1 00:00:00,520 --> 00:00:02,800 Speaker 1: Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where it's beginning 2 00:00:02,800 --> 00:00:05,400 Speaker 1: to look a lot like Christmas, and not just because 3 00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:08,280 Speaker 1: we're shoveling our way out of several inches of snow. 4 00:00:08,480 --> 00:00:10,760 Speaker 1: It's Monday, December first, and on today's show, we'll be 5 00:00:10,800 --> 00:00:14,480 Speaker 1: chatting with chief marketing and public relations officer for Ally Financial, 6 00:00:14,760 --> 00:00:18,279 Speaker 1: Andrea Brimmer. We sat down during NWSL Championship weekend to 7 00:00:18,280 --> 00:00:21,520 Speaker 1: talk about the company's groundbreaking fifty to fifty pledge to 8 00:00:21,560 --> 00:00:24,840 Speaker 1: reach equal spend in media across men's and women's sports, 9 00:00:24,880 --> 00:00:27,080 Speaker 1: and why folks need to see ROI. 10 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:28,240 Speaker 2: Differently in the two spaces. 11 00:00:28,480 --> 00:00:31,160 Speaker 1: Her favorite I Told you So moments, her decision to 12 00:00:31,200 --> 00:00:35,159 Speaker 1: sponsor the NWSL Players Association after players came forward reporting 13 00:00:35,200 --> 00:00:38,640 Speaker 1: toxic environments and abuse, and why Ally leaned into its 14 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:41,800 Speaker 1: sponsorship of the NWSL in its darkest moment instead of 15 00:00:41,840 --> 00:00:45,440 Speaker 1: abandoning it. This is a fascinating and super smart combo. 16 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:46,720 Speaker 2: I think you're going to love it. 17 00:00:47,120 --> 00:00:51,199 Speaker 1: Plus a hoops lifer breaks her own record, Nebraska finishes perfect, 18 00:00:51,479 --> 00:00:55,240 Speaker 1: and a holiday weekend heartbreaker for one Olympic hopeful. It's 19 00:00:55,240 --> 00:01:02,480 Speaker 1: all coming up right after this Welcome back slices. Hope 20 00:01:02,520 --> 00:01:04,240 Speaker 1: you had a great long holiday weekend. 21 00:01:04,440 --> 00:01:05,759 Speaker 2: Here's what you need to know today. 22 00:01:07,560 --> 00:01:10,600 Speaker 1: We'll start in the WNBA, where there's no new CBA 23 00:01:10,800 --> 00:01:14,120 Speaker 1: as of this recording Sunday night, assuming no last minute 24 00:01:14,120 --> 00:01:17,240 Speaker 1: deals were done by eleven fifty nine pm Eastern, than 25 00:01:17,280 --> 00:01:20,880 Speaker 1: the extended deadline for negotiations between the players Association and 26 00:01:20,920 --> 00:01:24,559 Speaker 1: the league on a new collective bargaining agreement has again expired. 27 00:01:25,040 --> 00:01:28,560 Speaker 1: A couple things could happen now, another agreed upon extension 28 00:01:28,560 --> 00:01:32,640 Speaker 1: for negotiations to continue, or a quote unquote status quo 29 00:01:32,800 --> 00:01:35,160 Speaker 1: period during which the league in the PA maintained the 30 00:01:35,160 --> 00:01:38,039 Speaker 1: working conditions of the current CBA, allowing players to receive 31 00:01:38,080 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 1: medical benefits, used team facilities, and more while both sides 32 00:01:41,160 --> 00:01:45,640 Speaker 1: continue negotiating despite not agreeing to another extension, or a 33 00:01:45,640 --> 00:01:48,919 Speaker 1: workstoppage that could be initiated either by a player strike 34 00:01:49,280 --> 00:01:50,400 Speaker 1: or an owner lockout. 35 00:01:50,800 --> 00:01:52,600 Speaker 2: And negotiations for the last. 36 00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,400 Speaker 1: WNBACBA required two extensions, so it wouldn't be unprecedented for 37 00:01:56,440 --> 00:01:58,680 Speaker 1: the league in the PA to announce another one. But 38 00:01:58,880 --> 00:02:01,320 Speaker 1: the longer the talks take, the more disruption there is 39 00:02:01,360 --> 00:02:04,640 Speaker 1: to this year's busy offseason, which includes an expansion draft 40 00:02:04,640 --> 00:02:07,720 Speaker 1: for the Toronto Tempo and Portland Fire, and free agency 41 00:02:07,720 --> 00:02:10,920 Speaker 1: signings for almost every single vet in the league. We'll 42 00:02:11,000 --> 00:02:14,040 Speaker 1: keep you updated as news comes in, and while we're waiting, 43 00:02:14,280 --> 00:02:16,320 Speaker 1: you can check out a great article on fair dot 44 00:02:16,400 --> 00:02:20,079 Speaker 1: org about the often sexist coverage that the CBA negotiations 45 00:02:20,120 --> 00:02:21,440 Speaker 1: are getting from the sports media. 46 00:02:21,919 --> 00:02:22,840 Speaker 2: We'll link to the piece. 47 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:26,840 Speaker 1: Sports press covers WNBA negotiations from owner's point of view 48 00:02:27,080 --> 00:02:29,760 Speaker 1: in the show notes to college hoops and a new 49 00:02:29,760 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: record with a pretty incredible twist. 50 00:02:31,960 --> 00:02:32,480 Speaker 2: Number five. 51 00:02:32,639 --> 00:02:35,320 Speaker 1: LSU, led by head coach Kim Maulkey, set a new 52 00:02:35,400 --> 00:02:38,600 Speaker 1: NCAA record on Friday with its seventh consecutive one hundred 53 00:02:38,600 --> 00:02:41,480 Speaker 1: plus point game, a one thirteen to fifty three rout 54 00:02:41,520 --> 00:02:44,280 Speaker 1: of Merist in the Paradise Jam Tournament on the University 55 00:02:44,280 --> 00:02:47,520 Speaker 1: of Virgin Islands campus. The previous record of six straight 56 00:02:47,560 --> 00:02:49,760 Speaker 1: one hundred plus point games was set by the nineteen 57 00:02:49,800 --> 00:02:53,680 Speaker 1: eighty two Louisiana Tech squad led by point guard Kim Malke. 58 00:02:54,440 --> 00:02:56,079 Speaker 2: That's right, she broke her own record. 59 00:02:56,480 --> 00:02:58,800 Speaker 1: On Saturday at the Tigers extended their streak to eight 60 00:02:58,919 --> 00:03:02,520 Speaker 1: straight with a remarkable one twelve to thirty five drubbing 61 00:03:02,600 --> 00:03:05,280 Speaker 1: of Washington State in the championship game of the tournament's 62 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,440 Speaker 1: Reef Division. The seventy seven point margin of victory is 63 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,440 Speaker 1: the largest on the road in program history and the 64 00:03:11,480 --> 00:03:14,519 Speaker 1: fourth largest all time. LSU is now eight to no, 65 00:03:14,760 --> 00:03:17,680 Speaker 1: but they haven't yet faced a ranked team, and based 66 00:03:17,720 --> 00:03:21,919 Speaker 1: on current rankings, they wouldn't until January first. Also this weekend, 67 00:03:22,040 --> 00:03:25,400 Speaker 1: Number four Texas beat number three UCLA seventy six sixty 68 00:03:25,440 --> 00:03:29,200 Speaker 1: five on Wednesday, then upset number two South Carolina sixty 69 00:03:29,240 --> 00:03:31,880 Speaker 1: six sixty four on a rory harmon last second shot 70 00:03:31,919 --> 00:03:35,200 Speaker 1: on Thanksgiving Thursday. Jordan Lee and Madison Booker led the 71 00:03:35,200 --> 00:03:38,559 Speaker 1: way for the Longhorns with nineteen and sixteen points respectively 72 00:03:38,600 --> 00:03:42,560 Speaker 1: in that one. On Sunday, Audie Crooks made nineteen of 73 00:03:42,560 --> 00:03:45,240 Speaker 1: twenty five field goal attempts for a career high forty 74 00:03:45,400 --> 00:03:49,200 Speaker 1: seven points to lead Number ten Iowa State past Indiana 75 00:03:49,240 --> 00:03:52,840 Speaker 1: one oh six ninety five. Indiana shay Chesky had thirty 76 00:03:52,840 --> 00:03:56,080 Speaker 1: eight points in the loss. Later on Sunday, a matchup 77 00:03:56,120 --> 00:03:59,200 Speaker 1: of two top fifteen teams, as number three UCLA defeated 78 00:03:59,280 --> 00:04:03,400 Speaker 1: number fourteen ten Tennesseee ninety nine seventy seven. Gabriella Hakez 79 00:04:03,440 --> 00:04:06,160 Speaker 1: had twenty nine points to lead the Bruins. Kiki Rice 80 00:04:06,200 --> 00:04:10,360 Speaker 1: added twenty points and eleven boards to college soccer. Unranked 81 00:04:10,400 --> 00:04:13,440 Speaker 1: Ohio State saw their Cinderella run end in the Elite 82 00:04:13,520 --> 00:04:16,560 Speaker 1: eight of the NCAA Tournament this weekend, falling to number 83 00:04:16,600 --> 00:04:19,599 Speaker 1: three Florida State four to one. On Friday, the Seminoles 84 00:04:19,560 --> 00:04:22,679 Speaker 1: advanced to take on number two TCU, who beat number 85 00:04:22,680 --> 00:04:26,080 Speaker 1: one seed North Carolina in a thriller. Unc was up 86 00:04:26,120 --> 00:04:28,680 Speaker 1: one nil with just six seconds to play when the 87 00:04:28,680 --> 00:04:32,159 Speaker 1: horn Frogs Cammeden Fuller even things up to force overtime. 88 00:04:32,600 --> 00:04:35,440 Speaker 1: After a scoreless extra session, TCU earned a four to 89 00:04:35,480 --> 00:04:38,240 Speaker 1: three advantage on penalty kicks to book their trip to 90 00:04:38,279 --> 00:04:40,919 Speaker 1: the Final four. On the other side of the bracket, 91 00:04:41,040 --> 00:04:44,120 Speaker 1: number one Stanford routed two seed Michigan five to one. 92 00:04:44,279 --> 00:04:47,080 Speaker 1: They'll meet number two Duke WU bested three seed Kansas 93 00:04:47,160 --> 00:04:50,680 Speaker 1: two nil. Both final four contests will be on Friday 94 00:04:51,320 --> 00:04:55,239 Speaker 1: to College Vibes, where the country's best team, Nebraska finished 95 00:04:55,240 --> 00:04:58,200 Speaker 1: off an unbeaten regular season with a sweep of Ohio 96 00:04:58,240 --> 00:05:01,040 Speaker 1: State in front of nearly eighty five five hundred people 97 00:05:01,080 --> 00:05:04,560 Speaker 1: at John Cook Arena Saturday night. It's the third unbeaten 98 00:05:04,600 --> 00:05:08,600 Speaker 1: regular season in Nebraska program history. They dropped just seven 99 00:05:08,680 --> 00:05:12,520 Speaker 1: sets all season, just one in Big Ten play. They'll 100 00:05:12,520 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: try to become just the sixth team in history to 101 00:05:14,760 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 1: finish a regular season undefeated and win a national title. 102 00:05:18,720 --> 00:05:22,080 Speaker 1: We're recording this before Sunday night's NCAA Women's Volleyball Tournament 103 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:25,200 Speaker 1: selection show, so we'll chat about the bracket in tomorrow show. 104 00:05:25,839 --> 00:05:28,120 Speaker 1: To the US women's national soccer team and their three 105 00:05:28,240 --> 00:05:31,039 Speaker 1: nail defeat of Italy and a friendly Friday night in Orlando, 106 00:05:31,279 --> 00:05:33,880 Speaker 1: Olivia Moultrie tally in the second minute of the contest 107 00:05:34,120 --> 00:05:37,159 Speaker 1: and Katerina Macario earned a brace, scoring in the sixty 108 00:05:37,160 --> 00:05:40,559 Speaker 1: fourth and seventy sixth minutes. Macario's goals were her sixth 109 00:05:40,560 --> 00:05:43,120 Speaker 1: and seventh on the year, making her Team USA's goal 110 00:05:43,160 --> 00:05:46,760 Speaker 1: scoring leader in twenty twenty five. Chicago Stars forward Jimmy's 111 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:49,960 Speaker 1: Joseph and Washington Spirit defender Kate Weisner both subed on 112 00:05:50,040 --> 00:05:53,480 Speaker 1: in the match to make their international debuts. Fridays was 113 00:05:53,520 --> 00:05:57,080 Speaker 1: the first meeting between Team USA and Italy in fifteen years. 