The Business Case For Women's Sports

Hosted by Caroline Fitzgerald

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209

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the GOALS podcast, The Business Case For Women's Sports, presented by Ally, where we explore every corner of the women’s sports industry from the field to the front office. Hosted by Caroline Fitzgerald, this podcast features interviews with leaders in women's sports that dig into topics like data insights, marketing strategies, and sponsorship deals. We believe that it’s good business to invest in women’s sports, and our #GOAL is to prove it.

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60 recent

August 26, 202629 min

Ep. #207 Live from USTA Northern California: CiCi Bellis on Investing in Women's Sports, ft. CiCi Bellis

In episode 207 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , was recorded in front of a live audience at the USTA Northern California's 2026 SheRallies: Serve & Sip Summit in Napa Valley. For this special live episode, Caroline sat down with former World No. 35 tennis player, investor, entrepreneur, and Cartan Capital Founder, CiCi Bellis . After retiring from professional tennis at just 22 due to injury, CiCi didn't leave sports behind – she built a venture capital firm investing in sports technology, human performance, and women's health. In this episode, hear about: 🎾 How CiCi transitioned from professional tennis to venture capital 💰 Why she believes women's sports remains one of the most undervalued investment opportunities in business 📈 What she's looking for as an investor – and why the intersection of women's health, human performance, and sports technology represent enormous growth markets This episode was recorded live on May 29, 2026 as part of the USTA of Northern California's 2026 SheRallies: Serve & Sip Summit . More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

August 12, 202630 min

Ep. #206 Inside the Tucker Center's Mission to Transform Women's Sports, ft. Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi

In episode 206 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline sits down with Dr. Nicole M. LaVoi, Director of the Tucker Center for Research on Girls & Women in Sport at the University of Minnesota. For more than three decades, Dr. LaVoi has studied the systems shaping women's sports – from coaching and leadership to media representation and gender equity. Her research has influenced executives, athletic directors, media organizations, policymakers, and countless leaders across the sports industry. In this episode, hear about: 📊 Why research is one of the most powerful investments we can make in women's sports 👩‍🏫 Why women still coach fewer women's teams today than they did before Title IX 📺 What decades of research reveal about how women athletes are covered – and why that matters for the future of the industry As Dr. LaVoi explains, investing in women isn't just the right thing to do – it's one of the smartest business decisions organizations can make. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

August 7, 202632 min

Ep. #205 How the Northern Super League Is Building Women's Soccer In Canada, ft. Marianne Brooks

In episode 205 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Marianne Brooks, Vice President of Partnerships at Canada's Northern Super League (NSL) . As one of the league's earliest hires, Marianne has helped build the NSL from the ground up by helping drive the league’s growth through commercial partnerships. In this episode, hear about: ⚽ How the Northern Super League went from an idea to one of the fastest-growing properties in women's sports 📈 Why Canada has become one of the most exciting growth markets in women's sports 🇨🇦 Why bringing professional women's soccer to Canada is strengthening the country's entire player development ecosystem As Marianne explains, women's sports don't need to “clear a different bar” to earn investment – they simply need the opportunity to reach their potential. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

July 24, 202628 min

Ep. #204 Inside AT&T's Fan-First Playbook for WNBA All-Star, ft. Sabina Ahmed

In episode 204 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Sabina Ahmed, Assistant Vice President of Sponsorships & Experiential at AT&T. AT&T has been investing in women's sports for decades and became the WNBA's inaugural Changemaker partner back in 2019. Now, as the league celebrates its 30th season, AT&T is once again taking center stage as the presenting sponsor of AT&T WNBA All-Star. In this episode, hear about: 🏀 How AT&T is bringing WNBA All-Star to life for fans in Chicago and beyond 📱 Why the best sponsorships create experiences – not just brand visibility ✨ How a fan-first strategy builds stronger brands, deeper loyalty, and lasting business impact As Sabina explains, the brands that will win in women's sports aren't just the ones that sponsor the game – they're the ones that create meaningful connections between fans, athletes, and the sports they love. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

July 23, 202634 min

Ep. #203 Why Women's Lacrosse Is the Next Big Opportunity in Sports, ft. Charlotte North

In episode 203 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline sits down with Charlotte North, one of the greatest players in the history of women's lacrosse. A 3x world champion, NCAA national champion, and inaugural WLL champion, Charlotte shares her journey from discovering lacrosse in Texas to helping launch a new era of professional women's lacrosse. Charlotte also opens up about recovering from a torn achilles, continuing to lead Team USA from the sidelines, and why she believes the WLL is built for long-term success. In this episode, hear about: 🥍 Why the WLL is filling a critical gap in the professional lacrosse landscape 📺 How media coverage, broadcast partners, and visibility are accelerating the growth of women's lacrosse 📈 Why Charlotte believes women's lacrosse is one of the biggest investment opportunities in sports today As Charlotte explains, there has never been a better time to invest in women's lacrosse – or women's sports. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

