Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're so
Speaker 1: sad to be leaving the gorgeous Hotel Saints Cecilia in Austin, Texas,
Speaker 1: where we've been making cowboy hats with Kristin Davis, shooting
Speaker 1: bourbon with Ed Helms, and spreading the gospel of women's sports.
Speaker 1: It's Tuesday, March eleventh, and on today's show, will be
Speaker 1: bringing you a conversation I had with WNBA player Lexi
Speaker 1: Brown as part of a live show at the iHeart
Speaker 1: Podcast Hotel at south By Southwest on Saturday night. We
Speaker 1: talked about how she found out she was getting traded,
Speaker 1: how storytelling and brand sponsorship are helping grow women's sports,
Speaker 1: and her podcast Full Circle, which you can find right
Speaker 1: here on the iHeart Women's Sports Network. Plus March means
Speaker 1: Upsets Galore, a Sicko's Breakdown of Rivals, and the NWSL
Speaker 1: is back.
Speaker 2: In more ways than one. It's all coming up right
Speaker 2: after this Welcome back slices. Here's what you need to
Speaker 2: know today.
Speaker 1: Let's start with the NWSL, which returned in style with
Speaker 1: the Challenge Cup Thrilled on Friday night, kicking off the
Speaker 1: twenty twenty five season. It was a rematch of last
Speaker 1: ball's championship game. This time the Washington Spirit claimed the
Speaker 1: cup over the Orlando Pride, winning four to two at
Speaker 1: a penalty shootout after a one to one regulation finish.
Speaker 1: Regular season NWSL games start this upcoming Friday, the fourteenth.
Speaker 1: More NWSL, the league is investigating the technical staff of BAYFC,
Speaker 1: with the San Francisco Chronicle reporting that two former players
Speaker 1: described the culture under head coach Albertine Montoya as quote
Speaker 1: unquote toxic. NWSL Commissioner Jessica Berman confirmed the investigation while
Speaker 1: speaking to reporters on Friday, saying, quote, a review is
Speaker 1: underway by an independent third party, and we're very confident
Speaker 1: that the system we have in place will ensure that
Speaker 1: we surface the issues that need to be addressed, and
Speaker 1: that we'll continue to work with all our clubs, our
Speaker 1: technical staff, and our players to make sure that we're
Speaker 1: achieving our goal of creating a safe, healthy working environment
Speaker 1: end quote. The news comes just weeks after the very
Speaker 1: short tenure of Graham Abel as the club's head of
Speaker 1: domestic scouting. Abel was named that post in February, but
Speaker 1: he resigned one week later. He had previously been the
Speaker 1: subject of an investigative report by The Oregonian in which
Speaker 1: more than a dozen players alleged she was verbally abusive.
Speaker 1: We'll keep you posted as we learn more. BFC opens
Speaker 1: its season on Saturday with an away game against the
Speaker 1: Utah Royals to Unrivaled. By the time all Uselice is
Speaker 1: hear this, the Unrivaled regular season will have come to
Speaker 1: a close and will know which four teams made the playoffs.
Speaker 1: As of this recording on Monday afternoon, the Lunar Owls,
Speaker 1: Rows and Laces have locked down playoff spots, with the
Speaker 1: Vinyl and Misted fighting for the fourth and final spot.
Speaker 2: Y'all know what that means.
Speaker 1: It's time to bust out the crystal ball again, and
Speaker 1: it says the Lunar Owls are gonna win at all. Okay,
Speaker 1: that's not helpful for this specific moment, but I guess
Speaker 1: we all know that's what's gonna happen, right, or at
Speaker 1: least that's what we think to college hoops, where conference
Speaker 1: tournaments are in full swing and some have already wrapped.
Speaker 2: Let's go conference by conference.
Speaker 1: First up, the ACC the number eleven Duke Blue Devils
Speaker 1: upset Number six Notre Dame sixty one to fifty six
Speaker 1: on Saturday afternoon in the semi finals. Then on Sunday,
Speaker 1: Duke rallied from a fourteen point deficit to beat number
Speaker 1: seven NC State seventy six to sixty two to take
Speaker 1: the tournament title, their first in a dozen years and
Speaker 1: first under head coach Kara Lawson. Next to the Big Ten,
Speaker 1: where revenge is sweet. UCLA avenged two losses to crosstown
Speaker 1: rival USC in the regular season, beating the Trojans seventy
Speaker 1: two to sixty seven in the conference championship. Bruins star
Speaker 1: center Lauren Betts led her squad with seventeen points, five rebounds,
Speaker 1: four steals, and four blocks. She was also named the
Speaker 1: tourney's most outstanding player. Juju Watkins of USC started the
Speaker 1: game hot and finished one point away from another thirty piece,
Speaker 1: but she was held to just three made field goals
Speaker 1: in the whole second half. Both teams dominated the Big
Speaker 1: Ten in their first year since leaving the Pac twelve
Speaker 1: and are potential number one seeds in the upcoming NCAA Tournament.
Speaker 1: If they end up on opposite sides of the bracket
Speaker 1: on selection Sunday, we could get this matchup for a
Speaker 1: fourth time to the SEC, where, one week after a
Speaker 1: coin flip determined that South Carolina was the number one
Speaker 1: seed in that conference bracket, the game Cocks defeated Texas
Speaker 1: sixty four to.
Speaker 2: Forty five in the championship game.
Speaker 1: That nineteen point victory over the Longhorns completed the game
Speaker 1: Cocks dominant Toorney run, which also saw them defeat Vanderbilt
Speaker 1: by twenty one points and number five Oklahoma by eighteen points.
Speaker 1: South Carolina was ranked fifth nationally entering the conference Attorney
Speaker 1: and was projected to get a number two seed in
Speaker 1: the NC Double Attorney, but the team now appears poised
Speaker 1: for a number one seed. Finally, shout out to the
Speaker 1: A Tens George Mason University for winning that conference's tournament
Speaker 1: to secure their program's first ever NC Double Attorney bid.
Speaker 1: If you missed Friday's episode with A Ten Commissioner Bernadette McGlade,
Speaker 1: go back and take a listen to Colla Hockey. The
Speaker 1: eleven team NC Double Attorney bracket was revealed on Sunday,
Speaker 1: with Wisconsin earning the number one seed thanks to a
Speaker 1: thirty five to one to two record defending champion Ohio date.
Speaker 2: Cornell, whoa go Big Red.
