160 Speaker 2: me a lot of autonomy, Sarah, So I had the 247 00:14:26,240 --> 00:14:30,520 Speaker 2: ability to really affect change. Now. Part of that was 248 00:14:30,640 --> 00:14:33,400 Speaker 2: the time that I joined. I mean I joined in 249 00:14:33,480 --> 00:14:38,440 Speaker 2: twenty twenty, which was the start of the year of COVID, 250 00:14:39,840 --> 00:14:44,560 Speaker 2: and I came in at a time where we were 251 00:14:44,640 --> 00:14:48,080 Speaker 2: hurting and we needed to figure some things out. So 252 00:14:48,160 --> 00:14:51,840 Speaker 2: I was thrown right in. I had an opportunity I mean, 253 00:14:51,880 --> 00:14:55,480 Speaker 2: I really just figured out sort of how to get 254 00:14:55,520 --> 00:14:59,840 Speaker 2: to the bathrooms without getting lost. And then Rudy Gobert 255 00:15:00,040 --> 00:15:05,640 Speaker 2: acted the virus that we now know as COVID nineteen 256 00:15:06,800 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 2: and Adam asked us to go home and shelter in place, 257 00:15:11,840 --> 00:15:15,760 Speaker 2: and then I started working from my worldwide headquarters here 258 00:15:15,800 --> 00:15:22,160 Speaker 2: in White Plains to figure out, first of all, what 259 00:15:22,360 --> 00:15:25,840 Speaker 2: is this league that I've joined, who are the people, 260 00:15:27,000 --> 00:15:29,360 Speaker 2: how am I going to build a new team and culture, 261 00:15:29,680 --> 00:15:31,880 Speaker 2: and how are we going to restand up the league 262 00:15:31,920 --> 00:15:35,320 Speaker 2: because actually we're not playing right now, there are no 263 00:15:35,440 --> 00:15:41,000 Speaker 2: games happening. So it was great experience to be able 264 00:15:41,040 --> 00:15:44,840 Speaker 2: to come in and offer my thoughts and ideas, and 265 00:15:45,080 --> 00:15:48,360 Speaker 2: of course, having a background in media entertainment and really 266 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:51,160 Speaker 2: having been on the other side of the conversation of 267 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:57,680 Speaker 2: acquiring rights from sports leagues, I completely understood what our 268 00:15:58,120 --> 00:16:04,800 Speaker 2: media partners answers would be expecting and could offer some 269 00:16:04,920 --> 00:16:09,960 Speaker 2: ideas as to what we could do to restand up 270 00:16:11,120 --> 00:16:15,480 Speaker 2: our league. We started with the NBA, and I had 271 00:16:15,480 --> 00:16:18,840 Speaker 2: an opportunity to be a part of a working group 272 00:16:19,520 --> 00:16:23,040 Speaker 2: that looked at, you know, where will we play and 273 00:16:23,080 --> 00:16:25,640 Speaker 2: what are the standards and what will be the format, 274 00:16:25,720 --> 00:16:28,160 Speaker 2: and how will we try to keep people safe in 275 00:16:28,160 --> 00:16:33,120 Speaker 2: this environment. We've got to get COVID tests in and 276 00:16:33,160 --> 00:16:36,760 Speaker 2: we've got to have a relationship with a COVID test 277 00:16:36,840 --> 00:16:41,280 Speaker 2: provider and a healthcare company and physicians. 278 00:16:40,680 --> 00:16:43,680 Speaker 1: And all the things you did not imagine would be 279 00:16:43,720 --> 00:16:46,760 Speaker 1: part of your job no idea. 280 00:16:47,680 --> 00:16:48,600 Speaker 2: Yeah I would have. 281 00:16:48,560 --> 00:16:50,640 Speaker 1: But you learned how to be algail in those moments, 282 00:16:50,680 --> 00:16:54,600 Speaker 1: and absolutely you then probably don't fear almost anything that 283 00:16:54,680 --> 00:16:56,280 Speaker 1: might be coming down the pike because you know, you 284 00:16:56,320 --> 00:16:59,320 Speaker 1: handled the thing that was a literal worldwide pandemic. 285 00:16:59,440 --> 00:17:04,040 Speaker 2: So yeah, I would have told you before joining the NBA, 286 00:17:04,119 --> 00:17:05,800 Speaker 2: And I'm sure I said this, you know as a 287 00:17:05,800 --> 00:17:10,119 Speaker 2: part of my process that I am comfortable with disruption 288 00:17:10,720 --> 00:17:14,920 Speaker 2: and that I know how to manage change. Joining at 289 00:17:14,920 --> 00:17:22,040 Speaker 2: that particular time and having to navigate unprecedented change like that, 290 00:17:23,880 --> 00:17:28,159 Speaker 2: I don't think I could have accurately said what I 291 00:17:28,200 --> 00:17:31,640 Speaker 2: said before until after having had the experience. 292 00:17:31,680 --> 00:17:34,200 Speaker 1: Now I can say it, And now you really get 293 00:17:34,520 --> 00:17:35,800 Speaker 1: what disruption looks like. 294 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:36,280 Speaker 2: Ye. 295 00:17:37,080 --> 00:17:40,919 Speaker 1: So now you're in the just focused exclusively on women's sports. 296 00:17:40,960 --> 00:17:43,679 Speaker 1: What stands out you or maybe surprises you in this 297 00:17:43,800 --> 00:17:46,600 Speaker 1: little over a year that you've worked with the WTA 298 00:17:46,920 --> 00:17:48,520 Speaker 1: focusing just on women's sport. 299 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:52,800 Speaker 2: Yeah, you know, it's it's a real privilege, Sarah, for 300 00:17:52,880 --> 00:17:58,240 Speaker 2: me to be a part of the WTA family. When 301 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:04,800 Speaker 2: this opportunity came along, I kind of, you know, metaphorically 302 00:18:04,960 --> 00:18:10,640 Speaker 2: kind of pinched myself because an opportunity. I've always been 303 00:18:10,680 --> 00:18:15,200 Speaker 2: a champion and an advocate of women's sports and women's 304 00:18:15,240 --> 00:18:19,440 Speaker 2: athletes as you as you've noted in my introduction, I'm 305 00:18:19,800 --> 00:18:23,359 Speaker 2: on the board of the Women's Sports Foundation, and so 306 00:18:23,520 --> 00:18:29,320 Speaker 2: lifting up and championing and advocating for women through sport 307 00:18:29,480 --> 00:18:32,080 Speaker 2: is just sort of a part of how I've lived 308 00:18:32,080 --> 00:18:36,040 Speaker 2: my life. So being at the WTA and having an 309 00:18:36,080 --> 00:18:41,600 Speaker 2: opportunity to sort of continue in the vein of Billy 310 00:18:41,680 --> 00:18:46,480 Speaker 2: Jean King and you know, the other sort of original 311 00:18:46,960 --> 00:18:52,679 Speaker 2: eight that make up the original nine founders of the 312 00:18:52,800 --> 00:18:56,360 Speaker 2: precursor to the w t A is just it's extraordinary. 