Champions of Change: Shattering Ceilings in Sports

The FIFA brand is strong, but the EA Sports brand may be stronger.

Andrea Hopelain, svp of brand for EA Sports, joined Champions of Change to explain how she’s overseeing the rebrand of the iconic FIFA video game franchise into EA Sports FC, arriving in 2024, following a record-breaking FIFA ’23 launch.

Hopelain also dives into how EA Sports is integrating female athletes into historically male video games, and how the company can market to women to grow the company’s fanbase.

Plus, learn about Hopelain’s favorite games, and how her skills as a former competitive soccer player have changed her career trajectory.

Stream the new episode below, listen and subscribe on Apple podcasts or find it on Spotify.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In a special episode of Champions of Change, host Mollie Cahillane joined Ally CMO Andrea Brimmer and the Ally team on the ground at the Ally 400 NASCAR race in Nashville.

Back in the first episode of the season, Cahillane asked Brimmer to explain the appeal of car racing, and Brimmer delivered. Hear why Ally partnered with NASCAR and how the company is working to make the sport more inclusive, plus details on the company’s sponsorship of driver Alex Bowman.

Also hear about Ally’s latest initiatives in women’s sports, including an update on the 50/50 pledge, why a partnership with Disney was the right move, and the company’s plans for the upcoming FIFA Women’s World Cup. And as Pride Month comes to an end, learn how Ally shows up for the LGBTQ+ community year-round.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The New York Liberty are a certified super team, and fans and brands are on board.

Keia Clarke, CEO of the WNBA team, joins this episode of Champions of Change to discuss how her background in marketing led her to a career in professional basketball. Learn how Clarke navigates media rights deals, her thoughts on the digital and streaming future of sports, the power of having a super team in Brooklyn, and why brands should be getting in with the Liberty.

Also hear how Clarke’s experience as a collegiate basketball player translates into her professional career, and what’s next for the NY Liberty.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Natalie White’s got game.

After seeing an ad three years ago featuring four WNBA players promoting men’s sneakers, the now-25-year-old CEO founded Moolah Kicks, the first basketball brand designed specifically for women.

After White cold emailed the CEO of Dick’s Sporting Goods, the company’s first design launched in 140 retail stores. Now, they’re in over 450 with multiple models, and a new player-exclusive shoe with the WNBA’s Courtney Williams drops next month.

White joined Champions of Change to discuss how she built one of the most recognizable brands in women’s basketball from the ground up, created more than 60 NIL partnerships, and why Moolah Kicks is moving away from the talk of equality in sports.

Follow Mollie on Twitter: @MollieCahillane

Subscribe to Champions of Change on your favorite podcast platform!

You can listen and subscribe to all of Adweek’s podcasts by visiting adweek.com/podcasts.

Stay updated on all things Adweek Podcast Network by following us on Twitter: @adweekpodcasts.

And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In honor of the upcoming FIFA Women's World Cup, we are going back to season 2 to our conversation with U.S. Soccer Federation president Cindy Parlow Cone.

During this episode, we’ll hear about Cone’s path to becoming the first female president of U.S. Soccer, how she’s combatted sexism and inequality in the game, equal pay and collective bargaining, and how she’s leading the federation through turbulent times.

Editor’s note: This episode was recorded prior to the release of the Sally Yates-led investigation into abuse in the NWSL.

Follow Mollie on Twitter: @MollieCahillane

Subscribe to Adweek’s Most Powerful Women in Sports on your favorite podcast platform!

You can listen and subscribe to all of Adweek’s podcasts by visiting adweek.com/podcasts.

Stay updated on all things Adweek Podcast Network by following us on Twitter: @adweekpodcasts.

And if you have a question or suggestions for the show, send us an email at [email protected].

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

When soccer superstar Alex Morgan called Jessica Robertson in 2019, she instantly picked up the phone.

In 2021, co-founder and chief content officer Robertson, alongside Morgan, Simone Manuel, Chloe Kim and Sue Bird launched the media and lifestyle platform Togethxr, specifically targeting Gen Z and millennial women.

Only 5% of media coverage goes towards women’s sports, and Robertson joined Champions of Change to discuss how she’s rapidly changing the landscape with Togethxr, locking down major brand partnerships with companies like Buick, and why everyone should be getting into the game.

Plus, hear how Robertson is bringing her wealth of experience from her time at The Players’ Tribune and MTV into Togethxr, and what’s next for the brand.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

As NIL (name-image-likeness) deals and financial education become increasingly important in the world of college and professional sports, the team at Morgan Stanley has been on the ground since the beginning.

Sandra L. Richards, the global head of the company’s sports and entertainment division, is leading the way, particularly advocating for female and historically underrepresented athletes and entertainers with initiatives and sponsorships around Title IX, NIL, financial literacy, and education.

Richards joined Adweek’s Champions of Change podcast to talk about support for student-athletes, partnerships with the NFL and NBA, how brands can show up in the space, and more. Plus, hear about the life and career lessons Richards learned from her time as a high school basketball star, her role at the Jackie Robinson Foundation, and the messages she’s passing on to the next generation.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Star Dallas Wings guard Arike Ogunbowale captured the nation’s attention with two electrifying buzzer-beaters in the 2018 NCAA Final Four—including one to win the championship.

On this episode of Champions of Change, Ogunbowale joins Adweek’s Mollie Cahillane to chat about the upcoming basketball season, a new-look Dallas team, and the star’s partnerships with brands like State Farm—and what it’s like to shoot a spot with Mark Cuban.

Also hear Ogunbowale’s thoughts around NIL, building a Red Bull basketball court in Dallas, and her travel to Senegal to host a basketball clinic—empowering young girls and growing the game internationally.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

With more women than ever before working in the NFL, Los Angeles Rams CMO Kathryn Kai-ling Frederick sees the opportunity to elevate her historic franchise even higher.

Coming off a Super Bowl win in her first year with the team, Frederick led the marketing efforts through a rough 2022 season and just debuted new creative with Aaron Paul and Bryan Cranston ahead of a historic draft for the Rams.

Frederick joined Mollie Cahillane on Champions of Change to talk about her career path from Yahoo to Live Nation to the NFL, how to break through in a saturated sports market, engaging with community and how she’s bringing a legacy brand to new audiences.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.