November 25, 2025 • 34 mins
Women’s soccer legend and Bay FC co-founder Brandi Chastain joined Sarah as part of the iHeart Women’s Sports Strong Start event at the NWSL Championship. Brandi discusses the history of women’s soccer in the Bay Area, the challenges of launching a new NWSL team, her interest in coaching at the national team level, and the time she signed a car. Plus, draftees react in every which way, the lottery gods give hoops and gay shit fans a thrilling possibility, and we stan bat fans booing a lame duck.
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Watch Chiney Ogwumike's full video on the WNBA coaching landscape here
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The full list of AUSL protected players is here
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Check out the Mercury’s tattoo offer here
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The full video of the WPBL Draft is here
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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 still
scrolling through the highlights of Mondays Got Them FC championship parade. God,
I love a double decker bus moment. It's Tuesday, November
twenty fifth, and on today's show will be bringing you
my conversation with women's soccer legend and BFC co founder
Brandy Chastain. I sat down with her as part of
our Capital One and Novard's Strong Start Brunch event on
(00:21):
Friday in San Jose to discuss the history of women's
soccer in the Bay Area, the challenges of launching a
new team, her interest in coaching at the national team level,
and the times she signed a car. Plus draftees react
in every which way, The lottery gods give hoops and
gay shit fans a thrilling possibility, and we stand bat's
boo and a lame duck. It's all coming out right
(00:44):
after this. Welcome Backslashys. Here's what you need to know today.
Let's start with the NWSL and Got Them's championship celebration
on Monday. Now, folks may recall that back in twenty
twenty three when Got Them won the NWSL title, out
(01:04):
of sixth place. The team was wholly unprepared to host
a victory celebration, and fans were left pretty disappointed they
didn't get a parade. Well, that wasn't the case this year.
The team was honored with their parade in New York
on Monday morning. It began on Barclay Street in Lower
Manhattan and went up Broadway to Chambers Street. During a
presentation at City Hall, New York City Mayor Eric Adams
(01:24):
presented the team with the keys to the city, and
the disgraced mayor got a fair share of booze. As
part of his speech, he said, quote, whenever you play sports,
you know you've got to play through the hecklers and
just stay focused. That's how you win. You don't win
when you worry about the haters. You win when you
stay dedicated to the mission.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, sir, at least this team's naysayers, aren't you know,
calling them out over federal corruption charges and witness tampering.
And as far as we know, none of the Gotham
players offered reporters cash and a potato chip bag to
write nice stories about them. But anyway, far more exciting
was hearing from the players themselves, Jade and Shaw knew
she could keep it short and sweet and still get
(02:03):
the crowd going with this.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
One last time.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
The quote round the league.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
The quote heard round the league is right, also heard
a lot lately around Gotham FC. Felice Navidad. First, the
players were going crazy for it after requesting it at
the after party Saturday night and then again getting down
to it at the parade on Monday.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
This must be got them's Cheetah Girls moment to the WNBA.
The league held its twenty twenty six draft lottery on Sunday,
and for a second straight year, the Dallas Wings won
the number one overall pick. Lottery odds were based on
cumulative season records over the last two seasons, and after
going nineteen and sixty five in twenty twenty four and
twenty twenty five, the Wings had the best chance to
(02:49):
land the top pick at forty two percent. As for
who the Wings will pick, well, there isn't a consensus
number one pick just yet. The ESPN's latest mock draft
has Azy Fudd going first. The Athletics writers opted to
give Spain's Ahwa fam the number one slot. As for team,
good game. I think you know we're always rooting for
hoops and gay shit. Paizy, it is more WNBA. Late
(03:12):
last week, the Associated Press was the first to report
that is part of the ongoing CBA negotiations, the WNBA
had offered players a deal that would include a maximum
salary of just over a million dollars a year, with
the new league minimum clocking in at more than two
hundred twenty thousand dollars. But Friend of the Show Annie
Costable later reported for Front Office Sports that sources she
spoke to said those numbers are misleading, as the million
(03:34):
dollar figure includes both a base SuperMac salary of eight
hundred and fifty k, with revenue sharing and bonuses making
up the difference to get to a million. Costable also
reported that the WNBA's latest offer doesn't include any major
tweaks to the revenue share percentage, which has been one
of the biggest sticking points for the PA in negotiations.
As always, we'll keep you posted as we learn more more.
(03:55):
WNBA esp had reported late last week that the New
York Liberty has reached a deal to hire christ To
Marco as the team's new head coach. DeMarco is a
longtime assistant with the mnba's Golden State Warriors, haven't been
with the team since twenty twelve. He has also served
as the head coach of the Bahamian senior men's national
team since twenty nineteen. Now Worth noting that with the hire,
there are still no black women serving as head coach
(04:17):
in the WNBA. In a post on Instagram, former player
and ESPN analyst Janeo Gumackay called out the fact that
the MNBA has become a bigger pipeline than the WNBA itself.
Take a listen to part of what she said.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
It's getting increasingly hard for aspiring coaches or even former
players to win from within. Internally, the WNBA has some
of the brightest minds Christy Tolliver, Brion, January, Kareema Christmas Kelly,
Lindsay Harding, who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Entering last season, Noel Quinn was the only black female
(04:50):
head coach in the entire WNBA, and now the count
is at zero.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
We'll link to Cheney's full video in the show notes.
Who USA Basketball announced the list of players invited to
take part in the organization's camp next month. The group
of eighteen includes ten players who will be making their
US senior national team camp debut, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Beckers,
Cameron Brink, Angel Reese and Juju Watkins. Now, we were
curious about what watkins participation is going to look like,
(05:18):
given that she's still rehabbing an ACL injury, so we
reached out to USC for clarification, and a spokesperson told
us she won't be participating on court, but that she
quote looks forward to being in the gym as she
learns about the women's national team program end quote. The
camp's also going to feature five members of the US
team that won gold at the twenty twenty four Paris Olympics,
Kalia Copper, Chelsea Gray, Britney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young.
(05:41):
Next month's camp will be held at Duke University from
December twelfth through the fourteenth, and it'll help evaluate players
ahead of next year's Women's World Cup, set to take
place in September in Berlin, Germany. More national team news,
this time from the Soccer World. Last week, US women's
national team boss Emma Hayes announced the twenty six player
training camp roster ahead of two upcoming friendlies to close
(06:01):
out twenty twenty five. The roster includes eight players who
competed in this weekend's NWSL championship game, including Gotham's Lily Reel,
Emily Sonnet, and Jayden Shaw, and Washington's Croy Bethune. The
Spirit's Trinity Rodman remains out of the national team mix
as she continues to work back toward one hundred percent
to baseball. The new Women's Professional Baseball League unveiled its
(06:22):
draft picks last week, with San Francisco selecting Kelsey Whitmore
with the number one draft pick. In twenty sixteen, Whitmore
became the first woman since the nineteen fifties to play
pro baseball when she debuted with the Sonoma Stumpers. She's
also suited up with the Staten Island Fairyhawks, Oakland Bawlers,
and Savannah Bananas. Meantime, Little League legend Monet Davis was
(06:42):
selected tenth overall by the Los Angeles team. In total,
one hundred twenty players were drafted, though not all will
go on to sign with teams now. There was some
confusion around the protocols for the draft for folks that
tuned in, they saw what seemed to be a normal draft,
a hype up video with footage of players at tryouts,
a message from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, followed by WPBL
(07:04):
host CJ. Silas opening envelopes with the picks and athletes
speaking about what their selection meant to them. But what
was happening behind the scenes. While first off, the draft
that people tuned into watch on Thursday night wasn't happening
in real time, It was instead a compilation of pre
recorded interviews, Reporter Jen ramos Eisen wrote on x quote
(07:24):
wpblpr director told me that the draft format was indeed followed,
but is unaware of the day or dates when the
draft happened end quote. Ramos Eisen also asked for clarification
on the player interviews. For example, Tonay Benita's reaction to
being selected New York.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
It's official.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I'm headed to the Big Apple, where the energy never stops,
the lights never dim, and the noise never ends.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Women in sports are rewriting the story in New York
is leading the charge.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
See you in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
But how did today know she was going to New York?