313 00:18:57,840 --> 00:19:01,280 Speaker 2: It's it's just so neat to be kind of a 314 00:19:01,440 --> 00:19:07,920 Speaker 2: part of extending their efforts, you know, extending their legacy. 315 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:12,000 Speaker 2: I hope to some extent and to be able to 316 00:19:12,119 --> 00:19:18,320 Speaker 2: champion women in tennis, which is really, by a pretty 317 00:19:18,359 --> 00:19:23,120 Speaker 2: big margin, the leader in women's sports in terms of 318 00:19:23,640 --> 00:19:29,040 Speaker 2: the reach. Where a global organization, which I intellectually understood, 319 00:19:29,600 --> 00:19:33,760 Speaker 2: but after this last year, I've been with the WTA 320 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:36,680 Speaker 2: a little over a year, and after this first trip 321 00:19:36,720 --> 00:19:41,560 Speaker 2: around the Sun, I mean we are global, Unlike really 322 00:19:41,600 --> 00:19:45,920 Speaker 2: any other sports league men or women that I can 323 00:19:45,960 --> 00:19:47,679 Speaker 2: think of were compare us to. 324 00:19:48,119 --> 00:19:51,159 Speaker 1: It's like the Olympics, but throughout a whole year, not 325 00:19:51,240 --> 00:19:54,600 Speaker 1: just every other four years ago. It's incredible, and it's 326 00:19:54,640 --> 00:19:58,040 Speaker 1: also a massive leader in terms of pay and player benefits. 327 00:19:58,119 --> 00:20:01,440 Speaker 1: We have long talked about tennis being on the forefront 328 00:20:01,680 --> 00:20:04,760 Speaker 1: of equal pay. WTA players receive the highest earnings in 329 00:20:04,800 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: women's sport, the biggest events post equal pay, but there 330 00:20:08,440 --> 00:20:11,040 Speaker 1: are certain tournaments that have larger purses for the men. 331 00:20:11,200 --> 00:20:12,800 Speaker 1: Is there a plan in place to try to get 332 00:20:12,840 --> 00:20:16,080 Speaker 1: all tournaments across professional tennis to be equal across the board. 333 00:20:16,640 --> 00:20:22,440 Speaker 2: Yeah, we have a plan, Sarah, that's in place such 334 00:20:22,600 --> 00:20:27,560 Speaker 2: that over the next ultimately it'll take about ten years, 335 00:20:28,080 --> 00:20:31,639 Speaker 2: and we're a couple of years into that journey to 336 00:20:31,760 --> 00:20:36,480 Speaker 2: have equal pay across all of our top tier events, 337 00:20:36,680 --> 00:20:39,719 Speaker 2: which we think about is our one thousand level and 338 00:20:39,800 --> 00:20:43,560 Speaker 2: five hundred level events. And there for the listening audience 339 00:20:43,600 --> 00:20:47,680 Speaker 2: who may not be familiar. They're name that way because 340 00:20:47,720 --> 00:20:51,360 Speaker 2: of the ranking points that they provide should you win 341 00:20:51,480 --> 00:20:55,040 Speaker 2: the tournament. So, our one thousand level and five hundred 342 00:20:55,119 --> 00:20:58,920 Speaker 2: level tournaments, we have a plan in place to achieve 343 00:20:58,960 --> 00:21:04,359 Speaker 2: equal prize money by twenty thirty three at the latest. 344 00:21:04,760 --> 00:21:07,760 Speaker 1: And then the wtaatp Ones I believe you said you 345 00:21:07,760 --> 00:21:11,760 Speaker 1: were hoping to have equal prize money by twenty twenty seven, right, yeah, for. 346 00:21:12,600 --> 00:21:15,200 Speaker 2: Many of them by twenty twenty seven, and then there's 347 00:21:15,240 --> 00:21:18,360 Speaker 2: another trench that'll come on board by twenty thirty one, 348 00:21:18,960 --> 00:21:22,520 Speaker 2: and then the balance will be twenty thirty three. And 349 00:21:22,520 --> 00:21:27,119 Speaker 2: that's just the plan. I mean, that can certainly be accelerated. 350 00:21:27,680 --> 00:21:32,320 Speaker 2: And we do have tournaments who have raised their hands 351 00:21:32,320 --> 00:21:34,160 Speaker 2: say we're going to go in a little bit early. 352 00:21:34,880 --> 00:21:36,960 Speaker 2: We know what the timetable is, we know what the 353 00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:40,840 Speaker 2: plan is, but we see the value. We're ready to 354 00:21:40,880 --> 00:21:44,560 Speaker 2: make the investment a little bit earlier. 355 00:21:45,520 --> 00:21:47,800 Speaker 1: You mentioned the kind of worldwide nature of the sport. 356 00:21:47,840 --> 00:21:50,800 Speaker 1: Earlier this year, the WTA actually unveiled a new brand 357 00:21:50,840 --> 00:21:55,120 Speaker 1: identity called Rally the World through Tennis. What inspired that 358 00:21:55,200 --> 00:21:57,240 Speaker 1: new brand approach and how is it sort of rolled 359 00:21:57,280 --> 00:21:58,000 Speaker 1: out so far. 360 00:21:59,119 --> 00:22:02,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, there was a lot of work that went into 361 00:22:03,359 --> 00:22:08,760 Speaker 2: the rebrand effort. It was a lot more than just 362 00:22:09,040 --> 00:22:14,000 Speaker 2: a new logo and sort of flashy new colors, although 363 00:22:14,080 --> 00:22:18,760 Speaker 2: those things are important, it was really uncovering the sort 364 00:22:18,800 --> 00:22:23,760 Speaker 2: of essence and ethos of the brand. And there were 365 00:22:23,800 --> 00:22:29,320 Speaker 2: conversations with some of the founders, like Billy Jean King 366 00:22:30,480 --> 00:22:33,640 Speaker 2: in particular, and we kind of wanted to find out, 367 00:22:33,920 --> 00:22:38,359 Speaker 2: you know, how precious she was about the brand and 368 00:22:38,400 --> 00:22:42,959 Speaker 2: the colors. At that time, it had the logo that 369 00:22:43,080 --> 00:22:48,040 Speaker 2: included an image of a women's tennis player, and she said, 370 00:22:48,680 --> 00:22:53,199 Speaker 2: break it. I'm not married to it. It sort of 371 00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:57,439 Speaker 2: served its purpose at that time, and you know, break it. 372 00:22:57,520 --> 00:23:02,359 Speaker 2: Go do something new, create something, create something better. And 373 00:23:02,440 --> 00:23:05,720 Speaker 2: so we thought that, you know, we always have to 374 00:23:05,760 --> 00:23:09,560 Speaker 2: announce ourselves women's sports, and we have to have women 375 00:23:10,320 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 2: in the title, and then we double that down by 376 00:23:12,760 --> 00:23:15,560 Speaker 2: having a picture of a woman in the logo. And 377 00:23:16,040 --> 00:23:19,960 Speaker 2: we said, you know, we're really aspiring to be a 378 00:23:20,080 --> 00:23:24,040 Speaker 2: global entertainment superbrand. So when you think about some of 379 00:23:24,080 --> 00:23:27,920 Speaker 2: those other global brands with three letters, you could think 380 00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:32,720 Speaker 2: about CNN, or you can think about HBO from my 381 00:23:33,320 --> 00:23:37,359 Speaker 2: former time Warner Family and they don't have another name 382 00:23:37,520 --> 00:23:39,959 Speaker 2: or a duplicate name in front of it or behind it, 383 00:23:40,119 --> 00:23:42,760 Speaker 2: or a picture of something in the logo. So we 384 00:23:42,840 --> 00:23:47,040 Speaker 2: took a page from the books of those brands and 385 00:23:47,280 --> 00:23:50,480 Speaker 2: thinking about who we are and also who we want 386 00:23:50,560 --> 00:23:54,920 Speaker 2: to be in the future, and we were really able 387 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:59,600 Speaker 2: to lean into this campaign and tagline around Rally the World. 388 00:24:00,600 --> 00:24:04,120 Speaker 2: It's a play on the game of tennis, you have rallies, 389 00:24:04,520 --> 00:24:07,680 Speaker 2: but it's also a play on our history and what 390 00:24:07,720 --> 00:24:13,200 Speaker 2: we aspire to do moving forward. We really are created 391 00:24:13,800 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 2: for by women, and we're about championing women for efforts 392 00:24:21,119 --> 00:24:24,919 Speaker 2: on and off the court all around the world. So 393 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:27,800 Speaker 2: if we can through sport, through tennis in this case, 394 00:24:28,040 --> 00:24:33,920 Speaker 2: Rally the World and help others inspire others to achieve 395 00:24:34,440 --> 00:24:37,120 Speaker 2: the goals that they may have to be a winner 396 00:24:37,480 --> 00:24:41,440 Speaker 2: on whatever field or court or profession that they may 397 00:24:41,480 --> 00:24:45,119 Speaker 2: be a part of, then we've done something you know 398 00:24:45,320 --> 00:24:48,760 Speaker 2: well worth it. So we try to use the brand 399 00:24:48,960 --> 00:24:54,639 Speaker 2: and the legacy to incorporate that concept and also not 400 00:24:54,800 --> 00:24:59,680 Speaker 2: just make it a look back, make it sort of yeah. 401 00:25:00,040 --> 00:25:01,960 Speaker 1: And if you learned anything from HBO, you can always 402 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:03,720 Speaker 1: change it and then change it again, and then change 403 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:07,920 Speaker 1: it back and then change it again. Yes, some pretty 404 00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:10,439 Speaker 1: big initiatives from the WTA this year in addition to 405 00:25:10,480 --> 00:25:13,960 Speaker 1: the brand stuff, including allowing players to protect their rankings 406 00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:17,120 Speaker 1: when they take time away for fertility treatment, which is huge, 407 00:25:18,080 --> 00:25:20,439 Speaker 1: so that if you do have a ranking and you 408 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,800 Speaker 1: want to take time for embryo freezing or egg retrieval, 409 00:25:24,000 --> 00:25:26,240 Speaker 1: you can come back and have that protected ranking, which 410 00:25:26,240 --> 00:25:29,320 Speaker 1: we love. Another big one is the maternity Fund. Can 411 00:25:29,359 --> 00:25:30,359 Speaker 1: you tell us about that one. 412 00:25:31,000 --> 00:25:33,520 Speaker 2: Yeah, So both of those are part of what we 413 00:25:33,720 --> 00:25:39,040 Speaker 2: call our family focus programs, and the PIF Maternity Fund 414 00:25:39,359 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 2: is geared toward WTA athletes who are either the childbearer 415 00:25:45,760 --> 00:25:52,400 Speaker 2: herself or becoming a parent. And maybe she's not the childbear, 416 00:25:52,760 --> 00:25:58,159 Speaker 2: maybe her partner is, or maybe she is adopting, And 417 00:25:58,240 --> 00:26:02,439 Speaker 2: so when our as are ready to start their families, 418 00:26:02,520 --> 00:26:05,440 Speaker 2: this fund is available for them so that they can 419 00:26:05,480 --> 00:26:09,080 Speaker 2: receive compensation for up to twelve months in the case 420 00:26:09,119 --> 00:26:13,399 Speaker 2: of them being the childbearer the pregnant woman in the 421 00:26:13,440 --> 00:26:16,800 Speaker 2: case of becoming a parent through other means, they have 422 00:26:17,600 --> 00:26:22,800 Speaker 2: two months of maternity lead payment. So it is really phenomenal. 423 00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:26,320 Speaker 2: Sarah and I love talking about it because it truly 424 00:26:26,440 --> 00:26:32,760 Speaker 2: is one of one. There is no other benefit available 425 00:26:34,000 --> 00:26:38,320 Speaker 2: for women in sports. There's no other benefit like this 426 00:26:38,480 --> 00:26:44,840 Speaker 2: available for women in sports who are self employed independent contractors. 