Speaker 1: In Minnesota, earned seeds two through four and the regional
Speaker 1: final hosting rights that go along with them. That tourney
Speaker 1: gets underwean Thursday, and we'll link to the full bracket
Speaker 1: and schedule in our show notes to alpine skiing. On Sunday,
Speaker 1: American Mikayla Schiffrin added to her lore, finishing third in
Speaker 1: the slalom in Aure, Sweden, to break yet another record
Speaker 1: with her one hundred and fifty sixth podium finish the
Speaker 1: most World Cup podiums of all time, breaking her tie
Speaker 1: with Swedish gear Ingemar Stenmark, who competed in the nineteen
Speaker 1: seventies and eighties.
Speaker 2: And finally converted track sprinner.
Speaker 1: Kasha Love won the mono bob at the World Championships
Speaker 1: in Lake Placid, New York, this past weekend. Love top
Speaker 1: German Laura Nolta by forty four hundredths of a second.
Speaker 1: Friend of the Show Alana Meyers Taylor earned bronze, five
Speaker 1: hundredths behind Nolta. Slices, I want to take a quick
Speaker 1: moment to shout out one of our shows presenting sponsors,
Speaker 1: Elf Cosmetics, who were announced last week as the official
Speaker 1: makeup and Skincare partner of the NASL. ELF is the
Speaker 1: first beauty sponsor for the league, and we love what
Speaker 1: they're doing in the women's sports space. And we also
Speaker 1: love that after they sent me a bag of goodies,
Speaker 1: I am now a primer girl. That's right, folks, This
Speaker 1: sporty spice is learning how to do makeup correctly.
Speaker 2: Never too late to start right.
Speaker 1: We got to take a quick break when we come back.
Speaker 1: It's my conversation with Lexi Brown from south By, Southwest
Speaker 1: stick Around. She's a member of the Seattle Storm, a
Speaker 1: former Maryland Terrapin and Duke.
Speaker 2: Blue Devil who loved that news about Notre Dame. She's
Speaker 2: played for several WNBA teams, most importantly.
Speaker 1: In my opinion, helping the Chicago Sky to their twenty
Speaker 1: twenty one championship.
Speaker 3: Let's go.
Speaker 1: She's a fashion influencer and she owns more bikinis than
Speaker 1: I do shoes. It's Lexi Brown, you really do love
Speaker 1: a bikini.
Speaker 3: Okay.
Speaker 2: I don't know how you pack all those girls. I
Speaker 2: mean they're small, They're real small.
Speaker 3: They are small. All right. I don't work hard for nothing,
Speaker 3: that's right, that's right.
Speaker 2: Show it off.
Speaker 1: Okay, this off season in the WNBA was insane. Yeah,
Speaker 1: so much player movement. How did you find out that
Speaker 1: you got traded to the Storm? Oh that's a fun story.
Speaker 4: Also, with all this movement going on, I really believe
Speaker 4: that I was good in LA. So when I was
Speaker 4: covering free agency with my co host Mariah, you know,
Speaker 4: we're talking about, Oh, this is crazy, Like I can't
Speaker 4: believe this person got traded. I can't believe this person
Speaker 4: signed here. Little did I know there was a plot
Speaker 4: to get me out of LA, and I had no idea.
Speaker 3: So I found out. Actually I was.
Speaker 4: Playing in Athletes Unlimited, which is another women's basketball professional
Speaker 4: off season league in Nashville, and I was actually pulling
Speaker 4: out of the parking garage on my way to my game,
Speaker 4: and for a few weeks, I was kind of feeling
Speaker 4: a little uneasy about my future in LA for whatever
Speaker 4: reason that was.
Speaker 3: You know, I was very happy there. I was very
Speaker 3: happy in LA.
Speaker 4: Still am living there, but for some reason, there was
Speaker 4: like something off to me.
Speaker 3: So pulling out of the park garage, my GM's.
Speaker 4: Name pops up on my phone and I'm like, oh,
Speaker 4: this is bad news.
Speaker 3: Like I immediately knew.
Speaker 4: So I entered the phone, and I'm not even exaggerating.
Speaker 4: Our conversation was one minute, and that's when she told
Speaker 4: me that I was being traded to the Seattle Storm
Speaker 4: and I.
Speaker 3: Had a game to get to.
Speaker 4: I had a game to play, and I take ownership
Speaker 4: in that conversation, probably not being as long and meaningful
Speaker 4: as it could have been me playing there for three seasons,
Speaker 4: but I had another job to go do, so I
Speaker 4: kind of was just like, Okay, thank you guys, good luck,
Speaker 4: and I went to the gym and played in the
Speaker 4: basketball game immediately after.
Speaker 2: That's wild.
Speaker 1: That's usually we all have to clean out our desk
Speaker 1: and like move our one plant. You have to just
Speaker 1: like get right back to it. Yeah, it's not the
Speaker 1: first time you've been traded, though. You actually posted on
Speaker 1: Instagram and you said quote, it's crazy that three years later,
Speaker 1: I find myself in a similar situation as my first
Speaker 1: season with athletes unlimited, new team, new city, new expectations.
Speaker 1: This time around, I'm entering with an abundance of enjoyment, mindfulness,
Speaker 1: and positivity.
Speaker 2: I had no idea I had weight.
Speaker 1: I was caring, and thankfully it's evaporated completely. The unseen
Speaker 1: hours in the gym and my un waivering support system
Speaker 1: has helped me get back to a level of confidence
Speaker 1: in myself and help that I wasn't sure if I'd
Speaker 1: ever achieve again. Tell me more, why is this different
Speaker 1: this time?
Speaker 4: So the first season of Athletes Unlimited, I was fresh
Speaker 4: off the championship in Chicago, and yeah, yes, which was
Speaker 4: an amazing time. But I didn't really play much. You know,
Speaker 4: I'm not going to say I was a major contributor
Speaker 4: to that team. I was there for the vibes, which
Speaker 4: is a very important piece to a championship team. But
Speaker 4: it was an amazing experience, and I found myself playing
Speaker 4: overseas questioning my future in the W because it was
Speaker 4: made clear to me that they probably weren't going to
Speaker 4: keep me on that team moving forward forward.
Speaker 3: So went overseas.
Speaker 4: I went to France, was playing exceptionally well and nothing
Speaker 4: was really happening for me in the States with the W.