If the interviews with the players were pre recorded well.
PBLPR told Ramos Eyesen that the players didn't know which
team they would be drafted by, but made four videos
with possible reactions depending on which team they were selected to.
This raises some questions for us, but we were still
very excited to see how jazz the players were to
be drafted, even if their reaction was one of four
(08:14):
potential options. We'll have plenty more on the WPBL in
a future episode, but in the meantime, shout out to
Front of the Show Nicole Hasey for making sure this
story was on our radar. To the other Diamond athletes,
Unlimited Softball announced the players who are protected from that
league's upcoming expansion draft when the two new teams, Cascade
and Oklahoma City Spark start filling out their rosters. Each
(08:36):
of the four original teams were allowed to protect five players,
with those selections being announced over the weekend. Highlights include
the Talents protecting pitcher Georgina Korik, who was named AUSL
Pitcher of the Year, and the bandits protecting AUSL MVP
and Friend of the Show Aaron Koffl. We'll link to
the full list of protected players in the show notes.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
The expansion and.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Allocation draft will take place next Monday, December first, at
seven pm on ESPNU. To the world of cross country skiing,
American Jesse Diggins, the most decorated cross country skier in
US history, has announced this will be her last season competing.
During her stellar career, she's won three Olympic medals, including
the first ever gold medal for the US, which she
won with teammate Keikan Randall in twenty eighteen. She's also
(09:18):
claimed three World Cup season titles and seven World Championship medals.
Diggins's final season gets underway this week in Ruka, Finland,
with the World Cup calendar running through the World Cup
Finals in March, which will be held this year in
Lake Placid, New York. Finally, to golf, the LPGA season
concluded on Sunday with Thailand's Gino Titikuul winning the CME
Group Championship for a second straight year. It caps off
(09:40):
the best season of Titikul's career, and with the win
on Sunday, she takes home a check for four million dollars,
the biggest prize in women's golf. We got to take
a quick break when we come back my conversation with
Brandy Chastain from the I Hurt Women's Sports Strong Start
Brunch on Friday. You need no introduction, but you deserve one.
(10:08):
Co founder of BFC, two time World Cup champion, two
time Olympic gold medalist, coach, author and sports broadcaster, a
soccer Hall of Famer.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Who are you saying, sports bra caster? Well that too.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
You've made a lot of news with your bras in
the past, and I hope you continue to California Hall
of Famer, Soccer Hall of Famer, Bay Area Hall of
Famer named the US women's national team all time best
eleven and twenty thirteen. A statue having sports bra flaunting
T shirt, twirling icon who grew up right here in
San Jose and used to go to the Frontier Village
(10:41):
amusement park, which was that park right there. It is
no longer, but it was, and now it's just a
memory in your mind. It's Brandy chestay.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Good morning or good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
I want to start with Frontier Village, take us back
to young Brandy growing up three blocks that way and
coming right here.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Also going to tell something I've never said before, but
that was my first kiss in the Tunnel of.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Love right over there was it. I'm a zipper, No,
the Tunnel of Love. It was literally on the nose.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I tried to kiss me on the zipper, which was
a little too on the nose.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
That was the name of the ride.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That was the name of the ride.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Oh no.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
It was like a country western themed and it was awesome.
It was such a part of my I would ride
my bike right down the street. I live half a
mile down the street. The first park I ever played
soccer in right down the street. This place has a
lot of holds, a lot of memories, but also some
of my fondest So.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
How special is it that you got to bring a
women's professional soccer team to your hometown.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Well, yeah, obviously soccer belongs here. We know that. And
I have been a huge advocate for women's soccer for
who probably forty five years, maybe more fifty years, and
(12:04):
we had one, we've had This is our third women's
professional team here. And this opportunity now is so much
different than what it was back in two thousand and one,
So twenty four years later, this is not only sports,
but it's the business of sports, and it's the business
in women's sports. And to me, it just shows the
(12:25):
growth that we've had. We have a lot to do,
which is awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We know.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You know, what I've learned about women and women in
sports specifically is that we're not afraid of the hard
things and we're ready for it. And so I am
just so pleased that we get to host this game
tomorrow and that we get to show off our stadium
but mostly our fans, and we get to invite our
(12:54):
friends to come and be a part of the beautiful
scenery that we call PayPal Park. And BFC is really
the core for Ali, Danielle, Leslie and I of our
heart and who we are, and so we're really happy.
You're gonna hear from Penelope next. But man, I tell you,
(13:15):
this has been a heck of a week. I'm so
proud of all that BFC has done, and I know
I'm going to be even more proud of what we
do in the future. We have a lot of great
things coming and I think our league also we have
two expansion teams coming in Boston and Denver, and then
we'll have another in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And so business is booming. It's awesome. Yeah, the doors
are open for business, you know, what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I want to start about the beginning of BFC because
I asked you this earlier. I thought, oh, did you
get the invite to Angel City? No?
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Why no, I'm not Southern California. This is a big state,
you know, it's like two states. So no, And that
was that was not a bother, to be honest with you.
It just made us think, well, why the heck are
are we not doing this? Like we we live in
such a beautiful I mean, what a beautiful day we
have here in November. We have a lot of smart
(14:08):
women who work in who have been in sports, but
work in industries in this community that are changing the world,
and we want to.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Lock arms with them.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
We want them to come along with us on this journey.
And we found a lot of smart women, one sitting
here in the front, her name is Sheila, Sheila and
others like her who saw this vision and were like,
we can do that well.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
And also there was a benefit to it because Angel
City wasn't your place.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
San Jose is your place. The Bay Area is your place.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
And the idea that four different women from Santa Clara
I kindly was like, oh, you all went to school together.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah, exactly, I was a decade apartner, but I meant
the same school. Yeah, Santa Clara connects the four of
you and you decide to be the founders of BEA.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
So tell us about that quartet.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Well, you know, we all played on the national team
at one point together. Danielle, Ali and Leslie were national
champions for my husband's team at Santa Clara.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
I think a jesuit.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
The education that we got at Santa Clara was always
thinking about the community and which you live and how
we can make a space or place better. And it's
not about us, it's about you know them. And it
was with that idea and that intention that we wanted
to build a club that had the players in mind.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
First.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
The fans are essential to us. We I mean, I
absolutely love our fans and that everybody is welcome to
our place, you know. And and when Leslie says we
got to do this, and we were like can we
do this and she's like, yes, we're going to do this.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
We have a lot of.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
People who would be interested, and so we set off
on the journey and it wasn't easy. And I big
kudos honestly to you know, the front office at AFC
for having a very short amount of time to put
this together and to launch on the first day of
preseason and then kick it off for the season in
(16:20):
twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You keep mentioning them, Danielle Slaton, Leslie Osborne, Ally Wagner
and you, you know, a lot of the new owners
in the NWSL or NFL owners our billionaires, our men
sort of due to the price of playing. Now, does
it seem like the current financial stakes of the league
would prevent a future quartet similar to yours from being
able to do this again?
