June 4, 2025 • 38 mins
Kansas City Current defender Izzy Rodriguez joins Sarah to discuss the Current’s success this NWSL season, what it’s like training against Temwa Chawinga, and keeping her cool when celebrity fans show up at games. Plus, the Sports Bra’s Jenny Nguyen returns to break some news about the first four Sports Bra franchises.
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Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're a
dancing queen at the Pink Pony Club and it's rain
and men, baby, raise your glass because you were born.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This way and you're beautiful.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
If you're someone who's stressing, you need to calm down
and when you do, everyone.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Will be closer to fine. That's right.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
We're still celebrating pride every day, every week, every month
of the year.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It's Wednesday, June fourth.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Than on today's show, we're skipping the need to Know
and heading right into our chat with the Kansas City
currents Izzy Rodriguez from before the international break. We talk
about the transition from college ball to the NWSL, the
secret to the current success, training against Temushawinga, and turning
her dog Daisy into art. And stay tuned after the
interview for some very special breaking news courtesy of the Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Bras Jenny Wynn. That's all coming up right after this
joining us now.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
She's a left back for the Kansas City the Current
of the NWSL. A former Ohio State Buckeye and Big
Ten defender of the Year in twenty twenty, she was
awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor in twenty twenty two,
becoming only the second Ohio State women's soccer player to
earn the award. She's been with the current since being
drafted in twenty twenty two, and she's got a cutie
Patuti pooch named Daisy.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
It's Izzy Rodriguez.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Hi, IZI, Hi, how are you doing? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I'm good, Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I have to start out by telling you that one
of my very best friends played soccer at Ohio State,
So shout out to my girl Kylie. Do you guys
still say how firm thy friendship? Is that what you
Buckeye say to each other?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Still?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
For sure?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
We have our Carmen Ohio at the end of all
of our games that we would sway to and that's
in there.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
All right perfect.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I actually went to a game a couple of years
ago with her, but time is a flat circle, and
I have no idea whether it was when you were there,
based on the fact that I can't remember what year
it was, but maybe you were playing in it and
Ohio State was a blast.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
She actually took me back and we went to a
game there.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
We went to a football game, and I guess the
equipment manager there is still the same as when she played.
So we took us into the football locker room and
we did like jello shots in the locker room before
the buck Eyes football game.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Wow, that sounds incredible.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, shout out the equipment guy. And also he must
have been there for a long ast time because we're
getting pretty old.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yes, is he?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I asked your teammate, Kayla Sharples, who is a friend
of mine and a friend of the show, about your
Ohio State roots, and she said that sometimes teammates give
you a hard time about the buck Eyes.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So who's your biggest rival in the locker room who's
normally given you the most shit?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
I have to say it has to be sometimes the
Penn State girls, but we also give it back to them.
They like to shout there we are all the time,
so I think we give it back and forth a bit.
But especially in football season and soccer season is around,
I think we're always giving to each other some crap.
We've all played against each other, which is great, especially Kayla.
I remember playing against her and always having to remember
(02:49):
to mark her on corners. So it's cool having that again.
And I'm still being able to have those little rivalries.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Do you have other buck eyes that support you in
the locker room? Are you on an island there rooting
for your ohiostate.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I got Michelle Prince.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
We missed each other by a year, but all of
like the official visits were kind of around her time,
so I got to get to know her pretty well,
and so we have each other's backs. Lucky to say that,
because if not, it would be a lone island.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Cayla also said you're a lefty, so naturally you're weird.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
She was joking, of course, but now I want to
know the weirdest thing about you.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh gosh, weird.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
You know, I'm a little bit of a type a
person and I like things very neat in a certain way,
and maybe that's a little bit weird of me, probably
a little.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Bit opposite of Kaylea.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
But I think that kind of is why we do
so well in the field together. I will say, I
think she's becoming more of a lefty, So I'm gonna
give her some crap about that, just because of how
much she's using that left foot in game. So that'll
be fun to kind of talk to her about that.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Okay, so are we talking like you have to fold
your socks kind of type A.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
No, I will say I do fold them a certain way,
and I like when I take them off to make
sure they're not inside out. So maybe a little bit,
but everything's usually super clean and orderly. I like things
written in a certain way as well, when I'm doing
journaling or my daily stuff. So yeah, a little bit
of a freak. I liked accounting in college, so that
(04:14):
probably makes sense as well.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yep. We love talking to players about their journaling.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I remember we talked to Tieranna Davidson about like does
she have specific pens or a specific kind of like
journal do you? Does it come down to that, do
you have specific pens for your journal?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I just converted recently to my iPad. I think I
really like writing with the pen on there. It's fun
and it's so much easier to erase when you mess
something up, which is great for my type A personality.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But yeah, I've switched to that the iPad. I really
like it on there.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Everything's in one spot, really easy to go back and
find everything. But before that, I think my journals got
kind of messy, which is why I switched, because I
would make mistakes all the time and crossing off and everything.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I I'm going to admit some embarrassing, but I am
just like you. And in college I actually not only
color coded my notes, but if I made too big
of a mistake and had to cross too much out,
I would start over and rewrite the notes so that
there weren't any errors on the page even though no
one was seeing them.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
But me, I feel you completely.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We have a sickness. It's a couple. You couldn't use
that iPad back.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So when you were at Ohio State, you were a captain,
you were a superstar. How was the transition for you
from college to the pros?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
I think it it's obviously really hard.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I think on the field and off the field, you're
learning so much and everything's so different. You also have
instead of four year age gaps, you have up to
ten fifteen year age gaps nowadays almost twenty. So I
think kind of getting to know people is a little
bit harder, just because you're at such different phases of life.
But on the field everything was so much faster. I
think you had to pick up the game really really fast.
(05:53):
But my first year in Kansas City, I think I
had a really great group of people that not only
helped me grow as a person off field, but also
as a player and were more.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Than willing to teach me and help me along the way.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And I think that's what made it so appealing to
stay here in Kansas City, is just having that group.
But the change it was definitely hard, but I think
again the people who were here really made it easy.
I think having a little bit of youth national team
experience also helped, because you you grew up being in
those professional environments and sometimes the speed of play being faster,
so I think that helped a bit.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And then being a.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Leader also at Ohio State. I continued to try to
use that voice as I went on. I know, you're
you're still going almost starting from freshman again when you
join the league and you're the rookie, but having that
voice ahead of time, I think made the jump a
little bit quicker.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Did you have your dog Daisy, who I can hear
panting in the background. Did you have her when you
started with the current?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
She was just I was laughing because I gave her
that peanut butter to keep her occupied.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
She was just chugging water after that, So that was
all the noise.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yes, it's the only downfall of the peanut butter trick.
Is it makes you real thirsty eat? Yes?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
She I Actually we got her at the end of
my rookie year, so I figured I should wait and
kind of get my feet under me. Got her towards
the end. It was also hard. I think every person
on my team my rookie year had a dog, so
it almost felt like I was the auto one out
and once I go went it was so much more fun.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
She is great.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I love having around and I think now our team
also has dogs. We had probably have like twenty five
dogs within our entire team, so it's really fun to
all have that together. We get to go do activities
with them together. It's like a big old family.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Do they have sleepovers when you guys are away on
the road. Is there just like one person who watches
all twenty five in a big room.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm lucky I do have one of my team. It's Bailey.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Her boyfriend will watch Daisy from you sometimes. Her dogs
Daisy are like best friends. We also have a partnership
with a daycare and like Kennell here, so a lot
of girls will.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Use that when we're away but amazing. It's great that
they set it up for us.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah yeah, I mean that sounds like exactly what Kansas
City would do.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
They're always thinking of everything.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
They're kind of known for setting the bar when it
comes to facilities and resources and the amazing stadium.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
What's the coolest perk or maybe like most.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Exciting amenity at the stadium or the facilities.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Oh gosh, the stadium in general is just incredible.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It's funny.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
I was just walking around there, like not for a game,
and I was like, I would love to experience this
as a fan and walk around and see all the
cool food that's here. Obviously we don't really get too
much of an opportunity to do that, but I think
just the setup of it all, like it feels like
such an intimate place to go, but then you have
eleven five hundred people scream in their ear off the
entire game, and just having that resource and that extra
(08:33):
person on the field during games makes the environment so fun.
I would have to say, though, gosh, that's so hard.
The locker rooms at both places are just amazing. They're
so nice, they're brand new. They're a lot of teal too,
so that's super cool, But I just love the environment.