114 00:05:57,240 --> 00:05:59,280 Speaker 2: They'll meet again in Fort Lauderdale tonight. 115 00:05:59,560 --> 00:06:02,840 Speaker 1: That's a seven pm Eastern kickoff on TBS and HBO 116 00:06:02,960 --> 00:06:06,599 Speaker 1: max to Skiing, and a sad update on our favorite 117 00:06:06,640 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: trio of Olympic hopefuls friends of the show, the Massuga Sisters. 118 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: Sister Lauren Massuga will miss the rest of the season, 119 00:06:13,480 --> 00:06:17,080 Speaker 1: including the Milan Courtina Olympics, after tearing her right acl 120 00:06:17,160 --> 00:06:20,680 Speaker 1: Friday morning during training for the World Cup in Copper Mountain, Colorado. 121 00:06:21,080 --> 00:06:24,119 Speaker 1: Missuga finished last season as the top American in both 122 00:06:24,160 --> 00:06:27,200 Speaker 1: downhill and super g and was expected to be a 123 00:06:27,240 --> 00:06:31,120 Speaker 1: top medal contender in Italy. Meantime, on Sunday, Masuga's teammate 124 00:06:31,200 --> 00:06:34,520 Speaker 1: Mikayla Schiffrin won her third straight World Cup slalom race 125 00:06:34,560 --> 00:06:37,440 Speaker 1: to start this Olympic season. It's a record extending one 126 00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:41,479 Speaker 1: hundred fourth overall Alpine World Cup race win, sixty seven 127 00:06:41,520 --> 00:06:42,520 Speaker 1: of them in slalom. 128 00:06:42,920 --> 00:06:44,360 Speaker 2: The win on home. 129 00:06:44,200 --> 00:06:48,840 Speaker 1: Colorado snow also qualifies Schiffrin for her fourth Olympics to 130 00:06:48,880 --> 00:06:52,040 Speaker 1: the PWHL, where the two time defending walter Cup champion 131 00:06:52,120 --> 00:06:55,560 Speaker 1: Minnesota Frost spoiled the inaugural home opener for the expansion team, 132 00:06:55,600 --> 00:06:57,960 Speaker 1: the Seattle Torrent with a three nothn win at Climate 133 00:06:58,000 --> 00:07:01,200 Speaker 1: Pledge Arena Friday night, a new the US record crowd 134 00:07:01,200 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: of over sixteen thousand people watched as Minnesota's Kelly Panic 135 00:07:05,000 --> 00:07:08,400 Speaker 1: scored twice and Nicole Hensley pitched a thirty save shutout 136 00:07:08,440 --> 00:07:11,440 Speaker 1: to lead the Frost to the win. Elsewhere in the league, 137 00:07:11,480 --> 00:07:14,600 Speaker 1: Ottawa Charge head coach Carla McLeod, also head coach for 138 00:07:14,640 --> 00:07:17,440 Speaker 1: the CHECKI and national team, has revealed the statement that 139 00:07:17,520 --> 00:07:21,280 Speaker 1: she was recently diagnosed with breast cancer. Wrote McLeod in part, quote, 140 00:07:21,360 --> 00:07:24,760 Speaker 1: I'm incredibly fortunate to have an exceptional medical team guiding me, 141 00:07:25,080 --> 00:07:27,200 Speaker 1: and together we've built a treatment plan that gives me 142 00:07:27,280 --> 00:07:30,000 Speaker 1: tremendous confidence in the road ahead. There are still some 143 00:07:30,080 --> 00:07:32,800 Speaker 1: variables to be determined as we move forward, but my goal, 144 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,520 Speaker 1: without question is to be behind the bench as often 145 00:07:35,560 --> 00:07:39,120 Speaker 1: as possible. McLeod went on quote, my medical team assured 146 00:07:39,160 --> 00:07:41,520 Speaker 1: me that my treatment should have minimal impact on being 147 00:07:41,560 --> 00:07:43,800 Speaker 1: present for the Charge season, and that I'll still be 148 00:07:43,800 --> 00:07:45,880 Speaker 1: able to coach check you at the Olympic Winter Games 149 00:07:45,880 --> 00:07:46,560 Speaker 1: in February. 150 00:07:46,920 --> 00:07:47,520 Speaker 2: End quote. 151 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:54,120 Speaker 1: We're definitely wishing coach McLeod the best slices real quick. 152 00:07:54,160 --> 00:07:56,280 Speaker 1: While we're on the topic of mcclod's news, I just 153 00:07:56,320 --> 00:07:58,680 Speaker 1: wanted to share a sort of personal update just in 154 00:07:58,680 --> 00:08:00,760 Speaker 1: case it might help someone out there, And if you 155 00:08:00,840 --> 00:08:02,680 Speaker 1: followed me on social you probably already saw this, but 156 00:08:02,880 --> 00:08:05,400 Speaker 1: I haven't mentioned it on the show yet. So over 157 00:08:05,440 --> 00:08:08,360 Speaker 1: the summer, I had an abnormal mammogram, followed by an 158 00:08:08,440 --> 00:08:11,840 Speaker 1: ultrasound that still showed some abnormal cells, followed by a 159 00:08:11,880 --> 00:08:16,960 Speaker 1: biopsy that revealed ADH cells, which are a typical ductyal hyperplasia. 160 00:08:17,280 --> 00:08:20,800 Speaker 1: Now these are non cancerous cells, but they are atypical 161 00:08:20,840 --> 00:08:23,880 Speaker 1: and abnormal, and they increase your likelihood of getting breast cancer. 162 00:08:24,200 --> 00:08:26,520 Speaker 1: So a couple weeks ago I went in and had 163 00:08:26,520 --> 00:08:28,960 Speaker 1: to get a lump back to me. The surgery went well, 164 00:08:29,360 --> 00:08:32,640 Speaker 1: no further ADH or cancer was found. All good news there. 165 00:08:33,040 --> 00:08:34,640 Speaker 2: I still have to figure out if I want to 166 00:08:34,640 --> 00:08:36,839 Speaker 2: take medication for a couple of years going forward. 167 00:08:36,880 --> 00:08:39,640 Speaker 1: If anyone has had experience with demoxifen or otherwise, feel 168 00:08:39,640 --> 00:08:42,040 Speaker 1: free to reach out and help me make that decision 169 00:08:42,040 --> 00:08:44,480 Speaker 1: and figure out the next steps. But I just wanted 170 00:08:44,480 --> 00:08:46,720 Speaker 1: to share this because it was interesting. Several times during 171 00:08:46,760 --> 00:08:50,439 Speaker 1: this month's long process, I was actually recording our special 172 00:08:50,520 --> 00:08:53,600 Speaker 1: Novartist series of shows and ended up talking to several 173 00:08:53,640 --> 00:08:54,760 Speaker 1: breast cancer survivors. 174 00:08:54,760 --> 00:08:56,520 Speaker 2: You might remember that, and that. 175 00:08:56,559 --> 00:08:58,960 Speaker 1: Made things both scary because it was really real, and 176 00:08:59,000 --> 00:09:00,559 Speaker 1: also gave me a lot of whole because I was 177 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,000 Speaker 1: talking to folks about their treatments and their recoveries. Anyway, 178 00:09:04,080 --> 00:09:06,160 Speaker 1: I'm sharing this because I just want to remind y'all 179 00:09:06,160 --> 00:09:07,199 Speaker 1: to get your mammograms. 180 00:09:07,520 --> 00:09:09,040 Speaker 2: I know a lot of people who put it off. 181 00:09:09,080 --> 00:09:10,520 Speaker 1: I know a lot of people who think it hurts, 182 00:09:10,600 --> 00:09:13,360 Speaker 1: it's not comfortable, but it's really not that bad, and 183 00:09:13,559 --> 00:09:15,040 Speaker 1: you really need to do that because you need to 184 00:09:15,040 --> 00:09:17,040 Speaker 1: find out what kind of breasts you have. Do you 185 00:09:17,120 --> 00:09:20,040 Speaker 1: have dense breasts, in which case you might need ultrasounds 186 00:09:20,120 --> 00:09:24,160 Speaker 1: or MRIs instead of just regular mammograms, And surprisingly, you 187 00:09:24,280 --> 00:09:27,320 Speaker 1: often have to ask for that yourself. Unfortunately, there is 188 00:09:27,360 --> 00:09:29,760 Speaker 1: a level of self advocacy that's necessary when it comes 189 00:09:29,760 --> 00:09:32,240 Speaker 1: to breast cancer. A lot of things are more expensive 190 00:09:32,240 --> 00:09:34,600 Speaker 1: for hospitals or insurance, so if you don't know that 191 00:09:34,640 --> 00:09:36,800 Speaker 1: you need them and to ask for them, they aren't 192 00:09:36,840 --> 00:09:38,240 Speaker 1: always going to volunteer that. 193 00:09:38,760 --> 00:09:40,320 Speaker 2: So please do your research. 194 00:09:40,520 --> 00:09:42,959 Speaker 1: And all my slices with tatas be sure to get 195 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:43,480 Speaker 1: them checked. 196 00:09:44,120 --> 00:09:46,000 Speaker 2: All right, We're going to take a quick break. When 197 00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:53,040 Speaker 2: me come back, it's Andrea Brimmer joining us now. 198 00:09:53,080 --> 00:09:56,559 Speaker 1: She's the Chief Marketing and public Relations officer for Ally Financial. 199 00:09:56,679 --> 00:09:58,160 Speaker 2: Since becoming CMO in twenty. 200 00:09:58,040 --> 00:10:00,200 Speaker 1: Fifteen, she's helped put Ally on the fast come any 201 00:10:00,280 --> 00:10:02,520 Speaker 1: brands that matter Less for three consecutive years. Was a 202 00:10:02,559 --> 00:10:05,400 Speaker 1: twenty twenty four Forbes CMO Hall of Fame inductee and 203 00:10:05,520 --> 00:10:07,600 Speaker 1: is a five time honoree on the Forbes list of 204 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:11,079 Speaker 1: world's Most Influential cmos, a twenty twenty four Sports Business 205 00:10:11,120 --> 00:10:13,480 Speaker 1: Journal Game Changer, twenty twenty two ad Week Most Powerful 206 00:10:13,520 --> 00:10:15,960 Speaker 1: Woman in Sports, and the twenty twenty two Wise Woman 207 00:10:15,960 --> 00:10:17,920 Speaker 1: of the Year. She was a soccer player at Michigan State. 208 00:10:18,160 --> 00:10:20,880 Speaker 1: She's a pity mama and she has some human children too. 209 00:10:21,080 --> 00:10:22,040 Speaker 2: It's Andrea Brimmer. 210 00:10:22,200 --> 00:10:25,280 Speaker 3: Hi, Andrea pitty Mama. That's my favorite part of the 211 00:10:25,640 --> 00:10:26,600 Speaker 3: entire introduction there. 212 00:10:26,600 --> 00:10:28,480 Speaker 1: I am a pity me too, and I can tell 213 00:10:28,520 --> 00:10:31,000 Speaker 1: by your Instagram that you're as obsessed as obsessed. 214 00:10:31,040 --> 00:10:32,760 Speaker 3: I mean, I love that dog more Queen any thing 215 00:10:32,800 --> 00:10:34,760 Speaker 3: in the world. Queen is a queen, the Queen. I 216 00:10:34,800 --> 00:10:36,840 Speaker 3: actually just got a tattoo for her too, my Queen. 217 00:10:36,960 --> 00:10:37,800 Speaker 2: So oh my gosh. 218 00:10:37,880 --> 00:10:39,440 Speaker 3: Yes, I've I've memoralized her. 219 00:10:39,679 --> 00:10:42,600 Speaker 1: Yes, I have three dogs and most of my Instagram 220 00:10:42,640 --> 00:10:44,160 Speaker 1: would be pictures of them if I didn't have to 221 00:10:44,200 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 1: post every show every day. 222 00:10:45,920 --> 00:10:47,440 Speaker 2: Well, it's great to see you, Thanks for coming on. 223 00:10:47,480 --> 00:10:49,560 Speaker 1: I'm so excited to chat because I want to get 224 00:10:49,559 --> 00:10:52,120 Speaker 1: to this game changing work that you're doing in the 225 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:52,880 Speaker 1: women's sports race. 226 00:10:52,880 --> 00:10:54,280 Speaker 2: But I kind of want to know how you got. 227 00:10:54,120 --> 00:10:56,680 Speaker 1: There, and I want to know your first exposure to 228 00:10:56,720 --> 00:10:58,160 Speaker 1: women's sports as a fan. 229 00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:00,000 Speaker 2: Do you remember seeing. 