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Well, my head, you know where my head immediately went no,
because there's a lot of women out there doing amazing
things and they are going to be the billionaires, so
they will be the next four, right. I think it's possible,
nothing's impossible. But I think what's happening now in women's sports,
(17:04):
and women's soccer specifically, but all of women's sports is
everybody else is catching up to us.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Ladies.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
We knew this all along, that this was valuable, that
almost priceless. Really, what we do, how we handle ourselves,
how we show up, how we play. You know, it's
remarkable and the fact that it's taken this long has
been hard. But also my mom used to say, Brandy,
good things are worth waiting for, and I was like, ah, okay,
(17:34):
but she's right, she's right, and I think now is
the perfect time, and I say, let's go, let's be ambitious,
let's be brave. Let's We're not going to get it
right all the time. And I think that's one thing
about BFC and what we learned here in this culture
is that you know you're going to fail fast, and
you're going to fail hard, but it's okay. You're going
(17:55):
to get up and you're gonna That just means you're learning,
You're going to learn things along the way, and so
just put yourself out there.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Be brave for you.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Amelia lice hat Amelia, a little kiddo up front who's
figured out the solution to the sun is a napkin
on her head.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
You know, you mentioned the history of women's soccer here
in the Bay Area, and I wonder if you can
quickly speak to that because you played for the Cyber
Rays of.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
The WUS, right first champions.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Come on, cyber Rays is such a dated name for like, oh,
we're in a tech city.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
So they're raised, but there's cyber Yeah, like what is
they do?
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Not even bash the cyber rays, Like what are you doing?
The so cool?
Speaker 1 (18:36):
And then the WPS had the FC Gold Pride team.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
What did you learn from looking back?
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Obviously very different stakes, very different time, But I'm sure
you looked at those two and said what worked, what
didn't and what are we going to bring bring from
those teams to this one.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
Well, I think that the thing we should talk about
the most is just exposure, right access to and exposure
change everything. And so bringing cyber rays and pride and
keeping it in the community, keeping it visible just to
the people who lived around here very important. Continuing to
give access an opportunity to the young players coming out
(19:13):
of college so that they had.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
A place to play. Right.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
So you think way back when I was, when I
was getting out of college, there was no league. It
was like I played adult soccer. You know, I played
adult soccer and I drive to Sacramento two hours away
to play a game, and then I drive two hours
to come back. And that was the place I had
to go to find competitive level women's soccer outside of college.
(19:39):
And so having a professional team a league is essential
for the women's national team. All of our national team
players need a place to play on the regulars so
that we can continue to develop. And now we have
like nine national teams on the women's side. We had
one national team at the time, and so you know,
(20:02):
where we've come is amazing. But you know, our league again,
I think we also have a responsibility to make sure
that our teams and are being as competitive and driven
and we're developing our players and we're making them the
best soccer players that they can possibly be. And that
was a part of also the culture that we wanted
(20:24):
to have that our players knew that when they came
here that we wanted to help them be the best
on the field but also the best off the field
and give them opportunity outside of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And a lot of the fights actually bring that out
in players. So it will be a goal moving forward
for the younger players who haven't had to fight for
equal pay as much, haven't had to fight for access
as much, to still understand that as soon as you
get complacent, things can get taken away. So they need
to be just as vigilant in growing and embracing what
comes after them as you all were in thinking about
(20:58):
what the future might look like.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
You're on and it's like Title nine, you can't go
forward unless you know where you've been, and you don't
want to make the same mistakes.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And honestly, I think.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
We want this rocket ship to take off, but I
also want us to go slow and mindful during that
process too, and make sure that we're taking care of
the things that are truly important, and that's people first,
players first, fans. Those people are our core and will
(21:30):
always be the reason why we'll be successful.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
And if we lose that, I think we lose what's
at the heart of women's sports. And it's not about
being like the men. It's about being its very own thing.
And there's a lot that we share in common, but
some of the best and most special things about women's
sports can get lost if it becomes just about a
money grab. I want to take you back to that
ninety nine team, because so much was learned from them,
(21:54):
so much was taken that led to the later equal
pay fight, that led to the NWSLS fight to continue
to grow.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
And I know you've talked about it a.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Million times, but we got to go back to the
moment the penalty kick the wind, the tearing off of
the shirt and twirling it around the sports bra Where's
the weirdest place either a country you've been where someone
was like, hey, aren't you that lady? Or a product
My friend gave me wineglasses with you ripping your shirt
off on them?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What I know?
Speaker 2 (22:23):
And I need some of those, you know what.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
I said to her, I go, I don't think Brandy
probably got any.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Like Brandy did not.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I think it's like an Etsy purchase, but thank you.
They're really cute, but like, let's try to buy through
the players themselves. But yeah, like the weirdest place you've
seen your silhouette, the weirdest place you've been asked about it?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, oh gosh.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
So after that ninety nine game, we you know, we
would do like these victory tour matches, friendly matches, and
I think we may have been in Louisville, Kentucky, and
we had a game I think it was Coastarica and
we were coming off the field and you.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Hear Brandy, Brandy, Brandy, Brandy.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
And I look up and there's these two young teenage
guys wearing bras and I was like, okay, you know
you made it when the teenage guys are wearing bras.
But I'll tell you one of the most unusual places
that where I've been asked for my autograph. Like I
was driving from Akron, Ohio to Columbus and you pass
the National Football Hall of Fame and it was very
(23:30):
early in the morning, and I'm by myself and I'm driving,
and I'm like, I think I'm gonna get just stop
off and get a tee Starbucks and I pull over
and the parking lot is empty except for like I
think two or three cars, and then there's this group
of very large lumberjackie flannel shirt wearing guys outside, and
(23:54):
I'm like, you know when people, you know, when people
are looking at you and you don't want to really
look at them.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I was like, okay, I just walked inside.
Speaker 5 (24:02):
And then I'm thinking, what's my exit strategy, Like how
am I getting out of here?
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Depending on what's happening, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
And I come out and guy stands up and he goes,
are you Brandy Chastain And I was like wow, like yes,
he goes, Oh my gosh, my daughter plays soccer. Would
you mind giving me an autograph? And I was like
of course, no problem. He goes, great, this is so amazing.
I'm going to give this to her for a sixteenth birthday.
Would you please sign the back of this car. I
(24:31):
just remodeled it and I'm gonna give it to her.