I think it makes it so easy going from having
our own training facility and everything's there for us, everything's
(08:56):
set up to then there's no change where we're going
to our game place. Now our stadium is all ours,
everything said up for us. We're not having to worry
about moving our stuff out or anything like that. So
just the convenience of it being our own, I think
is a really cool part of those resources.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That is huge.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
I remember when I was in the ownership side of
the Chicago Red Stars now Neutral Stars. They would get
kicked out for like a music fest or other teams,
and it was kind of it was a lot for
the players to feel like they could never really set
up shop. You know, one of my former players from
the Red Stars is with you now and she's part
of the crew that has the coffee the coffee brand
(09:33):
out there. Do you all does do they serve that
at the stadium. I was in the press area for
the stadium for the NWSL Championship, so I didn't get
to wander around as much. Have they managed to get
that in the actual stadium for fans, yet they did?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
They just I think this was a couple of weeks
ago now just to announce their official partnership. So they
serve that every gamely inside the stadium, and I know
they're working on more too behind the scenes. But that's
such a cool thing to see that we have something
outside of soccer that we can look forward to. I
think they're bringing an awesome light to just something outside
of soccer and bringing the soccer community together. I remember
(10:07):
their first time having the line was so long. Me
and my parents went to go stop by and we
were like, I think we gotta let all these people
stay in line because we're not going to take up
the space.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
But you've got an in, you've got the plug, you
don't need to wait.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yes, it's incredible. I think that's awesome for them. I'm
so glad it's going so well.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
For those who don't remember from a previous show, I
think we talked about this with Kaylea. Pitchside Coffee is
this coffee brand founded by a handful of players, including
Vanessa di Bernardo who was on the Red Stars when
I was there. And yeah, they like operate out of
a trailer during games now, and I guess that's so
cool that they actually have an official partnership.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Not only great facilities, not only great stadium, but a
great team. This is a team that is consistently contending,
sitting atop the NWSL standings here at the international break.
What's the secret, Sauce. It's not barbecue, sauce. I know
the city's known for that, But what's the current secret, Sauce.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Gosh, I think we's got a lot of good connection
going on right now. We've been with each other, this group,
most of us for over a year now, and those
little glimpses you're seeing last year of us putting things together,
I think it's happened on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
We're still having a lot of different people score, but.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
You can see we're having fun on the field still,
but we're really also focusing on that defensive side, and
we've been doing that since the beginning of the year,
of really locking down and not wanting to give up
goals because we can score them and it's super fun.
But when you keep a clean sheet, that's when I
think you really feel it in the heart, and our
group really feels that from top to front. So I
think it's just the connections on the field I think
(11:36):
you can see that between players, between groups of players,
and the way we celebrate each other.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It makes it really fun to play all together.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yeah, you mentioned the goals.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
You've got some big time scorers on this squad, including
last year's Golden Boot and tem Mushawinga.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
How has that helped your game?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Getting to train against them every day and understanding like
the tip top cream of the crop in this league.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Oh gosh, it isn't credible to train against them every
day and even just watch them sometimes you're like, wow,
that was pretty It's also awful to sometimes have to
defend them every day because you're defending the greatest forwards
out there. There's no easy day work, that's for sure,
but it is so cool. I think they make all
of us better and I think that's where you see
our defense coming.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
In really hot now because we have to be good.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
We have to be on every day, especially training against them,
And it's also making our attack so much better just
because of.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
How dynamic they have to be.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
When one of them gets shut down, then there's five
others they're about to come up and score, don't goal
in a different way. So I think that's the fun part.
Of seeing when one's taken away and when they try
to shut down one avenue, how are we going to
figure it out?
Speaker 3 (12:41):
And we've done it in some cool ways this year
so far.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
We got to take a quick break when we come
back more with Izzy Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Sit tight.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
You know, last year there was such an incredible storyline
in the making of the current get to the title
game and they're playing it in their home stadium and
you came up just short, and I know that had
to be heartbreaking. How has the attitude been going into
this season? Is that a rallying cry? Is it more
of a like don't talk about it, forget it happened
New year? Or is it more of a like sit
(13:21):
in the sadness and like use it.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I think it's a little bit of both.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
We definitely wanted to make sure we knew that feeling
and that hunger we had last year of we could
have had that Cinderella story whatever you want to call it,
but then we had to focus on this year every game.
That's kind of how we go into it. When one
game ends, we wrap it up, we learn from it,
and then we move on. We don't spend too much
time in it. So I think that's exactly how we
(13:45):
had to start the season. We can remember that and
start off pre season with that hunger, but now we
just got to focus on everything in front of us,
one game at a time, and not look too far
ahead or too far behind.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Who on your team sort of leads the way when
it comes to that kind of thinking, or you know,
the leadership side of mentality and approach.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Who's sort of the loudest voices in the room for that.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I think our staff does a really good job in general,
but then so does the locker room. Lo Lavanta great captain.
She's been here all the time with me as well,
and it's been awesome to learn from her. But I
think everyone gets in the film room after a game
and we go through it, we learn, but then it's
always let's focus on the next one. Now, let's go
out into the field, forget everything just happened, and let's
(14:29):
compete again. No matter if it was a win or loss.
You can feel great after a win, and there's still
a lot of things you have to fix, and you
can feel a little bit sad about a loss, but
then there's some really good things you have to take
away as well. So just making sure we're getting all
those from every game and moving on. But I think
she's a big voice because she has a lot of
experience not only in the city, but in this league
(14:49):
and hopefully now on the international level that's coming up. Yes,
but I think she's a huge voice in having that
and someone like Alana Cook too on the back line
for us. I think she asked a lot good questions
and brings a lot of that competitive spirit.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I interviewed Alana at a live kind of brunch show
at the NWSL Championships. I was so bummed about her
injury because what a fantastic person, what a fantastic player,
So sending her all.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
The healing wishes for a fast recover. You mentioned Lo Labonta.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
What a cool story getting the call up to the
national team, one of the oldest players to get that
first time not and she's kind of joking about having
to ask nineteen year old's protocol for where do we
get our clothes and how do we do extra y
And she's like, oh my god, why am I asking
these children who have been here before and I haven't.
But what a cool opportunity and for other folks to
(15:39):
see and I think we've had a lot of conversations
on this show about the standard changing in women's professional
soccer where you can have a fulfilling career and achieve
a lot without it having to be with the national team.
The NWSL is a league where you can have a
tremendous career and never go to the national team and
still feel like you've made your mark.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But obviously that national team is still such a poll
for so many people.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
For you personally or just a couple of years in,
is that something that you always have your eye on,
is the shifting pieces over there where there might be
an opening and how you can position yourself to try
to catch the eye of Emma Hayes or whoever else
might be watching.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Yeah, I think Low hit it right on the head
when she talked about as a kid, you grow up
and that's something you always dream of and it's always
a goal for I feel like any woman's soccer player,
you want to be out on that field, you want
to compete with the best. Like you said, the league
is also incredible and you can go through the entire
career with all these accomplishments, But one hundred percent, I
think it's something that I want to strive to be
(16:35):
and every year I feel like I'm getting a little
bit better and the team around me is making me
so much better and helping me learn. And I hope
I can put a best foot forward to get that
opportunity and compete with the best. But I think it's
a fine line of trying to focus on team and
here and being involved here, and then supporting each other
when those.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Opportunities do come.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
I think when Michelle and Claire got those opportunities, they've
ran with it and it's so incredible And I love
to see how much our team supports and uplish them
a ton. And I'm so excited to watch Low too
get that opportunity because she's been more than deserving of it,
especially over these last couple of years I've been able
to watch her play and be along with her while
she plays.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I'm really excited for.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yeah, Michelle Cooper and Claire Hutton the other two called
up along with Low Labonta, you know vlack go and
Danofski being your coach I would imagine could be helpful
with that. First of all, he's known as being a
player's coach. He's known as being someone that players love
to work with, but you can ask him directly, Hey, like,
if you were still in charge over there, what am
I doing that's catching your eye in a positive Wayne?
(17:36):
What am I doing that maybe would hold you back
from calling me up? Do you have those conversations with him?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
For sure?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
I think he's pushed me a ton to be a
better player, both on and off the field. I think
I asked more question to myself. I pushed myself to
do things I wouldn't nessarly be doing. I've taken more risks.
I think he's really challenged me to go one be
one more and I think I've seen that improvement in
my game. But it's really nice to have that because
he's been at that level, like you said, and he
(18:01):
has those experiences and having that opinion and that way
of just like he knows I can do it, and
just pushing me to get there, I think is super important.
And he definitely loves being able to develop players, and
I think you see that on this team. This team
is really developing individually but all together as well.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yeah, it's fun to watch it really is.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
It's also fun the celebrity fans that y'all have the
owners and the fans. Is there anybody that's popped up
at the stadium that you've like, or maybe a practice
even that you're like kind of freaking out about.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I actually, Jason Sadaikas was just had our game recently
and I had just finished rewatching ted Lasso, and it
was so cool. I got to shake his hand at
the end of the game, and I was so excited
for it. Little fangirl moment, but it was so cool.
I think having those opportunities and they're so happy to
be there, which is incredible. You're like us, really you're excited,
(18:50):
So that's super cool. I think we had Anthony Hill too,
from Gray's Anatomy. If you're a Grays Anatomy fan, that
was super fun. He comes to a lot of games.
But I think in general, we just have whether they're
celebrities or just the everyday fan, everyone's so happy to
be there. So it's a nice, definitely environment to be
a part of, and everyone really embraces the culture in
Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, we just got to get Tata. We got to
get Tata and Travis. Yes, And I mean it's everyone
with the team already knows it. I know you know
the owners, Angie Angie and Chris Long. I talked to Chris,
I did an interview with him at that same live
show at the NWSL, and I was like, what's happening.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
He's like, we're trying. Okay, everybody knows we're trying. So
maybe this is the year.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
I mentioned your dog Daisy earlier and Kayla Sharples did
give me one more piece of intel. She said that
you have AI created images of Daisy hung up in
your bathroom with the towel wrapped around her head or
in a tub with rubber ducks.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I need to know more about this.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
So I haven't used chat GPT since about a week ago.