230 00:10:59,600 --> 00:11:02,680 Speaker 4: It, whether it was small scale or on a big scale. 231 00:11:03,040 --> 00:11:04,200 Speaker 2: Yeah, that it like hit. 232 00:11:04,080 --> 00:11:06,840 Speaker 3: You absolutely, you know. I mean for me, honestly, it 233 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,959 Speaker 3: was through soccer, and I played since I was a 234 00:11:10,000 --> 00:11:14,000 Speaker 3: little kid. I started playing in the YMCA League when 235 00:11:14,040 --> 00:11:16,800 Speaker 3: I was very young, and I just fell in love 236 00:11:16,800 --> 00:11:20,720 Speaker 3: with the national team, you know, and the players of 237 00:11:20,760 --> 00:11:23,360 Speaker 3: the national team. And that was really my first not 238 00:11:23,360 --> 00:11:25,000 Speaker 3: when I was young, because there was no yet national 239 00:11:25,040 --> 00:11:27,560 Speaker 3: team when I was young, but the women's national team 240 00:11:27,640 --> 00:11:30,400 Speaker 3: and the Julie Foudis of the world, the ninety nine ers. 241 00:11:30,960 --> 00:11:33,199 Speaker 3: That was when I really really really fell in love 242 00:11:33,240 --> 00:11:36,319 Speaker 3: with women's sports from a fandom standpoint. You know, as 243 00:11:36,320 --> 00:11:39,320 Speaker 3: a participant in playing, you don't really think about fandom, 244 00:11:39,960 --> 00:11:42,680 Speaker 3: and then when you can't play anymore and you fall 245 00:11:42,679 --> 00:11:44,840 Speaker 3: in love with watching other people play it. You know 246 00:11:44,920 --> 00:11:47,520 Speaker 3: that for me was it so having those people in 247 00:11:47,559 --> 00:11:50,320 Speaker 3: my orbit now has been pinched me moment for sure. 248 00:11:50,840 --> 00:11:53,360 Speaker 1: Well, do you remember, you know, a pivot point in 249 00:11:53,400 --> 00:11:55,960 Speaker 1: your career when women's sports hit you over the head 250 00:11:56,080 --> 00:11:58,200 Speaker 1: and you were like, oh, this is something to invest 251 00:11:58,320 --> 00:12:01,480 Speaker 1: in as opposed to just see as aspirational or. 252 00:12:01,400 --> 00:12:04,000 Speaker 3: Inspirational, you know, I mean I think for me first, 253 00:12:04,040 --> 00:12:06,200 Speaker 3: like early lesson in life, even before I was in 254 00:12:06,240 --> 00:12:08,440 Speaker 3: my career. You mentioned Michigan State, which, by the way, 255 00:12:08,480 --> 00:12:10,559 Speaker 3: my girls won last night. They're going to Sweet sixteen. 256 00:12:10,600 --> 00:12:14,240 Speaker 3: Go ladies, Go Sparti. You know, I played on the 257 00:12:14,240 --> 00:12:17,920 Speaker 3: first ever varsity women's soccer team at Michigan State. And 258 00:12:18,200 --> 00:12:21,560 Speaker 3: that's when the Big Ten was actually ten schools, you know, 259 00:12:21,640 --> 00:12:24,800 Speaker 3: not however many it is now. And we were only 260 00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:26,800 Speaker 3: the second team in the Big Ten to have a 261 00:12:26,880 --> 00:12:30,640 Speaker 3: varsity program, and so we used to go to the 262 00:12:30,679 --> 00:12:34,360 Speaker 3: other eight schools and we would play exhibition matches on 263 00:12:34,480 --> 00:12:36,600 Speaker 3: our own time, and we would help them petition their 264 00:12:36,640 --> 00:12:40,560 Speaker 3: athletic boards to get varsity status. And so I just 265 00:12:40,720 --> 00:12:43,920 Speaker 3: that like something clicked in my brain at that point 266 00:12:43,960 --> 00:12:47,360 Speaker 3: in time, even as a college student of women helping 267 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,520 Speaker 3: women how hard it was for women sports to break through, 268 00:12:52,200 --> 00:12:55,040 Speaker 3: and I just carried that with me for a long time. 269 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:57,079 Speaker 3: When I finally got to a point where I was 270 00:12:57,120 --> 00:12:59,719 Speaker 3: in a position where I had the ability to make 271 00:12:59,720 --> 00:13:03,560 Speaker 3: discis visions and drive meaningful change, that's when I was like, 272 00:13:03,600 --> 00:13:05,719 Speaker 3: we need to be more intentional about this, because this 273 00:13:05,760 --> 00:13:07,920 Speaker 3: isn't something that's just going to happen on its own. 274 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:11,480 Speaker 3: It's something that's going to take brands and women in 275 00:13:11,600 --> 00:13:14,040 Speaker 3: leadership positions to push it through. And the first thing 276 00:13:14,120 --> 00:13:17,520 Speaker 3: we did was the sponsorship of the WICC, which was 277 00:13:17,559 --> 00:13:19,440 Speaker 3: honestly like one of the first things you could do 278 00:13:19,520 --> 00:13:22,480 Speaker 3: in women's sports back in the day. So that was 279 00:13:22,520 --> 00:13:23,920 Speaker 3: really the first way we came in. 280 00:13:24,080 --> 00:13:25,240 Speaker 2: What's the WICCA. 281 00:13:25,360 --> 00:13:28,200 Speaker 3: It was the Women's International Friendlies, and they had brought 282 00:13:28,200 --> 00:13:32,040 Speaker 3: the men's friendlies and the women's friendlies to this country. 283 00:13:32,040 --> 00:13:36,240 Speaker 3: They played in soccer stadiums, big soccer stadiums, college football 284 00:13:36,240 --> 00:13:39,920 Speaker 3: stadiums all over the country, and we did a big 285 00:13:39,920 --> 00:13:42,439 Speaker 3: partnership with them. First one was in Miami, second one 286 00:13:42,520 --> 00:13:44,240 Speaker 3: was in Portland. And when you started to see the 287 00:13:44,320 --> 00:13:47,199 Speaker 3: number of people that were coming out in the fandom, 288 00:13:47,559 --> 00:13:49,800 Speaker 3: you knew that there was something percolating here. 289 00:13:50,320 --> 00:13:52,240 Speaker 1: When you were at Michigan State and you were helping 290 00:13:52,280 --> 00:13:55,240 Speaker 1: these other schools, did you recognize it as any sort 291 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,600 Speaker 1: of activism or did it just feel like, oh, this 292 00:13:58,640 --> 00:14:00,400 Speaker 1: is what we're doing. Because I remember in college, and 293 00:14:00,440 --> 00:14:02,880 Speaker 1: I've told the story before, the coaches of the football 294 00:14:02,880 --> 00:14:05,280 Speaker 1: team were trying to get our track team to not 295 00:14:05,480 --> 00:14:08,400 Speaker 1: wear whatever we wore to practice into the weight room 296 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:10,439 Speaker 1: that we shared. We were supposed to change into something 297 00:14:10,480 --> 00:14:13,520 Speaker 1: that was less distracting for the football players. And I 298 00:14:13,559 --> 00:14:15,520 Speaker 1: started a petition and had everyone on the women's and 299 00:14:15,559 --> 00:14:17,320 Speaker 1: men's track team and our coaches sign it and be like, 300 00:14:17,360 --> 00:14:19,560 Speaker 1: we're not responsible for your team's lack of focus. 301 00:14:19,800 --> 00:14:21,000 Speaker 2: This is what we wear to practice. 302 00:14:21,040 --> 00:14:23,080 Speaker 1: We jump into sand pits, we jump over poles, like 303 00:14:23,240 --> 00:14:24,920 Speaker 1: we're gonna wear that into the weight room. 304 00:14:25,200 --> 00:14:27,600 Speaker 2: And the next day they were like, carry. 305 00:14:27,280 --> 00:14:29,560 Speaker 1: On, never mind, We've just been told that it's this 306 00:14:29,800 --> 00:14:32,920 Speaker 1: very sexist and bullshit. And it wasn't in my mind like, oh, 307 00:14:32,920 --> 00:14:35,720 Speaker 1: I'm an activist, I'm fighting. I was just like, that's wrong, 308 00:14:36,120 --> 00:14:39,680 Speaker 1: We're not doing that and let's move on. Did you 309 00:14:39,720 --> 00:14:41,680 Speaker 1: think about it that way or is it not only 310 00:14:41,760 --> 00:14:44,520 Speaker 1: until upon reflection that you're like, oh, we were actually 311 00:14:44,520 --> 00:14:45,080 Speaker 1: doing something. 312 00:14:45,200 --> 00:14:47,680 Speaker 3: I think more it was more upon reflection. But I 313 00:14:47,720 --> 00:14:50,480 Speaker 3: think for us, when I went up to Michigan State 314 00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:53,760 Speaker 3: as a freshman, we were not varsity status yet, so 315 00:14:53,920 --> 00:14:57,160 Speaker 3: we had to fight for our own varsity status. We 316 00:14:57,200 --> 00:14:59,440 Speaker 3: had this coach I'll never forget. His name was Michael Taut. 317 00:14:59,520 --> 00:15:02,480 Speaker 3: He was a German guy, and he was instrumental like 318 00:15:02,520 --> 00:15:06,360 Speaker 3: you guys should be a varsity sport. And I remember 319 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,840 Speaker 3: we fought and fought and fought, and he fought really 320 00:15:08,880 --> 00:15:12,320 Speaker 3: hard alongside with us. And then when the program got 321 00:15:12,320 --> 00:15:14,800 Speaker 3: its varsity status this year, they fired him. They said, 322 00:15:14,800 --> 00:15:16,800 Speaker 3: you're not going to be the coach that we're going 323 00:15:16,840 --> 00:15:21,240 Speaker 3: to make the men's soccer team coach coach both right, 324 00:15:21,920 --> 00:15:24,520 Speaker 3: And that was really more of when the whole activism 325 00:15:24,560 --> 00:15:28,040 Speaker 3: thing clicked of like, wow, we just fought so hard 326 00:15:28,480 --> 00:15:31,480 Speaker 3: to get our varsity status. He fought alongside with us, 327 00:15:31,840 --> 00:15:34,280 Speaker 3: and as soon as we got what we deserved and 328 00:15:34,320 --> 00:15:36,080 Speaker 3: he got what he deserved, he. 329 00:15:36,040 --> 00:15:36,760 Speaker 2: Got taken out. 330 00:15:37,440 --> 00:15:40,720 Speaker 3: And that I think really emboldened us as a group 331 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,480 Speaker 3: of like, we've got to figure out how to make 332 00:15:43,480 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 3: this okay at other schools. 