So I was like, I mean, I'm like, sir, are
you sure you want me to put my name on
the whole backfender of your car. He goes yes, sure,
And I was like, that's the most.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You signed a car. That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Yeah, in America, in the middle of American football country.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, I love that. That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
You know, the ninety nine ers inspired generations here and abroad,
and that has continued and it's wonderful. But it also
means that you're telling the rest of the world here's
how you have to do things.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
To keep up.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And after the twenty twenty three World Cup didn't go
as planned, a lot of people said, it's not about
the world catching up anymore. They've caught up. Of course,
Team USA was victorious at the Olympics last year, so
back on top where we should be. But where do
you see the state of parody and competition across the
globe in women's sports right now?
Speaker 5 (25:29):
I'm super pumped that we have put a lot of
pressure on federations around the world, FIFA as well, to say, listen,
you don't have the right not to support women and
women's football because this is a global game. They love it,
they want access, and you need to as a governing
body and the keepers of soccer, you need to support this.
(25:53):
And so they have gotten better. They're not great, let's
be honest, but they've gotten better. And so we see
all these African nations now participate in Asian Asian nations
playing South American nations playing like this is incredible and
and so we always knew, like we didn't believe that
the rest of the world wasn't playing soccer. They were
(26:14):
playing soccer. Let me just give you a throwback name.
You all probably know Marda, but before Marta was Ceci
and CEC's father and family loved football, but they didn't
want Cec to play, and so she got dolls for Christmas.
The brothers got soccer balls, and she was like, I
don't want this, so she took the head off the
(26:36):
doll and that's what she played with in the street
in Brazil, like at all, I mean, it was it was, So,
you know, I think the resiliency of women in sports
is true. I think you know, you'll do anything to
participate and like it. Just things like that tell me
that there are girls playing everywhere.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I do believe that.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
The landscape is more difficult now. I I also say
they haven't caught up. They've always been there. You just
haven't had access to watching them and they haven't had
access to playing.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Any expert so that they could have enough of a
team to really compete.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Right, But the girl the players have always existed, and
so now you're ready by you know, and your organization
is ready. So I've believed in it being everywhere, and
so for for us, you know, my dream is to
coach the national team or a national team within US Soccer.
And next week I get to go and at least
(27:36):
speak to one of the teams and be around them
for practice. So I'm hoping that it turns into something
because it would be terrible to have had to have
experiences and not share them and and give back.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
And I just let go.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
You are still shooting. That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Wow, And then we'll have world domination.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yes, clearly, clearly. Well, but it's interesting because the US.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
The way we big out our sports is essentially like
we're in our own thing. We name our champions world champions,
even though we're not competing with the world.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
But what's interesting is women and immigrants have been what
have made soccer big here, and then we've sort of
reluctantly been like, oh, and men play and some of
them are.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Good mostly elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
And that's a very different thing than every other sports
landscape in the US really, and soccer has been the
thing that has forced us to look abroad, to open
up our minds, to wake up early and watch Premier
League or women's you know, Championship League and all that
other stuff. So do you like that or as a
founder of a team where you want the talent to
(28:41):
stay here, are you looking across and saying, okay, now
they're sort of the enemy.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
I believe we're all in this together. I also believe
that having life experiences are really important. I did live
in Japan and played in Japan for a year. I said,
we didn't have a league, so it was really my
own the opportunity to continue to be professional. But I'm
not afraid of that. Like, if that gets big, then
(29:08):
it pulls us up too, or if we get big,
we pull others up. Like that's the nature I feel
of women in sports. We're not fighting against each other,
we're fighting with one another. I want to keep our
best players here, and I want the best players in
the world to come here because our league is very competitive.
But I'm also I would never begrudge anybody for deciding
(29:28):
like this is what I need right now in my life.
And that's fine because we're always gonna be here and
you can come back.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
Okay, last question for you. We have a little game.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
It's called good, Gooder, goodest. It's similar to bench start cut,
but it's nicer because we're.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
A good game. You don't have to cut.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Anything good, gooder or goodest.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Yeah, So something's good, something's gooder, and something is goodest.
So starting with good, tell us of these Julie Foute's
three clap the USA chant or he clap, clap, clap, clap,
he clap, clap, clap clap.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Well that's the goodest clap.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Well, you gotta start with good, oh good, which is
technically the worst, so be careful.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yeah, that's Julie, that's Julie.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Wow, right under the bus all right, Fauti's three clap,
which she has brought to Angel City, so it is
sort of the enemy at this point, so I'll allow it.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
She's good.
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Yeah, I'm going to put our bay in the gooder
good God.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
And because USA, usays and.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Tell them how how you got this chance?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Well, this is the short story version.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
Short story version is nobody knew how to how do
you say USA?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Other countries didn't know how to say USA.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
So they said Husa and they embraced it and said
this is our chant.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Now before we end and do our chant, I just
want to say, Sarah, thank you so very much for
having me today. Thank you so much for being a
part of supporting women's soccer. Also, I do want to
say our men's team is going to be good for
the World Cup, so let's not sleep on them. Let's
support them, and let's positive vibes. Yeah it's a tough time,
positive vibe I love, I do. I think we're gonna
(31:02):
we're gonna show up in a big way. And uh,
let's have a great time this weekend. Let's let's cheer
for great soccer, whether it's the team you you want
to win or not, but let's really celebrate the fact
that we get to be together and celebrate a championship
here in beautiful Sandels in love it.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Okay, all right, USA, that's what we're gonna do. Okay,
are you ready?
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (31:22):
On three one two three USUS USA.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Thanks again to Brandy for taking the time, and to
Novartis and Capital One for presenting the event, which was
absolutely beautiful. And shout out to all the folks who
came out to the brunch and even did some downward
dogs and sun salutations as part of the yoga class
ahead of my conversations, and producer Alex wants to thank
the person who asked if she was the yoga instructor.
She was honored. We gotta take another break when we returned,
(31:56):
turning the clock back on a long season. Welcome back, Slaics.
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. We're tying a bow
on this NWSL season and we want to know your
favorite moments. Could be a game, a goal, a quote,
(32:18):
an interview, a piece of merch, maybe a shared experience
with friends or family, or just a vibe when you
look back on the twenty twenty five NWSL season. What
stands out to you? Send it to us. We'd love
to hear from you. Hit us up on email, good
game at wondermedianetwork dot com, or leave us a voicemail
at eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and
(32:38):
don't forget to subscribe, rate and review slaces. It's easy.
Watch the Phoenix Mercury's new logo rating still deciding review.
The WNBA's Phoenix Mercury revealed new redesigned logos and word
marks on Monday, the first ever rebrand for the team,
which is one of the league's original eight franchises. The
(33:00):
first reaction was that it didn't scream sports, more like
a cell phone company, but it did start to grow
on me the more I sat with it and slice.
Justin Baird, who is an Arizona native, was among those
who did dig it, posting to Blue Sky, I really
like the Phoenix Mercury logo refresh, super clean, updated, and
really intentional end quote. We'll link to the press release
(33:20):
where you could see the logos and read all about
the story that's told by their position, angle, shape, colors
and more. You can also get info on the merch
swap the team is doing December fifth, which is a
community give back initiative that's given fans a chance to
trade an old merchandise for a Mercury T shirt with
the new logo. And if you're really into the murk,
like really big fan, they're also offering free tattoos for
(33:42):
anyone who wants the new logo permanently affixed to their body.