427 00:26:45,359 --> 00:26:48,399 Speaker 2: And I may be reaching here, Sarah, but I'm not 428 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:54,159 Speaker 2: even sure across all of independent contractors, whatever industry, sport, 429 00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:58,119 Speaker 2: or otherwise, that there is a program like this. It 430 00:26:58,200 --> 00:27:00,760 Speaker 2: is really one for one. And I have to give 431 00:27:00,800 --> 00:27:03,879 Speaker 2: a bit of a shout out to our partners at PIF. 432 00:27:05,119 --> 00:27:09,200 Speaker 2: They came along the journey with us all in that 433 00:27:09,440 --> 00:27:14,960 Speaker 2: was never a hesitation on their side. Our players have 434 00:27:15,119 --> 00:27:19,440 Speaker 2: been advocating for something like this for years and they 435 00:27:19,480 --> 00:27:25,080 Speaker 2: were really influential in shaping the policy, helping us understand 436 00:27:25,119 --> 00:27:29,679 Speaker 2: how much time off, helping us understand the preservation of 437 00:27:29,920 --> 00:27:33,160 Speaker 2: the rankings that you talked about having that special entry 438 00:27:33,320 --> 00:27:37,719 Speaker 2: ranking that's a part of the Family Focused program. So 439 00:27:38,320 --> 00:27:42,520 Speaker 2: all of this is player led and it really is 440 00:27:43,080 --> 00:27:46,880 Speaker 2: kind of its groundbreaking. There are no other parallels that 441 00:27:46,960 --> 00:27:51,399 Speaker 2: I'm aware of in sport and potentially even outside of 442 00:27:51,480 --> 00:27:53,919 Speaker 2: sport for independent contractors. 443 00:27:54,520 --> 00:27:57,399 Speaker 1: You mentioned PIF that for folks who don't know, is 444 00:27:57,400 --> 00:28:01,480 Speaker 1: Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. In addition to your work 445 00:28:01,520 --> 00:28:03,920 Speaker 1: with them on the Family Focused stuff. You've also committed 446 00:28:03,920 --> 00:28:06,520 Speaker 1: to three years of finals in Saudi Arabia twenty twenty 447 00:28:06,520 --> 00:28:09,760 Speaker 1: four to twenty twenty six. Now, some have criticized any 448 00:28:09,760 --> 00:28:12,920 Speaker 1: involvement with that country and with its public investment fund 449 00:28:12,960 --> 00:28:15,840 Speaker 1: at all. Others believe the only way to help get 450 00:28:15,920 --> 00:28:18,520 Speaker 1: rid of the human rights violations and the bigoted policies 451 00:28:18,800 --> 00:28:22,520 Speaker 1: is via external pressure that increases with partnerships and a 452 00:28:22,520 --> 00:28:25,359 Speaker 1: bigger spotlight that arrives when you have things like major 453 00:28:25,400 --> 00:28:29,560 Speaker 1: events there. How have you made decisions around working with them, 454 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:31,960 Speaker 1: and how do you feel because those decisions, some of 455 00:28:31,960 --> 00:28:36,240 Speaker 1: them potentially made before you arrived. How have you been 456 00:28:36,280 --> 00:28:40,280 Speaker 1: able to lead through the decision to work with the PIF. 457 00:28:40,800 --> 00:28:47,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, so, PIF is our partner. They are engaged with 458 00:28:47,320 --> 00:28:50,760 Speaker 2: us on the maternity fund, as I mentioned. They're also 459 00:28:51,200 --> 00:28:55,720 Speaker 2: the sponsor of our ranking system. It's called the PIF 460 00:28:56,160 --> 00:29:01,320 Speaker 2: WTA Rankings. We have some involvement with them as partners 461 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:05,920 Speaker 2: for our finals because they're based in Saudi Arabia. Our 462 00:29:05,960 --> 00:29:09,520 Speaker 2: partnership in Saudi Arabia for our finals is with the 463 00:29:09,520 --> 00:29:15,200 Speaker 2: Saudi Tennis Federation and the Ministry of Sport, and that decision, 464 00:29:15,240 --> 00:29:17,680 Speaker 2: as you noted, was made before I joined, but I 465 00:29:17,760 --> 00:29:22,280 Speaker 2: was well aware of the decision and needed to decide 466 00:29:22,320 --> 00:29:25,440 Speaker 2: for myself if it was something that I was comfortable 467 00:29:25,480 --> 00:29:29,880 Speaker 2: with and could support before joining, and the exercise that 468 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:33,360 Speaker 2: I went through, Sarah, if you bear with me. So, 469 00:29:33,520 --> 00:29:38,440 Speaker 2: I didn't know, honestly, very much about Saudi Arabia apart from, 470 00:29:39,320 --> 00:29:42,800 Speaker 2: you know, things that I had read intermittently in the news, 471 00:29:42,920 --> 00:29:49,000 Speaker 2: and pretty much all of it was negative. So when 472 00:29:49,040 --> 00:29:51,840 Speaker 2: I learned about the finals being there and I was 473 00:29:51,920 --> 00:29:54,640 Speaker 2: going through my process, I thought, wait a minute, I 474 00:29:54,640 --> 00:29:57,120 Speaker 2: got to make sure I'm okay with this. This sort 475 00:29:57,160 --> 00:29:59,840 Speaker 2: of line up with my values, and I have to 476 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:04,920 Speaker 2: to as I mentioned, and they're they're teenagers, and I 477 00:30:04,960 --> 00:30:06,920 Speaker 2: went to them, I said, look, I'm interested in this 478 00:30:07,040 --> 00:30:11,640 Speaker 2: role and you know, the finals are here, and they said, 479 00:30:11,640 --> 00:30:16,920 Speaker 2: what Saudi Arabia, Mom? Are you kidding? How could you 480 00:30:17,000 --> 00:30:20,360 Speaker 2: do something like that? Have you heard about their track record? 481 00:30:20,440 --> 00:30:24,239 Speaker 2: Their human rights track record indexes like one hundred out 482 00:30:24,320 --> 00:30:26,960 Speaker 2: of one hundred and out of one hundred or so, 483 00:30:27,000 --> 00:30:29,040 Speaker 2: you know, Like they gave me some of the data 484 00:30:29,040 --> 00:30:32,240 Speaker 2: and the statistics that they that they had, and I said, 485 00:30:32,240 --> 00:30:34,560 Speaker 2: I know, I need your help. I don't think we 486 00:30:34,720 --> 00:30:37,479 Speaker 2: know the full story. So I want to go on 487 00:30:37,520 --> 00:30:40,040 Speaker 2: this journey to learn more and I want to come 488 00:30:40,080 --> 00:30:42,600 Speaker 2: out on the end of it with the decision one 489 00:30:42,600 --> 00:30:44,440 Speaker 2: way or the other. And I need your help. And 490 00:30:44,480 --> 00:30:47,720 Speaker 2: they said fine. And they have their sources of information. 