Courtside with Laura Correnti

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 for privacy information.

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 AnnouncementSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Growth05:53 Overcoming Challenges and Embracing Failure12:09 Transitioning to Executive Roles25:50 The Unique Appeal of Women's Sports27:42 The Power of Representation and Role Models31:10 Innovative Partnerships and Community Impact34:52 The Epicenter of Women's Sports: Portland's Vision42:09 Personal Reflections and Future AspirationsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Mike Nichols has spent nearly two decades proving women’s sports are undervalued—and he’s putting his investments where the returns are. The former LPGA exec turned Chief of Sponsorship Strategy at Group 1001 joins Laura to talk about Gainbridge’s partnerships with the USL Super League, Caitlin Clark, and more. They get into why 40% of his sponsorship dollars go to women’s sports, how $5,000 grants can create outsized impact, and where the opportunity lies for brands willing to get in from grassroots to the ground floor.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Introduction01:50 Constance Schwartz-Morini's Early Life and Career06:28 Building SMAC Entertainment with Michael Strahan08:40 Developing Athlete Brands: The Case of Deion Sanders12:48 Empowering Women in Sports15:16 Challenges and Strategies in Women's Sports Management20:10 Future Directions and Final ThoughtsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Sports05:38 From Traditional Sports to Digital Media09:25 Joining Overtime and Its Unique Model12:09 Overtime's Audience and Content Strategy18:52 Building Brand Relationships in Basketball19:42 Reimagining Sponsorship at Overtime22:43 Empowering Athletes On and Off the Court25:42 Overtime Select: Structure and Success32:27 Parental Involvement and Feedback34:54 Expanding Storytelling and Crossover EventsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 Entertainment01:40 Key Trends from Cannes Lion02:53 The Evolution of Brand Storytelling03:35 The Impact of AI and Individual Creators05:53 The Business of Women's Sports09:02 Challenges and Opportunities in Women's Sports Marketing17:05 The Future of Women's Sports23:10 Strategic Approaches for Brands25:50 Conclusion and Final ThoughtsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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.See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 SupportSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 PredictionsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

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 See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

The Sports Bra–a bar in Portland dedicated exclusively to women’s sports, and the first of its kind in the world–was never just about sports. In this episode, founder Jenny Nguyen shares the origin story of “the Bra” including building a business rooted in community, the fanbase beyond sports lovers, and why giving people a space to feel seen is part of her ultimate strategy for growth. 00:53 Meet Jenny Nguyen: Founder of The Sports Bra 03:01 Jenny's Journey: From Basketball Dreams to Culinary Passion 06:25 Discovering a New Path: From Pre-Med to Chef 14:12 Opening The Sports Bra 21:13 Impact of Creating a Unique Space 24:07 Expansion and Franchising Decisions 32:03 Dreams and Future Plans 35:44 Inspiring a New Market  See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.