Speaker 4: So the Athletes Unlimited opportunity to come before I went overseas,
Speaker 4: and I let them know, like my agent really wants
Speaker 4: me to go, but I feel like I'm going to
Speaker 4: be back in time, so please like hold a spot
Speaker 4: for me, And they kept their promise. And I got
Speaker 4: to go play and Athletes Unlimited and played extremely well
Speaker 4: and was able to get traded to the LA Sparks,
Speaker 4: but on a training camp deal. So for those who
Speaker 4: don't know what a training camp deal is, it's a
Speaker 4: non guaranteed veteran minimum spot, so you're essentially going to
Speaker 4: a tryout. So I'm fresh off of a championship going
Speaker 4: to try out for a team in my fifth season,
Speaker 4: I think, so going into that situation, I was very unsure.
Speaker 4: I was nervous, anxious, didn't really know what to expect,
Speaker 4: and thankfully I was able to earn my spot on
Speaker 4: that team.
Speaker 3: And you know, it was very up and down with LA.
Speaker 4: With the Sparks, they're definitely in like a rebuild type
Speaker 4: of situation. But being able to solidify myself as a player,
Speaker 4: I'm able to thankfully say in year eight, I'm finally
Speaker 4: on my first protected contrast.
Speaker 3: Let's go. So when I headed to Seattle, I'm going
Speaker 3: to Seattle.
Speaker 2: A great city for women too.
Speaker 4: I love playing in Seattle, definitely one of my favorite
Speaker 4: cities to play in. They're really excited for me to
Speaker 4: be there. They have an amazing, beautiful practice facility, which
Speaker 4: if some of you don't know, not all WNBA teams
Speaker 4: have a facility dedicated to the WBA team.
Speaker 3: So when I was in LA, we.
Speaker 4: Were practicing at a community college.
Speaker 3: That was not ours.
Speaker 4: So for me, this is like game changing for someone
Speaker 4: that loves being in the gym and working out.
Speaker 3: I'm really excited.
Speaker 4: I mean, after all the smoke cleared about you know,
Speaker 4: getting traded, you know, I thought about it and I
Speaker 4: was like.
Speaker 3: This is going to be an amazing opportunity for.
Speaker 2: Me Seattle in the summer, which helps. Yeah, and yeah,
Speaker 2: the facilities.
Speaker 1: The fan base, the attention that you get in La,
Speaker 1: you can get lost to a lot of other things.
Speaker 1: In Seattle, there's so much of a dedication to women's
Speaker 1: soups and such a legacy of championships. And to your
Speaker 1: point about facilities, that's one of the things I've loved
Speaker 1: watching so much in recent months. There's basically like a
Speaker 1: facility war.
Speaker 2: In the WNBA.
Speaker 1: Absolutely, It's like one team announces a fifty million dollar
Speaker 1: and then like a month later, another one's like, great,
Speaker 1: seventy five million dollar facility, and the next one's like
Speaker 1: one hundred million dollar.
Speaker 2: We love it.
Speaker 3: Keep that's what we need.
Speaker 1: Yeah, because not just you, but there was a hilarious
Speaker 1: and sad story of the Connecticut Sun practicing for the
Speaker 1: playoffs in a community gym, and there was a kid's birthday.
Speaker 3: Probably right now next door.
Speaker 4: I got drafted to the Connecticut Sun, so I know,
Speaker 4: it's like, there's a zoomer.
Speaker 1: We have practic serious fees for Alyssa Thomas and you
Speaker 1: wanta Bonner to be at your birthday party.
Speaker 4: We're at it, We're at practice getting cussed out.
Speaker 3: There's a curR in.
Speaker 4: We hear zooma class next door, and we're like, how
Speaker 4: are we supposed to take this serious? Like we can't
Speaker 4: hear these people doing zooma class and with.
Speaker 1: My sailor's mouth, they would probably stop scheduling the birthday
Speaker 1: parties at the same time.
Speaker 2: That's all I'm saying.
Speaker 1: Yeah, but that investment has been so important for facilities
Speaker 1: for players, and players get a lot of their money
Speaker 1: from sponsorships and marketing deals, and I wonder, you know,
Speaker 1: with all the notable upgrades for w players, charter flights, facilities,
Speaker 1: what stands out too if you look back at your
Speaker 1: very first year in the league and you're like, wow,
Speaker 1: that seems so dated. Right now that that was how
Speaker 1: we did things.
Speaker 4: I think charter flights not having those is kind of
Speaker 4: insane to look back that we were just walking through
Speaker 4: the airport chilling and when and the conversation kind of
Speaker 4: gets lost in translation. I think about what it's like
Speaker 4: for us to have charter flights versus commercial, Like a
Speaker 4: plane is a plane. The problem that it is for
Speaker 4: professional athletes is we need time for our bodies to recover.
Speaker 4: So we're spending two three hours in airports. There's horrible
Speaker 4: food options, there's nowhere for us to put our legs up.
Speaker 4: We can't do recovery in the airport. So I think
Speaker 4: sometimes people are like.
Speaker 2: Delay like six' eighth in regular.
Speaker 4: Season, No so for, Me i'm five, NINE i can
Speaker 4: sleep AND i can sleep right here on this, Floor
Speaker 4: Like i'm. Cool SO i feel for my like taller.
Speaker 4: Teammates we're an economy next to just a random person
Speaker 4: talking our ears off because they're, like, wait why are you? On,
Speaker 4: yeah like they're like you're on A, wait you had
Speaker 4: a game? Yesterday wait why are you here with? Us
Speaker 4: and then it's like that whole, Conversation oh, well we
Speaker 4: just this is just how we travel and then.
Speaker 3: We have our whole travel. Party it's like thirty. People
Speaker 3: we have all of our.
Speaker 4: Bags so it was more of like the process of
Speaker 4: being on commercial flights rather than just like the idea
Speaker 4: of being on commercial. FLIGHTS i don't, like you weren't being,
Speaker 4: bougie it was Exactly SO i think commercial flights was
Speaker 4: a big. Thing we have commercial flights in, college so
Speaker 4: it's something that we're used, to but it was something
Speaker 4: that we expected when we got to the W So
Speaker 4: i'm glad that we've been able to make that. Change
Speaker 4: and then the second thing is having roommates on the,
Speaker 4: road which as a grown up is insane to think
Speaker 4: of a set grown. Up i'm literally a thirty year old,
Speaker 4: teenager but.