333 00:15:45,200 --> 00:15:47,840 Speaker 1: So back in twenty twenty two, Ali made a big 334 00:15:47,840 --> 00:15:50,560 Speaker 1: splash announcing the fifty to fifty Pledge to spend equal 335 00:15:50,560 --> 00:15:53,280 Speaker 1: amounts in advertising with both men's and women's sports. What 336 00:15:53,400 --> 00:15:55,840 Speaker 1: percentage of the spend was ally dedicating to women at 337 00:15:55,880 --> 00:15:58,600 Speaker 1: the time when you boldly declared we're getting to fifty 338 00:15:58,600 --> 00:16:00,600 Speaker 1: to fifty, you know, I mean, I always say I 339 00:16:00,640 --> 00:16:03,880 Speaker 1: was part of the problem because the numbers back then 340 00:16:04,040 --> 00:16:08,040 Speaker 1: we were like ninety ten on a national basis, and 341 00:16:08,400 --> 00:16:11,080 Speaker 1: we had never looked at it, and so you know, 342 00:16:11,280 --> 00:16:12,920 Speaker 1: when I said, let's take a look and see what 343 00:16:12,960 --> 00:16:15,600 Speaker 1: we're spending, it was right around the national basis, it 344 00:16:15,640 --> 00:16:18,080 Speaker 1: was ninety percent going into men's sports and ten percent 345 00:16:18,120 --> 00:16:19,160 Speaker 1: going into women's sports. 346 00:16:19,840 --> 00:16:22,080 Speaker 3: And then we we came up with that idea of 347 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 3: like what if we went for parody, what if we 348 00:16:24,560 --> 00:16:27,000 Speaker 3: worked towards getting to fifty to fifty? 349 00:16:27,560 --> 00:16:31,880 Speaker 1: Called Foudy and we Julie Foudy the new Billy Jean 350 00:16:31,960 --> 00:16:34,240 Speaker 1: King is what I always say. She's like, I've signed 351 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: her up to be the next generations BJK. 352 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:40,040 Speaker 3: I love that. That's awesome and just and said, you know, 353 00:16:40,160 --> 00:16:43,160 Speaker 3: would you help us make this announcement And we didn't 354 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:45,400 Speaker 3: have anything figured out there. We had no idea how 355 00:16:45,440 --> 00:16:47,480 Speaker 3: we were going to do it, and I remember because 356 00:16:47,480 --> 00:16:49,360 Speaker 3: the team was freaking out. Everyone was like, we're going 357 00:16:49,400 --> 00:16:51,360 Speaker 3: to have to go ask for extra money. We can't 358 00:16:51,600 --> 00:16:53,960 Speaker 3: not spend ninety percent of our budget in men's sports. 359 00:16:54,400 --> 00:16:55,680 Speaker 2: All of our brand. 360 00:16:55,360 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 3: Health metrics are going to, you know, go down the drain. 361 00:16:58,640 --> 00:17:00,000 Speaker 3: And we had to go ask for all this second 362 00:17:00,000 --> 00:17:01,640 Speaker 3: extra money. And I'm like, no, we're not going to 363 00:17:01,680 --> 00:17:04,240 Speaker 3: do that. We're going to figure out how to optimize 364 00:17:04,280 --> 00:17:06,959 Speaker 3: out of things that aren't performing well, and we're going 365 00:17:07,040 --> 00:17:09,320 Speaker 3: to lean into this because if we are going to 366 00:17:09,320 --> 00:17:11,120 Speaker 3: make a promise like this, we have to believe it. 367 00:17:11,800 --> 00:17:14,280 Speaker 3: And so we made the pledge without any clue of 368 00:17:14,280 --> 00:17:15,920 Speaker 3: how we were going to do it, and here we are. 369 00:17:16,359 --> 00:17:18,399 Speaker 1: I was actually at the SBNW Sumn. Of course, when 370 00:17:18,400 --> 00:17:20,760 Speaker 1: you announced the fifty to fifty pledge. You reportedly got 371 00:17:20,800 --> 00:17:22,840 Speaker 1: a text from your boss saying, it's a really good idea, 372 00:17:22,920 --> 00:17:24,480 Speaker 1: but you probably should have told. 373 00:17:24,359 --> 00:17:26,359 Speaker 2: Me first, Which is amazing. 374 00:17:27,560 --> 00:17:29,320 Speaker 1: Was that the most of the pushback, or a little 375 00:17:29,359 --> 00:17:31,800 Speaker 1: bit more, a little bit more pushback at the time, that. 376 00:17:31,760 --> 00:17:32,600 Speaker 2: Was the most of it. 377 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,119 Speaker 3: Honestly, I underestimated how big the reaction was going to be. 378 00:17:38,560 --> 00:17:40,080 Speaker 3: I just thought, Oh, we're going to make this and 379 00:17:40,760 --> 00:17:43,600 Speaker 3: you know it's not a thing, and it blew up. 380 00:17:43,760 --> 00:17:46,040 Speaker 3: You know, you were in the room. The room erupted. 381 00:17:46,200 --> 00:17:49,800 Speaker 3: There was tons of earned media that came out of it. 382 00:17:50,520 --> 00:17:52,399 Speaker 3: And then I was kind of like, oh shit, I 383 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,200 Speaker 3: probably I didn't tell him blah blah blah, but I'm like, oh, 384 00:17:55,240 --> 00:17:56,119 Speaker 3: he's not going to see it. 385 00:17:56,200 --> 00:17:56,920 Speaker 2: That was my thought. 386 00:17:57,600 --> 00:18:00,320 Speaker 3: And then that night it was like eight o'clock night 387 00:18:01,240 --> 00:18:03,560 Speaker 3: and get a I got a text from one of 388 00:18:03,560 --> 00:18:07,280 Speaker 3: our board members who is a huge women's sports fan, 389 00:18:07,440 --> 00:18:09,639 Speaker 3: and she did a group message with me and my 390 00:18:09,720 --> 00:18:13,240 Speaker 3: boss and she attached one of the articles and she's like, 391 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:15,439 Speaker 3: this is amazing. I've never been more proud to be 392 00:18:15,480 --> 00:18:17,719 Speaker 3: on the ALLY board. Blah blah, blah blah. And then 393 00:18:17,760 --> 00:18:21,200 Speaker 3: two seconds later he was like, this is a great idea, 394 00:18:21,520 --> 00:18:24,720 Speaker 3: but you should probably tell your boss before you make major. 395 00:18:24,680 --> 00:18:25,480 Speaker 2: Enounces like this. 396 00:18:26,000 --> 00:18:28,480 Speaker 3: But that was it, And honestly, it is a huge 397 00:18:28,560 --> 00:18:31,639 Speaker 3: pride point with an Ally, like a massive pride point 398 00:18:31,760 --> 00:18:35,560 Speaker 3: to the point that in our earnings call, our CEO 399 00:18:35,640 --> 00:18:37,560 Speaker 3: will actually give updates on where we stand on the 400 00:18:37,560 --> 00:18:39,760 Speaker 3: fifty to fifty pledge amazing, which is pretty cool. 401 00:18:40,000 --> 00:18:43,000 Speaker 1: There is a feeling of like like pit of your 402 00:18:43,000 --> 00:18:45,320 Speaker 1: stomach when you don't think anything's a big deal, you 403 00:18:45,359 --> 00:18:47,480 Speaker 1: put it out somewhere and then it's a huge deal 404 00:18:47,480 --> 00:18:47,879 Speaker 1: and you're. 405 00:18:47,760 --> 00:18:48,679 Speaker 2: Like, is this way? Is this good? 406 00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:48,880 Speaker 3: Wait? 407 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:49,880 Speaker 2: I want marketing, I. 408 00:18:49,840 --> 00:18:51,879 Speaker 1: Want earn meetia, but like, uh oh, I didn't really 409 00:18:51,920 --> 00:18:54,879 Speaker 1: consider how this reaction would be. How easy or difficult 410 00:18:54,880 --> 00:18:57,600 Speaker 1: did it prove to start that ramp up process. 411 00:18:57,720 --> 00:18:59,480 Speaker 3: It was a lot harder than I thought it was 412 00:18:59,520 --> 00:19:02,200 Speaker 3: going to be, and not because there wasn't the desire 413 00:19:02,560 --> 00:19:04,760 Speaker 3: from the team to do it. It was simply a 414 00:19:04,800 --> 00:19:08,359 Speaker 3: result of the unavailability of the media and candidly, what 415 00:19:08,400 --> 00:19:10,920 Speaker 3: we had to do was create it and it took 416 00:19:10,960 --> 00:19:15,000 Speaker 3: a lot of work. Everything from the multimillion dollar deal 417 00:19:15,040 --> 00:19:18,960 Speaker 3: that we did with ESPN and Disney and the idea 418 00:19:19,200 --> 00:19:21,719 Speaker 3: was that we were going to spend ninety five percent 419 00:19:21,760 --> 00:19:25,160 Speaker 3: of the dollars that we had committed in Disney Media 420 00:19:25,200 --> 00:19:28,480 Speaker 3: to whom Sports. But they had to move those sports 421 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:31,560 Speaker 3: into better prime time slots and that was like a 422 00:19:31,600 --> 00:19:35,480 Speaker 3: six month process. We worked with the NWSL and CBS 423 00:19:35,520 --> 00:19:38,440 Speaker 3: to get the championship game moved into primetime A couple 424 00:19:38,480 --> 00:19:41,880 Speaker 3: of years ago, again that didn't exist, and so it 425 00:19:41,920 --> 00:19:46,280 Speaker 3: took work. So yeah, if you think about it, every 426 00:19:46,400 --> 00:19:49,480 Speaker 3: year we restarted zero. So if the year before we're 427 00:19:49,520 --> 00:19:52,320 Speaker 3: close to making the fifty to fifty, as soon as 428 00:19:52,359 --> 00:19:54,800 Speaker 3: you know, January one rolls around, you go right back 429 00:19:54,800 --> 00:19:56,800 Speaker 3: to zero and you got to go find that media. 430 00:19:56,920 --> 00:19:58,399 Speaker 3: And it's a lot of work. 431 00:19:58,680 --> 00:20:00,960 Speaker 1: We've talked about it on this show in part because 432 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:04,000 Speaker 1: the iHeart Women's Sports Network was created to create more 433 00:20:04,040 --> 00:20:06,480 Speaker 1: inventory in the women's sports space. When you have brands 434 00:20:06,520 --> 00:20:08,399 Speaker 1: that want to get involved, there's not a lot of 435 00:20:08,400 --> 00:20:11,600 Speaker 1: shoulder programming, there's not a lot of digital content, TV shows, 436 00:20:11,720 --> 00:20:15,159 Speaker 1: radio shows, all the spaces that men's sports earn that money. 437 00:20:15,760 --> 00:20:19,200 Speaker 1: It's not just sponsoring a team jersey or even getting 438 00:20:19,240 --> 00:20:23,199 Speaker 1: involved with a TV package. There's so much more surrounding it, 439 00:20:23,600 --> 00:20:26,160 Speaker 1: and in women's sports that has been such a deficit, 440 00:20:26,280 --> 00:20:28,800 Speaker 1: and so part of the goal for this network and 441 00:20:28,840 --> 00:20:31,480 Speaker 1: for this show is to create more content that could 442 00:20:31,520 --> 00:20:33,440 Speaker 1: be invested in and sending more dollars the way of 443 00:20:33,480 --> 00:20:37,880 Speaker 1: women's leagues and sports and content and tipped ventures, which 444 00:20:38,560 --> 00:20:41,160 Speaker 1: I had fielding Jamison on the show recently talking about 445 00:20:41,160 --> 00:20:44,600 Speaker 1: that they're investing in everything around women's sports as opposed 446 00:20:44,600 --> 00:20:46,920 Speaker 1: to just straight down the middle on the leagues and teams, 447 00:20:46,960 --> 00:20:48,880 Speaker 1: and so there is a lot more money coming into 448 00:20:48,880 --> 00:20:51,280 Speaker 1: that space. But when you got into it, you had 449 00:20:51,280 --> 00:20:56,359 Speaker 1: to literally change the long time practices of the worldwide leader. 450 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:59,040 Speaker 1: What did ESPN say when you said, Hey, we want 451 00:20:59,040 --> 00:21:01,080 Speaker 1: to give you all this money, but we're not doing 452 00:21:01,119 --> 00:21:03,120 Speaker 1: it at three am, and you need to move this 453 00:21:03,160 --> 00:21:07,720 Speaker 1: into primetime? And why haven't you had a championship game 454 00:21:07,800 --> 00:21:09,199 Speaker 1: ever played in linear prime time? 455 00:21:09,320 --> 00:21:12,120 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's crazy, right. I always call it the vicious cycle. 