When I decided to try this out. I saw I
turned on TikTok of people creating these images of their dogs,
and I don't know what if it was me also
baby not wanting to use chat GPT and give away information,
who knows. But I was like, let's jump on the bandwagon.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Yeah, no, I'm the same. I've never used it.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Yes, So I jumped on the bandwagon and had it
create these images of Daisy and a bath in on
the toilet of the newspaper and they are the funniest
things I think I've ever seen. My Grandma still thinks
they're real pictures of her, even though I explain.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
That they're not. But it's great. She loves it. She
texts me all the time.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
And now I printed them out and hung them up
in the bathroom, so they're they're funny.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
I highly recommend doing it if you have a pet.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
They're amazing, so funny, and every time I go to
the bathroom now I'm just smiling.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I actually have three dogs, and I have to tell
you that you talking about that is the first time
I've ever actually had a real pull to use chatjept.
I'm like, anti ai anti, like the environmental cost of
training it, and don't use this and don't try to.
I'm like, but I do want to see my dog
taking it dump reading a newspaper.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
So it's so funny.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I always trained a beer poster of her, and I
feel like I need to get that one printed as well.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Framed, frame it, frame that shit, at least make it
worth it. Okay, final question for you. We're in the
middle of the international break, so do you have any
big plans? Do you get to actually do things outside
of soccer? Or the folks staying back, just regular practices.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
We usually just have a lot of regular practices.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
But we did get a few days off earlier in
the week and then this weekend and.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
The people here are going to have a little barbecue.
I think, hang out, enjoy the weekend.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
We get some good weather, so yeah, I think, just
some fun stuff outside of soccer and enjoying that. Maybe
try some new restaurants around here, but usually it's kind
of everyday schedule. Maybe just an extra off day here
and there.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
I do love that you all want to hang together
in your free time though. It's part of that connection
you talked about earlier. And also like for us older
folk who would give anything to have our schedule be
practicing with our teammates, hanging out in the locker room
playing games again, like, that's just the best time.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
So I'm glad.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
You're glad you're soaking it up and hopefully bringing Daisy
with you everywhere.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
For sure, she's kind of terrified of people, so I
have to pick and choose.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
But we'll work on that. Yes, we'll work on that.
Thank you so much for the time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Thank you so much for having me it is great.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Thanks again to Izzy for taking the time. We got
to take another break when we come back. Breaking News.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Joining us here again on the show.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
She's a former chef turned bar opener and game changer,
founder of the sports Bra and Portland, Oregon. She's inspired
a handful of women's sports bars across the country to
pop up and is in the process of opening sports
Bra franchises in other cities, which is why she's back
with us again.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Today.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
It's Jenny Wynn with a big sports Bra announcement.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Jenny, nice to see you again.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Hey Sarah, that's great to be here. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
All right.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I'm so excited to get to be the first to
ask you the important question.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
What is the big breaking news.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
Big huge breaking news, Sarah. And you're the first person
that I've talked to about this, is that we have
got our next franchise cities and we're about to announce him.
We're so excited.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
And so I see Chicago on then Chicago, and then
another in Chicago, and then a fourth in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Am I right?
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Oh my gosh, I wish I wish that for you
and for me. Unfortunately, Chicago is not part of the
what we're calling the starting five Portland being let's sake,
Guard Guard Yep, yep. And then we've got Saint Louis, Indianapolis, Boston,
(23:50):
and Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Wow, Vegas, Baby Vegas, let's go. I need to hear
how you decided on this starting five. Tell me some
of what went into it and how you knew you
would have a great audience and a bunch of fans
that were clamoring for their own sports Bra in those places.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I mean, honestly, Once, once we announced we were franchising,
we got a lot of feedback from folks from all over,
including across the globe, and then when we opened up
the franchising website, we saw a ton of influx. So
we actually have been interviewing and talking to dozens and
dozens and dozens of people from all over the country,
from very small towns to very large metropolitan cities. And
(24:33):
for us, it's really about picking the right people who
are embedded in their communities, who understand authentic brand of
the sports Bra, and who can really drive this vision
and this mission to their communities and create these spaces
and of course uplift women and girls sports.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
So when you came on the first time you actually
mentioned that there was this website that people could had
to if they were interested in franchising, fill out some
forms and so tell us a little bit more about
I am not super familiar with how franchising works in
any capacity, not to mention something like a bar, but
I remember that Alexis Ohanian was investing and there was
this talk about wanting to expand. So when you talk
(25:13):
about interviewing people and finding the right fit, what components
have to show up, whether that's do they already have
to have a space, do they already have to have
a liquor license, or do they just have to be
someone that you want to work with?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And then you start from zero and ramp up from there.
Speaker 5 (25:28):
I mean, I think that every franchise or has a
different approach, and we got a lot of feedback from
other franchisors, consultants, other CEOs, and really we had to
kind of find our own lane because the sports pre
us something super unique and it doesn't really fit in
a category like a typical food and beverage category, or
even like any other kind of merchandising category. So what
(25:50):
we did was we kind of were looking for the
big three and we kind of called it like a
bit of the Unicorn effect, where we're looking for somebody
who totally understands and gets what the BRA about mission value,
aligned like all in on women's sports, and kind of
creating these spaces for communities. That's number one. Number two
is somebody who has food and beverage experience. Usually there
(26:13):
was a couple or a partnership where somebody would bring
one and the other person would bring the other. And
then the third key element is financial stability. So the
finances to do it and some of these finances to
do it require getting loans, require some crowdfunding, require this,
that and the other thing, and for most franchisors, that's
not really the typical method. But because the Sports Bra
(26:36):
was built like that and it really helped to create
a community around each city, people wanted to be more
and more a part of what we were building here,
and so we felt that was a really good way
to really attract and create this bond with a space
so it doesn't just feel like a bar restaurant, which
I don't think it would anyway. But so we were
(26:56):
looking kind of for the big three.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I love that is there going to be like a
sports Bra handbook slash franchise guide book, wherein it's like,
you know, absolutely no wave inside the premises, or you
know you must do ex or y during Pride month,
or you know certain athletes are you know, held up
as gods and if they come in, they obviously drink
(27:19):
an eat for free.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Like what are they?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I want to help put together this guide book because
I feel like it would just be rules for living.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
There for sure, is what we're calling a playbook. It
is over two hundred and fifty pages long. It's ridiculous.
A lot of it is kind of food and beverage focused.
A lot of it has to do with how you
treat your employees, how you treat your team. Some of
it is proprietary stuff about the sports Bra in general,
Like a lot of our recipes will be proprietary, so
our menu will be repeated in most capacities across the country.
(27:51):
We'll leave a little wiggle room for folks to have
like a chef or owner flair in there, or regional
flare to really connect. So there's proprietary information in there.
There's stuff about decor and who they can order from.
You know, here we try to promote and support women
owned small businesses. So there are you know, sections around
(28:16):
like the vendors that and the partnerships that we love
to have. There's also sections around like sponsorship's fundraising, because
there's a lot of things that we do inside the
sports brad that is like kind of sports adjacent.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Right well, and I imagine there might be a page
that's called like deal breakers and it's like, we do
not work with these companies, these people, We do not
take this money because that's you know, so much of
the women's sports space and what makes it special is
a willingness and a desire to protect against joining other
people and working with the wrong folks or you know,
(28:50):
promoting or investing or helping people who we think are
doing it wrong. So it feels like there would be
a little bit of a nudge, like you said, to
make sure to partner with the right people, use the
right sponsors, all that stuff.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Yeah. Absolutely, I feel like there's less about like deal
breakers and more like open ended so that we can
have conversations. And that's why this kind of interviewing process
and speaking to so many people is really important because
we get to kind of take a deep dive into
who they are, you know that we meet them and
talk to them in person and just spend a lot
of time with them honestly through zoom calls and visits
(29:24):
before we take the final handshake.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
So this is obviously the big announcement because it's on
good game with Sarah Spain and there is nothing bigger
than that.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Obviously, I imagine you might have some other things planned.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
So what else do you have planned for letting folks
know that their cities were selected and the sports Bras
coming to them.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Well, thanks to your help, Sarah, we were able to
connect with some really amazing, like legendary, iconic athletes to
help announce some of the locations that we're opening up
for the sports Bra. And it has just been such
a joy to have the community, fans, athletes, and everyone
else support the sports Bra as much as they have
(30:03):
in just the last three years. And we're really looking
forward to this next step.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
So we know that Indye, Boston and Vegas have at
least one professional women's team, if not more. Give us
some insight into Saint Louis doesn't have its own WNBA
NWSL PWHL team. How did Saint Louis end up getting
a sports bra.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
I think that's a fantastic question. So we got a
lot of feedback from all types of cities and small towns,
and the way we see it is that there is
a community for the sports bra literally everywhere. So it
was a lot about looking at the demographics, talking to
the folks and seeing what kind of connections they had
with the community and what the community was speaking to them.