491 00:30:48,160 --> 00:30:52,440 Speaker 2: I have my sources of information. They don't often overlap. 492 00:30:53,120 --> 00:30:58,120 Speaker 2: But we came back together over probably six or seven 493 00:30:58,240 --> 00:31:01,400 Speaker 2: days at the at the dinner table. Was also my 494 00:31:01,440 --> 00:31:03,680 Speaker 2: employ to get them to the dinner table with me, 495 00:31:04,360 --> 00:31:07,000 Speaker 2: but they came and they we would start talking and 496 00:31:08,040 --> 00:31:12,400 Speaker 2: what we both learned is that yes, Saudi Arabia definitely 497 00:31:12,440 --> 00:31:16,560 Speaker 2: has a long way to go, but they've made a 498 00:31:16,640 --> 00:31:22,080 Speaker 2: lot of progress in the last five years and they 499 00:31:22,160 --> 00:31:28,560 Speaker 2: have this twenty Project twenty thirty initiative that one of 500 00:31:28,600 --> 00:31:36,520 Speaker 2: the tenets of it is all around women's empowerment and advancement. Now, 501 00:31:36,640 --> 00:31:41,080 Speaker 2: that doesn't take away the sort of human rights record, 502 00:31:41,240 --> 00:31:44,120 Speaker 2: and that doesn't mean that there isn't a long way 503 00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:48,120 Speaker 2: to go. But I saw it as an opportunity. I 504 00:31:48,160 --> 00:31:52,520 Speaker 2: saw it as an opportunity to affect change. And I 505 00:31:52,560 --> 00:31:59,880 Speaker 2: think personally, when I'm engaged in sort of opportunities for change, 506 00:32:00,560 --> 00:32:04,800 Speaker 2: social change in this case, you know there are a 507 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,280 Speaker 2: couple of ways, at least that you can go about it. 508 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,560 Speaker 2: One way is to sort of pressure and maybe agitate 509 00:32:10,640 --> 00:32:15,920 Speaker 2: and try to influence and resist, and usually that's done 510 00:32:16,000 --> 00:32:20,880 Speaker 2: from the outside. The other way is to collaborate and partner, 511 00:32:21,520 --> 00:32:25,840 Speaker 2: and both of those ways are valid. And I have 512 00:32:25,920 --> 00:32:29,640 Speaker 2: a lot of respect for the WTA for deciding for 513 00:32:29,800 --> 00:32:34,600 Speaker 2: itself how it wants to fight in this battle to 514 00:32:34,800 --> 00:32:38,920 Speaker 2: advance women in all parts of the world. I think 515 00:32:38,960 --> 00:32:43,160 Speaker 2: that they deserve and we deserve now to make our 516 00:32:43,200 --> 00:32:46,960 Speaker 2: own choice about that, and so I came out of 517 00:32:46,960 --> 00:32:51,640 Speaker 2: that conversation and process with my daughters feeling very comfortable 518 00:32:51,840 --> 00:32:55,440 Speaker 2: with the decision. I also learned about the process that 519 00:32:55,480 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 2: the WTA went through to involve the players. The players 520 00:32:59,840 --> 00:33:05,280 Speaker 2: had to be one supportive and they were. The players 521 00:33:05,360 --> 00:33:10,160 Speaker 2: visited Saudi Arabia. I saw the feedback and the reports 522 00:33:10,160 --> 00:33:12,600 Speaker 2: and a little bit of the video from their visits 523 00:33:12,640 --> 00:33:17,080 Speaker 2: to Saudi Arabia to really kick the tires for themselves 524 00:33:17,160 --> 00:33:20,080 Speaker 2: and to understand what they were getting into. One of 525 00:33:20,080 --> 00:33:22,040 Speaker 2: the things they said is that we don't just want 526 00:33:22,040 --> 00:33:25,360 Speaker 2: to go there and play tennis, and so from that 527 00:33:25,520 --> 00:33:27,640 Speaker 2: we made a commitment to not just be there for 528 00:33:27,680 --> 00:33:30,520 Speaker 2: the eight days of our finals, but to really engage 529 00:33:30,520 --> 00:33:34,080 Speaker 2: in community development, to do not just clinics, but to 530 00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:41,080 Speaker 2: do workforce training, to help develop women in Saudi Arabia 531 00:33:41,120 --> 00:33:46,120 Speaker 2: and in the region in sports, in sports administration. So 532 00:33:46,120 --> 00:33:50,200 Speaker 2: they got access to physios and our physios are wonderful. 533 00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:55,000 Speaker 2: They got access to professionals like myself and my counterpart 534 00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:59,720 Speaker 2: at our commercial entity, WTA Ventures, both of are women. 535 00:34:00,880 --> 00:34:06,160 Speaker 2: So we went to various universities, various schools. We engaged 536 00:34:06,200 --> 00:34:11,280 Speaker 2: about thirty three thousand young people Sarah over the course 537 00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:14,279 Speaker 2: of the year that we were in Saudi Arabia in 538 00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:18,120 Speaker 2: the lead up to our finals. So I think all 539 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:23,680 Speaker 2: in all, the investment and the willingness from the Saudi 540 00:34:23,680 --> 00:34:27,000 Speaker 2: Tennis Federation and the Ministry of Sport to invest at 541 00:34:27,040 --> 00:34:31,600 Speaker 2: a high level. Last year, the winner of our finals 542 00:34:31,640 --> 00:34:35,880 Speaker 2: received four point eight million dollars at that time, that 543 00:34:36,040 --> 00:34:40,239 Speaker 2: was the highest perse available in women's tennis. The US 544 00:34:40,360 --> 00:34:43,560 Speaker 2: Open recognized that and they upped the ante this year 545 00:34:43,640 --> 00:34:47,840 Speaker 2: to five million, but at that time it was the top. 546 00:34:48,800 --> 00:34:50,239 Speaker 2: We're going to try to figure out how to get 547 00:34:50,280 --> 00:34:53,560 Speaker 2: back to the top this year. But they invested in 548 00:34:53,640 --> 00:34:57,080 Speaker 2: delivering a high quality product. They invested in the value 549 00:34:57,120 --> 00:35:00,279 Speaker 2: of women's tennis and the highest perse at that yeah, 550 00:35:00,840 --> 00:35:04,759 Speaker 2: in women's tennis, and they invested in making an impact 551 00:35:04,800 --> 00:35:06,120 Speaker 2: and making change. 