We'll link to that offer too. Just remember there's always
another rebrand coming down the road. Wait, hold up, I'm
getting word that the tattoo offer sold out in less
than ninety minutes. You'd have to pay for your own
tattoos and expands are wild.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Now it's your turn, rate and review.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Brandy, Good game,
Eric Adams for having one highlight from his tenure as mayor.
You to the folks who think it's necessary to bleep
the word ass. Kids here far worse these days. Good
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can
(34:24):
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your Podcasts production by Wonder Media Network. Our
producers are alex Azzie, Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez
and Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm
(34:46):
Your Host Sarah Spain
Welcome to Good Game with Sarah Spain, where we're still
scrolling through the highlights of Mondays Got Them FC championship parade. God,
I love a double decker bus moment. It's Tuesday, November
twenty fifth, and on today's show will be bringing you
my conversation with women's soccer legend and BFC co founder
Brandy Chastain. I sat down with her as part of
our Capital One and Novard's Strong Start Brunch event on
(00:21):
Friday in San Jose to discuss the history of women's
soccer in the Bay Area, the challenges of launching a
new team, her interest in coaching at the national team level,
and the times she signed a car. Plus draftees react
in every which way, The lottery gods give hoops and
gay shit fans a thrilling possibility, and we stand bat's
boo and a lame duck. It's all coming out right
(00:44):
after this. Welcome Backslashys. Here's what you need to know today.
Let's start with the NWSL and Got Them's championship celebration
on Monday. Now, folks may recall that back in twenty
twenty three when Got Them won the NWSL title, out
(01:04):
of sixth place. The team was wholly unprepared to host
a victory celebration, and fans were left pretty disappointed they
didn't get a parade. Well, that wasn't the case this year.
The team was honored with their parade in New York
on Monday morning. It began on Barclay Street in Lower
Manhattan and went up Broadway to Chambers Street. During a
presentation at City Hall, New York City Mayor Eric Adams
(01:24):
presented the team with the keys to the city, and
the disgraced mayor got a fair share of booze. As
part of his speech, he said, quote, whenever you play sports,
you know you've got to play through the hecklers and
just stay focused. That's how you win. You don't win
when you worry about the haters. You win when you
stay dedicated to the mission.
Speaker 2 (01:41):
End quote.
Speaker 1 (01:42):
Okay, sir, at least this team's naysayers, aren't you know,
calling them out over federal corruption charges and witness tampering.
And as far as we know, none of the Gotham
players offered reporters cash and a potato chip bag to
write nice stories about them. But anyway, far more exciting
was hearing from the players themselves, Jade and Shaw knew
she could keep it short and sweet and still get
(02:03):
the crowd going with this.
Speaker 3 (02:04):
One last time.
Speaker 4 (02:06):
The quote round the league.
Speaker 1 (02:14):
The quote heard round the league is right, also heard
a lot lately around Gotham FC. Felice Navidad. First, the
players were going crazy for it after requesting it at
the after party Saturday night and then again getting down
to it at the parade on Monday.
Speaker 2 (02:28):
I don't know.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
This must be got them's Cheetah Girls moment to the WNBA.
The league held its twenty twenty six draft lottery on Sunday,
and for a second straight year, the Dallas Wings won
the number one overall pick. Lottery odds were based on
cumulative season records over the last two seasons, and after
going nineteen and sixty five in twenty twenty four and
twenty twenty five, the Wings had the best chance to
(02:49):
land the top pick at forty two percent. As for
who the Wings will pick, well, there isn't a consensus
number one pick just yet. The ESPN's latest mock draft
has Azy Fudd going first. The Athletics writers opted to
give Spain's Ahwa fam the number one slot. As for team,
good game. I think you know we're always rooting for
hoops and gay shit. Paizy, it is more WNBA. Late
(03:12):
last week, the Associated Press was the first to report
that is part of the ongoing CBA negotiations, the WNBA
had offered players a deal that would include a maximum
salary of just over a million dollars a year, with
the new league minimum clocking in at more than two
hundred twenty thousand dollars. But Friend of the Show Annie
Costable later reported for Front Office Sports that sources she
spoke to said those numbers are misleading, as the million
(03:34):
dollar figure includes both a base SuperMac salary of eight
hundred and fifty k, with revenue sharing and bonuses making
up the difference to get to a million. Costable also
reported that the WNBA's latest offer doesn't include any major
tweaks to the revenue share percentage, which has been one
of the biggest sticking points for the PA in negotiations.
As always, we'll keep you posted as we learn more more.
(03:55):
WNBA esp had reported late last week that the New
York Liberty has reached a deal to hire christ To
Marco as the team's new head coach. DeMarco is a
longtime assistant with the mnba's Golden State Warriors, haven't been
with the team since twenty twelve. He has also served
as the head coach of the Bahamian senior men's national
team since twenty nineteen. Now Worth noting that with the hire,
there are still no black women serving as head coach
(04:17):
in the WNBA. In a post on Instagram, former player
and ESPN analyst Janeo Gumackay called out the fact that
the MNBA has become a bigger pipeline than the WNBA itself.
Take a listen to part of what she said.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
It's getting increasingly hard for aspiring coaches or even former
players to win from within. Internally, the WNBA has some
of the brightest minds Christy Tolliver, Brion, January, Kareema Christmas Kelly,
Lindsay Harding, who is currently with the Los Angeles Lakers.
Entering last season, Noel Quinn was the only black female
(04:50):
head coach in the entire WNBA, and now the count
is at zero.
Speaker 1 (04:56):
We'll link to Cheney's full video in the show notes.
Who USA Basketball announced the list of players invited to
take part in the organization's camp next month. The group
of eighteen includes ten players who will be making their
US senior national team camp debut, including Caitlin Clark, Paige Beckers,
Cameron Brink, Angel Reese and Juju Watkins. Now, we were
curious about what watkins participation is going to look like,
(05:18):
given that she's still rehabbing an ACL injury, so we
reached out to USC for clarification, and a spokesperson told
us she won't be participating on court, but that she
quote looks forward to being in the gym as she
learns about the women's national team program end quote. The
camp's also going to feature five members of the US
team that won gold at the twenty twenty four Paris Olympics,
Kalia Copper, Chelsea Gray, Britney Griner, Kelsey Plum, and Jackie Young.
(05:41):
Next month's camp will be held at Duke University from
December twelfth through the fourteenth, and it'll help evaluate players
ahead of next year's Women's World Cup, set to take
place in September in Berlin, Germany. More national team news,
this time from the Soccer World. Last week, US women's
national team boss Emma Hayes announced the twenty six player
training camp roster ahead of two upcoming friendlies to close
(06:01):
out twenty twenty five. The roster includes eight players who
competed in this weekend's NWSL championship game, including Gotham's Lily Reel,
Emily Sonnet, and Jayden Shaw, and Washington's Croy Bethune. The
Spirit's Trinity Rodman remains out of the national team mix
as she continues to work back toward one hundred percent
to baseball. The new Women's Professional Baseball League unveiled its
(06:22):
draft picks last week, with San Francisco selecting Kelsey Whitmore
with the number one draft pick. In twenty sixteen, Whitmore
became the first woman since the nineteen fifties to play
pro baseball when she debuted with the Sonoma Stumpers. She's
also suited up with the Staten Island Fairyhawks, Oakland Bawlers,
and Savannah Bananas. Meantime, Little League legend Monet Davis was
(06:42):
selected tenth overall by the Los Angeles team. In total,
one hundred twenty players were drafted, though not all will
go on to sign with teams now. There was some
confusion around the protocols for the draft for folks that
tuned in, they saw what seemed to be a normal draft,
a hype up video with footage of players at tryouts,
a message from MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred, followed by WPBL
(07:04):
host CJ. Silas opening envelopes with the picks and athletes
speaking about what their selection meant to them. But what
was happening behind the scenes. While first off, the draft
that people tuned into watch on Thursday night wasn't happening
in real time, It was instead a compilation of pre
recorded interviews, Reporter Jen ramos Eisen wrote on x quote
(07:24):
wpblpr director told me that the draft format was indeed followed,
but is unaware of the day or dates when the
draft happened end quote. Ramos Eisen also asked for clarification
on the player interviews. For example, Tonay Benita's reaction to
being selected New York.