July 17, 202634 min

Ep. #202 How UPSHOT Is Creating More Opportunities in Women's Basketball ft. Donna Orender & Taj McWilliams-Franklin

In episode 202 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline sits down with Donna Orender, Commissioner and Co-Founder of UPSHOT , and Taj McWilliams-Franklin, Vice President of Basketball Operations, to discuss how they're building a new professional women's basketball league in the U.S. Rather than competing with the existing women's basketball landscape, UPSHOT is filling a critical gap in the ecosystem by expanding opportunities, developing talent, and helping grow the sport from the ground up. In this episode, hear about: 🏀 Why UPSHOT calls itself a "league of opportunity" and the gap it's filling in women's basketball ⚡️How creating more professional opportunities benefits athletes, coaches, communities, and the future of the game 📈 Why the growth of women's basketball is about abundance, not competition Women's basketball doesn't need fewer opportunities – it needs more – and UPSHOT is helping create them. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

July 10, 202642 min

Ep. #201 Why LaChina Robinson Never Stopped Believing in Women's Basketball, ft. LaChina Robinson

In episode 201 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Emmy Award-winning basketball analyst, broadcaster, entrepreneur, and one of the most respected voices in women's basketball, LaChina Robinson. LaChina has been telling women’s basketball stories for two decades – stories that mainstream sports media has often overlooked. Today, she reflects on the evolution of the sport, and how ultimately, visibility has changed everything. In this episode, hear about: 🏀 Why the WNBA's success has been 30 years in the making – not something that happened “overnight” 📺 How greater media investment & visibility transformed women's basketball ✨ Why the stories of women athletes off of the court matter just as much as what happens on the court As LaChina explains, investing in women's sports is ultimately an investment in women everywhere. When we invest in women's sports, we're not just growing leagues – we're expanding what's possible for women across every industry. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

July 6, 202633 min

Ep. #200 Why Women's Soccer Has Never Been Stronger ft. Ali Riley

For a very special 200th episode of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Ali Riley, former captain of New Zealand's Women's National Team, Angel City FC legend, and current analyst for NWSL on Prime. After a remarkable playing career that spanned five Women's World Cups, the Olympics, the NWSL, Europe, and international football, Ali has transitioned into media, where she's helping tell the stories driving the next era of growth in women's sports. In this episode, hear about: ⚽ Why the NWSL's growth is being fueled by investment, visibility & player empowerment 📺 How Prime Video's comprehensive storytelling approach is helping deepen fan engagement & elevate the league 🎙 What it's really like transitioning from professional athlete to broadcaster & media personality 🚀 Why Ali believes the future of women's soccer is brighter than ever thanks to the next generation of players, leaders & fans From the evolution of women's sports media to the business opportunity surrounding women's soccer, Ali shares an insider's perspective on one of the fastest-growing opportunities in sports. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

June 26, 202625 min

Ep. #199 Why Women Athletes Need Better Equipment ft. Dr. Karli Richards

In episode 199 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Dr. Karli Richards, a podiatric surgeon, sports medicine specialist, and leading advocate for women's athlete health. From women-specific cleats to injury prevention research, Dr. Richards is working to close some of the biggest gaps facing women athletes today – and helping ensure the next generation has the tools they need to perform at their highest level. In this episode, hear about: 👟 Why women athletes need equipment designed specifically for their anatomy 📊 How the lack of research continues to impact injury prevention & athlete performance ⚽ How better equipment, education & sports science can help keep more athletes healthy and on the field As Dr. Richards explains, keeping women athletes healthy isn't just the right thing to do – it's good for all of women’s sports. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

June 17, 202626 min

Ep. #198 How Women Coaches Change the Game ft. Tracy Joyner

In episode 198 of 🎙️The Business Case For Women’s Sports, presented by Ally , Caroline interviews Tracy Joyner, Head Women's Soccer Coach at the University of Oregon. As a former professional soccer player and one of the fastest-rising coaches in college soccer, Coach Joyner has spent her career breaking barriers, building winning programs, and helping the next generation of women leaders thrive. In this episode, hear about: ⚽️ Why women coaches play such a critical role in the women's sports ecosystem 🚧 The barriers that continue to prevent women from entering and staying in coaching careers 🤝 Why mentorship and women supporting women are essential to creating more opportunities in sports From leadership and authenticity to confidence and career development, this conversation is filled with lessons for athletes, coaches, executives, and anyone looking to make an impact. More from GOALS Follow GOALS on Twitter: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on Instagram: @goals_sports_ Follow GOALS on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/goals-sports Shop: goals-sports.com/shop

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