456 00:21:12,800 --> 00:21:16,080 Speaker 3: I think fundamentally you have this issue. If you think 457 00:21:16,080 --> 00:21:20,800 Speaker 3: about the components that make up the sports ecosystem, it 458 00:21:20,840 --> 00:21:22,000 Speaker 3: starts with the media. 459 00:21:22,240 --> 00:21:22,440 Speaker 2: Right. 460 00:21:23,119 --> 00:21:25,600 Speaker 3: The media is what drives all of the revenue. It's 461 00:21:25,640 --> 00:21:30,800 Speaker 3: what drives all of the power because historically the media companies, 462 00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:33,119 Speaker 3: who have to be profitable and have to monetize, have 463 00:21:33,200 --> 00:21:36,639 Speaker 3: not been able to attract brands because they just brands 464 00:21:36,640 --> 00:21:39,000 Speaker 3: have fundamentally not thought that the engagement was there and 465 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:42,200 Speaker 3: the eyeballs were there. They've just put women's sports and 466 00:21:42,280 --> 00:21:45,840 Speaker 3: lossy time slots, and as a result, the brands don't 467 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:50,239 Speaker 3: want to buy that media, which trickles down to the 468 00:21:50,359 --> 00:21:53,200 Speaker 3: amount of rev share that goes to the leagues, which 469 00:21:53,280 --> 00:21:57,680 Speaker 3: ultimately then impacts what they play pay the players. And 470 00:21:57,720 --> 00:22:01,119 Speaker 3: so our thesis was in the vicious call, somebody has 471 00:22:01,160 --> 00:22:03,359 Speaker 3: to blink first, and the only one that can blink first. 472 00:22:03,119 --> 00:22:03,680 Speaker 2: Is the brands. 473 00:22:04,000 --> 00:22:06,760 Speaker 3: The money is the money, and so when the money 474 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:10,560 Speaker 3: comes to an ESPN or a Disney and says, all right, 475 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:13,200 Speaker 3: we're willing to do this, but we have to work 476 00:22:13,240 --> 00:22:16,480 Speaker 3: together to make this happen, there was no resistance and 477 00:22:16,520 --> 00:22:19,880 Speaker 3: there was no pushback. And I mean I remember vividly, 478 00:22:19,920 --> 00:22:23,359 Speaker 3: like I went to dinner with Rita Farrow and we 479 00:22:23,440 --> 00:22:27,840 Speaker 3: had this conversation and she's like, this is amazing. Let's 480 00:22:27,840 --> 00:22:30,119 Speaker 3: sit down and we'll figure it out. And the team's 481 00:22:30,160 --> 00:22:33,600 Speaker 3: got to work. It's just there's so many pieces to it. 482 00:22:33,600 --> 00:22:38,200 Speaker 3: It's programming, as you know, it's time slots, it's and 483 00:22:38,200 --> 00:22:40,080 Speaker 3: the how do I bring other brands along? And so 484 00:22:40,200 --> 00:22:42,560 Speaker 3: it just fundamentally took a lot of work to do. 485 00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:46,119 Speaker 3: And I think once people started to see that we 486 00:22:46,200 --> 00:22:49,119 Speaker 3: had the receipts in terms of the actual results of 487 00:22:49,119 --> 00:22:53,080 Speaker 3: what it was driving, now you're seeing everybody right, or. 488 00:22:53,080 --> 00:22:55,720 Speaker 1: At least a lot more people like you said, somebody 489 00:22:55,720 --> 00:22:58,439 Speaker 1: has to blink. And what always frustrated me was the 490 00:22:58,480 --> 00:23:01,240 Speaker 1: belief system in things like the Little League World Series 491 00:23:01,480 --> 00:23:07,160 Speaker 1: or the umpteenth iteration of the XFL were like, oh, pickleball, 492 00:23:07,720 --> 00:23:09,680 Speaker 1: like let's put it everywhere, and it's like, oh my god, 493 00:23:09,760 --> 00:23:12,720 Speaker 1: what we've been saying for decade, Like give us a shot. 494 00:23:12,720 --> 00:23:15,520 Speaker 2: First, Thank you for blinking. We needed it. 495 00:23:15,680 --> 00:23:16,240 Speaker 3: Absolutely. 496 00:23:16,480 --> 00:23:18,840 Speaker 1: You also were very thoughtful in how you sponsored. You 497 00:23:18,880 --> 00:23:24,120 Speaker 1: sponsored the NWSLPA, and you did that during the investigations 498 00:23:24,400 --> 00:23:28,760 Speaker 1: where the players who spoke up about toxic environments, sexual harassment, 499 00:23:28,760 --> 00:23:31,720 Speaker 1: and coercion were worried about the impact that they might 500 00:23:31,760 --> 00:23:33,560 Speaker 1: have on the league in which they played, and for 501 00:23:33,800 --> 00:23:37,000 Speaker 1: years that kind of stuff was able to exist because 502 00:23:37,680 --> 00:23:41,879 Speaker 1: players were scared into silence. So what benefit did you 503 00:23:41,960 --> 00:23:44,800 Speaker 1: see an adding a players union to your portfolio and 504 00:23:44,880 --> 00:23:46,359 Speaker 1: why did it matter to you to make sure that 505 00:23:46,400 --> 00:23:49,719 Speaker 1: you stepped in and increased your sponsorship in the league 506 00:23:50,119 --> 00:23:53,560 Speaker 1: at that moment where it was probably weakest or most challenged. 507 00:23:53,720 --> 00:23:57,080 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, I remember that day so vividly, the 508 00:23:57,119 --> 00:23:59,560 Speaker 3: infamous Alex Morgan tweet that kind of broke it all 509 00:23:59,560 --> 00:24:02,119 Speaker 3: wide open. I was actually driving to Chicago for a 510 00:24:02,119 --> 00:24:06,239 Speaker 3: girl's weekend, and my phone just started blowing up and 511 00:24:06,240 --> 00:24:07,800 Speaker 3: everyone's like, have you seen the tweet? Have you seen 512 00:24:07,840 --> 00:24:11,800 Speaker 3: the tweet? And I called again Foudy, I do like 513 00:24:11,800 --> 00:24:14,160 Speaker 3: your new name for it. And I called Ali Wagner 514 00:24:14,240 --> 00:24:16,119 Speaker 3: and I said, do you have Megan Burk's number? I 515 00:24:16,160 --> 00:24:17,600 Speaker 3: had never met Megan. 516 00:24:17,320 --> 00:24:18,840 Speaker 2: Burke, executive director. 517 00:24:18,840 --> 00:24:20,760 Speaker 4: I should say, yeah, NWSLP. 518 00:24:20,720 --> 00:24:21,080 Speaker 2: Thank you. 519 00:24:21,280 --> 00:24:26,400 Speaker 3: And I knew as a former player that it won. 520 00:24:26,440 --> 00:24:28,520 Speaker 3: It took a lot of bravery for those players. But two, 521 00:24:28,560 --> 00:24:30,720 Speaker 3: I also knew that they were scared that they would 522 00:24:30,720 --> 00:24:34,760 Speaker 3: lose their league and that other sponsors would be like, well, 523 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,400 Speaker 3: I don't you know, I don't want to touch this anymore. 524 00:24:37,400 --> 00:24:40,320 Speaker 3: They'd let them figure their stuff out. And part of 525 00:24:40,359 --> 00:24:42,800 Speaker 3: what was blowing up on my phone was other cmos 526 00:24:42,880 --> 00:24:45,080 Speaker 3: that were sponsors, like what are you guys going to do? 527 00:24:45,119 --> 00:24:46,320 Speaker 3: Are you going to stay in or are you going 528 00:24:46,359 --> 00:24:50,280 Speaker 3: to leave? And so I reached out to Megan. She 529 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:52,920 Speaker 3: was a little bit busy that day, so I heard 530 00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,440 Speaker 3: from her a couple of days later and I just said, hey, 531 00:24:56,119 --> 00:24:59,520 Speaker 3: we want the players to know that as the biggest 532 00:24:59,560 --> 00:25:03,440 Speaker 3: sponsor the NWSL, we're not going anywhere and we're really 533 00:25:03,480 --> 00:25:07,080 Speaker 3: proud of what they did, and we want to invest 534 00:25:07,240 --> 00:25:11,200 Speaker 3: in the players Association. And we said, you come back, 535 00:25:11,280 --> 00:25:13,959 Speaker 3: tell us what you need, and we're going to make 536 00:25:13,960 --> 00:25:17,520 Speaker 3: it happen. And she came back and said, I'm a 537 00:25:17,680 --> 00:25:20,040 Speaker 3: staff of one. I think it was her and Tory 538 00:25:20,080 --> 00:25:23,240 Speaker 3: at the time. She's Tory Houster, president of the NWSI. 539 00:25:23,320 --> 00:25:28,720 Speaker 3: Thank you, and she said, we don't have any staff. 540 00:25:29,119 --> 00:25:32,359 Speaker 3: And so we made a monetary commitment to them to 541 00:25:32,400 --> 00:25:37,800 Speaker 3: staff up the PA, and then we extended our sponsorship 542 00:25:37,840 --> 00:25:40,640 Speaker 3: of the league because we wanted the players to know 543 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:43,399 Speaker 3: that we weren't going anywhere. And then this is the 544 00:25:43,440 --> 00:25:45,639 Speaker 3: second part of what I did is I called literally 545 00:25:45,680 --> 00:25:48,399 Speaker 3: every CMO and I said, you cannot leave now. This 546 00:25:48,480 --> 00:25:51,080 Speaker 3: is the absolute worst signal. And what we have to 547 00:25:51,080 --> 00:25:53,680 Speaker 3: do is band together to force change in the league. 548 00:25:54,480 --> 00:25:56,920 Speaker 3: And that's the way we use our power. You can 549 00:25:56,960 --> 00:25:58,920 Speaker 3: either matter in that moment or not. And I wanted 550 00:25:58,920 --> 00:26:00,400 Speaker 3: our brand of matter well. 551 00:26:00,440 --> 00:26:02,600 Speaker 1: And I think it's an example of how you have 552 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,359 Speaker 1: to look at your investment in spaces differently, understanding the 553 00:26:06,359 --> 00:26:11,560 Speaker 1: context in men's sports and most of the major investments 554 00:26:11,560 --> 00:26:14,040 Speaker 1: that you might be involved in. The power move is 555 00:26:14,280 --> 00:26:17,200 Speaker 1: leaving and saying we're taking our money out of this. 556 00:26:17,240 --> 00:26:20,920 Speaker 1: We do not stand with you in whatever problematic thing 557 00:26:20,960 --> 00:26:23,120 Speaker 1: you're going through, and the only way we think you'll 558 00:26:23,200 --> 00:26:24,480 Speaker 1: change your behavior. 559 00:26:24,119 --> 00:26:25,520 Speaker 2: Is if we take our money from you. 560 00:26:26,000 --> 00:26:28,320 Speaker 1: And in women's sports, that might feel like the move, 561 00:26:28,359 --> 00:26:32,239 Speaker 1: but what that actually does is continue to remove the 562 00:26:32,240 --> 00:26:34,919 Speaker 1: power from the players and their ability to speak on 563 00:26:34,960 --> 00:26:38,399 Speaker 1: things like that because there's no financial stability there. But 564 00:26:38,520 --> 00:26:41,240 Speaker 1: also having to still say we're holding the league accountable 565 00:26:41,280 --> 00:26:44,040 Speaker 1: and we're demanding change while our money is here. I 566 00:26:44,080 --> 00:26:47,080 Speaker 1: think that's so important right now in this pivot point 567 00:26:47,119 --> 00:26:49,720 Speaker 1: where there is a lot more investment coming in, is 568 00:26:49,720 --> 00:26:53,159 Speaker 1: for people to understand how to view investment and return 569 00:26:53,200 --> 00:26:57,160 Speaker 1: on investment differently in the men's versus women's space. How 570 00:26:57,160 --> 00:27:00,040 Speaker 1: important is it for folks who are familiar with the 571 00:27:00,040 --> 00:27:03,600 Speaker 1: space to be the ones negotiating and id eating and 572 00:27:03,640 --> 00:27:07,639 Speaker 1: creating activations and investment versus say, a standard agency that 573 00:27:07,760 --> 00:27:09,960 Speaker 1: repurposes their data for men's sports. 