Mike Nichols of Gainbridge on Playing the Long Game in Women's Sports

Away Game: Courtside Live at Cannes!

At the Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity 2026, Women's Sports had its own main stage. And Courtside was holding court, talking to mega star athletes and entrepreneurs like Allyson Felix and Sue Bird; massive brands like Catalyst, Athlos, and Sequel; and teams like Man City and the New York Liberty. Everyone came together to offer proof points of the Courtside thesis: that women's sports is a massive opportunity for any brand, the fandom is the bomb, and no one needs to be convinced that we matter anymore. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Game Tape: A Courtside Review of Athlete Health

We take a look back at a huge through line of the Courtside show: how important it is to pay attention to how we're developing health infrastructure around all athletes. You can make the business case for it; the human case is obvious. With the influx of attention, money, and partners pouring into women's sports, we highlight the people who know what to do with it. See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Yael Averbach West on Building a Dynasty at Gotham FC

Yael Averbach West grew up the lone girl on a boys' soccer team in Montclair, New Jersey, went on to wear the UNC kit and earn USWNT caps, and now runs one of the NWSL's most decorated clubs as two-time champion GM of NJ/NY Gotham FC. She joins Laura for a Jersey-girl conversation about the grit it took to get here — and the vision it takes to stay on top. They dig into how the women's professional game has transformed from survival mode to sold-out stadiums, why winning isn't enough if no one knows your players exist, what Gotham actually needs from commercial partners, and what it means to build a club culture that reflects the community that raised you.   00:00 Welcome Back to Courtside  01:00 Growing Up Soccer in Jersey: The Boys Team Decision  04:45 UNC and Finding Her People  07:30 From the WPS to the NWSL: Surviving to Thriving  11:00 What's Actually Changed for Players (and What Hasn't)  15:30 Building the Gotham Standard: Infrastructure, Facilities, and Player Care  21:00 ACL Injuries, Data, and Making Insights Actionable  23:30 Connecting the On-Field Product to Commercial Growth  28:30 How the GM Role Has Evolved  31:00 What Gotham Actually Needs from Partners  33:00 The Season Ahead and Citi Field Announcement See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Courtside Away Game: Laura Correnti on Possible Now with Christian Muche

Laura joins the Possible NOW Podcast with Christian Muche to discuss why women’s sports isn’t charity—it’s business. Drawing on her career identifying white space and turning it into opportunity, Laura unpacks the myths keeping advertisers on the sidelines, how athletes are redefining ownership through their own media platforms, and why the next billion-dollar growth story in sports will be led by women.   02:08 Laura's Early Love for Sports 04:17 The Transferable Skills from Sports to Leadership 08:34 The Business Case for Women's Sports 17:08 The Impact of Media and Athlete Platforms 25:11 Innovative Sponsorship Models 31:35 Future Visions and Partnerships 37:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.

Karina LeBlanc on Making Portland the Epicenter of Women’s Sports

For nearly 20 years, Karina LeBlanc was known for defending Canada’s net. Now she’s defending the future of women’s sports as EVP of Strategic Growth at RAJ Sports, where she’s helping lead both the Portland Thorns and the new WNBA expansion team, the Portland Fire—which also happens to be Portlands original WNBA team. She joins Laura to talk about playing the long game—creating generational impact, measuring success beyond wins, and why Portland might just be the global epicenter of women’s sports.   03:15 The Impact of Sports on Personal Growth 05:53 Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Failure 12:09 Transitioning to Executive Roles 25:50 The Unique Appeal of Women's Sports 27:42 The Power of Representation and Role Models 31:10 Innovative Partnerships and Community Impact 34:52 The Epicenter of Women's Sports: Portland's Vision 42:09 Personal Reflections and Future Aspirations See omnystudio.com/listener [https://omnystudio.com/listener] for privacy information.