(30:48):
They are lifelongers in Saint Louis, or at least twenty
years plus, and they mentioned a deep passion for sports,
both men's and women's sports, and there are a couple
teams there that have massive followings. And there's also the
kind of feelings that women's professional sports are expanding to
(31:09):
other markets at a pretty get a faster clip than
it ever has and Saint Louis is right there in
the thick of possibly getting some teams and so being
on kind of the forefront of that is also just
as important as feeding into these like bigger cities that
already have established fandom.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
That's really true.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
And you know, as a Chicaguan we have a bit
of a rivalry with Saint Louis, not as cities, of course,
because that's not a competition. But of course you know, Cubs, Cardinals,
et cetera. And so it is in my bones deeply
to hate Saint Louis. And I know when you first
told me Saint Louis, I was like, they don't have
any teams, how are they in the mix here? This
doesn't make any sense, But I love your explanation, and
(31:49):
I do think there are cities where there is nowhere
to gather because there aren't teams. There isn't that existing
space for the folks who are like us who love
women's sports to get together. And so to create that
for people in a place that doesn't have teams is
somehow even more meaningful and more necessary than a place
(32:09):
that has a couple of different professional teams, where going
to that stadium or watching them at a bar, you know,
in away games is already you know, built into the community.
So you really get to be the first step in
making a city somewhere that feels like it's ready for
those pro women's teams. So I'll give it to you
on that one, and I'll try to be nice to
the presumably good people of Saint Louis, and maybe I'll
(32:31):
even go visit because it's close by while I'm waiting
for Chicago.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
That's it. That's it. You heard it here first. Sarah's
given a shout out to Saint Louis.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
I will step foot in Saint Louis. When are you
expecting these to be open?
Speaker 1 (32:44):
When can folks actually go through the doors of the
first sports bra franchises.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
That's a great question. So we right now we're looking
at hopefully having all four of them open by the
end of next year, and they could be anywhere on
the spectrum. I know that a couple of them have
sites that they are looking at already. I know a
couple of them are open to any spot. And so
some of them could be starting from the ground up,
and some of them could be second generation locations. They
(33:11):
may have connections with like already existing bars and restaurants
that are looking to kind of convert into something else.
So the speed of it is really dependent on their
connections the city. Also, because permitting building, I think there's
a lot of uncertainty around some construction and permitting right now,
So what used to take six to nine months can
(33:34):
take anywhere from nine to twelve months depending on and
that's from a ground up, so what we're hoping, what
we're looking for is to have these locations all up
and running by the end of next year. But really
what we're talking about when we're making this announcement is
that we've found folks in these cities. We haven't found
their locations, not necessarily yet. Some of them are further
(33:54):
along than others.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
And in the meantime, while we're waiting for that, anything
you want to shout out, that's how happening at the
og Sports Bra, anything coming up, anything people who are
going to be in the Portland area might want to
schedule around.
Speaker 5 (34:07):
Absolutely, I mean right now, it's like softballs Mania up
in here, right, So that's huge, And you know, shout
out to National Pride Month. In Portland, we celebrate Pride
in July, so we get kind of two full on
months of hardcore partying for Pride and we have our
fourth annual Pride Block party again this July on Sunday,
(34:27):
July twentieth, and it's going to be bigger and better
than ever. So we haven't made that announcement yet, so
there's a.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Double way for yet. So that's out.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
There and more information will be coming.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Soon, all right, So July and Portland. That sounds nice.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
It's gonna be hot. It's gonna be hot. It's been
it's been warm already.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Yeah, I'll take it. It's been cold in Chicago. It
doesn't feel like spring yet. So if I have to
get my ass out to Portland and party for pride
and get some sun, I'm in.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
All June, all July.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Sarah, that's right. I love two months of it.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
I mean, honestly, if you're a good game with Sarah Spain,
we celebrate pride year round. We don't like to be
limited to just one month, but we are willing to
focus our partying efforts and apply our party PhD to
a specific month set of months if necessary.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
Well, thanks for giving us your announcement.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
We are so excited and I'm really, actually genuinely interested
to see how folks take the original OG concept, sprinkle
a little of the local flair, carry on your culinary mastery,
and then introduce some local stuff on that end to
And really, I think it'd be really fun to learn
about the history of women's sports in some different cities
by virtue of the people who kind of take the
(35:38):
reins from you and build something where they are, including
places like Saint Louis where maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
There's a lot more to it than we're aware of.
You just never know.
Speaker 5 (35:47):
Absolutely, I'm super excited as well. All right, thanks Jenny,
Thanks Sarah.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Thanks again to Jenny for breaking that news with us.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
We can't wait to do a good game with Sarah
Spain nationwide too. Were at all sports Bra locations, Tell
us where, tell us when we're in. We love that
you're listening, but we want you to get in the
game every day too, So here's our good game play
of the day. It's real easy go check out the
posts from the sportspra about their new franchise locations. You
could check out the cool athletes that they wrangle to
(36:18):
help them make the announcements and get more info on the.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Big breaking news.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
You can follow them at the sports Bra PDX on Instagram.
We always love to hear from you, so hit us
up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or
leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two o
four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and
review slices.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
It's so easy.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Watch the social media trend that has young people answering
the question what year do you need to be born
in to be considered old?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Rating negative fifty.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Million out of five stars because y'all simply cannot be
serious with these answers.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Have you guys seen this review?
Speaker 1 (36:59):
If I didn't feel old before, you little figures are
giving me a complex now. Because my introduction to this
triggering trend came via the NWSL Chicago Stars. Some members
of the team kept things reasonable, saying nineteen thirties, nineteen fifties,
but y'all, there were way too many players who gave
answers after the year nineteen eighty five. We'll link to
(37:21):
the Chicago video in the show notes so you can
I guess, laugh, or if you're like me, feel at TechEd.
Now it's your turn rate and review. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Izzy, Good Game. The sports
bra you anyone who thinks eighties babies are old. Good
(37:43):
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You could
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our
producers are alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers
are CHRISTINAE, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter. Our
(38:03):
editors are Emily Rutterer, Brittany Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer.
Our associate producer is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host
Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're a
dancing queen at the Pink Pony Club and it's rain
and men, baby, raise your glass because you were born.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
This way and you're beautiful.
Speaker 1 (00:10):
If you're someone who's stressing, you need to calm down
and when you do, everyone.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Will be closer to fine. That's right.
Speaker 1 (00:17):
We're still celebrating pride every day, every week, every month
of the year.
Speaker 2 (00:22):
It's Wednesday, June fourth.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
Than on today's show, we're skipping the need to Know
and heading right into our chat with the Kansas City
currents Izzy Rodriguez from before the international break. We talk
about the transition from college ball to the NWSL, the
secret to the current success, training against Temushawinga, and turning
her dog Daisy into art. And stay tuned after the
interview for some very special breaking news courtesy of the Sports.
Speaker 2 (00:45):
Bras Jenny Wynn. That's all coming up right after this
joining us now.
Speaker 1 (00:58):
She's a left back for the Kansas City the Current
of the NWSL. A former Ohio State Buckeye and Big
Ten defender of the Year in twenty twenty, she was
awarded the Big Ten Medal of Honor in twenty twenty two,
becoming only the second Ohio State women's soccer player to
earn the award. She's been with the current since being
drafted in twenty twenty two, and she's got a cutie
Patuti pooch named Daisy.
Speaker 2 (01:16):
It's Izzy Rodriguez.
Speaker 3 (01:17):
Hi, IZI, Hi, how are you doing? Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (01:20):
I'm good, Thanks for coming on.
Speaker 1 (01:22):
I have to start out by telling you that one
of my very best friends played soccer at Ohio State,
So shout out to my girl Kylie. Do you guys
still say how firm thy friendship? Is that what you
Buckeye say to each other?
Speaker 2 (01:33):
Still?
Speaker 3 (01:34):
For sure?
Speaker 4 (01:34):
We have our Carmen Ohio at the end of all
of our games that we would sway to and that's
in there.
Speaker 2 (01:39):
All right perfect.
Speaker 1 (01:40):
I actually went to a game a couple of years
ago with her, but time is a flat circle, and
I have no idea whether it was when you were there,
based on the fact that I can't remember what year
it was, but maybe you were playing in it and
Ohio State was a blast.
Speaker 2 (01:53):
She actually took me back and we went to a
game there.
Speaker 1 (01:55):
We went to a football game, and I guess the
equipment manager there is still the same as when she played.
So we took us into the football locker room and
we did like jello shots in the locker room before
the buck Eyes football game.
Speaker 3 (02:05):
Wow, that sounds incredible.
Speaker 1 (02:07):
Yeah, shout out the equipment guy. And also he must
have been there for a long ast time because we're
getting pretty old.
Speaker 2 (02:12):
Yes, is he?
Speaker 1 (02:14):
I asked your teammate, Kayla Sharples, who is a friend
of mine and a friend of the show, about your
Ohio State roots, and she said that sometimes teammates give
you a hard time about the buck Eyes.
Speaker 2 (02:23):
So who's your biggest rival in the locker room who's
normally given you the most shit?