Speaker 3: When they have kids and they have like and you
Speaker 3: have to pay.
Speaker 2: Where someone has a roommate and their kid.
Speaker 4: Is in the, room, yeah or if you don't want
Speaker 4: to have you didn't want to have your kid in the,
Speaker 4: room you would have to come out of pocket to
Speaker 4: get a room for. Yourself so it's like little things
Speaker 4: like that when you're young and you're just excited to be.
Speaker 4: There like in, college we had, Roommates so when you're
Speaker 4: a Rookie you're, like oh.
Speaker 3: My, gosh fun we get to hang out.
Speaker 4: Over but my teammates like thirty five and she's, like,
Speaker 4: WHY i don't want this sepack. MACHINE i don't want
Speaker 4: this child with me in my. Room SO i, mean
Speaker 4: just the little changes That i've been made have have
Speaker 4: been so impactful And i'm so.
Speaker 1: Grateful Your Dadde brown was a twelve YEAR nba. Vet
Speaker 1: he went won The dunk.
Speaker 3: Contest he dine, yes shout out.
Speaker 1: Dad what's the best piece of advice he's given, you
Speaker 1: basketball or?
Speaker 4: Life he has this little term that he's very proud,
Speaker 4: of And i'm very proud of it for it, Too
Speaker 4: but it's hoop over. Hype so growing, UP i didn't
Speaker 4: always get all of the notoriety or accolades or ride
Speaker 4: ups and stuff like that for whatever. Reason but he
Speaker 4: used that turn that Into instead of being upset about
Speaker 4: it or jealous of people who, were he just made
Speaker 4: it more of a motivation for. Me and As i've
Speaker 4: just gotten, older that's just something That i've always held.
Speaker 4: Onto so you, know at the end of the, day
Speaker 4: your game is going to speak for, itself whether people
Speaker 4: want to acknowledge it or. Not you have to Put
Speaker 4: you have to put the ball in the, basket.
Speaker 3: And that's the main. Thing and he always just reminded
Speaker 3: me to keep the main thing the main.
Speaker 1: Thing someone told me that in my business early in my,
Speaker 1: career be so good they can't say no to you, Exactly,
Speaker 1: so especially as a woman in the space for often
Speaker 1: men are trying to say you don't. Belong if you're
Speaker 1: just too good for them to turn you, away then
Speaker 1: there's nothing they can.
Speaker 2: Say and that's the same.
Speaker 1: Way if you're hooping well, enough people will know your,
Speaker 1: name people will give you the brands and, deals and
Speaker 1: people will recognize that you have something to give as a.
Speaker 2: Player how have you seen that brand support change over the.
Speaker 3: Years it's been.
Speaker 4: INSANE i remember getting drafted and there were conversations about
Speaker 4: me leading up to the, draft regarding my social media
Speaker 4: presence and being on YouTube and is she focused and
Speaker 4: does she love the game and all these kind of,
Speaker 4: things and you, KNOW i feel like that might have
Speaker 4: affected my draft stock a little, Bit BUT i, Like
Speaker 4: i've always believed that everything happens the way it's supposed to.
Speaker 3: Happen so that was just in twenty.
Speaker 4: Eighteen so just seeing the transformation of how women athletes
Speaker 4: are being able to build their own brands and empower
Speaker 4: themselves on their, terms on their platforms and not being
Speaker 4: punished by their coaches or punished by front.
Speaker 1: Offices now you're more likely to be, told, hey you
Speaker 1: need to get on social.
Speaker 3: Media, Yeah like it's.
Speaker 4: Crazy i've had like veteran teammates that WHEN i was
Speaker 4: a rookie or my first few years of this, season
Speaker 4: there's like you are On instagram too, Much like why
Speaker 4: are you posting so many? Pictures and why do you make?
Speaker 4: Vlogs and why are you doing? This And i'm just
Speaker 4: like see the vision. Please, also it was fun for.
Speaker 4: ME i would didn't play a lot my rookie. YEAR
Speaker 4: i was, OVERSEAS i had a lot of free. Time
Speaker 4: so it was just something THAT i ended up doing
Speaker 4: as a. Hobby and now it's something That i've been
Speaker 4: able to, monetize which has been a. Blessing but for,
Speaker 4: me it was always just a way to like have
Speaker 4: my free.
Speaker 3: TIME i just love taking. Pictures i've always had cameras
Speaker 3: in front of my. Tail.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Yeah i'm a total.
Speaker 2: Overshare i'm, like here's What i'm doing, today what's everyone else?
Speaker 1: Doing?
Speaker 3: No my.
Speaker 2: Eight here's WHERE i.
Speaker 4: Went my first season Of overseas wasn't, hungry And i've
Speaker 4: like documented the entire. THING i documented our ENTIRE wnba bubble,
Speaker 4: season which was a, nightmare but it's documented on YouTube
Speaker 4: if anybody wants to see what that was. Like i've
Speaker 4: removed it from my my brain, completely but little things
Speaker 4: like that were just important to. Me and now just
Speaker 4: seeing so many players being able to tap into that
Speaker 4: as well has been has been really.
Speaker 1: Cool you'll be grateful too when you get, older speaking
Speaker 1: from someone.
Speaker 2: Who's slightly, older you'll be.
Speaker 1: Grateful you have those, memories you, Memory you're gonna remember
Speaker 1: everything and they're, like, wait where was?
Speaker 2: It what WAS i? DOING i drink a lot though
Speaker 2: way too in.
Speaker 1: College you're a fashion, Girly you've got deals.
Speaker 2: With fashion nova and true.
Speaker 1: Religion what do you wish more sponsors knew about working
Speaker 1: with professional female?
Speaker 4: ATHLETES i, THINK i, MEAN i think they're realizing it
Speaker 4: now that we are such layered human beings and in
Speaker 4: so many different, ways and everybody has different styles and
Speaker 4: people deal with things, differently just like everybody plays a
Speaker 4: little bit. Differently SO i think the best thing that
Speaker 4: has happened as far as the game and, brands is
Speaker 4: that players are now able to show their personalities a
Speaker 4: lot more on the court as, well which is leading
Speaker 4: to them getting a lot of opportunities off the court
Speaker 4: that align with. Them you, Know i've seen some players
Speaker 4: in the past have deals with the. Brand i'm just,
Speaker 4: like they don't even use, that they don't even wear,
Speaker 4: that and they don't even. Align but Now i'm, seeing you,
Speaker 4: know a lot of players finding their people in brands
Speaker 4: and sponsorship dollars and, like that's been so amazing to,
Speaker 4: see and for me as being A wnba, fans As
Speaker 4: i've been a little, Girl like that's something THAT i
Speaker 4: always thought was, missing was the individuality of the, whole
Speaker 4: like everybody being able to just be their authentic.