552 00:35:06,560 --> 00:35:08,440 Speaker 1: So that's the part that I think is the is 553 00:35:08,840 --> 00:35:10,560 Speaker 1: what stands out to me because I think for me, 554 00:35:10,640 --> 00:35:13,000 Speaker 1: my cynical point of view is that sportwa washing can 555 00:35:13,040 --> 00:35:15,600 Speaker 1: only occur when the investment is big enough that people 556 00:35:15,880 --> 00:35:19,160 Speaker 1: are drawn enough to it that they're willing to overlook 557 00:35:19,239 --> 00:35:22,120 Speaker 1: the problems that have existed, whether or not they've done 558 00:35:22,160 --> 00:35:24,359 Speaker 1: the work to understand whether more change will occur because 559 00:35:24,400 --> 00:35:27,080 Speaker 1: of that partnership. But it's the follow up. It's the 560 00:35:27,120 --> 00:35:30,880 Speaker 1: investment in the change that's occurring daily. And some people 561 00:35:30,880 --> 00:35:32,920 Speaker 1: that I very much respect have talked to me and 562 00:35:32,960 --> 00:35:36,000 Speaker 1: shared their opinions of how getting involved in that place 563 00:35:36,440 --> 00:35:39,399 Speaker 1: is more likely to create change than continuing to ban 564 00:35:39,760 --> 00:35:44,839 Speaker 1: and prohibit partnership until they change, and so I'm respecting 565 00:35:44,880 --> 00:35:47,520 Speaker 1: their much more informed opinions than mine on that. But 566 00:35:47,560 --> 00:35:50,239 Speaker 1: it is a very difficult job you have because you 567 00:35:50,360 --> 00:35:54,560 Speaker 1: are operating this worldwide venture from your perspective and the 568 00:35:54,600 --> 00:35:58,520 Speaker 1: perspective of the US, which means that sometimes you know, 569 00:35:58,560 --> 00:36:01,080 Speaker 1: these decisions have to be made for athletes around the 570 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:04,160 Speaker 1: world that impact folks from places you've never been to, 571 00:36:04,200 --> 00:36:07,440 Speaker 1: you've never seen. You know, there's another sort of bigger 572 00:36:07,480 --> 00:36:10,760 Speaker 1: decision that was made before you got there, the decision 573 00:36:10,800 --> 00:36:13,960 Speaker 1: to return to China. The organization had boycotted holding events 574 00:36:13,960 --> 00:36:16,759 Speaker 1: in that country after Pung Shwi had accused of vice 575 00:36:16,840 --> 00:36:20,279 Speaker 1: premiere in China's government of sexual assault. Then she disappeared 576 00:36:20,280 --> 00:36:23,680 Speaker 1: from public view. That boycott lasted eighteen months. The WTA 577 00:36:23,719 --> 00:36:25,880 Speaker 1: announced in twenty twenty three that it would return to China. 578 00:36:26,320 --> 00:36:30,479 Speaker 1: And I wonder if you have any updates on Pung, 579 00:36:30,719 --> 00:36:34,239 Speaker 1: like do we know anything about her whereabouts and what 580 00:36:34,440 --> 00:36:37,239 Speaker 1: ended up becoming of that whole situation over there. 581 00:36:37,880 --> 00:36:44,200 Speaker 2: I don't know about her specific situation. I have visited 582 00:36:46,000 --> 00:36:49,880 Speaker 2: China over the last year. I wanted an opportunity to 583 00:36:49,920 --> 00:36:53,480 Speaker 2: get closer to the product. And also we were returning 584 00:36:53,920 --> 00:37:00,120 Speaker 2: after some time to places like Wuhan, for example, and 585 00:37:00,200 --> 00:37:02,480 Speaker 2: so I wanted to be there see it, feel it, 586 00:37:02,560 --> 00:37:06,920 Speaker 2: touch it for myself. I had meetings with, you know, 587 00:37:07,800 --> 00:37:12,640 Speaker 2: various officials there to sort of understand how they were 588 00:37:12,680 --> 00:37:17,480 Speaker 2: thinking about the future of tennis in China. There were 589 00:37:17,520 --> 00:37:21,040 Speaker 2: some player relations matters that we sort of talked about. 590 00:37:22,360 --> 00:37:26,520 Speaker 2: They also have a top player and Olympic gold medalists 591 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:31,920 Speaker 2: in China right now, and Queen Win herself, so I 592 00:37:31,960 --> 00:37:36,520 Speaker 2: think things are on the right track. I don't honestly know, Sarah, 593 00:37:36,600 --> 00:37:40,520 Speaker 2: the details of what happened. I obviously know that the 594 00:37:41,239 --> 00:37:45,040 Speaker 2: w t A left and that the finals which were 595 00:37:45,080 --> 00:37:48,719 Speaker 2: supposed to be contested there were moved elsewhere as a 596 00:37:48,760 --> 00:37:53,800 Speaker 2: result of that departure. But I think from my vantage 597 00:37:53,800 --> 00:37:56,600 Speaker 2: point at least in visiting over the last year and 598 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:00,600 Speaker 2: having a chance to talk to officials there, to the 599 00:38:00,680 --> 00:38:05,640 Speaker 2: Chinese Tennis Association and to players in the region not 600 00:38:05,760 --> 00:38:07,799 Speaker 2: just when I was in the region, but throughout the 601 00:38:07,880 --> 00:38:10,480 Speaker 2: year where maybe they can feel a little more comfortable 602 00:38:10,880 --> 00:38:15,400 Speaker 2: sharing their views, I feel comfortable that we're on the 603 00:38:15,480 --> 00:38:17,400 Speaker 2: right on the right track. 604 00:38:18,080 --> 00:38:20,080 Speaker 1: You mentioned in both cases talking to the players. It's 605 00:38:20,120 --> 00:38:23,880 Speaker 1: really interesting because in the WTA, they are independent contractors, right, 606 00:38:23,920 --> 00:38:28,120 Speaker 1: They're not employees represented by a union. So given that distinction, 607 00:38:28,160 --> 00:38:30,720 Speaker 1: what's the process sort of for the WTA in talking 608 00:38:30,719 --> 00:38:33,759 Speaker 1: to athletes, getting their feedback and making sure that as 609 00:38:33,800 --> 00:38:36,720 Speaker 1: a unit moving forward, there is a deep connection between 610 00:38:36,840 --> 00:38:39,160 Speaker 1: the players themselves and the folks making decisions on their 611 00:38:39,200 --> 00:38:40,440 Speaker 1: behalf at the highest levels. 