Speaker 2 (07:40):
It's official.
Speaker 4 (07:42):
I'm headed to the Big Apple, where the energy never stops,
the lights never dim, and the noise never ends.
Speaker 5 (07:48):
Women in sports are rewriting the story in New York
is leading the charge.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
See you in twenty twenty six.
Speaker 1 (07:53):
But how did today know she was going to New York?
If the interviews with the players were pre recorded well.
PBLPR told Ramos Eyesen that the players didn't know which
team they would be drafted by, but made four videos
with possible reactions depending on which team they were selected to.
This raises some questions for us, but we were still
very excited to see how jazz the players were to
be drafted, even if their reaction was one of four
(08:14):
potential options. We'll have plenty more on the WPBL in
a future episode, but in the meantime, shout out to
Front of the Show Nicole Hasey for making sure this
story was on our radar. To the other Diamond athletes,
Unlimited Softball announced the players who are protected from that
league's upcoming expansion draft when the two new teams, Cascade
and Oklahoma City Spark start filling out their rosters. Each
(08:36):
of the four original teams were allowed to protect five players,
with those selections being announced over the weekend. Highlights include
the Talents protecting pitcher Georgina Korik, who was named AUSL
Pitcher of the Year, and the bandits protecting AUSL MVP
and Friend of the Show Aaron Koffl. We'll link to
the full list of protected players in the show notes.
Speaker 3 (08:54):
The expansion and.
Speaker 1 (08:55):
Allocation draft will take place next Monday, December first, at
seven pm on ESPNU. To the world of cross country skiing,
American Jesse Diggins, the most decorated cross country skier in
US history, has announced this will be her last season competing.
During her stellar career, she's won three Olympic medals, including
the first ever gold medal for the US, which she
won with teammate Keikan Randall in twenty eighteen. She's also
(09:18):
claimed three World Cup season titles and seven World Championship medals.
Diggins's final season gets underway this week in Ruka, Finland,
with the World Cup calendar running through the World Cup
Finals in March, which will be held this year in
Lake Placid, New York. Finally, to golf, the LPGA season
concluded on Sunday with Thailand's Gino Titikuul winning the CME
Group Championship for a second straight year. It caps off
(09:40):
the best season of Titikul's career, and with the win
on Sunday, she takes home a check for four million dollars,
the biggest prize in women's golf. We got to take
a quick break when we come back my conversation with
Brandy Chastain from the I Hurt Women's Sports Strong Start
Brunch on Friday. You need no introduction, but you deserve one.
(10:08):
Co founder of BFC, two time World Cup champion, two
time Olympic gold medalist, coach, author and sports broadcaster, a
soccer Hall of Famer.
Speaker 2 (10:16):
Who are you saying, sports bra caster? Well that too.
Speaker 1 (10:21):
You've made a lot of news with your bras in
the past, and I hope you continue to California Hall
of Famer, Soccer Hall of Famer, Bay Area Hall of
Famer named the US women's national team all time best
eleven and twenty thirteen. A statue having sports bra flaunting
T shirt, twirling icon who grew up right here in
San Jose and used to go to the Frontier Village
(10:41):
amusement park, which was that park right there. It is
no longer, but it was, and now it's just a
memory in your mind. It's Brandy chestay.
Speaker 2 (10:49):
Good morning or good afternoon.
Speaker 1 (10:52):
I want to start with Frontier Village, take us back
to young Brandy growing up three blocks that way and
coming right here.
Speaker 5 (11:00):
Also going to tell something I've never said before, but
that was my first kiss in the Tunnel of.
Speaker 2 (11:03):
Love right over there was it. I'm a zipper, No,
the Tunnel of Love. It was literally on the nose.
Speaker 1 (11:10):
I tried to kiss me on the zipper, which was
a little too on the nose.
Speaker 2 (11:12):
That was the name of the ride.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
That was the name of the ride.
Speaker 2 (11:16):
Oh no.
Speaker 5 (11:16):
It was like a country western themed and it was awesome.
It was such a part of my I would ride
my bike right down the street. I live half a
mile down the street. The first park I ever played
soccer in right down the street. This place has a
lot of holds, a lot of memories, but also some
of my fondest So.
Speaker 1 (11:37):
How special is it that you got to bring a
women's professional soccer team to your hometown.
Speaker 5 (11:43):
Well, yeah, obviously soccer belongs here. We know that. And
I have been a huge advocate for women's soccer for
who probably forty five years, maybe more fifty years, and
(12:04):
we had one, we've had This is our third women's
professional team here. And this opportunity now is so much
different than what it was back in two thousand and one,
So twenty four years later, this is not only sports,
but it's the business of sports, and it's the business
in women's sports. And to me, it just shows the
(12:25):
growth that we've had. We have a lot to do,
which is awesome.
Speaker 1 (12:29):
We know.
Speaker 5 (12:30):
You know, what I've learned about women and women in
sports specifically is that we're not afraid of the hard
things and we're ready for it. And so I am
just so pleased that we get to host this game
tomorrow and that we get to show off our stadium
but mostly our fans, and we get to invite our
(12:54):
friends to come and be a part of the beautiful
scenery that we call PayPal Park. And BFC is really
the core for Ali, Danielle, Leslie and I of our
heart and who we are, and so we're really happy.
You're gonna hear from Penelope next. But man, I tell you,
(13:15):
this has been a heck of a week. I'm so
proud of all that BFC has done, and I know
I'm going to be even more proud of what we
do in the future. We have a lot of great
things coming and I think our league also we have
two expansion teams coming in Boston and Denver, and then
we'll have another in Atlanta.
Speaker 2 (13:35):
And so business is booming. It's awesome. Yeah, the doors
are open for business, you know, what I'm saying.
Speaker 1 (13:40):
I want to start about the beginning of BFC because
I asked you this earlier. I thought, oh, did you
get the invite to Angel City? No?
Speaker 5 (13:47):
Why no, I'm not Southern California. This is a big state,
you know, it's like two states. So no, And that
was that was not a bother, to be honest with you.
It just made us think, well, why the heck are
are we not doing this? Like we we live in
such a beautiful I mean, what a beautiful day we
have here in November. We have a lot of smart
(14:08):
women who work in who have been in sports, but
work in industries in this community that are changing the world,
and we want to.
Speaker 2 (14:21):
Lock arms with them.