574 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,640 Speaker 4: Or takes the things they're doing and just moves it over. 575 00:27:11,760 --> 00:27:14,800 Speaker 3: It's massively critical. In fact, this is a conversation Laura 576 00:27:14,840 --> 00:27:18,159 Speaker 3: Corne and I from Deep Blue have all the time, 577 00:27:18,520 --> 00:27:22,159 Speaker 3: is you fundamentally have to use a different evaluation system 578 00:27:22,240 --> 00:27:25,000 Speaker 3: for women's sports than men's sports. You cannot apply the 579 00:27:25,040 --> 00:27:29,280 Speaker 3: two things. And oftentimes you also have to kind of 580 00:27:29,320 --> 00:27:32,280 Speaker 3: bet on the income and we have. 581 00:27:32,359 --> 00:27:33,479 Speaker 2: If coome instead of outcome. 582 00:27:34,040 --> 00:27:35,919 Speaker 4: Yeah, like it's an outcome that might happen. 583 00:27:36,200 --> 00:27:39,919 Speaker 3: Yeah, because you don't have right, there's no guarantee. Like 584 00:27:40,200 --> 00:27:46,159 Speaker 3: we have over invested. We have overpaid candidly for certain sponsorships, 585 00:27:47,240 --> 00:27:52,080 Speaker 3: believing the thesis that right now the numbers look like this, 586 00:27:52,640 --> 00:27:54,640 Speaker 3: but two years the numbers are going to look like that. 587 00:27:55,480 --> 00:27:58,159 Speaker 3: Look at Unrivaled, that's a great example. We're the founding 588 00:27:58,160 --> 00:28:02,960 Speaker 3: partner in Unrivaled. Admitted to Unrivaled before they had players, 589 00:28:03,600 --> 00:28:05,600 Speaker 3: all they had was Fi and Stewey. They had no 590 00:28:05,680 --> 00:28:08,200 Speaker 3: players signed, they didn't know where they were going to play, 591 00:28:08,440 --> 00:28:11,320 Speaker 3: they had no media contract, they had nothing. We bet 592 00:28:11,920 --> 00:28:15,640 Speaker 3: on the fact that we fundamentally believed in the thesis 593 00:28:15,680 --> 00:28:18,440 Speaker 3: of it and that they needed one and that we 594 00:28:18,520 --> 00:28:22,239 Speaker 3: would be one that would help carry a lot of 595 00:28:22,320 --> 00:28:25,520 Speaker 3: weight given our position in women's sports, and that if 596 00:28:25,560 --> 00:28:27,959 Speaker 3: they could sign us and we could make the announcement 597 00:28:28,040 --> 00:28:29,480 Speaker 3: together that we were going to come in as the 598 00:28:29,520 --> 00:28:32,800 Speaker 3: founding partner, that that would be that would be the 599 00:28:32,800 --> 00:28:37,400 Speaker 3: spark that would help move the ball. And so if 600 00:28:37,440 --> 00:28:41,040 Speaker 3: I had just looked at that as a CMO and 601 00:28:41,440 --> 00:28:43,200 Speaker 3: looked at metrics, there would be no metrics for me 602 00:28:43,240 --> 00:28:46,280 Speaker 3: to look at. And that is, to your point, fundamentally 603 00:28:46,320 --> 00:28:48,600 Speaker 3: different than what you see in men's sports today. Men's 604 00:28:48,600 --> 00:28:52,560 Speaker 3: sports ecosystem has existed for hundreds of years. Women's sports 605 00:28:52,560 --> 00:28:56,280 Speaker 3: ecosystem is still in the infancy stage. Our oldest league 606 00:28:56,320 --> 00:28:59,440 Speaker 3: is the WNBA. It's not even thirty years old. And 607 00:28:59,520 --> 00:29:04,320 Speaker 3: so you're you are believing in what's to come and 608 00:29:04,760 --> 00:29:06,120 Speaker 3: helping drive those outcomes. 609 00:29:06,880 --> 00:29:09,600 Speaker 1: Yeah, and I think it's unfortunate that the product gets 610 00:29:09,600 --> 00:29:13,320 Speaker 1: blamed a lot for the failures of imagination or innovation 611 00:29:13,680 --> 00:29:18,960 Speaker 1: from often the standard agencies that are going in. 612 00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:20,400 Speaker 2: To do the work on behalf of places. 613 00:29:20,600 --> 00:29:22,800 Speaker 3: You know what speaks to that too, Sarah, Which is amazing. 614 00:29:22,840 --> 00:29:25,760 Speaker 3: I just read last year and it's just continues to 615 00:29:25,760 --> 00:29:28,360 Speaker 3: stick in my head and bother me. Less than six 616 00:29:28,480 --> 00:29:31,400 Speaker 3: percent of the Fortune five hundred is investing in women's sports. 617 00:29:31,920 --> 00:29:35,080 Speaker 3: So while we feel because we're both in the in 618 00:29:35,120 --> 00:29:39,480 Speaker 3: the ecosystem, right, so you've seen more brands and you 619 00:29:39,640 --> 00:29:42,360 Speaker 3: kind of feel the momentum and then when you really 620 00:29:42,360 --> 00:29:44,840 Speaker 3: look at the data and you step back, and I 621 00:29:44,880 --> 00:29:47,200 Speaker 3: have this conversation a lot with like Kristen Cook from 622 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,720 Speaker 3: State Farm and Kate Johnson from Google, and the people 623 00:29:50,760 --> 00:29:53,840 Speaker 3: that are in the ecosystem kind of look at it. 624 00:29:53,840 --> 00:29:54,400 Speaker 3: It is the. 625 00:29:54,400 --> 00:29:56,560 Speaker 4: Same, Yes, a lot of the same brands. 626 00:29:56,560 --> 00:29:59,080 Speaker 1: It's a lot of the same brands, which like props 627 00:29:59,120 --> 00:30:02,400 Speaker 1: to you, but also what is everyone else doing? And 628 00:30:02,600 --> 00:30:04,960 Speaker 1: I feel like the well is so poisoned that if 629 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:08,560 Speaker 1: you gave them like a blind item and you said, Okay, 630 00:30:08,600 --> 00:30:10,920 Speaker 1: here's where this was on this year, here's where it 631 00:30:10,960 --> 00:30:13,040 Speaker 1: is now, here's where it's anticipated to be by this 632 00:30:13,200 --> 00:30:14,800 Speaker 1: Do you think it's a good investment? 633 00:30:15,120 --> 00:30:16,040 Speaker 2: They would all say yes. 634 00:30:16,120 --> 00:30:18,160 Speaker 1: And then you took the you know, like old man 635 00:30:18,200 --> 00:30:20,520 Speaker 1: Weather's from the amusement park. You took the bag off 636 00:30:20,560 --> 00:30:22,560 Speaker 1: the head and it's women's sports, and like, oh no, no, 637 00:30:22,640 --> 00:30:25,640 Speaker 1: I don't think that because they carry such terrible antiquated 638 00:30:25,680 --> 00:30:28,800 Speaker 1: ideas about it into the space and into the investment and. 639 00:30:28,880 --> 00:30:31,840 Speaker 3: In the evaluation system. Like you said, right, they're looking 640 00:30:31,880 --> 00:30:33,160 Speaker 3: at the metrics, right, and. 641 00:30:33,560 --> 00:30:36,160 Speaker 1: It's a different product, and it's a different market, and 642 00:30:36,200 --> 00:30:38,800 Speaker 1: it's a different demograph against different people that you're appealing to, 643 00:30:38,800 --> 00:30:42,040 Speaker 1: and it's a different income or outcome that you're looking for. 644 00:30:42,080 --> 00:30:45,320 Speaker 1: And I remember the first Sports Innovation Lab Fan Project research. 645 00:30:45,360 --> 00:30:48,120 Speaker 1: I read about brand affinity and change of behavior and 646 00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:50,800 Speaker 1: likelihood of purchase and all the things that are great 647 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:53,760 Speaker 1: metrics beyond just awareness. And men's sports will give you 648 00:30:53,800 --> 00:30:56,160 Speaker 1: a ton of awareness, but all the other stuff is 649 00:30:56,200 --> 00:30:58,080 Speaker 1: so high on the women's side if you do it right. 650 00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,440 Speaker 1: Is Ali currently eating the fifty to fifty commitment. We're 651 00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:02,560 Speaker 1: almost at the end of this year. 652 00:31:02,680 --> 00:31:04,400 Speaker 3: We will by the time that we get to the 653 00:31:04,440 --> 00:31:07,560 Speaker 3: end of this year, forty eight percent of our budget 654 00:31:07,600 --> 00:31:09,760 Speaker 3: will be spent in women's sports media fifty two and 655 00:31:09,840 --> 00:31:12,280 Speaker 3: men's sports media. Years when we don't have things like 656 00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:14,880 Speaker 3: a World Cup or Olympics are hard to the prior 657 00:31:14,960 --> 00:31:18,560 Speaker 3: conversation that we are having. I am hopeful that we're 658 00:31:18,560 --> 00:31:20,000 Speaker 3: going to hit it next year, which would be a 659 00:31:20,040 --> 00:31:23,280 Speaker 3: year ahead, which would be amazing. And then that doesn't 660 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:25,760 Speaker 3: mean like, okay, then it's over and we're done. Then 661 00:31:25,800 --> 00:31:28,400 Speaker 3: it just becomes and it's an institutional part of our 662 00:31:28,440 --> 00:31:32,160 Speaker 3: metrics now, Like I literally have a scorecard that I 663 00:31:32,280 --> 00:31:35,320 Speaker 3: look at every quarter with all of our brand health 664 00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:38,440 Speaker 3: metrics and all of our account acquisition metrics and all 665 00:31:38,440 --> 00:31:40,520 Speaker 3: of our performance metrics. And one of the lines on 666 00:31:40,560 --> 00:31:42,600 Speaker 3: there is status on the fifty to fifty Pledge, and 667 00:31:42,640 --> 00:31:44,280 Speaker 3: we track it and talk about it all the time, 668 00:31:44,360 --> 00:31:46,720 Speaker 3: so it'll be over my dead body that we don't 669 00:31:46,760 --> 00:31:47,200 Speaker 3: hit it. 670 00:31:48,280 --> 00:31:50,840 Speaker 1: And the pledge is a fifty to fifty money commitment. 671 00:31:50,920 --> 00:31:53,880 Speaker 1: So how far does marketing money get you in men's 672 00:31:53,880 --> 00:31:56,120 Speaker 1: sports versus women's these days? And have you noticed a 673 00:31:56,240 --> 00:31:58,160 Speaker 1: change even from when you first pledge to now? 674 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:00,280 Speaker 3: Yeah, you know, we have this conversation a lot. I'm like, 675 00:32:00,280 --> 00:32:04,040 Speaker 3: I could buy one spot in an NFL game on 676 00:32:04,160 --> 00:32:05,760 Speaker 3: Christmas Day, don't. 677 00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:08,800 Speaker 4: Go to the bathroom, don't go to the exactly. 678 00:32:09,040 --> 00:32:11,280 Speaker 3: Or I can buy an entire season of. 679 00:32:11,600 --> 00:32:13,960 Speaker 2: You know, sort of like season tickets. 