UCLA WBB head coach Cori Close joins Laura to talk about a culture that outlasts banners and awards—sweeping the sheds, nurturing the roots, and why “coaching people’s hearts” is her real playbook. She opens up about the Final Four learning curve, the NIL and transfer-era noise, and what infrastructure college programs actually need so coaches can coach. Plus: the service work that connects teams—and how gratitude, discipline, and “uncommon” choices turn talent into titles.

01:18 Coach Cori Close's Journey and Early Influences
03:35 The Coach Close Basketball Method
06:28 Achievements and Reflections on Awards
09:11 Mental Conditioning and Player Development
13:13 Challenges and Lessons from the Final Four
17:43 Navigating NIL and Financial Conversations
23:50 Future of Women's College Basketball

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Constance Schwartz-Morini, CEO of SMAC Entertainment, has turned sports talent across sports into household names along with her partner and client Michael Strahan. She shares how she helped Strahan become a media mogul, why Deion Sanders is the ultimate CMO, and how she’s shaping the future in women’s sports with clients including Emma Hayes, Brie and Nikki Garcia, and Erin Andrews. They dig into what it takes to build athlete-led content, how to expand careers beyond the game, and why the women’s side of sports is ready for a bigger stage.

00:31 Introduction
01:50 Constance Schwartz-Morini's Early Life and Career
06:28 Building SMAC Entertainment with Michael Strahan
08:40 Developing Athlete Brands: The Case of Deion Sanders
12:48 Empowering Women in Sports
15:16 Challenges and Strategies in Women's Sports Management
20:10 Future Directions and Final Thoughts

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When Laura founded Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment, the first firm dedicated to commercial investment and growth opportunities in women's sports, she changed the game. She dives into how she did it: explaining inspiration she drew from the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team, why she’s torn up her five-year plan so many times amidst the growth of women’s sports, and what needs to be done to create more “multi-hyphenates” amongst female athletes.

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What happens when you design a sports league for the next digitally-led generation instead of adapting for an old one? You get Overtime—a media and sports company rewriting the rules. EJ Lawrence, Head of League Partnership Development, joins Laura to unpack the strategy behind its four leagues (including Overtime Select, its women’s basketball property), the content engine driving a tidal wave of content every week and the sponsorship model built for storytelling. They get into what Gen Z wants from sports, how Overtime is closing coverage and funding gaps, and why building a fan community (150MM+!!) means listening as much as talking.

01:41 EJ Lawrence's Journey in Sports
05:38 From Traditional Sports to Digital Media
09:25 Joining Overtime and Its Unique Model
12:09 Overtime's Audience and Content Strategy
18:52 Building Brand Relationships in Basketball
19:42 Reimagining Sponsorship at Overtime
22:43 Empowering Athletes On and Off the Court
25:42 Overtime Select: Structure and Success
32:27 Parental Involvement and Feedback
34:54 Expanding Storytelling and Crossover Events

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Sarah Spain has spent nearly two decades shaping the way we talk about sports—from breaking down barriers in early sports radio to co-creating ESPN’s first all-women podcast. Now she’s back with Good Game—a first-of-its-kind, daily podcast spotlighting the stories, stats, and stars driving the explosive growth in the popularity of women’s sports. Sarah joins Laura to talk about her journey to airtime and why telling better stories isn’t just good journalism—it’s part of the game plan for growth.

00:00 Introduction and Early Aspirations
02:26 Realizing a Career in Sports Broadcasting
05:06 Breaking into the Industry
07:37 Finding Her Style and Voice
09:43 The Importance of Humor and Listening
12:29 Challenges and Evolution in Women's Sports Coverage
16:21 Community Building and Engagement
20:24 Commercialization and Brand Engagement
29:12 Closing Thoughts and Future Projects

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When the U.S. Women’s National Team won the 2019 Women's World Cup, a stadium full of fans chanted “equal pay” instead of “USA”—and Laura Correnti took note. She tells Inside the Ice House how that moment inspired the journey to founding Deep Blue Sports + Entertainment, what brands need to know about strategic investment, and why the growth curve is just getting started.

00:44 The Rise of Women's Sports
01:25 Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment
01:40 Key Trends from Cannes Lion
02:53 The Evolution of Brand Storytelling
03:35 The Impact of AI and Individual Creators
05:53 The Business of Women's Sports
09:02 Challenges and Opportunities in Women's Sports Marketing
17:05 The Future of Women's Sports
23:10 Strategic Approaches for Brands
25:50 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

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When Andrea Brimmer announced Ally’s 50/50 pledge at the 2022 ESPNW Summit, it wasn’t a tribute ad or a token donation—it was a demand for equity, backed by dollars. As CMO of Ally (and a former collegiate midfielder), Andrea joins Laura to unpack how they turned a bold idea into a blueprint for the industry. They talk through how she restructured the budget, challenged media systems, and proved that betting big on women’s sports isn’t just good PR—it’s smart business. Plus, why Andrea shows up “like a girl” in every room she enters, and what it means to leave the game better than you found it.

00:51 Meet Andrea Brimmer: Athlete to Marketing Pioneer
02:13 Andrea's Early Love for Soccer
04:33 Athlete Strengths that Become Executive Strengths
06:39 The Drama of the 50/50 Pledge Announcement
13:24 Impact and Results of the 50/50 Pledge
18:56 Authentic Partnerships with Athletes
21:12 Systemic Issues in Women's Sports
25:56 Reflecting on Progress and Future Goals

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Speaking with Michael Kassan on his show Good Company, Laura Correnti explains why she isn't waiting for permission; she’s building the new power structure in women’s sports from the ground up. In this episode, she joins Michael to unpack how she's turning under-leveraged markets into power plays, architecting culture-shifting brand deals, and proving that when you own the game, you don’t have to play by the old rules.

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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 while thinking seasons ahead through data and beyond.

00:52 Coley Edison's Impact on WNBA Growth
01:48 Expansion Teams Announcement
05:06 Sponsorship Growth and New Standards
06:14 Historic Media Rights Deal
08:07 Balancing Core and New Fans
10:38 Storytelling and Brand Partnerships
14:25 Building Internal Resources and Infrastructure
17:37 Data Collection and Business Intelligence
20:09 Fan Demographics and Engagement
22:03 Value of League, Team, and Athlete IP
29:15 Sustaining and Gaining Momentum
36:25 Upcoming Events and Future Plans

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Kristýna “Kalty” Kaltounková is the 2025 PWHL #1 draft pick—and she’s headed to the New York Sirens. The Czech standout lit up the NCAA with a record-breaking career st Colgate, but her story starts much earlier: skating at age three to keep up with her older brother. Kalty joins Laura to talk about her journey from youth hockey to a new era in pro women’s sports, how she plays on the edge, and why she’s ready to bring her grit—and insane shot—to the biggest sports market in the world.

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