2024 was a record-breaking season for the WNBA—and Colie Edison is making sure it’s just the start. As Chief Growth Officer, she’s behind the league’s 19% spike in sponsorships, its mission to build long-term brand equity, and the 13x business return league partners are experiencing. She joins Laura to break down what’s fueling and how to sustain that growth, how the league is approaching an expanding fanbase, and why building the W means meeting the moment whilethinking seasons ahead through data and beyond.

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Chelsea and England footballer Niamh Charles is fresh off an undefeated season—and gearing up for another shot at international glory at the Euros. She joins Laura to talk about what it really takes to stay on top: relentless prep, mental fitness, and those 1% performance gains that separate the good from the great. They get into the rise of women’s football, the electricity of the World Cup, and why Charles is building her brand around high performance (and really good coffee). From the Chelsea locker room to Wembley to wherever she's journaling with an oat flat white, Charles shares what it looks like when nothing is left to chance.

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Sophie Goldschmidt didn’t grow up in snow sports—but now she’s leading them into a new era. As CEO of U.S. Ski & Snowboard, she’s shaking up a traditionally insular space with entrepreneurial thinking, global strategy, and a clear mission: to turn Olympic-level athletes into household names. She talks to Laura about breaking through the four-year awareness cycle, creating premium brand partnerships, and how a chairlift ride might just be the best meeting in marketing.

02:28 Sophie's Journey in Sports

04:14 Leading US Ski and Snowboard

14:47 Expanding into Travel and Hospitality

23:48 Creative Content and Athlete Inspiration

26:43 Strategic Partnerships and Brand Collaborations

31:48 Challenges and Resilience of Athletes

34:38 Global Audience and Fan Engagement

37:55 Sponsorship and Financial Support

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Former WNBA President and Upshot League founder Donna Orender joins Laura to talk about why she’s launching a new pro league—and why the moment demands it. She shares lessons from her time leading the W, the structural gaps she’s aiming to fill, and what it takes to create community-rooted franchises that are more than just teams—they’re assets.

00:29 Meet Donna Orender

02:05 Donna's Early Love for Basketball

06:51 Building Belief and Overcoming Obstacles

10:40 The Hardest Job: Transforming the WNBA

17:00 Reflecting on Success and Future Endeavors

21:29 Introducing the Upshot League

24:18 Opportunities for Athletes and Coaches

27:45 Fundraising and Selling the Vision

34:45 Naming the Upshot League

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As Co-CEO of Horizon Sports & Experiences, David Levy is helping usher in the next era of sports media—just like he did at Turner. He joins Laura to talk about why sports still command top dollar in a fragmented media landscape, Unrivaled's innovative approach to sponsorship, and where he sees opportunity in the rapidly growing women's sports business.

00:39 Meet David Levy: Co-Founder of Horizon Sports and Experiences

02:18 The Evolution of Sports Media

06:39 The Business Case for Women's Sports

10:10 Challenges and Opportunities in Sports Broadcasting

20:01 The Rise of Unrivaled: A New Era in Women's Sports

20:37 Innovative Sponsorship Strategies

26:30 Expanding the League: Future Plans

33:57 The Business of Women's Sports: Insights and Predictions

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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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