Heart of a Fan

These past couple of months have been significant for the growth of women’s sports in North America. Much has already been covered on the growth of the WNBA thanks to its star studded rookie class, the growing media coverage, and how women’s sports leagues could evolve in the future.

This episode is going to be looking at another women’s sports league that has caught the attention of sports fans in the last year. Right now, The Professional Women’s Hockey League is winding down its inaugural season as Boston and Minnesota play in the first version of the Walter Cup Finals. Six teams made up with rosters of Olympians and former college athletes have brought in sellout crowds in multiple instances, not to mention the thousands that tune in on YouTube to stream these games.

Now, this is something that I’m not fully knowledgeable in and the last thing I’d want to do is undersell or make assumptions about these stories. In order to tell these stories properly, I brought in Angelica Rodriguez of the Ice Garden to share her perspective from her last decade of covering this sport, its multiple professional iterations, and what the PWHL could evolve into.

If you’re interested in seeing more of Angelica's work, be sure to follow her on Twitter @ReinaDeLaIsla and to read more of her insights on the game, read the Ice Garden, an independent blog focused entirely on women’s hockey.

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If you remember our episode on fashion in sports from a couple weeks ago, you were introduced to fans like Lauren Teague and Pete Rogers, who came up with their own solutions to address problems they’ve seen in this vertical. This week’s guest has been turning old jerseys into incredible custom jackets, puffer vests, and even brand new jerseys while outfitting some of the biggest names in Boston sports. 

If you’re interested in seeing more of Ben Weiner's work, be sure to follow him @sportsstiches on Instagram or visit his website, jeanius-jackets.com

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 For the last 6 years, JW Cannon was behind one of the most recognizable brands in sports philanthropy at the American Cancer Society. Campaigns that you’ve seen every game day from NFL’s Crucial Catch to the NHL’s Hockey Fights Cancer, JW has a hand in building. Today, he’s going to give us a look at how sports fandom can drive tangible good. From charitable efforts to brand partnerships that actually matter, this conversation bridges the gap between fan loyalty and social action.

It’s about using the platform we have — as fans — to build something bigger than ourselves.

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As we’ve covered in the last month of this show, the bond between a team and its community can be sacred and profound. With an arena serving as a gathering place, fans from the community and even the world can come together to build relationships and memories that last a lifetime. 

However, this week’s episode, sadly, is covering what happens when that bond is broken.

Now, what seems to get lost in headlines like this are the people that are affected by this. People will be out of jobs, local businesses will suffer, and the fans: the fans that have dealt with rebuild after rebuild, rumor after rumor of their team leaving, are now without the gathering place, that common thread that brought them all together.

This week, I spoke with four fans of the Coyotes to share their stories of this team: how it’s brought them together with loved ones, gave them a community to root for, and now, how do you support a burgeoning hockey community that’s now lost its team? 

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Please consider making a donation to one of the many Arizona youth hockey programs if you are able to:

Guide to Youth Hockey In Arizona: https://www.adhlhockey.com/parent-resources/guide-to-arizona-youth-hockey/9197

Arizona Kachinas: https://www.arizonakachinas.com/

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Track: "Clear My Mind Instr"
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Track: "Bleeding Heart 001 Instr"
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Track: "FCC", Genuine Colour
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Track: "Hold On To Me 001 Instr"
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Track: "Now You Know"
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Track: "Old Polaroids", Eazy
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Track: "Sauna Sweat", Eazy
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What happens when a championship isn’t just about winning — but about carrying a story forward? 

We revisit the powerful fan story that started with Episode 2 — and take it even deeper. Mary Brown joins Heart of a Fan to reflect on what it means to be part of a legacy fan community, and how the UConn Huskies fandom has shaped her journey across generations, grief, and growth. This episode is about what happens after the moment — and why some stories stay with us long after the final buzzer. 

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In the heart of every fan, is that indispensable piece of merch they use to showcase their fandom. It can be that classic ball cap, a vintage jersey from a wacky 90s redesign, or that tried and true graphic tee. Some people use them as fashion statements, collectible items, or everyday staples in their wardrobe. 

In this episode, I’m  speaking with two fans who are trying to change how they showcase their fashion. One has designed jerseys that are unique to his city at a price point everyone can afford, and another has started a platform to help pass your fashion to those fans who could use it, instead of just throwing it away.

Pete Rogers - Banner 18: https://shopbanner18.com/
Lauren Teague - FANWAGN:  https://www.fanwagn.com/

If you have a story about how you’ve built a community through sports fandom, please feel free to reach out to us at our website, heartofafan.org. This episode was produced and edited by Jake Fenner.
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In the heart of every fan, is a second home that they can call their own. Every night, it hosts one of the craziest parties of the week with drums, chanting, and dancing. That second home can go by multiple names: The Garden, The Linc, The Shoe, The Coliseum.

This week’s episode involves a fanbase that went through the ultimate home renovation, from having those home originally be a high school field to now having their home be the first stadium built exclusively for women’s sports.

If you have a story you would like to share with us, please visit us at heartofafan.org

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Track: "Clear My Mind Instr"
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Track: "dgah 85", T-Pain
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In the heart of every fan is a special bond that they share with their loved ones over a team. In this episode, we’ll be looking at one bond between a mother and her daughter over the Boston Bruins, and how that bond is continuing to inspire.

If you are able to, please consider making a donation in honor of Shannon McCarthy to:

Hockey Fights Cancer: https://www.v.org/campaigns/25-years-hockey-fights-cancer/

Mass General Hospital: https://giving.massgeneral.org/donate

If you have a story you would like to share with us, please visit us at heartofafan.org

This episode was produced and edited by Jake Fenner

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Track: "Clear My Mind Instr"
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Track: "FCC", Genuine Colour
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Track: "Now You Know"
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Track: "Old Polaroids", Eazy
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Track: "Stripper Running Late"
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In the heart of every fan, there’s a deeply personal connection they share with their team. For some, it can be a bonding experience they shared with their loved ones, an incredible first game that they’ll never forget, or it brings them back to a period in their lives where times were simpler.  This week’s episode encapsulates all three of those facets, as we look at a fanbase that is looking to recreate these experiences for kids that may not have the chance to experience it.

If you have a story you would like to share with us, please visit us at heartofafan.org

Track: "Old Polaroids", Eazy
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 What happens when a city’s teams keep leaving — but the fans stay? This episode is a love letter to Oakland and those who refuse to let the soul of their community be erased.

Oakland has lost multiple professional teams, but it hasn’t lost its heart. In the debut episode of Heart of a Fan, host Matthew Barry explores the deep-rooted passion and resilience of Oakland sports fans. You’ll hear why rooting for this city is about more than loyalty — it’s about identity, history, and holding onto something no front office can take away.

This is a story about fans who stay — and about the meaning of showing up, even when your team doesn’t.

 
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