Speaker 5 (14:22):
We want them to come along with us on this journey.
And we found a lot of smart women, one sitting
here in the front, her name is Sheila, Sheila and
others like her who saw this vision and were like,
we can do that well.
Speaker 1 (14:36):
And also there was a benefit to it because Angel
City wasn't your place.
Speaker 3 (14:40):
San Jose is your place. The Bay Area is your place.
Speaker 1 (14:42):
And the idea that four different women from Santa Clara
I kindly was like, oh, you all went to school together.
Speaker 2 (14:49):
Thank you.
Speaker 1 (14:50):
Yeah, exactly, I was a decade apartner, but I meant
the same school. Yeah, Santa Clara connects the four of
you and you decide to be the founders of BEA.
Speaker 3 (15:00):
So tell us about that quartet.
Speaker 5 (15:02):
Well, you know, we all played on the national team
at one point together. Danielle, Ali and Leslie were national
champions for my husband's team at Santa Clara.
Speaker 2 (15:13):
I think a jesuit.
Speaker 5 (15:14):
The education that we got at Santa Clara was always
thinking about the community and which you live and how
we can make a space or place better. And it's
not about us, it's about you know them. And it
was with that idea and that intention that we wanted
to build a club that had the players in mind.
Speaker 2 (15:36):
First.
Speaker 5 (15:37):
The fans are essential to us. We I mean, I
absolutely love our fans and that everybody is welcome to
our place, you know. And and when Leslie says we
got to do this, and we were like can we
do this and she's like, yes, we're going to do this.
Speaker 2 (15:57):
We have a lot of.
Speaker 5 (15:57):
People who would be interested, and so we set off
on the journey and it wasn't easy. And I big
kudos honestly to you know, the front office at AFC
for having a very short amount of time to put
this together and to launch on the first day of
preseason and then kick it off for the season in
(16:20):
twenty twenty four.
Speaker 1 (16:21):
You keep mentioning them, Danielle Slaton, Leslie Osborne, Ally Wagner
and you, you know, a lot of the new owners
in the NWSL or NFL owners our billionaires, our men
sort of due to the price of playing. Now, does
it seem like the current financial stakes of the league
would prevent a future quartet similar to yours from being
able to do this again?
Speaker 5 (16:43):
Well, my head, you know where my head immediately went no,
because there's a lot of women out there doing amazing
things and they are going to be the billionaires, so
they will be the next four, right. I think it's possible,
nothing's impossible. But I think what's happening now in women's sports,
(17:04):
and women's soccer specifically, but all of women's sports is
everybody else is catching up to us.
Speaker 2 (17:09):
Ladies.
Speaker 5 (17:10):
We knew this all along, that this was valuable, that
almost priceless. Really, what we do, how we handle ourselves,
how we show up, how we play. You know, it's
remarkable and the fact that it's taken this long has
been hard. But also my mom used to say, Brandy,
good things are worth waiting for, and I was like, ah, okay,
(17:34):
but she's right, she's right, and I think now is
the perfect time, and I say, let's go, let's be ambitious,
let's be brave. Let's We're not going to get it
right all the time. And I think that's one thing
about BFC and what we learned here in this culture
is that you know you're going to fail fast, and
you're going to fail hard, but it's okay. You're going
(17:55):
to get up and you're gonna That just means you're learning,
You're going to learn things along the way, and so
just put yourself out there.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
Be brave for you.
Speaker 1 (18:02):
Amelia lice hat Amelia, a little kiddo up front who's
figured out the solution to the sun is a napkin
on her head.
Speaker 3 (18:09):
We love it.
Speaker 1 (18:11):
You know, you mentioned the history of women's soccer here
in the Bay Area, and I wonder if you can
quickly speak to that because you played for the Cyber
Rays of.
Speaker 2 (18:17):
The WUS, right first champions.
Speaker 1 (18:19):
Come on, cyber Rays is such a dated name for like, oh,
we're in a tech city.
Speaker 3 (18:24):
So they're raised, but there's cyber Yeah, like what is
they do?
Speaker 2 (18:28):
Not even bash the cyber rays, Like what are you doing?
The so cool?
Speaker 1 (18:36):
And then the WPS had the FC Gold Pride team.
Speaker 3 (18:40):
What did you learn from looking back?
Speaker 1 (18:42):
Obviously very different stakes, very different time, But I'm sure
you looked at those two and said what worked, what
didn't and what are we going to bring bring from
those teams to this one.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
Well, I think that the thing we should talk about
the most is just exposure, right access to and exposure
change everything. And so bringing cyber rays and pride and
keeping it in the community, keeping it visible just to
the people who lived around here very important. Continuing to
give access an opportunity to the young players coming out
(19:13):
of college so that they had.
Speaker 2 (19:14):
A place to play. Right.
Speaker 5 (19:16):
So you think way back when I was, when I
was getting out of college, there was no league. It
was like I played adult soccer. You know, I played
adult soccer and I drive to Sacramento two hours away
to play a game, and then I drive two hours
to come back. And that was the place I had
to go to find competitive level women's soccer outside of college.
(19:39):
And so having a professional team a league is essential
for the women's national team. All of our national team
players need a place to play on the regulars so
that we can continue to develop. And now we have
like nine national teams on the women's side. We had
one national team at the time, and so you know,
(20:02):
where we've come is amazing. But you know, our league again,
I think we also have a responsibility to make sure
that our teams and are being as competitive and driven
and we're developing our players and we're making them the
best soccer players that they can possibly be. And that
was a part of also the culture that we wanted
(20:24):
to have that our players knew that when they came
here that we wanted to help them be the best
on the field but also the best off the field
and give them opportunity outside of the game.
Speaker 1 (20:35):
And a lot of the fights actually bring that out
in players. So it will be a goal moving forward
for the younger players who haven't had to fight for
equal pay as much, haven't had to fight for access
as much, to still understand that as soon as you
get complacent, things can get taken away. So they need
to be just as vigilant in growing and embracing what
comes after them as you all were in thinking about
(20:58):
what the future might look like.
Speaker 5 (20:59):
You're on and it's like Title nine, you can't go
forward unless you know where you've been, and you don't
want to make the same mistakes.
Speaker 2 (21:07):
And honestly, I think.
Speaker 5 (21:10):
We want this rocket ship to take off, but I
also want us to go slow and mindful during that
process too, and make sure that we're taking care of
the things that are truly important, and that's people first,
players first, fans. Those people are our core and will
(21:30):
always be the reason why we'll be successful.
Speaker 1 (21:32):
And if we lose that, I think we lose what's
at the heart of women's sports. And it's not about
being like the men. It's about being its very own thing.
And there's a lot that we share in common, but
some of the best and most special things about women's
sports can get lost if it becomes just about a
money grab. I want to take you back to that
ninety nine team, because so much was learned from them,
(21:54):
so much was taken that led to the later equal
pay fight, that led to the NWSLS fight to continue
to grow.
Speaker 3 (22:01):
And I know you've talked about it a.
Speaker 1 (22:03):
Million times, but we got to go back to the
moment the penalty kick the wind, the tearing off of
the shirt and twirling it around the sports bra Where's
the weirdest place either a country you've been where someone
was like, hey, aren't you that lady? Or a product
My friend gave me wineglasses with you ripping your shirt
off on them?