680 00:32:14,080 --> 00:32:16,760 Speaker 3: Yeah, it's wild, and so that's how we started to 681 00:32:16,800 --> 00:32:19,880 Speaker 3: think about it. And to your point, one of the 682 00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:22,120 Speaker 3: things that we really measure and think a lot about 683 00:32:22,240 --> 00:32:26,640 Speaker 3: is engagement, loyalty, favorability. Since we made the fifty to 684 00:32:26,680 --> 00:32:32,440 Speaker 3: fifty pledge, our brand favorability has gone up. So in 685 00:32:32,880 --> 00:32:37,440 Speaker 3: women's sports space, it's anywhere from twenty to forty percent 686 00:32:37,520 --> 00:32:41,040 Speaker 3: higher depending on the sport or the team that we're 687 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:45,080 Speaker 3: sponsoring than it is against the general market, and our 688 00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:48,960 Speaker 3: overall brand favorability has gone up by thirty one percent 689 00:32:49,520 --> 00:32:54,440 Speaker 3: while the financial services category has dropped three percent since 690 00:32:54,440 --> 00:32:57,520 Speaker 3: a You know, that's a thirty five percent swing. And 691 00:32:57,880 --> 00:32:59,800 Speaker 3: you know, while I can't attribute all of that to 692 00:33:00,000 --> 00:33:03,280 Speaker 3: women's sports, I do attribute a big part of it 693 00:33:03,320 --> 00:33:06,960 Speaker 3: because you know, fans of women's sports, like they vote. 694 00:33:06,720 --> 00:33:10,480 Speaker 1: With their feet one thousand percent, and it's been proven 695 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:13,320 Speaker 1: over and over. You put women athletes in your ads, 696 00:33:13,640 --> 00:33:16,720 Speaker 1: you have them speaking about your brand, it changes people's 697 00:33:16,760 --> 00:33:20,560 Speaker 1: perception because they are relatable, they feel authentic, they feel 698 00:33:20,600 --> 00:33:22,280 Speaker 1: genuine and even when you know. 699 00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:23,920 Speaker 2: You're being sold to, you're like happy. 700 00:33:24,320 --> 00:33:26,200 Speaker 1: It's like a very weird thing when you support a 701 00:33:26,200 --> 00:33:29,640 Speaker 1: space that has been historically underfunded, is people want you 702 00:33:29,720 --> 00:33:33,680 Speaker 1: to show up in their social feeds and they're TV 703 00:33:33,800 --> 00:33:36,920 Speaker 1: watching because the ooh, look at they're doing something for 704 00:33:37,040 --> 00:33:39,120 Speaker 1: this thing I care about, as opposed to a lot 705 00:33:39,160 --> 00:33:42,440 Speaker 1: of other advertising that feels like a nuisance or a 706 00:33:42,480 --> 00:33:42,920 Speaker 1: big sell. 707 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,080 Speaker 3: Absolutely, and you know the other thing. I mean, look, 708 00:33:46,040 --> 00:33:49,040 Speaker 3: I get asked, look, I'm on a public company, right 709 00:33:49,080 --> 00:33:51,760 Speaker 3: and I have a board we have shareholders. I have 710 00:33:51,800 --> 00:33:55,960 Speaker 3: a responsibility to manage our shareholders investment in our company appropriately. 711 00:33:57,080 --> 00:33:58,800 Speaker 3: You know, from time to time people will ask me, well, 712 00:33:58,800 --> 00:34:00,600 Speaker 3: did you just do this because you played soccer at 713 00:34:00,560 --> 00:34:04,200 Speaker 3: Michigan State and you love women's sports. No, the business 714 00:34:04,240 --> 00:34:07,240 Speaker 3: thesis for us is incredible. If you think about in 715 00:34:07,280 --> 00:34:10,960 Speaker 3: the next five to eight years, the wealth transference to 716 00:34:11,040 --> 00:34:13,520 Speaker 3: women in this country, he's going to be over twenty 717 00:34:13,640 --> 00:34:17,480 Speaker 3: trillion dollars. Women control eighty percent of all the purchase decisions. 718 00:34:17,840 --> 00:34:21,839 Speaker 3: Women are disproportionately going to college at rates higher than 719 00:34:22,000 --> 00:34:26,320 Speaker 3: young men right now, graduating at higher rates, getting married 720 00:34:26,440 --> 00:34:29,239 Speaker 3: later if at all, and hold a lot of the 721 00:34:29,280 --> 00:34:31,400 Speaker 3: money power. We had a guy by the name of 722 00:34:31,440 --> 00:34:36,560 Speaker 3: Joe Coughlin. He runs the MIT Aging Lab, really fascinating guy, 723 00:34:36,560 --> 00:34:38,640 Speaker 3: and he came in and he spoke to my team 724 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:42,200 Speaker 3: and he said, as a company, if you don't have 725 00:34:42,280 --> 00:34:47,680 Speaker 3: a women's marketing strategy, you don't have a strategy. And 726 00:34:47,760 --> 00:34:52,280 Speaker 3: so when I marry the the growth of women's sports 727 00:34:53,000 --> 00:34:57,680 Speaker 3: with the just the wealth and the influenced potential of 728 00:34:57,719 --> 00:35:01,480 Speaker 3: women in this country, I look at the statistics of 729 00:35:01,520 --> 00:35:05,160 Speaker 3: what's happening to our brand, the favorability that I talked about, 730 00:35:05,200 --> 00:35:08,000 Speaker 3: sixty five percent of everybody that comes to our storefront 731 00:35:08,520 --> 00:35:12,640 Speaker 3: is female. Our account acquisition women are surging past men. 732 00:35:13,239 --> 00:35:15,520 Speaker 3: I mean, you could make a thesis for us to 733 00:35:15,520 --> 00:35:19,560 Speaker 3: be the bank of women. You really could, and I 734 00:35:19,560 --> 00:35:21,799 Speaker 3: think it would be highly accreative to our business. And 735 00:35:21,840 --> 00:35:25,759 Speaker 3: so there's really big business rationale behind what we did 736 00:35:25,800 --> 00:35:26,239 Speaker 3: what we did. 737 00:35:26,560 --> 00:35:28,960 Speaker 1: It also feels like there's a lot of research around 738 00:35:28,960 --> 00:35:32,279 Speaker 1: women's sports fans and their agility and fluidity, because it's 739 00:35:32,280 --> 00:35:34,200 Speaker 1: a necessity in the space you need to be able 740 00:35:34,239 --> 00:35:37,080 Speaker 1: to know and afford at this point to say I'm 741 00:35:37,080 --> 00:35:42,160 Speaker 1: going to watch games on Ion, Paramount plus Peacock, you know, 742 00:35:42,600 --> 00:35:46,920 Speaker 1: ESPN Scripts, like all those different subscriptions, all those different spaces, 743 00:35:46,920 --> 00:35:49,839 Speaker 1: and ally is an online only bank where you're anticipating 744 00:35:49,840 --> 00:35:53,080 Speaker 1: that you've got a client that's more modern and probably 745 00:35:53,120 --> 00:35:55,960 Speaker 1: younger and is happy and willing to participate in a 746 00:35:55,960 --> 00:35:58,360 Speaker 1: banking space that doesn't have brig and mortar buildings to 747 00:35:58,400 --> 00:36:00,759 Speaker 1: walk into. So you're also a peel to people that 748 00:36:00,840 --> 00:36:04,920 Speaker 1: are probably naturally suited to your product. Absolutely in a 749 00:36:04,960 --> 00:36:08,760 Speaker 1: space that you're attacking and going after, are there specific 750 00:36:08,800 --> 00:36:11,799 Speaker 1: moments of joy or like I told you, so I 751 00:36:11,880 --> 00:36:12,880 Speaker 1: was right that you want. 752 00:36:12,760 --> 00:36:16,560 Speaker 2: To shout out. I love hearing those you know for me. 753 00:36:17,040 --> 00:36:19,960 Speaker 3: Honestly, I think the most emotional moment in this entire 754 00:36:20,040 --> 00:36:24,600 Speaker 3: journey was when we helped get the championship game moved 755 00:36:24,680 --> 00:36:27,919 Speaker 3: to prime time and the game was in DC, and 756 00:36:28,360 --> 00:36:31,120 Speaker 3: I remember being down on the field we did the 757 00:36:31,200 --> 00:36:32,920 Speaker 3: Rookie of the Year presentation. I think it was Nick 758 00:36:32,960 --> 00:36:35,279 Speaker 3: Nail mcgermo that year, and so it's down on the 759 00:36:35,320 --> 00:36:36,880 Speaker 3: field for the start of the game. We did the 760 00:36:37,000 --> 00:36:40,319 Speaker 3: Rookie of the Year presentation and then pivoted right to 761 00:36:40,760 --> 00:36:43,480 Speaker 3: time to sing the anthem. And I remember standing down 762 00:36:43,520 --> 00:36:47,320 Speaker 3: there and listening to the anthem play and looking around 763 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:50,760 Speaker 3: the stadium and it was packed and how many people 764 00:36:50,800 --> 00:36:54,680 Speaker 3: were there, Moms with their little girls, dads with their 765 00:36:54,719 --> 00:36:57,680 Speaker 3: little girls, and boys and boys. 766 00:36:57,719 --> 00:36:58,120 Speaker 2: Amazing. 767 00:36:58,239 --> 00:37:02,839 Speaker 3: Yeah, And I got very emotional. I started crying, and 768 00:37:02,880 --> 00:37:05,440 Speaker 3: I said to myself, no little girl is ever going 769 00:37:05,520 --> 00:37:08,760 Speaker 3: to have to think she's not worth primetime anymore because 770 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:12,000 Speaker 3: of us. And that was one of the biggest regrets 771 00:37:12,000 --> 00:37:12,600 Speaker 3: of my life. 772 00:37:12,760 --> 00:37:13,279 Speaker 2: Is there. 773 00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:17,080 Speaker 3: When I graduated from college, there was no national team, 774 00:37:17,200 --> 00:37:19,319 Speaker 3: there was no path, there was no professional women's league. 775 00:37:19,360 --> 00:37:21,480 Speaker 3: It was just done something that I had done my 776 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:24,720 Speaker 3: entire life, that I loved since I was five years old. 777 00:37:24,960 --> 00:37:25,640 Speaker 2: It was just done. 778 00:37:26,520 --> 00:37:30,480 Speaker 3: And then I thought that night, none these little girls 779 00:37:30,600 --> 00:37:33,440 Speaker 3: will never have to feel that dead end. So that 780 00:37:33,600 --> 00:37:37,799 Speaker 3: to me has been probably the biggest one. And then yes, 781 00:37:37,960 --> 00:37:41,960 Speaker 3: now like just the popularity of women's sports, just how 782 00:37:41,960 --> 00:37:46,320 Speaker 3: explosive it is, the conversation around it. I'm definitely striding 783 00:37:46,320 --> 00:37:48,320 Speaker 3: into board meetings feeling pretty proud. 784 00:37:50,080 --> 00:37:52,840 Speaker 1: And I think in a lot of ways, the brands 785 00:37:52,840 --> 00:37:56,000 Speaker 1: that have been leading this have been really sharing best 786 00:37:56,040 --> 00:37:59,160 Speaker 1: practices and talking to other brands about it, because it's 787 00:37:59,160 --> 00:38:01,919 Speaker 1: still is a rising tide lifts all boat situation. It's 788 00:38:02,000 --> 00:38:05,400 Speaker 1: not that beneficial to be the only You would think sometimes, oh, 789 00:38:05,440 --> 00:38:08,440 Speaker 1: we're really dominating the space, but you actually want it 790 00:38:08,480 --> 00:38:11,359 Speaker 1: to be more valued in general and have a higher 791 00:38:11,400 --> 00:38:14,360 Speaker 1: profile because of everybody contributing to the awareness around it 792 00:38:14,400 --> 00:38:16,000 Speaker 1: and knowing the players and the teams. 793 00:38:15,760 --> 00:38:17,480 Speaker 4: In the league and everything else totally so that your 794 00:38:17,480 --> 00:38:18,359 Speaker 4: investment goes farther. 