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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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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