Speaker 4 (02:27):
I have to say it has to be sometimes the
Penn State girls, but we also give it back to them.
They like to shout there we are all the time,
so I think we give it back and forth a bit.
But especially in football season and soccer season is around,
I think we're always giving to each other some crap.
We've all played against each other, which is great, especially Kayla.
I remember playing against her and always having to remember
(02:49):
to mark her on corners. So it's cool having that again.
And I'm still being able to have those little rivalries.
Speaker 1 (02:56):
Do you have other buck eyes that support you in
the locker room? Are you on an island there rooting
for your ohiostate.
Speaker 3 (03:01):
I got Michelle Prince.
Speaker 4 (03:03):
We missed each other by a year, but all of
like the official visits were kind of around her time,
so I got to get to know her pretty well,
and so we have each other's backs. Lucky to say that,
because if not, it would be a lone island.
Speaker 3 (03:16):
Uh.
Speaker 2 (03:16):
Cayla also said you're a lefty, so naturally you're weird.
Speaker 1 (03:20):
She was joking, of course, but now I want to
know the weirdest thing about you.
Speaker 3 (03:23):
Oh gosh, weird.
Speaker 4 (03:26):
You know, I'm a little bit of a type a
person and I like things very neat in a certain way,
and maybe that's a little bit weird of me, probably
a little.
Speaker 3 (03:34):
Bit opposite of Kaylea.
Speaker 4 (03:35):
But I think that kind of is why we do
so well in the field together. I will say, I
think she's becoming more of a lefty, So I'm gonna
give her some crap about that, just because of how
much she's using that left foot in game. So that'll
be fun to kind of talk to her about that.
Speaker 1 (03:49):
Okay, so are we talking like you have to fold
your socks kind of type A.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
No, I will say I do fold them a certain way,
and I like when I take them off to make
sure they're not inside out. So maybe a little bit,
but everything's usually super clean and orderly. I like things
written in a certain way as well, when I'm doing
journaling or my daily stuff. So yeah, a little bit
of a freak. I liked accounting in college, so that
(04:14):
probably makes sense as well.
Speaker 2 (04:16):
Yep. We love talking to players about their journaling.
Speaker 1 (04:19):
I remember we talked to Tieranna Davidson about like does
she have specific pens or a specific kind of like
journal do you? Does it come down to that, do
you have specific pens for your journal?
Speaker 4 (04:29):
I just converted recently to my iPad. I think I
really like writing with the pen on there. It's fun
and it's so much easier to erase when you mess
something up, which is great for my type A personality.
Speaker 3 (04:42):
But yeah, I've switched to that the iPad. I really
like it on there.
Speaker 4 (04:45):
Everything's in one spot, really easy to go back and
find everything. But before that, I think my journals got
kind of messy, which is why I switched, because I
would make mistakes all the time and crossing off and everything.
Speaker 1 (04:57):
I I'm going to admit some embarrassing, but I am
just like you. And in college I actually not only
color coded my notes, but if I made too big
of a mistake and had to cross too much out,
I would start over and rewrite the notes so that
there weren't any errors on the page even though no
one was seeing them.
Speaker 3 (05:12):
But me, I feel you completely.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
We have a sickness. It's a couple. You couldn't use
that iPad back.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
So when you were at Ohio State, you were a captain,
you were a superstar. How was the transition for you
from college to the pros?
Speaker 3 (05:28):
I think it it's obviously really hard.
Speaker 4 (05:31):
I think on the field and off the field, you're
learning so much and everything's so different. You also have
instead of four year age gaps, you have up to
ten fifteen year age gaps nowadays almost twenty. So I
think kind of getting to know people is a little
bit harder, just because you're at such different phases of life.
But on the field everything was so much faster. I
think you had to pick up the game really really fast.
(05:53):
But my first year in Kansas City, I think I
had a really great group of people that not only
helped me grow as a person off field, but also
as a player and were more.
Speaker 3 (06:01):
Than willing to teach me and help me along the way.
Speaker 4 (06:05):
And I think that's what made it so appealing to
stay here in Kansas City, is just having that group.
But the change it was definitely hard, but I think
again the people who were here really made it easy.
I think having a little bit of youth national team
experience also helped, because you you grew up being in
those professional environments and sometimes the speed of play being faster,
so I think that helped a bit.
Speaker 3 (06:24):
And then being a.
Speaker 4 (06:25):
Leader also at Ohio State. I continued to try to
use that voice as I went on. I know, you're
you're still going almost starting from freshman again when you
join the league and you're the rookie, but having that
voice ahead of time, I think made the jump a
little bit quicker.
Speaker 2 (06:38):
Totally.
Speaker 1 (06:39):
Did you have your dog Daisy, who I can hear
panting in the background. Did you have her when you
started with the current?
Speaker 4 (06:46):
She was just I was laughing because I gave her
that peanut butter to keep her occupied.
Speaker 3 (06:50):
She was just chugging water after that, So that was
all the noise.
Speaker 2 (06:54):
Yes, it's the only downfall of the peanut butter trick.
Is it makes you real thirsty eat? Yes?
Speaker 4 (06:59):
She I Actually we got her at the end of
my rookie year, so I figured I should wait and
kind of get my feet under me. Got her towards
the end. It was also hard. I think every person
on my team my rookie year had a dog, so
it almost felt like I was the auto one out
and once I go went it was so much more fun.
Speaker 3 (07:15):
She is great.
Speaker 4 (07:15):
I love having around and I think now our team
also has dogs. We had probably have like twenty five
dogs within our entire team, so it's really fun to
all have that together. We get to go do activities
with them together. It's like a big old family.
Speaker 3 (07:27):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (07:27):
Do they have sleepovers when you guys are away on
the road. Is there just like one person who watches
all twenty five in a big room.
Speaker 3 (07:33):
I'm lucky I do have one of my team. It's Bailey.
Speaker 4 (07:36):
Her boyfriend will watch Daisy from you sometimes. Her dogs
Daisy are like best friends. We also have a partnership
with a daycare and like Kennell here, so a lot
of girls will.
Speaker 3 (07:45):
Use that when we're away but amazing. It's great that
they set it up for us.
Speaker 1 (07:48):
Yeah yeah, I mean that sounds like exactly what Kansas
City would do.
Speaker 2 (07:53):
They're always thinking of everything.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
They're kind of known for setting the bar when it
comes to facilities and resources and the amazing stadium.
Speaker 2 (08:00):
What's the coolest perk or maybe like most.
Speaker 1 (08:02):
Exciting amenity at the stadium or the facilities.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
Oh gosh, the stadium in general is just incredible.
Speaker 3 (08:09):
It's funny.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
I was just walking around there, like not for a game,
and I was like, I would love to experience this
as a fan and walk around and see all the
cool food that's here. Obviously we don't really get too
much of an opportunity to do that, but I think
just the setup of it all, like it feels like
such an intimate place to go, but then you have
eleven five hundred people scream in their ear off the
entire game, and just having that resource and that extra
(08:33):
person on the field during games makes the environment so fun.
I would have to say, though, gosh, that's so hard.
The locker rooms at both places are just amazing. They're
so nice, they're brand new. They're a lot of teal too,
so that's super cool, But I just love the environment.
I think it makes it so easy going from having
our own training facility and everything's there for us, everything's
(08:56):
set up to then there's no change where we're going
to our game place. Now our stadium is all ours,
everything said up for us. We're not having to worry
about moving our stuff out or anything like that. So
just the convenience of it being our own, I think
is a really cool part of those resources.
Speaker 2 (09:10):
That is huge.
Speaker 1 (09:11):
I remember when I was in the ownership side of
the Chicago Red Stars now Neutral Stars. They would get
kicked out for like a music fest or other teams,
and it was kind of it was a lot for
the players to feel like they could never really set
up shop. You know, one of my former players from
the Red Stars is with you now and she's part
of the crew that has the coffee the coffee brand
(09:33):
out there. Do you all does do they serve that
at the stadium. I was in the press area for
the stadium for the NWSL Championship, so I didn't get
to wander around as much. Have they managed to get
that in the actual stadium for fans, yet they did?
Speaker 4 (09:45):
They just I think this was a couple of weeks
ago now just to announce their official partnership. So they
serve that every gamely inside the stadium, and I know
they're working on more too behind the scenes. But that's
such a cool thing to see that we have something
outside of soccer that we can look forward to. I
think they're bringing an awesome light to just something outside
of soccer and bringing the soccer community together. I remember
(10:07):
their first time having the line was so long. Me
and my parents went to go stop by and we
were like, I think we gotta let all these people
stay in line because we're not going to take up
the space.
Speaker 2 (10:17):
But you've got an in, you've got the plug, you
don't need to wait.
Speaker 4 (10:20):
Yes, it's incredible. I think that's awesome for them. I'm
so glad it's going so well.
Speaker 1 (10:25):
For those who don't remember from a previous show, I
think we talked about this with Kaylea. Pitchside Coffee is
this coffee brand founded by a handful of players, including
Vanessa di Bernardo who was on the Red Stars when
I was there. And yeah, they like operate out of
a trailer during games now, and I guess that's so
cool that they actually have an official partnership.
Speaker 2 (10:42):
That's great.