795 00:38:18,480 --> 00:38:22,880 Speaker 3: I've never shared a marketing playbook with other brands as 796 00:38:22,960 --> 00:38:25,080 Speaker 3: much as I do what we do in women's sports 797 00:38:25,480 --> 00:38:29,480 Speaker 3: for that very reason, and even people at competitive banks 798 00:38:29,520 --> 00:38:31,080 Speaker 3: that I'll sit down, who are like, how are you 799 00:38:31,120 --> 00:38:33,040 Speaker 3: guys doing it? What space do you see for us? 800 00:38:33,520 --> 00:38:36,640 Speaker 3: And the other aspect of what this journey has been 801 00:38:36,880 --> 00:38:39,600 Speaker 3: just for me so beautiful and amazing, And I know 802 00:38:39,680 --> 00:38:41,239 Speaker 3: you feel it because you're in the thick of it 803 00:38:41,280 --> 00:38:45,280 Speaker 3: as well. Is it's everybody. It's not just other brands, 804 00:38:45,360 --> 00:38:49,439 Speaker 3: it's the players. It's even if you're not I don't 805 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:52,120 Speaker 3: have an athlete relationship with somebody, or you don't have 806 00:38:52,160 --> 00:38:55,000 Speaker 3: a PSA with somebody, like they are in your orbit 807 00:38:55,200 --> 00:38:57,359 Speaker 3: and they reach out and they're like, how can I help? 808 00:38:57,440 --> 00:39:00,920 Speaker 3: And you help them, and it's just different than anything 809 00:39:00,960 --> 00:39:04,840 Speaker 3: I've ever experienced, and it's honestly been the honor of 810 00:39:04,880 --> 00:39:05,320 Speaker 3: my career. 811 00:39:05,800 --> 00:39:07,320 Speaker 2: We've got an idea for you on the show that 812 00:39:07,360 --> 00:39:07,960 Speaker 2: I just remembered. 813 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:10,880 Speaker 1: We had Ali Sentnor on the show and al Ali 814 00:39:11,080 --> 00:39:15,040 Speaker 1: is a sponsor of her team at the time, Utah, 815 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:17,239 Speaker 1: and we were asking if she felt like she was 816 00:39:17,280 --> 00:39:19,799 Speaker 1: just constantly being personally sponsored. And I feel like you 817 00:39:19,840 --> 00:39:22,600 Speaker 1: could go around and find all the people named Ali. 818 00:39:22,880 --> 00:39:25,400 Speaker 4: It's a great create a campaign around that. 819 00:39:25,440 --> 00:39:27,520 Speaker 2: I love that. Just something to think about before I 820 00:39:27,560 --> 00:39:27,840 Speaker 2: let you go. 821 00:39:27,880 --> 00:39:29,520 Speaker 1: I want to hear about your do it right mantra 822 00:39:29,560 --> 00:39:31,279 Speaker 1: and how that has led what you've been working on. 823 00:39:31,600 --> 00:39:34,200 Speaker 3: Yeah, So do it right has been when we launched 824 00:39:34,200 --> 00:39:37,719 Speaker 3: our brand, oh my gosh, seventeen eighteen years ago. Now, 825 00:39:38,120 --> 00:39:41,080 Speaker 3: do it right was one of our brand pillars. It 826 00:39:41,120 --> 00:39:43,960 Speaker 3: was talked straight, do right, and be obviously better. Those 827 00:39:44,000 --> 00:39:46,759 Speaker 3: were the strategic pillars for the company. And do it 828 00:39:46,840 --> 00:39:49,279 Speaker 3: right has just always been about the golden rule, do 829 00:39:49,360 --> 00:39:52,000 Speaker 3: onto others as you would do to yourself. And you know, 830 00:39:52,320 --> 00:39:57,200 Speaker 3: I would say historically financial services have not behaved in 831 00:39:57,239 --> 00:39:58,680 Speaker 3: a way you don't say. 832 00:40:00,160 --> 00:40:00,879 Speaker 2: Ever heard that? 833 00:40:01,280 --> 00:40:05,000 Speaker 4: Are there any major stories we might have missed lately. 834 00:40:05,840 --> 00:40:08,799 Speaker 3: That is as honorable as they should be? And so 835 00:40:09,000 --> 00:40:11,400 Speaker 3: do it Right was always about that. It was always 836 00:40:11,440 --> 00:40:13,920 Speaker 3: about how do we disrupt the category? How do we 837 00:40:14,360 --> 00:40:16,719 Speaker 3: honestly put the customer at the center of everything that 838 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:21,040 Speaker 3: we do, and it drives our decision making. You know, 839 00:40:21,360 --> 00:40:23,520 Speaker 3: first bank to ever have twenty four by seven service, 840 00:40:24,320 --> 00:40:29,520 Speaker 3: first digital bank, first bank to wave completely wave overdraft fees. 841 00:40:30,080 --> 00:40:33,719 Speaker 3: Overdraft fees disproportionately affect those that can afford them least, 842 00:40:33,800 --> 00:40:37,600 Speaker 3: particularly people of color. You're not overdrafting because you're like, hey, 843 00:40:37,640 --> 00:40:39,160 Speaker 3: I want to wake up tomorrow and pay a bunch 844 00:40:39,200 --> 00:40:42,560 Speaker 3: of fifty dollars fees. You're overdrafting because you can't afford 845 00:40:43,360 --> 00:40:45,960 Speaker 3: or you don't know, and so it's just always been 846 00:40:46,000 --> 00:40:47,680 Speaker 3: a part of us. I'd say the fifty to fifty 847 00:40:47,680 --> 00:40:49,759 Speaker 3: pledge was part of do it right, what we did 848 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:53,080 Speaker 3: with the PA, all of those things. It's just honestly 849 00:40:53,160 --> 00:40:56,560 Speaker 3: how we behave It is the reason that I've always 850 00:40:56,560 --> 00:40:59,200 Speaker 3: stayed at ally because it's not just a set of words, 851 00:40:59,320 --> 00:40:59,960 Speaker 3: it's the way we live. 852 00:41:00,840 --> 00:41:03,560 Speaker 1: Feels rarer and rarer these days to look around and 853 00:41:03,560 --> 00:41:07,319 Speaker 1: see people doing it right, So keep at it. It's 854 00:41:07,360 --> 00:41:08,719 Speaker 1: always great to talk to you. Thanks so much for 855 00:41:08,760 --> 00:41:09,120 Speaker 1: coming on. 856 00:41:09,200 --> 00:41:10,640 Speaker 3: Thank you, it's great seeing you. 857 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:15,319 Speaker 1: Thanks again to Andrea for taking the time and for 858 00:41:15,400 --> 00:41:18,040 Speaker 1: being a badass leading the way. We got to take 859 00:41:18,040 --> 00:41:20,839 Speaker 1: another break when we come back, start a family fight 860 00:41:20,920 --> 00:41:22,440 Speaker 1: for just thirty six dollars. 861 00:41:26,600 --> 00:41:27,759 Speaker 2: Welcome back, slices. 862 00:41:27,880 --> 00:41:29,480 Speaker 1: We love that you're listening, but we want you to 863 00:41:29,480 --> 00:41:31,359 Speaker 1: get in the game every day too. So here's our 864 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:34,640 Speaker 1: good game play of the day. It's cyber Monday, and 865 00:41:34,680 --> 00:41:35,440 Speaker 1: that means. 866 00:41:35,200 --> 00:41:37,800 Speaker 2: There's a big sale on all good game with Sarah 867 00:41:37,840 --> 00:41:38,439 Speaker 2: Spain merch. 868 00:41:38,840 --> 00:41:41,239 Speaker 1: Now's the best time to get those holiday gifts for 869 00:41:41,320 --> 00:41:42,800 Speaker 1: your favorite slices. 870 00:41:42,800 --> 00:41:44,640 Speaker 2: And soon to be slices. 871 00:41:45,239 --> 00:41:47,719 Speaker 1: The classic orange on a slice tea, the Good Game 872 00:41:47,760 --> 00:41:50,600 Speaker 1: Good Game few shirt that you obviously need for any 873 00:41:50,640 --> 00:41:53,239 Speaker 1: and all rec and social LEADGA games, ask me about 874 00:41:53,239 --> 00:41:57,600 Speaker 1: women's sports and the versatile, always in style Unwable tea. 875 00:41:58,120 --> 00:42:01,120 Speaker 1: You can use the code cyber Monday on Breakingtea dot 876 00:42:01,160 --> 00:42:04,239 Speaker 1: com slash Spain to get twenty percent off your entire 877 00:42:04,400 --> 00:42:07,920 Speaker 1: Good Game purchase today and today's deal also includes twenty 878 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:11,760 Speaker 1: percent off WNBPA and US Women's National Team PA shirts. 879 00:42:12,160 --> 00:42:14,040 Speaker 4: We'll link to the site in our show notes. 880 00:42:15,080 --> 00:42:16,560 Speaker 1: We always love to hear from you, so hit us 881 00:42:16,600 --> 00:42:19,480 Speaker 1: up on email Good Game at wondermedianetwork dot com or 882 00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:21,919 Speaker 1: leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two four 883 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,840 Speaker 1: fifty seventy and don't forget to subscribe. 884 00:42:24,960 --> 00:42:25,720 Speaker 2: Rate and review. 885 00:42:26,040 --> 00:42:30,240 Speaker 1: It's real easy watch a tablecloth that requires a closer 886 00:42:30,239 --> 00:42:34,560 Speaker 1: look rating ten out of ten passive aggressive stars review. 887 00:42:34,960 --> 00:42:37,880 Speaker 1: During a lovely Thanksgiving weekend with my family, my sister 888 00:42:37,960 --> 00:42:41,360 Speaker 1: Katie introduced me to holiday tablecloths and table runners that 889 00:42:41,440 --> 00:42:43,960 Speaker 1: are sure to spark conversation with your family. 890 00:42:44,480 --> 00:42:45,399 Speaker 2: Ah, look at this one. 891 00:42:45,400 --> 00:42:48,960 Speaker 1: A lovely multicolored autumn leaves for Thanksgiving, and oh, on 892 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:54,520 Speaker 1: second glance inside the leaves, there's a subtle message Trump. 893 00:42:55,200 --> 00:42:57,560 Speaker 1: And look at this one, a red table runner with 894 00:42:57,719 --> 00:43:00,799 Speaker 1: lovely white snowflakes inside them. 895 00:43:00,920 --> 00:43:02,520 Speaker 2: Ah yes, Trump. 896 00:43:03,239 --> 00:43:04,920 Speaker 1: Now you won't be surprised to learn that there are 897 00:43:04,960 --> 00:43:07,680 Speaker 1: several designs offered by several sellers. 898 00:43:08,080 --> 00:43:10,879 Speaker 2: This seems to be very popular this season. We'll link 899 00:43:10,920 --> 00:43:12,040 Speaker 2: to a few of them in the show notes. 900 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:13,680 Speaker 1: If you want to start a fight at your next 901 00:43:13,719 --> 00:43:17,240 Speaker 1: family gathering, now it's your turn. Y'all rate and review, 902 00:43:17,640 --> 00:43:21,480 Speaker 1: Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good Game, Andrea, Good Game, 903 00:43:21,520 --> 00:43:26,359 Speaker 1: Mikayla Schiffren you acls. How many times do we have 904 00:43:26,480 --> 00:43:31,239 Speaker 1: to say it can? Weak ass ligaments? Good Game with 905 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:34,320 Speaker 1: Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production in partnership 906 00:43:34,360 --> 00:43:36,960 Speaker 1: with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can find us 907 00:43:37,000 --> 00:43:39,560 Speaker 1: on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts. 908 00:43:39,080 --> 00:43:40,520 Speaker 2: Or wherever you get your podcasts. 909 00:43:40,680 --> 00:43:44,040 Speaker 1: Production by Wonder Media Network, our producers are alex Azie 910 00:43:44,200 --> 00:43:48,120 Speaker 1: Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones. Our executive producers 911 00:43:48,160 --> 00:43:51,560 Speaker 1: are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan, and Emily Rudder. 912 00:43:51,840 --> 00:43:55,240 Speaker 1: Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez, and Gianna Palmer. 913 00:43:55,520 --> 00:43:59,160 Speaker 1: Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm Your Host Sarah 914 00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:01,359 Speaker 1: Spain