There was no home for pro volleyball in the U.S.—so Katlyn Gao built one from the ground up: LOVB (A.K.A. League One Volleyball). She joins Laura to share how a personal mission became a national movement, why conviction matters more than consensus (or even fundraising), and what it takes to build something that lasts—and reshapes the future—in the world of women’s sports.

00:35 Meet Katlyn Gao: Visionary Behind League One Volleyball

01:25 Building a Pro League: Challenges and Strategies

02:58 The Youth Pipeline: Foundation of the League

05:54 Commercialization and Brand Building

13:54 Creating Cultural Relevance and Fan Engagement

23:02 Personal Stories and Motivations

27:00 Season One Highlights and Future Plans

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How do you build a world-class women's football league on one of the sports' biggest stages? Zarah Al-Kudcy, Chief Revenue Officer at the Women's Professional League Limited (the organization behind England’s top women’s football leagues), joins Courtside to discuss how the WPLL is redefining how to build and expand the commercial opportunities for some of the most storied teams in football history. She and Laura dive into the WPLL’s goals, the power of historic club brands like Arsenal and Chelsea, growing a global fanbase, and why creating a distinctive identity for women’s football—not just mirroring the men’s game—is key to partnership development and long-term success.

• 00:00 Introduction: Soccer or Football?
• 02:08 The WPLL: Structure and Vision
• 04:25 Challenges and Opportunities in Women's Football
• 08:29 Media and Global Expansion
• 13:04 Brand Identity and Club Strategies
• 15:14 Commercial Partnerships and Growth
• 20:59 Player Involvement and Standards
• 23:10 Leveraging Global Competitions
• 26:45 Future Prospects and Final Thoughts
• 37:05 Conclusion and Credits

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Meg Linehan didn’t follow a path into women’s sports journalism—she carved it. Now Senior Writer at The Athletic, she joins Courtside to talk about breaking in before there was even a beat, the evolution of media access, and where today's brands and storytellers have an opportunity to grow. From locker rooms to leadership, this one’s a blueprint.

00:00 Meet Meg Linehan

03:07 Freelancing and the Path to The Athletic

10:05 The Future of Women's Sports Reporting

13:48 Bridging the Generational Gap in Women's Sports

19:51 Media Training and Resource Allocation

24:42 The Next Generation of Soccer Talent

26:07 Globalization and Competition in Women's Soccer

28:54 Balancing Brand and Reporting

30:57 Future of Women's Sports Coverage

33:01 Advertising and Authentic Partnerships

37:37 Predictions and Final Thoughts

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