612 00:38:41,120 --> 00:38:44,920 Speaker 2: Yeah, our governance is really unique. It's one of the 613 00:38:44,960 --> 00:38:52,320 Speaker 2: differences with the WTA versus other uh, you know, team 614 00:38:52,440 --> 00:39:01,920 Speaker 2: oriented sports. The players have a direct, influential and equal 615 00:39:02,000 --> 00:39:08,319 Speaker 2: seat in the boardroom. So player board representatives are elected 616 00:39:08,480 --> 00:39:12,640 Speaker 2: by what's what's called a player's council. The players council 617 00:39:12,719 --> 00:39:18,879 Speaker 2: members are elected by the players, and they're in our 618 00:39:19,080 --> 00:39:23,440 Speaker 2: boardroom meetings. They're advocating for the things that make sense 619 00:39:23,480 --> 00:39:27,879 Speaker 2: and that matter. They represent the player's voice. They have 620 00:39:27,920 --> 00:39:32,359 Speaker 2: a vote on every major decision that we make at 621 00:39:32,360 --> 00:39:36,480 Speaker 2: the board level. So when we talk about the Women's 622 00:39:36,640 --> 00:39:43,640 Speaker 2: Tennis Association, it really is the players. It's theirs, it's 623 00:39:43,719 --> 00:39:49,719 Speaker 2: their association. There's certainly representation, equal representation and influence from 624 00:39:49,800 --> 00:39:52,680 Speaker 2: the tournament communities that are part of the membership of 625 00:39:52,719 --> 00:39:57,040 Speaker 2: the WTA, but the players are right there. So the 626 00:39:57,080 --> 00:40:03,719 Speaker 2: relationship and the involvement is very tight with with with 627 00:40:03,719 --> 00:40:08,720 Speaker 2: with WTA management and they are a full and equal 628 00:40:08,760 --> 00:40:12,840 Speaker 2: partner in all of the decision making, whether I like 629 00:40:12,880 --> 00:40:13,439 Speaker 2: it or not. 630 00:40:13,520 --> 00:40:19,880 Speaker 1: Sarah, benevolent dictator you are. The tour continues with the 631 00:40:19,920 --> 00:40:22,760 Speaker 1: Asian swing of the schedule coming up next China, Japan, 632 00:40:22,880 --> 00:40:25,040 Speaker 1: South Korea, and then the season wraps in November with 633 00:40:25,120 --> 00:40:28,680 Speaker 1: the Finals, the pinnacle of the sport and the final 634 00:40:28,760 --> 00:40:31,640 Speaker 1: big competition for all these athletes. What are you most 635 00:40:31,680 --> 00:40:33,840 Speaker 1: looking forward to over this final stretch? 636 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:39,440 Speaker 2: You know, the race is on. I don't know. You know, 637 00:40:39,480 --> 00:40:44,960 Speaker 2: there's such depths in women's tennis. You really don't know 638 00:40:45,200 --> 00:40:49,600 Speaker 2: who's gonna win week to week. Everybody who's entered has 639 00:40:49,640 --> 00:40:53,040 Speaker 2: a shot at winning. I mean, obviously with probability, some 640 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:56,520 Speaker 2: have a better shot than others, but you don't know 641 00:40:56,960 --> 00:40:59,919 Speaker 2: what the outcome is going to be for any time. 642 00:41:00,239 --> 00:41:04,080 Speaker 2: I think we'll see that in Asia coming up. I 643 00:41:04,719 --> 00:41:08,040 Speaker 2: couldn't tell you who's going to win the Beijing Open. 644 00:41:08,160 --> 00:41:11,680 Speaker 2: It's certainly, you know, the odds on favorite, maybe who 645 00:41:11,760 --> 00:41:14,719 Speaker 2: won last year, but I don't know. I mean, anybody 646 00:41:14,760 --> 00:41:18,160 Speaker 2: could show up and show out and take that trophy. 647 00:41:18,640 --> 00:41:21,640 Speaker 2: So I'm looking forward to seeing how the next several 648 00:41:21,719 --> 00:41:26,000 Speaker 2: weeks shape up, and then what that leads to in 649 00:41:26,080 --> 00:41:29,759 Speaker 2: terms of the race to our finals, because our finals 650 00:41:30,320 --> 00:41:35,560 Speaker 2: has the top eight singles players in the world, and 651 00:41:36,120 --> 00:41:39,480 Speaker 2: you know your rankings. Over these next several weeks, there 652 00:41:39,480 --> 00:41:43,080 Speaker 2: are two one thousand level events, and as I mentioned 653 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:45,680 Speaker 2: that one thousand means that's the number of points you 654 00:41:45,800 --> 00:41:48,759 Speaker 2: get in the event that you're you're a winner, So 655 00:41:48,800 --> 00:41:50,680 Speaker 2: there are a lot of points. There's a lot at 656 00:41:50,719 --> 00:41:54,880 Speaker 2: stake and a lot up for grabs. So some of 657 00:41:54,920 --> 00:41:58,640 Speaker 2: the players who are ten or eleven sort of on 658 00:41:58,760 --> 00:42:01,960 Speaker 2: that bubble, they have an opportunity to move up into 659 00:42:02,000 --> 00:42:04,840 Speaker 2: one of those eight spots. We've got a couple of 660 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:09,520 Speaker 2: players who've already secured their space in the finals and 661 00:42:10,160 --> 00:42:15,960 Speaker 2: in the race Arena Sablanca, IGOs Fiantek, but other than that, 662 00:42:16,200 --> 00:42:19,440 Speaker 2: it's pretty wide open. So I'm looking forward to seeing 663 00:42:19,960 --> 00:42:22,200 Speaker 2: what's going to happen and who I'm going to have 664 00:42:22,280 --> 00:42:26,279 Speaker 2: an opportunity to greet in Ria later this year. 665 00:42:27,080 --> 00:42:31,320 Speaker 1: Yeah, you mentioned after those top couple players Arena in particular, 666 00:42:31,360 --> 00:42:34,640 Speaker 1: who's in the eleven thousands of points. Then you get 667 00:42:34,680 --> 00:42:38,000 Speaker 1: down to sevens, fives, and a whole bunch of folks 668 00:42:38,040 --> 00:42:41,879 Speaker 1: in the fours. From five down to to nine as 669 00:42:41,920 --> 00:42:44,799 Speaker 1: we're speaking right now, is all players in the four 670 00:42:44,880 --> 00:42:48,359 Speaker 1: thousand something points. So you get a thousand points here, 671 00:42:48,400 --> 00:42:50,000 Speaker 1: a thousand points there, and all of a sudden you're 672 00:42:50,000 --> 00:42:52,040 Speaker 1: in a completely different spot in that top ten. So 673 00:42:53,280 --> 00:42:56,400 Speaker 1: really fun to watch. We've been loving watching all the 674 00:42:56,400 --> 00:42:58,640 Speaker 1: tennis this year at the US Opening everywhere else around 675 00:42:58,680 --> 00:43:00,839 Speaker 1: the world. So thanks so much, Prsure for the time 676 00:43:00,880 --> 00:43:02,759 Speaker 1: and giving us some backstory and all the big things 677 00:43:02,760 --> 00:43:03,759 Speaker 1: the WTA is up to. 678 00:43:04,080 --> 00:43:06,400 Speaker 2: Thanks Sarah, it's my pleasure. Good to be with you. 679 00:43:10,280 --> 00:43:12,160 Speaker 1: We got to take another break. When we come back. 680 00:43:12,280 --> 00:43:13,640 Speaker 1: You always remember your. 681 00:43:13,560 --> 00:43:24,800 Speaker 3: First Welcome back, Slices. 