Speaker 3: Selves, yeah something.
Speaker 1: We've talked about a lot in the last five or
Speaker 1: ten years in women's sports is there used to be
Speaker 1: this desire to make everyone one. Dimensional you were either
Speaker 1: infantalizing women as your little girl all grown up and
Speaker 1: you had to be perfect all the, time maybe role,
Speaker 1: models or you were.
Speaker 2: Sexualized those are only two.
Speaker 1: Options either you're real hot and sexy and take it,
Speaker 1: off or you're a child and you're my little, girl
Speaker 1: and don't do anything that will make me think of you.
Speaker 1: Differently and now women athletes can be just like everyone,
Speaker 1: else multi. Dimensional we have, heroes we have, villains we
Speaker 1: have funny, players we have quiet, ones we have, masculine, feminine, gay,
Speaker 1: straight and their authentic selves are brought to the court
Speaker 1: both for the fit checks down the tunnel on the
Speaker 1: way in to.
Speaker 2: The, game to the post. Game and it's so much.
Speaker 3: More, interesting so much tough.
Speaker 4: Fun.
Speaker 1: Duh it's so much more interesting then back in the.
Speaker 1: Day AND i remember there were, athletes great players who
Speaker 1: would come to me and, Say i'm thinking about endorsing
Speaker 1: this fun thing my partner's, doing But i'm worried that
Speaker 1: it will reflect badly on my brand as a role.
Speaker 1: Model and that's so sad because it made everyone. Boring,
Speaker 1: yeah AND i think being able to see everybody authentically
Speaker 1: as themselves has also a lot of fans to relate
Speaker 1: to them better and brands to find the people that match. Them,
Speaker 1: yeah there were mass players in the league partnering with,
Speaker 1: walkxer and that makes way more sense than when the
Speaker 1: league started and they were throwing Like Diana tarassi at
Speaker 1: a halter top on a car and being.
Speaker 2: Like ball like it didn't make any.
Speaker 4: Sense i'm happy they did that walk straight because there
Speaker 4: was quite a bit of pushback to the skims, rollout
Speaker 4: WHICH i thought was. Beautiful gorge was. GORGEOUS i loved.
Speaker 4: It it did not feel to me like the male.
Speaker 4: Gaze it felt, empowered and that was the big.
Speaker 1: Difference AND i think that's also what we're seeing from female,
Speaker 1: athletes being empowered in their own.
Speaker 4: Body don't know because the men had their rollout, first
Speaker 4: and the amount of COMMENTS i, read, like would you
Speaker 4: guys PUT nba players in? Skims, yes they already. Did
Speaker 4: they literally already. Did like you didn't, notice, right they
Speaker 4: literally already have done. It SO i think being able
Speaker 4: to do more things like, that like walks er, skims
Speaker 4: now we're tapping into, makeup, skin, beauty, hair, like there's
Speaker 4: just so much untapped.
Speaker 1: POTENTIAL i still, think, well and it makes sense because
Speaker 1: when y'all are playing for two and a half hours
Speaker 1: and nothing on your face, MOVES i need. THAT i
Speaker 1: needed that three hours ago On Kristen davis's brunch WHEN
Speaker 1: i was.
Speaker 3: Fitzing it's quite impressive BECAUSE i don't even have. THAT
Speaker 3: i don't even have that skill some of that you
Speaker 3: do this doesn't MEAN i do. THIS i paid for.
Speaker 2: This where's my makeup and?
Speaker 1: Hair how do we make sure the growth is sustainable
Speaker 1: in the long term and not a passing, trend because
Speaker 1: in my, view we have to make sure, brands investors
Speaker 1: and owners communicate with athletes and fans and understand what's
Speaker 1: driving their. Interests because Like i've had these great conversations
Speaker 1: with former and current athletes who have gotten to the ownership,
Speaker 1: side and they, say the biggest thing is connecting the,
Speaker 1: owners these millionaires with the players for them to nderstand
Speaker 1: what do they? Want what are the Why unrival's been
Speaker 1: so successful because it was started by two players who
Speaker 1: know what players. Want how have you found conversations with
Speaker 1: the highest level front office folks have gone when you
Speaker 1: try to get them to see the position and the
Speaker 1: perspective of the players in the.
Speaker 4: League it's always interesting talking to higher ups because like
Speaker 4: the initial reaction is like, Shock like she's really, intelligent
Speaker 4: she knows how to speak in these, rooms and like
Speaker 4: once you get over that, articulate articulate and.
Speaker 3: We know what that, yeah exactly.
Speaker 4: Microaggression but once you get over that hump and you're
Speaker 4: able to just to be relatable to them and relate to.
Speaker 3: THEM i think having brand partnerships that align.
Speaker 4: With the, athlete because athletes are on a microscope twenty
Speaker 4: four to seven on and off the, Court so you
Speaker 4: need to have athletes and people advertising for your products
Speaker 4: or company that like. Align so if someone, yeah so
Speaker 4: if someone sees the person out doing something and it
Speaker 4: goes completely again what they're, promoting that's not. Good for some,
Speaker 4: reason athletes are held at this like different type of
Speaker 4: pedestal as far as like behavior.
Speaker 3: Morality like you, said everybody.
Speaker 4: Wants to be a role, model which for me, PERSONALLY
Speaker 4: i love being a role.
Speaker 3: Model i'm the oldest sibling.
Speaker 4: Of, four so LIKE i have not known anything. Else but,
Speaker 4: like you're not forced to be a role model just
Speaker 4: because you're really good at a.
Speaker 3: Sport like you're just really good at a sport and
Speaker 3: you are who you. Are SO i think the best.
Speaker 4: Thing women are like the most conscious, consumers so they
Speaker 4: can see right through all. That so as women athletes
Speaker 4: and for, brands it's like very important that you do
Speaker 4: your due. Diligence you research the athletes that you're reaching
Speaker 4: out to and vice. Versa you us as, athletes we
Speaker 4: cannot show up to these meetings and these conversations completely
Speaker 4: unaware of what this company stands for and what they
Speaker 4: want to, do and then it's a two way.
