On this episode of The Spread, Cari Sekendur speaks with Dawn Scott, a high-performance professional whose career spans two Women’s World Cup wins, an Olympic gold, and work with FIFA, the US Women’s National Team, England, and the Washington Spirit.

Dawn shares why performance in women’s football is shaped by more than training plans or technology. Leadership, culture, environment, and psychological safety all play a role. Cari and Dawn discuss how these insights apply to building high-performing sports organizations and brands.

This episode is essential listening for marketers, founders, and sports leaders who want to create differentiated teams and organizations.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio

What will it take to stand out in the future of sports?

In this episode of The Spread, I talk with Austin Turner, Head of Design at Momento, about how nostalgia, design, and technology, including AI, are reshaping the fan experience.

We explore how Momento is bringing back the emotional magic of collecting tickets, turning digital keepsakes into something personal, imperfect, and real. Austin shares how his team is using AI not to replace storytelling, but to anticipate the next moment fans will care about most.

If you’re building for the next generation of fans, this episode will make you rethink what human connection looks like in a moment where the AI frenzy is dominating our world.

In this episode of The Spread, host Cari Sekendur sits down with Erin Bailey, founder of Momentum Management, to explore what it will take for professional runners to stand out in the rapidly changing sports landscape.

Erin shares why storytelling beyond race day is becoming essential, how athletes like Nikki Hiltz and Emma Bates are redefining connection with fans, and why influencers are sometimes outpacing pros in visibility and earnings. She also digs into the challenges of athlete storytelling, from restrictive broadcast rules to limited budgets, and the opportunities ahead as brands, leagues, and athletes themselves invest more deeply in authentic content.

Whether you’re a sports professional, a brand leader, or just curious about how fandom is evolving, this conversation highlights the pivotal moment we’re in and what it means for the future of athlete stories, sponsorships, and community building.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring where business meets creative in athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

In a world where real fans clock authenticity over hype immediately, the future of sports branding belongs to those who live the game and build with community at the center.

In this episode of The Future of Sports series, Cari sits down with Esther Wallace, founder of Playa Society, the breakout merch brand redefining what it means to connect with women’s sports fans. With no investors and no formal background in apparel, Esther built Playa Society from scratch and turned it into a cult-favorite brand worn by WNBA players and fans alike.

We dive into:

• Why the next generation of sports brands must be community-defined
• How saying 'no' became a growth strategy
• The scrappy early days: folding, bagging, barcoding it all solo
• What it really takes to tell stories fans rally behind
• How to build something fans feel seen by and show up for

Esther isn’t just selling merch. She’s building the future of what a sports brand can be: personal, real, and rooted in culture. If you're thinking about the next era of sports merch, this episode will inspire you.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring where business meets creative in athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

“There’s nothing more disrespectful than saying everyone is great.” — Haley Rosen, CEO of Just Women’s Sports

Women’s sports are growing faster than the NFL did in its early years, but the ecosystem around them is still playing catch-up. In this first episode of The Spread's Future of Sports Series, I talk with Haley Rosen, CEO of Just Women’s Sports, about what it takes to build a fanbase, and an industry, with staying power.

We get into:

• Why the media can’t just “root for everyone,” and how real analysis builds real fan culture
• How the next-gen fan is digital-first, hyper-engaged, and showing up on purpose
• Why coverage has to go beyond game recaps: we need news, takes, debate, and drama
• What inspired JWS’s new show Between the Lines with Lisa Leslie
• Why growing women’s sports starts with digital storytelling
• The massive gap in reaction content, and what happens when we fill it

Listen now!

Subscribe to The Spread to catch the other episodes in The Future of Sports Series.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

What makes athletes so captivating? Tony Hollingsworth, Sr. Director of Strategy at Laundry Service, has a clear idea why: because they’re the last great superheroes.

In this episode, Tony explains how athletes embody the traits of the characters we’ve idolized since childhood—larger-than-life figures with stories that inspire, connect, and evolve. He shares how this perspective shapes his work on campaigns with icons like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers for Gatorade.

We also dive into the power of storytelling in sports, drawing parallels to our shared love of the 90’s Chicago Bulls and the never-ending narratives of comic books. For Tony, sports are about more than just games—they’re stories with legacies that grow, change, and endure for generations.

Tune in to hear how athletes became modern-day superheroes and what that means for sports marketing, storytelling, and our personal connections to the games we love.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

Blockchain is transforming sports, and it's not just about the fans.

Lucy Mills, founder of Ready Sport Global, joins The Spread to talk about how Web3 and blockchain are creating new pathways for inclusion and social impact in sports.

We discuss how blockchain is being used to fund social impact initiatives, particularly for underrepresented groups, and how sports organizations are leveraging these technologies to better engage global audiences.

One of the most inspiring aspects of our conversation was the focus on blockchain’s potential to democratize funding, ensuring that projects with broad community support, not just the biggest backers, get the resources they need.

This is a must-listen for anyone interested in how technology can reshape the future of sports and create positive change for communities everywhere.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

Michael Mazzara, the CEO of Rogue Expeditions, is pioneering a fresh category in travel: the running vacation. Unlike a traditional founder story, Michael shares his unique perspective on acquiring established companies rather than building them from scratch. He dives into how he assessed Rogue Expeditions’ foundation and identified where he could innovate, expanding beyond adventure travel to offer a variety of running-centered experiences.

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on the future of running travel, the journey of transforming an existing brand, and how Rogue Expeditions is creating unforgettable experiences for runners worldwide.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

Olivia Witherite, Marketing Director for the Webby Awards, shares her experience transitioning from the always-on sports industry, at companies including The Game Day and The Athletic, to her current role, where she’s creating a team culture centered around work-life balance.

Olivia candidly discusses the issue of burnout and the crucial mindset shift she embraced after stepping back from the world of sports marketing. She reflects on how the ambitious athlete mentality influences the business of sports and how it’s sparking conversations around mental health in the industry.

Join your host, Cari Sekendur, and hear how Olivia is prioritizing her creative expression and the importance of defining your identity and value beyond your career.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

Join us for an engaging conversation with Alana Casner, the SVP of Business Development & Athlete Relations at Parity, a sports marketing and sponsorship platform dedicated to closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports.

With a rich background at The Players’ Tribune, the NBA, and Adorama, Alana discusses unforgettable moments working with NBA legends, the power of athlete-brand collaborations, and the potential for sponsorships in women’s sports. She also explores the importance of leadership, vulnerability, and mental health, highlighting successful Olympic campaigns that captured athletes' emotions and motivations.

Tune in to hear from Alana about how Parity's initiatives are closing the gender income and opportunity gap in professional sports.

Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics.

The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.