Speaker 1 (10:43):
Not only great facilities, not only great stadium, but a
great team. This is a team that is consistently contending,
sitting atop the NWSL standings here at the international break.
What's the secret, Sauce. It's not barbecue, sauce. I know
the city's known for that, But what's the current secret, Sauce.
Speaker 4 (10:58):
Gosh, I think we's got a lot of good connection
going on right now. We've been with each other, this group,
most of us for over a year now, and those
little glimpses you're seeing last year of us putting things together,
I think it's happened on both sides of the ball.
Speaker 1 (11:12):
Now.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
We're still having a lot of different people score, but.
Speaker 4 (11:16):
You can see we're having fun on the field still,
but we're really also focusing on that defensive side, and
we've been doing that since the beginning of the year,
of really locking down and not wanting to give up
goals because we can score them and it's super fun.
But when you keep a clean sheet, that's when I
think you really feel it in the heart, and our
group really feels that from top to front. So I
think it's just the connections on the field I think
(11:36):
you can see that between players, between groups of players,
and the way we celebrate each other.
Speaker 3 (11:41):
It makes it really fun to play all together.
Speaker 2 (11:44):
Yeah, you mentioned the goals.
Speaker 1 (11:45):
You've got some big time scorers on this squad, including
last year's Golden Boot and tem Mushawinga.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
How has that helped your game?
Speaker 1 (11:52):
Getting to train against them every day and understanding like
the tip top cream of the crop in this league.
Speaker 4 (11:59):
Oh gosh, it isn't credible to train against them every
day and even just watch them sometimes you're like, wow,
that was pretty It's also awful to sometimes have to
defend them every day because you're defending the greatest forwards
out there. There's no easy day work, that's for sure,
but it is so cool. I think they make all
of us better and I think that's where you see
our defense coming.
Speaker 3 (12:18):
In really hot now because we have to be good.
Speaker 4 (12:21):
We have to be on every day, especially training against them,
And it's also making our attack so much better just
because of.
Speaker 3 (12:26):
How dynamic they have to be.
Speaker 4 (12:29):
When one of them gets shut down, then there's five
others they're about to come up and score, don't goal
in a different way. So I think that's the fun part.
Of seeing when one's taken away and when they try
to shut down one avenue, how are we going to
figure it out?
Speaker 3 (12:41):
And we've done it in some cool ways this year
so far.
Speaker 1 (12:45):
We got to take a quick break when we come
back more with Izzy Rodriguez.
Speaker 2 (12:48):
Sit tight.
Speaker 1 (12:59):
You know, last year there was such an incredible storyline
in the making of the current get to the title
game and they're playing it in their home stadium and
you came up just short, and I know that had
to be heartbreaking. How has the attitude been going into
this season? Is that a rallying cry? Is it more
of a like don't talk about it, forget it happened
New year? Or is it more of a like sit
(13:21):
in the sadness and like use it.
Speaker 3 (13:23):
I think it's a little bit of both.
Speaker 4 (13:24):
We definitely wanted to make sure we knew that feeling
and that hunger we had last year of we could
have had that Cinderella story whatever you want to call it,
but then we had to focus on this year every game.
That's kind of how we go into it. When one
game ends, we wrap it up, we learn from it,
and then we move on. We don't spend too much
time in it. So I think that's exactly how we
(13:45):
had to start the season. We can remember that and
start off pre season with that hunger, but now we
just got to focus on everything in front of us,
one game at a time, and not look too far
ahead or too far behind.
Speaker 1 (13:56):
Who on your team sort of leads the way when
it comes to that kind of thinking, or you know,
the leadership side of mentality and approach.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Who's sort of the loudest voices in the room for that.
Speaker 4 (14:08):
I think our staff does a really good job in general,
but then so does the locker room. Lo Lavanta great captain.
She's been here all the time with me as well,
and it's been awesome to learn from her. But I
think everyone gets in the film room after a game
and we go through it, we learn, but then it's
always let's focus on the next one. Now, let's go
out into the field, forget everything just happened, and let's
(14:29):
compete again. No matter if it was a win or loss.
You can feel great after a win, and there's still
a lot of things you have to fix, and you
can feel a little bit sad about a loss, but
then there's some really good things you have to take
away as well. So just making sure we're getting all
those from every game and moving on. But I think
she's a big voice because she has a lot of
experience not only in the city, but in this league
(14:49):
and hopefully now on the international level that's coming up. Yes,
but I think she's a huge voice in having that
and someone like Alana Cook too on the back line
for us. I think she asked a lot good questions
and brings a lot of that competitive spirit.
Speaker 3 (15:04):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (15:04):
I interviewed Alana at a live kind of brunch show
at the NWSL Championships. I was so bummed about her
injury because what a fantastic person, what a fantastic player,
So sending her all.
Speaker 2 (15:15):
The healing wishes for a fast recover. You mentioned Lo Labonta.
Speaker 1 (15:19):
What a cool story getting the call up to the
national team, one of the oldest players to get that
first time not and she's kind of joking about having
to ask nineteen year old's protocol for where do we
get our clothes and how do we do extra y
And she's like, oh my god, why am I asking
these children who have been here before and I haven't.
But what a cool opportunity and for other folks to
(15:39):
see and I think we've had a lot of conversations
on this show about the standard changing in women's professional
soccer where you can have a fulfilling career and achieve
a lot without it having to be with the national team.
The NWSL is a league where you can have a
tremendous career and never go to the national team and
still feel like you've made your mark.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
But obviously that national team is still such a poll
for so many people.
Speaker 1 (16:00):
For you personally or just a couple of years in,
is that something that you always have your eye on,
is the shifting pieces over there where there might be
an opening and how you can position yourself to try
to catch the eye of Emma Hayes or whoever else
might be watching.
Speaker 4 (16:13):
Yeah, I think Low hit it right on the head
when she talked about as a kid, you grow up
and that's something you always dream of and it's always
a goal for I feel like any woman's soccer player,
you want to be out on that field, you want
to compete with the best. Like you said, the league
is also incredible and you can go through the entire
career with all these accomplishments, But one hundred percent, I
think it's something that I want to strive to be
(16:35):
and every year I feel like I'm getting a little
bit better and the team around me is making me
so much better and helping me learn. And I hope
I can put a best foot forward to get that
opportunity and compete with the best. But I think it's
a fine line of trying to focus on team and
here and being involved here, and then supporting each other
when those.
Speaker 3 (16:53):
Opportunities do come.
Speaker 4 (16:54):
I think when Michelle and Claire got those opportunities, they've
ran with it and it's so incredible And I love
to see how much our team supports and uplish them
a ton. And I'm so excited to watch Low too
get that opportunity because she's been more than deserving of it,
especially over these last couple of years I've been able
to watch her play and be along with her while
she plays.
Speaker 3 (17:13):
I'm really excited for.
Speaker 1 (17:15):
Yeah, Michelle Cooper and Claire Hutton the other two called
up along with Low Labonta, you know vlack go and
Danofski being your coach I would imagine could be helpful
with that. First of all, he's known as being a
player's coach. He's known as being someone that players love
to work with, but you can ask him directly, Hey, like,
if you were still in charge over there, what am
I doing that's catching your eye in a positive Wayne?
(17:36):
What am I doing that maybe would hold you back
from calling me up? Do you have those conversations with him?
Speaker 3 (17:40):
For sure?
Speaker 4 (17:41):
I think he's pushed me a ton to be a
better player, both on and off the field. I think
I asked more question to myself. I pushed myself to
do things I wouldn't nessarly be doing. I've taken more risks.
I think he's really challenged me to go one be
one more and I think I've seen that improvement in
my game. But it's really nice to have that because
he's been at that level, like you said, and he
(18:01):
has those experiences and having that opinion and that way
of just like he knows I can do it, and
just pushing me to get there, I think is super important.
And he definitely loves being able to develop players, and
I think you see that on this team. This team
is really developing individually but all together as well.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
Yeah, it's fun to watch it really is.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
It's also fun the celebrity fans that y'all have the
owners and the fans. Is there anybody that's popped up
at the stadium that you've like, or maybe a practice
even that you're like kind of freaking out about.
Speaker 4 (18:30):
I actually, Jason Sadaikas was just had our game recently
and I had just finished rewatching ted Lasso, and it
was so cool. I got to shake his hand at
the end of the game, and I was so excited
for it. Little fangirl moment, but it was so cool.
I think having those opportunities and they're so happy to
be there, which is incredible. You're like us, really you're excited,
(18:50):
So that's super cool. I think we had Anthony Hill too,
from Gray's Anatomy. If you're a Grays Anatomy fan, that
was super fun. He comes to a lot of games.
But I think in general, we just have whether they're
celebrities or just the everyday fan, everyone's so happy to
be there. So it's a nice, definitely environment to be
a part of, and everyone really embraces the culture in
Kansas City.
Speaker 1 (19:11):
Yeah, we just got to get Tata. We got to
get Tata and Travis. Yes, And I mean it's everyone
with the team already knows it. I know you know
the owners, Angie Angie and Chris Long. I talked to Chris,
I did an interview with him at that same live
show at the NWSL, and I was like, what's happening.