Speaker 1: Street, YEAH i, mean in women's, sports the intersection of
Speaker 1: social issues is impossible.
Speaker 2: To ignore or.
Speaker 1: Perfectly being a woman in the world is a political.
Speaker 1: Act being a female athlete is an act of resistance
Speaker 1: against so many of the forces that try to hold us.
Speaker 1: Back and so when you try to do deal with
Speaker 1: companies that are not aligned with women in the women's,
Speaker 1: space it blows my mind that it takes announcing it
Speaker 1: and then having all of your fans and players being
Speaker 1: like the.
Speaker 2: Fuck for you to be, like we didn't, know, Right,
Speaker 2: like it's it's wild to.
Speaker 1: Me it's happening less and, less particularly because of the
Speaker 1: power of social, media and it removes the gatekeepers from
Speaker 1: being the only ones who tell you how people.
Speaker 2: Feel they don't have to publish an op ed or like.
Speaker 1: Tabs it's out there on social media when the fans
Speaker 1: are dismayed by the decisions you're making around your, business
Speaker 1: and it matters so much to then take.
Speaker 2: The pulse about the fans.
Speaker 1: And the players in your, league because when there is
Speaker 1: a buy, in you are the best, influencers the best,
Speaker 1: marketers the best. Spokespeople if you haven't read The Sports
Speaker 1: innovation Lap Band, project every single piece of data points
Speaker 1: to women's sports fans and women athletes as the number
Speaker 1: one pusher of like brand, affinity, feelings and changed feelings
Speaker 1: about a brand purchase.
Speaker 2: Power women are doing the.
Speaker 1: Spended why is it that women be shopping doesn't translate
Speaker 1: to sell to the women who be. Shopping we don't
Speaker 1: even think about, it but, like we already have the
Speaker 1: majority of household purchasing, power and it's only going up
Speaker 1: as we're getting more, jobs more college, degrees and we're
Speaker 1: still targeting men eighteen to forty.
Speaker 3: Nine.
Speaker 1: Yeah, Right, so with these brands making these smart, decisions
Speaker 1: and with the athletes getting the mic for, once why
Speaker 1: did you feel like it was a time for a
Speaker 1: podcast and for you to be able to speak to
Speaker 1: fans and marketers and everybody else about what it really
Speaker 1: is to be a professional women's basketball player instead of
Speaker 1: letting some of the screaming folks with the big, Platforms.
Speaker 2: Yeah talk about it from an uninformed.
Speaker 4: Place so funny, STORY i actually tried to start my
Speaker 4: own podcast a few years, ago and THEN i got
Speaker 4: cut out of training, camp SO i kind of had
Speaker 4: to like reel that in and wrap that. Up and
Speaker 4: the premise of that podcast was it was CALLED i
Speaker 4: think it was called Just Call me or, something AND
Speaker 4: i had been known On twitter to clap back at
Speaker 4: fans a lot in weirdos and, trolls and basically the
Speaker 4: premise of the show was to give people the opportunity
Speaker 4: to call into the show WHILE i was recording and
Speaker 4: say what they needed to say and we could have a.
Speaker 4: Conversation SO i was, like, oh this is such a
Speaker 4: really fun, idea but THEN i got cut SO i
Speaker 4: kind of just had to you, know refocus and make
Speaker 4: sure that the main thing stayed the main.
Speaker 3: Thing so you fast.
Speaker 4: Forward now you, Know i'm on a podcast With Underdog
Speaker 4: fantasy called Gils. Arena we talk all THINGS, nba and
Speaker 4: that's just been like the biggest blessing to. Me it
Speaker 4: really helped me find my voice and maybe but they
Speaker 4: didn't like you at, first they did not like me at.
Speaker 4: First The so Gils, arena, Right so, okay. Storytime so
Speaker 4: Gils arena is on. YouTube it streams four days a.
Speaker 4: Week it's a live streaming, PODCAST nba, podcast and there's
Speaker 4: a live chat that goes on during the. Show SO
Speaker 4: i remember my FIRST i would say a few months
Speaker 4: even the chat was.
Speaker 3: Just like who is this? Girl what does she? Do
Speaker 3: is she even? Good is da da da da, da
Speaker 3: like all this weird.
Speaker 4: Stuff so a few months into the, show we had
Speaker 4: a shooting competition and we invited listeners of the show
Speaker 4: to come TO la and compete for one hundred thousand
Speaker 4: dollars in a shooting. Composition so we all participated in,
Speaker 4: it AND i made it the farthest out of everybody on.
Speaker 3: The, show.
Speaker 4: SO i got to be labeled the best shooter on the.
Speaker 4: Couch and then they renamed the show To Alexi's arena
Speaker 4: for a, week so THEN i went over the. Chat but,
Speaker 4: like that's like being a woman in a nuts, Show like.
Speaker 3: Actually, storytime we love Story. Time my very first.
Speaker 1: Week as an update anchor AT espn one thousand In,
Speaker 1: chicago which means like every fifteen, minutes i'd come on.
Speaker 2: And, say welcome to YOUR espn one Thousand Sports Center. Update,
Speaker 2: tonight The cubs take on The reds a seven pm.
Speaker 2: Start right that was ALL i. DID i just got.
Speaker 2: THERE i hadn't been on.
Speaker 1: Air, yet but the first, show they were having an
Speaker 1: event at a casino Near chicago to create a basketball
Speaker 1: team from the radio station to play against THE jv
Speaker 1: college team of some local college that was talking smack
Speaker 1: and So Tom, waddell Former bears Player Mark silberman the other,
Speaker 1: host and then they were gonna have fans try out
Speaker 1: to be a part of the, team but folks from
Speaker 1: the radio station could try out, Too And i'm, like,
Speaker 1: GREAT i played aa yosha, Up i'm doing.
Speaker 2: GREAT i end up making the final cut of the.
Speaker 1: Players we never had the basketball game because local radio
Speaker 1: doesn't follow through on really, anything really.
Speaker 2: Anything BUT i make the.
Speaker 1: Cut it's my first day hanging out with the. Crew
Speaker 1: everything seems, fine and THEN i start getting messages on
Speaker 1: social media from a guy WHO i later found out
Speaker 1: was at that tryout and didn't make, it death.
