Beyond the Highlights: Sarah Spain On Hosting the First Daily Women's Sports Podcast, Rejecting 'Sanitized' Coverage & The Power Of Gratitude

About this episode

Sarah Spain discusses her transition from ESPN to launching the first daily women's sports podcast and her commitment to journalistic integrity in sports coverage.

This week's guest is a true powerhouse in the sports media landscape: Sarah Spain. An Emmy, Gracie, and Peabody Award-winning journalist, Sarah spent over a decade as a mainstay at ESPN, becoming one of the most versatile and respected voices in the industry. She recently made waves by joining iHeartMedia to launch the iHeart Women’s Sports Network, where she serves as the content director and host of the industry’s first daily women’s sports podcast,  Good Game with Sarah Spain . Sarah talks about the "cognitive dissonance" of navigating the current news cycle while finding personal joy, and what it’s like to move from a sports giant to building a brand new audio behemoth from the ground up. She pulls back the curtain on the "one man band" mentality—explaining why she keeps her hands in every piece of production, from scriptwriting to editing, despite her veteran status. We also dive into her background as a heptathlete at Cornell, which instilled a "problematically competitive" edge she still carries today, the grief of navigating chronic injury, and her tireless advocacy for journalistic integrity in women's sports coverage. IN THIS EPISODE…

People in this episode

Host: Emily Abbate

Guest: Sarah Spain

Topics covered

• women's sports
• sports media
• journalism
• podcasting
• personal growth
• chronic injury
• advocacy

Keywords

• Sarah Spain
• women's sports podcast
• ESPN
• iHeartMedia
• journalism
• chronic injury
• advocacy
• podcasting
• sports media

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: ESPN, iHeartMedia, iHeart Women’s Sports Network

Books & works: Good Game with Sarah Spain

Places: Cornell

More episodes of Hurdle with Emily Abbate

• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Powerful Perk of Repetition · June 5, 2026 · 9 min
• Egg Freezing 101: Unpacking My Experience & Talking Fertility Q&A With Dr. Michelle Kappy · June 2, 2026 · 1h 8m
• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: Stepping Into a New Chapter · May 29, 2026 · 7 min
• From College Standout To Pro Athlete: Samirah Moody On Transitioning To the Big Leagues, the Importance Of Staying Even-Keeled & Finding Strength In Faith · May 26, 2026 · 45 min
• 5-MINUTE FRIDAY: The Importance Of Finding Your Own Rhythm · May 22, 2026 · 10 min
• Built on Consistency: Katie Ledecky on Reframing Hard Days, Swimming Into the Record Books & Inspiring the Next Generation · May 19, 2026 · 58 min