Speaker 2 (19:27):
He's like, we're trying. Okay, everybody knows we're trying. So
maybe this is the year.
Speaker 3 (19:32):
You know.
Speaker 1 (19:32):
I mentioned your dog Daisy earlier and Kayla Sharples did
give me one more piece of intel. She said that
you have AI created images of Daisy hung up in
your bathroom with the towel wrapped around her head or
in a tub with rubber ducks.
Speaker 2 (19:46):
I need to know more about this.
Speaker 4 (19:49):
So I haven't used chat GPT since about a week ago.
When I decided to try this out. I saw I
turned on TikTok of people creating these images of their dogs,
and I don't know what if it was me also
baby not wanting to use chat GPT and give away information,
who knows. But I was like, let's jump on the bandwagon.
Speaker 2 (20:05):
Yeah, no, I'm the same. I've never used it.
Speaker 4 (20:09):
Yes, So I jumped on the bandwagon and had it
create these images of Daisy and a bath in on
the toilet of the newspaper and they are the funniest
things I think I've ever seen. My Grandma still thinks
they're real pictures of her, even though I explain.
Speaker 3 (20:26):
That they're not. But it's great. She loves it. She
texts me all the time.
Speaker 4 (20:29):
And now I printed them out and hung them up
in the bathroom, so they're they're funny.
Speaker 3 (20:34):
I highly recommend doing it if you have a pet.
Speaker 4 (20:36):
They're amazing, so funny, and every time I go to
the bathroom now I'm just smiling.
Speaker 1 (20:41):
I actually have three dogs, and I have to tell
you that you talking about that is the first time
I've ever actually had a real pull to use chatjept.
I'm like, anti ai anti, like the environmental cost of
training it, and don't use this and don't try to.
I'm like, but I do want to see my dog
taking it dump reading a newspaper.
Speaker 3 (20:58):
So it's so funny.
Speaker 4 (21:00):
I always trained a beer poster of her, and I
feel like I need to get that one printed as well.
Speaker 1 (21:05):
Framed, frame it, frame that shit, at least make it
worth it. Okay, final question for you. We're in the
middle of the international break, so do you have any
big plans? Do you get to actually do things outside
of soccer? Or the folks staying back, just regular practices.
Speaker 3 (21:20):
We usually just have a lot of regular practices.
Speaker 4 (21:23):
But we did get a few days off earlier in
the week and then this weekend and.
Speaker 3 (21:27):
The people here are going to have a little barbecue.
I think, hang out, enjoy the weekend.
Speaker 4 (21:31):
We get some good weather, so yeah, I think, just
some fun stuff outside of soccer and enjoying that. Maybe
try some new restaurants around here, but usually it's kind
of everyday schedule. Maybe just an extra off day here
and there.
Speaker 2 (21:43):
Nice.
Speaker 1 (21:44):
I do love that you all want to hang together
in your free time though. It's part of that connection
you talked about earlier. And also like for us older
folk who would give anything to have our schedule be
practicing with our teammates, hanging out in the locker room
playing games again, like, that's just the best time.
Speaker 2 (21:59):
So I'm glad.
Speaker 1 (22:00):
You're glad you're soaking it up and hopefully bringing Daisy
with you everywhere.
Speaker 4 (22:04):
For sure, she's kind of terrified of people, so I
have to pick and choose.
Speaker 2 (22:08):
But we'll work on that. Yes, we'll work on that.
Thank you so much for the time. We appreciate it.
Speaker 3 (22:14):
Thank you so much for having me it is great.
Speaker 1 (22:18):
Thanks again to Izzy for taking the time. We got
to take another break when we come back. Breaking News.
Speaker 2 (22:34):
Joining us here again on the show.
Speaker 1 (22:36):
She's a former chef turned bar opener and game changer,
founder of the sports Bra and Portland, Oregon. She's inspired
a handful of women's sports bars across the country to
pop up and is in the process of opening sports
Bra franchises in other cities, which is why she's back
with us again.
Speaker 2 (22:53):
Today.
Speaker 1 (22:53):
It's Jenny Wynn with a big sports Bra announcement.
Speaker 2 (22:57):
Jenny, nice to see you again.
Speaker 5 (22:59):
Hey Sarah, that's great to be here. Thanks for having me.
Speaker 2 (23:01):
All right.
Speaker 1 (23:02):
I'm so excited to get to be the first to
ask you the important question.
Speaker 2 (23:05):
What is the big breaking news.
Speaker 5 (23:08):
Big huge breaking news, Sarah. And you're the first person
that I've talked to about this, is that we have
got our next franchise cities and we're about to announce him.
We're so excited.
Speaker 1 (23:22):
And so I see Chicago on then Chicago, and then
another in Chicago, and then a fourth in Chicago.
Speaker 2 (23:27):
Am I right?
Speaker 5 (23:29):
Oh my gosh, I wish I wish that for you
and for me. Unfortunately, Chicago is not part of the
what we're calling the starting five Portland being let's sake,
Guard Guard Yep, yep. And then we've got Saint Louis, Indianapolis, Boston,
(23:50):
and Las Vegas.
Speaker 1 (23:53):
Wow, Vegas, Baby Vegas, let's go. I need to hear
how you decided on this starting five. Tell me some
of what went into it and how you knew you
would have a great audience and a bunch of fans
that were clamoring for their own sports Bra in those places.
Speaker 5 (24:09):
I mean, honestly, Once, once we announced we were franchising,
we got a lot of feedback from folks from all over,
including across the globe, and then when we opened up
the franchising website, we saw a ton of influx. So
we actually have been interviewing and talking to dozens and
dozens and dozens of people from all over the country,
from very small towns to very large metropolitan cities. And
(24:33):
for us, it's really about picking the right people who
are embedded in their communities, who understand authentic brand of
the sports Bra, and who can really drive this vision
and this mission to their communities and create these spaces
and of course uplift women and girls sports.
Speaker 1 (24:50):
So when you came on the first time you actually
mentioned that there was this website that people could had
to if they were interested in franchising, fill out some
forms and so tell us a little bit more about
I am not super familiar with how franchising works in
any capacity, not to mention something like a bar, but
I remember that Alexis Ohanian was investing and there was
this talk about wanting to expand. So when you talk
(25:13):
about interviewing people and finding the right fit, what components
have to show up, whether that's do they already have
to have a space, do they already have to have
a liquor license, or do they just have to be
someone that you want to work with?
Speaker 2 (25:24):
And then you start from zero and ramp up from there.
Speaker 5 (25:28):
I mean, I think that every franchise or has a
different approach, and we got a lot of feedback from
other franchisors, consultants, other CEOs, and really we had to
kind of find our own lane because the sports pre
us something super unique and it doesn't really fit in
a category like a typical food and beverage category, or
even like any other kind of merchandising category. So what
(25:50):
we did was we kind of were looking for the
big three and we kind of called it like a
bit of the Unicorn effect, where we're looking for somebody
who totally understands and gets what the BRA about mission value,
aligned like all in on women's sports, and kind of
creating these spaces for communities. That's number one. Number two
is somebody who has food and beverage experience. Usually there
(26:13):
was a couple or a partnership where somebody would bring
one and the other person would bring the other. And
then the third key element is financial stability. So the
finances to do it and some of these finances to
do it require getting loans, require some crowdfunding, require this,
that and the other thing, and for most franchisors, that's
not really the typical method. But because the Sports Bra
(26:36):
was built like that and it really helped to create
a community around each city, people wanted to be more
and more a part of what we were building here,
and so we felt that was a really good way
to really attract and create this bond with a space
so it doesn't just feel like a bar restaurant, which
I don't think it would anyway. But so we were
(26:56):
looking kind of for the big three.
Speaker 1 (26:58):
I love that is there going to be like a
sports Bra handbook slash franchise guide book, wherein it's like,
you know, absolutely no wave inside the premises, or you
know you must do ex or y during Pride month,
or you know certain athletes are you know, held up
as gods and if they come in, they obviously drink
(27:19):
an eat for free.
Speaker 2 (27:20):
Like what are they?
Speaker 1 (27:21):
I want to help put together this guide book because
I feel like it would just be rules for living.
Speaker 5 (27:26):
There for sure, is what we're calling a playbook. It
is over two hundred and fifty pages long. It's ridiculous.
A lot of it is kind of food and beverage focused.
A lot of it has to do with how you
treat your employees, how you treat your team. Some of
it is proprietary stuff about the sports Bra in general,
Like a lot of our recipes will be proprietary, so
our menu will be repeated in most capacities across the country.
(27:51):
We'll leave a little wiggle room for folks to have
like a chef or owner flair in there, or regional
flare to really connect. So there's proprietary information in there.
There's stuff about decor and who they can order from.
You know, here we try to promote and support women
owned small businesses. So there are you know, sections around
(28:16):
like the vendors that and the partnerships that we love
to have. There's also sections around like sponsorship's fundraising, because
there's a lot of things that we do inside the
sports brad that is like kind of sports adjacent.