Speaker 2: Threats WHAT i hope your dog.
Speaker 3: Gets hit by a? Car oh my, GOSH.
Speaker 2: I hope your boyfriend beats. You how did you get your?
Speaker 2: Job who did you sleep?
Speaker 1: With just relentless across every, Platform, Facebook, twitter.
Speaker 3: Over it's tryout for a hypothetical GANG.
Speaker 1: I don't even remember meeting this, person but that's how
Speaker 1: much there, was this feeling of like you don't belong
Speaker 1: and Also i'm so emasculated by.
Speaker 2: You being better than.
Speaker 1: Me, yeah and that's what we face every single time
Speaker 1: we walk into a, space and that's why it's so
Speaker 1: important to keep elevating our, voices telling our story worries
Speaker 1: to be funded and valued and held up as great
Speaker 1: at what we, do as deserving of everything we've, earned
Speaker 1: because there are people who are always going to be like,
Speaker 1: that and, honestly they don't deserve our time except for
Speaker 1: to have security make sure that they don't come to
Speaker 1: the station, Exactly. Harriet, okay so last question for you
Speaker 1: your Show Full. Circle you talked about in a recent
Speaker 1: episode the way media cover and talk about female. Athletes
Speaker 1: you've got a room full of some, media some, sponsors
Speaker 1: a lot of folks who are invested in making sure
Speaker 1: we're doing this. Right tell us the biggest thing that
Speaker 1: you see that the media is doing wrong and how
Speaker 1: we can help change.
Speaker 4: It for, me being the basketball nerd THAT i, AM
Speaker 4: i love analytical breakdowns of, games AND i feel like
Speaker 4: in the women's basketball space that is NONEXISTENT i feel
Speaker 4: like people tiptoe because we're. Women you don't want to hurt.
Speaker 4: Feelings but What i've learned being now in the media
Speaker 4: space is that there's ways to our ticulate points without being,
Speaker 4: mean without having personal. Jabs like if somebody shot twenty
Speaker 4: percent from the field in their, game they shot twenty
Speaker 4: percent from the field in their, game but that doesn't
Speaker 4: mean that they're the worst player on that that said.
Speaker 4: Team so that hopefully right. Exactly so there's ways to
Speaker 4: objectively cover women's sports without always pitting women against each
Speaker 4: other in a weird. Way AND i think like there
Speaker 4: just needs to be more mature conversation surrounding women's, basketball
Speaker 4: which is WHY i wanted to make my show completely
Speaker 4: about women's basketball and covering the game and everything that's
Speaker 4: going on and doing it in the.
Speaker 3: Most positive way. Possible, like, yes everything in sports is not,
Speaker 3: positive but it doesn't have to be like. Demeaning you
Speaker 3: don't have to over.
Speaker 4: Criticize but, like if a fact is a, Fact like
Speaker 4: people would call me a hater BECAUSE i would say,
Speaker 4: something But i'm, like but if it's, true is it?
Speaker 3: Really like how is it? Hate if it's?
Speaker 4: True But i'm not trying to like mess up someone's.
Speaker 4: Reputation i'm not trying to attack their person what they
Speaker 4: have going. On BUT i feel, like for, me like
Speaker 4: basketball is such a beautiful game to, me AND i
Speaker 4: love it so, much AND i really played basketball BECAUSE
Speaker 4: i love it.
Speaker 3: And it's so.
Speaker 4: Fun AND i just think that the joy of the
Speaker 4: game and the love of the game has been lost
Speaker 4: in media, money sponsorships. Deals AND i hope that my,
Speaker 4: show which is going to run through THE wnba, season
Speaker 4: which is going to be very interesting for, me But
Speaker 4: i'm really excited THAT i can be able, to you,
Speaker 4: know cover the league and my, team specifically The Seattle
Speaker 4: storm in an objective, way and bring in more fans
Speaker 4: and educate fans and have, them you, know fall in
Speaker 4: love with THE.
Speaker 3: WNBA i love.
Speaker 1: That And i'm going to say that you said it was,
Speaker 1: okay because what's been interesting for me is WHEN i
Speaker 1: started with THE esbnw about fifteen years, ago we almost
Speaker 1: had to be just cheerleaders because there was such a
Speaker 1: toxic hatred of women's sports that we wanted to offset
Speaker 1: that with. Support but then it became something where we
Speaker 1: recognize we couldn't make it legitimate if we didn't criticize
Speaker 1: the same way with women's but a lot of female
Speaker 1: athletes are so used to sycophantic relationships with the media
Speaker 1: because those are the people allowed in, yeah that they
Speaker 1: then push back on. Criticism we need to be able
Speaker 1: to take that, money get that, bag get THE tv,
Speaker 1: rights do all this, stuff and take the criticism that
Speaker 1: comes along with the legitimacy of a major.
Speaker 2: League AND i think we're still finding that. Balance but
Speaker 2: Now i'm just to Say Lexi brown SAID i could do.
Speaker 3: It, okay, yeah, cool do it is? Me all.
Speaker 1: Right we're looking forward to the, Season we're looking forward
Speaker 1: to the podcast and talking to you.
Speaker 2: Again thank you so much. Everybody Lexy, brown thanks again
Speaker 2: so much To lexi for joining.
Speaker 1: Us we had a, Blast and thanks to all the
Speaker 1: incredible folks At iHeart and The Hotel Saints cecilia for
Speaker 1: the gorgeous event that they threw celebrating Our iHeart Women's
Speaker 1: Sports network and our. SHOW i had such a fantastic
Speaker 1: time all weekend Meeting Kristin davis Of sex and The
Speaker 1: City fame and hearing about her Podcast Are you A?
Speaker 2: Charlotte she is truly a.
Speaker 1: DELIGHT i also got to hang out With Ed helms
Speaker 1: and hear about his Podcast.
Speaker 2: Snafu it was really.
Speaker 1: Cool he was around all weekend and went to everyone's,
Speaker 1: events which was so awesome of. HIM i also got
Speaker 1: to tell him how many Times i've been sent memes
Speaker 1: of his character on The, Office Andy. BERNARD i went
Speaker 1: To CORNELL i ever heard of, it like literally thousands
Speaker 1: of times in my. Life all that plus The iHeart
Speaker 1: Podcast awards yesterday, night Which i'm gonna tell you all
Speaker 1: more about later this. Week but just all in, all
Speaker 1: it was a really fantastic weekend full Of iHeart, events
Speaker 1: And i'm just super grateful that they included our. SHOW
Speaker 1: i also spent way too much money Getting cowboy, boots
Speaker 1: But i'd say it's an. INVESTMENT i think we could
Speaker 1: call it an. Investment all, right we have to take another.