682 00:43:24,880 --> 00:43:27,200 Speaker 1: We love that you're listening, but we always want to 683 00:43:27,200 --> 00:43:29,000 Speaker 1: get you in the game every day too, So here's 684 00:43:29,040 --> 00:43:31,880 Speaker 1: our good game play of the day. All the WTA 685 00:43:31,960 --> 00:43:34,480 Speaker 1: events on US soil are done for the twenty twenty 686 00:43:34,480 --> 00:43:37,640 Speaker 1: five season, but if you're in Asia, get thee to 687 00:43:37,760 --> 00:43:40,520 Speaker 1: a match. No matter where you are, if you ever 688 00:43:40,560 --> 00:43:43,400 Speaker 1: have the chance, go to a tournament. Watching tennis on 689 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:47,200 Speaker 1: television is a blast, but in person it's even better. 690 00:43:47,760 --> 00:43:49,719 Speaker 1: Remember how much I gushed about the US Open and 691 00:43:49,760 --> 00:43:53,680 Speaker 1: the Billy Jean King Cup. I want those experiences for you, Slices. 692 00:43:54,360 --> 00:43:57,560 Speaker 1: I want those honey deuces for you, Slices. Yeah, I'm 693 00:43:57,600 --> 00:43:59,800 Speaker 1: still on those. It's a honey deuce seas until the 694 00:43:59,840 --> 00:44:02,719 Speaker 1: fall weather hits. Another play of the day news shout 695 00:44:02,760 --> 00:44:05,600 Speaker 1: out to Slice. Alexa Lewis who responded to yesterday's interview 696 00:44:05,600 --> 00:44:07,960 Speaker 1: with celeb stylis Amadi Brooks by sharing one of her 697 00:44:08,160 --> 00:44:10,920 Speaker 1: favorite fits of the year, and frankly, it's already the 698 00:44:10,920 --> 00:44:14,000 Speaker 1: frontrunner for the Slice Awards, folks, Alexa writes, quote, my 699 00:44:14,040 --> 00:44:16,279 Speaker 1: nominee for best fit is the pay us what You 700 00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:23,080 Speaker 1: Owe Us shirts Iconic, emotional, inspirational, award worthy. Good call, Alexa. 701 00:44:23,600 --> 00:44:26,200 Speaker 1: Those shirts that were rocked by the w players before 702 00:44:26,200 --> 00:44:28,880 Speaker 1: the All Star Game and a different version from breaking 703 00:44:28,920 --> 00:44:33,400 Speaker 1: Tea that the NWSL players wore in solidarity. Pretty baller. 704 00:44:34,000 --> 00:44:35,520 Speaker 1: We always love to hear from you. To hit us 705 00:44:35,560 --> 00:44:38,160 Speaker 1: up on email. Good game at Wondermedia Network dot com 706 00:44:38,239 --> 00:44:40,200 Speaker 1: or leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two 707 00:44:40,200 --> 00:44:43,759 Speaker 1: oh four fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe rate 708 00:44:43,800 --> 00:44:48,760 Speaker 1: and review slices. It's easy. Watch The Valkyrie's inaugural season 709 00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:51,880 Speaker 1: rating forty six out of forty six games to be 710 00:44:51,960 --> 00:44:54,920 Speaker 1: proud of. Review got to give a shout out to 711 00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:59,680 Speaker 1: Jess Smith, Ohema Nihanen, Natalie Nicasse, Kimberly Veal, and everyone 712 00:44:59,719 --> 00:45:02,479 Speaker 1: else responsible for putting together one hell of a first 713 00:45:02,520 --> 00:45:05,359 Speaker 1: season in the Bay. You only get one shot at 714 00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:08,600 Speaker 1: your debut season and y'all did not miss you have 715 00:45:08,719 --> 00:45:12,560 Speaker 1: set a very high standard for Toronto, Portland, Cleveland, Philly 716 00:45:12,600 --> 00:45:15,239 Speaker 1: and Detroit as they prep to make their debuts in 717 00:45:15,280 --> 00:45:18,680 Speaker 1: the coming years. The long standing ovation that the Valkyries 718 00:45:18,719 --> 00:45:21,920 Speaker 1: Faithful gave their squad on Wednesday Night, despite the losing effort, 719 00:45:22,239 --> 00:45:24,279 Speaker 1: was truly a testament to the community that the team 720 00:45:24,360 --> 00:45:27,560 Speaker 1: is created in just one summer. So our hat's off 721 00:45:27,560 --> 00:45:30,560 Speaker 1: to you and our vs. Up two. Now it's your 722 00:45:30,560 --> 00:45:33,640 Speaker 1: turn slices, rate and review. Thanks for listening, See you 723 00:45:33,680 --> 00:45:38,840 Speaker 1: next week. Good Game, Porsche, Good Game, Sydney McLauchlin, LIVRONI Few, 724 00:45:38,960 --> 00:45:45,960 Speaker 1: literally everything right now, like what The actual? Good Game 725 00:45:46,000 --> 00:45:48,840 Speaker 1: with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in 726 00:45:48,880 --> 00:45:51,799 Speaker 1: partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find 727 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:55,000 Speaker 1: us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you 728 00:45:55,040 --> 00:45:59,120 Speaker 1: get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers 729 00:45:59,120 --> 00:46:02,440 Speaker 1: are alex Asie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers are 730 00:46:02,520 --> 00:46:06,960 Speaker 1: Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutterer. Our 731 00:46:07,080 --> 00:46:11,040 Speaker 1: editors are Emily Rutter, Britney Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer. 732 00:46:11,400 --> 00:46:15,320 Speaker 1: Our associate producer is Lucy Jones. Production assistance from Avery 733 00:46:15,360 --> 00:46:17,880 Speaker 1: Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah Spain.