Speaker 1 (28:30):
Right well, and I imagine there might be a page
that's called like deal breakers and it's like, we do
not work with these companies, these people, We do not
take this money because that's you know, so much of
the women's sports space and what makes it special is
a willingness and a desire to protect against joining other
people and working with the wrong folks or you know,
(28:50):
promoting or investing or helping people who we think are
doing it wrong. So it feels like there would be
a little bit of a nudge, like you said, to
make sure to partner with the right people, use the
right sponsors, all that stuff.
Speaker 5 (29:02):
Yeah. Absolutely, I feel like there's less about like deal
breakers and more like open ended so that we can
have conversations. And that's why this kind of interviewing process
and speaking to so many people is really important because
we get to kind of take a deep dive into
who they are, you know that we meet them and
talk to them in person and just spend a lot
of time with them honestly through zoom calls and visits
(29:24):
before we take the final handshake.
Speaker 1 (29:28):
So this is obviously the big announcement because it's on
good game with Sarah Spain and there is nothing bigger
than that.
Speaker 2 (29:33):
Obviously, I imagine you might have some other things planned.
Speaker 1 (29:36):
So what else do you have planned for letting folks
know that their cities were selected and the sports Bras
coming to them.
Speaker 5 (29:43):
Well, thanks to your help, Sarah, we were able to
connect with some really amazing, like legendary, iconic athletes to
help announce some of the locations that we're opening up
for the sports Bra. And it has just been such
a joy to have the community, fans, athletes, and everyone
else support the sports Bra as much as they have
(30:03):
in just the last three years. And we're really looking
forward to this next step.
Speaker 1 (30:07):
So we know that Indye, Boston and Vegas have at
least one professional women's team, if not more. Give us
some insight into Saint Louis doesn't have its own WNBA
NWSL PWHL team. How did Saint Louis end up getting
a sports bra.
Speaker 5 (30:25):
I think that's a fantastic question. So we got a
lot of feedback from all types of cities and small towns,
and the way we see it is that there is
a community for the sports bra literally everywhere. So it
was a lot about looking at the demographics, talking to
the folks and seeing what kind of connections they had
with the community and what the community was speaking to them.
(30:48):
They are lifelongers in Saint Louis, or at least twenty
years plus, and they mentioned a deep passion for sports,
both men's and women's sports, and there are a couple
teams there that have massive followings. And there's also the
kind of feelings that women's professional sports are expanding to
(31:09):
other markets at a pretty get a faster clip than
it ever has and Saint Louis is right there in
the thick of possibly getting some teams and so being
on kind of the forefront of that is also just
as important as feeding into these like bigger cities that
already have established fandom.
Speaker 2 (31:27):
That's really true.
Speaker 1 (31:28):
And you know, as a Chicaguan we have a bit
of a rivalry with Saint Louis, not as cities, of course,
because that's not a competition. But of course you know, Cubs, Cardinals,
et cetera. And so it is in my bones deeply
to hate Saint Louis. And I know when you first
told me Saint Louis, I was like, they don't have
any teams, how are they in the mix here? This
doesn't make any sense, But I love your explanation, and
(31:49):
I do think there are cities where there is nowhere
to gather because there aren't teams. There isn't that existing
space for the folks who are like us who love
women's sports to get together. And so to create that
for people in a place that doesn't have teams is
somehow even more meaningful and more necessary than a place
(32:09):
that has a couple of different professional teams, where going
to that stadium or watching them at a bar, you know,
in away games is already you know, built into the community.
So you really get to be the first step in
making a city somewhere that feels like it's ready for
those pro women's teams. So I'll give it to you
on that one, and I'll try to be nice to
the presumably good people of Saint Louis, and maybe I'll
(32:31):
even go visit because it's close by while I'm waiting
for Chicago.
Speaker 5 (32:35):
That's it. That's it. You heard it here first. Sarah's
given a shout out to Saint Louis.
Speaker 2 (32:39):
I will step foot in Saint Louis. When are you
expecting these to be open?
Speaker 1 (32:44):
When can folks actually go through the doors of the
first sports bra franchises.
Speaker 5 (32:49):
That's a great question. So we right now we're looking
at hopefully having all four of them open by the
end of next year, and they could be anywhere on
the spectrum. I know that a couple of them have
sites that they are looking at already. I know a
couple of them are open to any spot. And so
some of them could be starting from the ground up,
and some of them could be second generation locations. They
(33:11):
may have connections with like already existing bars and restaurants
that are looking to kind of convert into something else.
So the speed of it is really dependent on their
connections the city. Also, because permitting building, I think there's
a lot of uncertainty around some construction and permitting right now,
So what used to take six to nine months can
(33:34):
take anywhere from nine to twelve months depending on and
that's from a ground up, so what we're hoping, what
we're looking for is to have these locations all up
and running by the end of next year. But really
what we're talking about when we're making this announcement is
that we've found folks in these cities. We haven't found
their locations, not necessarily yet. Some of them are further
(33:54):
along than others.
Speaker 1 (33:56):
And in the meantime, while we're waiting for that, anything
you want to shout out, that's how happening at the
og Sports Bra, anything coming up, anything people who are
going to be in the Portland area might want to
schedule around.
Speaker 5 (34:07):
Absolutely, I mean right now, it's like softballs Mania up
in here, right, So that's huge, And you know, shout
out to National Pride Month. In Portland, we celebrate Pride
in July, so we get kind of two full on
months of hardcore partying for Pride and we have our
fourth annual Pride Block party again this July on Sunday,
(34:27):
July twentieth, and it's going to be bigger and better
than ever. So we haven't made that announcement yet, so
there's a.
Speaker 2 (34:34):
Double way for yet. So that's out.
Speaker 5 (34:37):
There and more information will be coming.
Speaker 2 (34:39):
Soon, all right, So July and Portland. That sounds nice.
Speaker 5 (34:43):
It's gonna be hot. It's gonna be hot. It's been
it's been warm already.
Speaker 1 (34:47):
Yeah, I'll take it. It's been cold in Chicago. It
doesn't feel like spring yet. So if I have to
get my ass out to Portland and party for pride
and get some sun, I'm in.
Speaker 5 (34:55):
All June, all July.
Speaker 2 (34:57):
Sarah, that's right. I love two months of it.
Speaker 1 (34:58):
I mean, honestly, if you're a good game with Sarah Spain,
we celebrate pride year round. We don't like to be
limited to just one month, but we are willing to
focus our partying efforts and apply our party PhD to
a specific month set of months if necessary.
Speaker 5 (35:13):
I love that.
Speaker 2 (35:14):
Well, thanks for giving us your announcement.
Speaker 1 (35:16):
We are so excited and I'm really, actually genuinely interested
to see how folks take the original OG concept, sprinkle
a little of the local flair, carry on your culinary mastery,
and then introduce some local stuff on that end to
And really, I think it'd be really fun to learn
about the history of women's sports in some different cities
by virtue of the people who kind of take the
(35:38):
reins from you and build something where they are, including
places like Saint Louis where maybe.
Speaker 2 (35:42):
There's a lot more to it than we're aware of.
You just never know.
Speaker 5 (35:47):
Absolutely, I'm super excited as well. All right, thanks Jenny,
Thanks Sarah.
Speaker 2 (35:54):
Thanks again to Jenny for breaking that news with us.
Speaker 1 (35:56):
We can't wait to do a good game with Sarah
Spain nationwide too. Were at all sports Bra locations, Tell
us where, tell us when we're in. We love that
you're listening, but we want you to get in the
game every day too, So here's our good game play
of the day. It's real easy go check out the
posts from the sportspra about their new franchise locations. You
could check out the cool athletes that they wrangle to
(36:18):
help them make the announcements and get more info on the.
Speaker 2 (36:21):
Big breaking news.
Speaker 1 (36:22):
You can follow them at the sports Bra PDX on Instagram.
We always love to hear from you, so hit us
up on email good game at wondermedianetwork dot com or
leave us a voicemail at eight seven two two o
four fifty seventy, and don't forget to subscribe, rate and
review slices.
Speaker 2 (36:39):
It's so easy.
Speaker 1 (36:41):
Watch the social media trend that has young people answering
the question what year do you need to be born
in to be considered old?
Speaker 2 (36:49):
Rating negative fifty.
Speaker 1 (36:51):
Million out of five stars because y'all simply cannot be
serious with these answers.
Speaker 2 (36:56):
Have you guys seen this review?
Speaker 1 (36:59):
If I didn't feel old before, you little figures are
giving me a complex now. Because my introduction to this
triggering trend came via the NWSL Chicago Stars. Some members
of the team kept things reasonable, saying nineteen thirties, nineteen fifties,
but y'all, there were way too many players who gave
answers after the year nineteen eighty five. We'll link to
(37:21):
the Chicago video in the show notes so you can
I guess, laugh, or if you're like me, feel at TechEd.
Now it's your turn rate and review. Thanks for listening,
See you tomorrow. Good game, Izzy, Good Game. The sports
bra you anyone who thinks eighties babies are old. Good
(37:43):
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You could
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your podcasts. Production by Wonder Media Network, our
producers are alex Azzie and Misha Jones. Our executive producers
are CHRISTINAE, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan and Emily Rutter. Our
(38:03):
editors are Emily Rutterer, Brittany Martinez, Grace Lynch and Gianna Palmer.
Our associate producer is Lucy Jones and I'm Your Host
Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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