Speaker 1: Break when we come, back we celebrate some, rivals stick, around.
Speaker 2: Welcome back.
Speaker 1: Slices we always love that you're, listening but we want
Speaker 1: you to get in the game every day.
Speaker 2: Too so here's our good game play of the. Day
Speaker 2: it's an easy.
Speaker 1: One subscribe to The Full circle, podcast Which Lexi brown
Speaker 1: co hosts With Mariah. Rose will link to it in
Speaker 1: our show, notes and we always love to hear from,
Speaker 1: you especially when it's about gigantic Rice crispy. Treats we
Speaker 1: have loved getting your messages and, photos Especially Patti, bifoalco
Speaker 1: who also does great work for The Women's Sports. Foundation
Speaker 1: she sent us proof of a giant Rice krispy circa
Speaker 1: twenty eighteen that was at least three times the.
Speaker 2: Size of her. Head we all loved that.
Speaker 1: Photo we also heard From Slice, lisa who wrote to
Speaker 1: us with lore from a few decades ago with the
Speaker 1: subject line big ass Rice Crispy. Treats here's What lisa said,
Speaker 1: QUOTE i have what may be the answer To thursday's
Speaker 1: episode With Alexa philippoo and the story Of Dina Tarassi's
Speaker 1: Rice crispy treat hair bun. TABLE i worked as a
Speaker 1: cake decorator in the deli of a southern grocery store
Speaker 1: chain for several years in the late nineties WHILE i
Speaker 1: was building a portfolio for grad. School sometime around ninety
Speaker 1: nine or, so we got a mystery shipment of very
Speaker 1: large Rice crispy. Treats they were somewhere between the size
Speaker 1: of a quarter and a half sheet cake wrapped in
Speaker 1: those large blue foil, wrappers and they were shipped to
Speaker 1: us with the idea THAT i would be unwrapping them
Speaker 1: and decorating them like a.
Speaker 2: Cake it seems funny, now and.
Speaker 1: They probably have thirty seven varieties made with every cereal
Speaker 1: possible at your corner, bodega but commercially Available Rice Krispy
Speaker 1: treats only showed up in stores sometime in the early,
Speaker 1: nineties so we couldn't imagine anyone paying for these, things
Speaker 1: especially at the retail cake. Price we just put them
Speaker 1: out on the floor as. IS i believe they retailed
Speaker 1: for nine ninety, nine and the damn things were very
Speaker 1: popular and we ended up keeping them in stock on the.
Speaker 1: Floor now you may be wondering WHY i remember the
Speaker 1: year a product arrived at a JOB i held twenty
Speaker 1: five years, ago and that's BECAUSE i left for grad
Speaker 1: school in two thousand and The Rice Krispy treats were
Speaker 1: a newer product for, us so it had to be
Speaker 1: around nineteen ninety, nine which lines up With tarassi's years in.
Speaker 2: College and as soon As alexa started.
Speaker 1: Talking about A Rice crispy, table these things immediately came to,
Speaker 1: mind big enough to be a dining table in your grandparents'
Speaker 1: formal dining. Room absolutely not big enough to be something
Speaker 1: a college kid would have in a dorm and use
Speaker 1: as a flat.
Speaker 2: Surface, yes, indeed end.
Speaker 1: Quote we are obsessed with this, Story. Lisa thanks for
Speaker 1: reaching out and keep hitting us. Up whether you have
Speaker 1: stories About, Rice krispy tables or. Anything you could send
Speaker 1: us an email good game at wondermediaetwork dot com or
Speaker 1: leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two oh
Speaker 1: four fifty.
Speaker 2: And don't forget to, subscribe rate and. Review come, on go,
Speaker 2: on do. It give us a bunch of, stars tell
Speaker 2: us how awesome we.
Speaker 1: Are it's easy watch community owners who roast opponents in
Speaker 1: the best possible. Way rating ten out of Ten Sickos.
Speaker 1: Review shout out to The sickos, community fellow community owners
Speaker 1: of our show, team The Minnesota AURORA.
Speaker 2: Fc The sikos published a very weird, video but in the.
Speaker 1: Best possible, way breaking down The Aurora's Heartland division. Rivals,
Speaker 1: now if you're not familiar with The Sickos, committee they're
Speaker 1: a group of self described depraved college football fans who
Speaker 1: call Themselves sickos because they watch every game possible and
Speaker 1: love it all no matter the. Teams they take their
Speaker 1: inspiration from a now Infamous Dan kelly comic drawn for The.
Speaker 2: Onion you'll probably recognize it if you look it.
Speaker 1: Up we love that they hop aboard The Minnesota aurora
Speaker 1: train and are applying their Special sickos behavior to prepping
Speaker 1: us for the upcoming season and taking out every opponent
Speaker 1: in The aurora's.
Speaker 2: Way take a. Listen ROCHESTER fc is known as The,
Speaker 2: loons not Those. Loons they're the Other, loons The loons
Speaker 2: in our league In, rochester not That, rochester the Other
Speaker 2: rochester in our.
Speaker 1: State we'll link to that full video in the show
Speaker 1: notes and a. Reminder single match tickets for The AURORA
Speaker 1: fc season are now on sale Now it's your turn,
Speaker 1: slices rate and. Review thanks for, Listening see you. Tomorrow Good, GAME,
Speaker 1: Lexi Good games South By southwest you.
Speaker 2: Sleep when will we ever meet?
Speaker 1: Again Good game With Sarah spain is An iHeart women's
Speaker 1: sports production in partnership With Deep Blue sports And. Entertainment
Speaker 1: you can find us on The iHeartRadio, App Apple, podcasts
Speaker 1: or wherever.
Speaker 2: You get your.
Speaker 1: Podcasts production By Wonder Media, network our producers Are Alex
Speaker 1: azzie And Misha. Jones Our executive producers Are Christina, Everett Jesse,
Speaker 1: Katz Jenny kaplan And Emily. Rutterer our editors Are Emily,
Speaker 1: Rudder Britney martinez And Grace. Lynch our associate producer Is
Speaker 1: Lucy jones And I'm Your Host Sarah spain