Speaker 3 (22:22):
What I know?
Speaker 2 (22:23):
And I need some of those, you know what.
Speaker 3 (22:24):
I said to her, I go, I don't think Brandy
probably got any.
Speaker 2 (22:27):
Like Brandy did not.
Speaker 1 (22:29):
I think it's like an Etsy purchase, but thank you.
They're really cute, but like, let's try to buy through
the players themselves. But yeah, like the weirdest place you've
seen your silhouette, the weirdest place you've been asked about it?
Speaker 2 (22:41):
Yeah, oh gosh.
Speaker 5 (22:44):
So after that ninety nine game, we you know, we
would do like these victory tour matches, friendly matches, and
I think we may have been in Louisville, Kentucky, and
we had a game I think it was Coastarica and
we were coming off the field and you.
Speaker 2 (23:04):
Hear Brandy, Brandy, Brandy, Brandy.
Speaker 5 (23:07):
And I look up and there's these two young teenage
guys wearing bras and I was like, okay, you know
you made it when the teenage guys are wearing bras.
But I'll tell you one of the most unusual places
that where I've been asked for my autograph. Like I
was driving from Akron, Ohio to Columbus and you pass
the National Football Hall of Fame and it was very
(23:30):
early in the morning, and I'm by myself and I'm driving,
and I'm like, I think I'm gonna get just stop
off and get a tee Starbucks and I pull over
and the parking lot is empty except for like I
think two or three cars, and then there's this group
of very large lumberjackie flannel shirt wearing guys outside, and
(23:54):
I'm like, you know when people, you know, when people
are looking at you and you don't want to really
look at them.
Speaker 2 (24:00):
I was like, okay, I just walked inside.
Speaker 5 (24:02):
And then I'm thinking, what's my exit strategy, Like how
am I getting out of here?
Speaker 2 (24:06):
Depending on what's happening, I don't know.
Speaker 5 (24:08):
And I come out and guy stands up and he goes,
are you Brandy Chastain And I was like wow, like yes,
he goes, Oh my gosh, my daughter plays soccer. Would
you mind giving me an autograph? And I was like
of course, no problem. He goes, great, this is so amazing.
I'm going to give this to her for a sixteenth birthday.
Would you please sign the back of this car. I
(24:31):
just remodeled it and I'm gonna give it to her.
So I was like, I mean, I'm like, sir, are
you sure you want me to put my name on
the whole backfender of your car. He goes yes, sure,
And I was like, that's the most.
Speaker 3 (24:46):
You signed a car. That's amazing.
Speaker 5 (24:50):
Yeah, in America, in the middle of American football country.
Speaker 3 (24:53):
Yeah, I love that. That's amazing.
Speaker 1 (24:57):
You know, the ninety nine ers inspired generations here and abroad,
and that has continued and it's wonderful. But it also
means that you're telling the rest of the world here's
how you have to do things.
Speaker 3 (25:08):
To keep up.
Speaker 1 (25:10):
And after the twenty twenty three World Cup didn't go
as planned, a lot of people said, it's not about
the world catching up anymore. They've caught up. Of course,
Team USA was victorious at the Olympics last year, so
back on top where we should be. But where do
you see the state of parody and competition across the
globe in women's sports right now?
Speaker 5 (25:29):
I'm super pumped that we have put a lot of
pressure on federations around the world, FIFA as well, to say, listen,
you don't have the right not to support women and
women's football because this is a global game. They love it,
they want access, and you need to as a governing
body and the keepers of soccer, you need to support this.
(25:53):
And so they have gotten better. They're not great, let's
be honest, but they've gotten better. And so we see
all these African nations now participate in Asian Asian nations
playing South American nations playing like this is incredible and
and so we always knew, like we didn't believe that
the rest of the world wasn't playing soccer. They were
(26:14):
playing soccer. Let me just give you a throwback name.
You all probably know Marda, but before Marta was Ceci
and CEC's father and family loved football, but they didn't
want Cec to play, and so she got dolls for Christmas.
The brothers got soccer balls, and she was like, I
don't want this, so she took the head off the
(26:36):
doll and that's what she played with in the street
in Brazil, like at all, I mean, it was it was, So,
you know, I think the resiliency of women in sports
is true. I think you know, you'll do anything to
participate and like it. Just things like that tell me
that there are girls playing everywhere.
Speaker 2 (26:57):
I do believe that.
Speaker 5 (27:01):
The landscape is more difficult now. I I also say
they haven't caught up. They've always been there. You just
haven't had access to watching them and they haven't had
access to playing.
Speaker 1 (27:12):
Any expert so that they could have enough of a
team to really compete.
Speaker 5 (27:16):
Right, But the girl the players have always existed, and
so now you're ready by you know, and your organization
is ready. So I've believed in it being everywhere, and
so for for us, you know, my dream is to
coach the national team or a national team within US Soccer.
And next week I get to go and at least
(27:36):
speak to one of the teams and be around them
for practice. So I'm hoping that it turns into something
because it would be terrible to have had to have
experiences and not share them and and give back.
Speaker 2 (27:48):
And I just let go.
Speaker 3 (27:50):
You are still shooting. That's incredible.
Speaker 2 (27:53):
Wow, And then we'll have world domination.
Speaker 3 (27:55):
Yes, clearly, clearly. Well, but it's interesting because the US.
Speaker 1 (27:59):
The way we big out our sports is essentially like
we're in our own thing. We name our champions world champions,
even though we're not competing with the world.
Speaker 3 (28:07):
Yeah.
Speaker 1 (28:09):
But what's interesting is women and immigrants have been what
have made soccer big here, and then we've sort of
reluctantly been like, oh, and men play and some of
them are.
Speaker 3 (28:19):
Good mostly elsewhere.
Speaker 1 (28:21):
And that's a very different thing than every other sports
landscape in the US really, and soccer has been the
thing that has forced us to look abroad, to open
up our minds, to wake up early and watch Premier
League or women's you know, Championship League and all that
other stuff. So do you like that or as a
founder of a team where you want the talent to
(28:41):
stay here, are you looking across and saying, okay, now
they're sort of the enemy.
Speaker 2 (28:46):
No.
Speaker 5 (28:46):
I believe we're all in this together. I also believe
that having life experiences are really important. I did live
in Japan and played in Japan for a year. I said,
we didn't have a league, so it was really my
own the opportunity to continue to be professional. But I'm
not afraid of that. Like, if that gets big, then
(29:08):
it pulls us up too, or if we get big,
we pull others up. Like that's the nature I feel
of women in sports. We're not fighting against each other,
we're fighting with one another. I want to keep our
best players here, and I want the best players in
the world to come here because our league is very competitive.
But I'm also I would never begrudge anybody for deciding
(29:28):
like this is what I need right now in my life.
And that's fine because we're always gonna be here and
you can come back.
Speaker 3 (29:35):
Okay, last question for you. We have a little game.
Speaker 1 (29:37):
It's called good, Gooder, goodest. It's similar to bench start cut,
but it's nicer because we're.
Speaker 3 (29:43):
A good game. You don't have to cut.
Speaker 2 (29:44):
Anything good, gooder or goodest.
Speaker 1 (29:46):
Yeah, So something's good, something's gooder, and something is goodest.
So starting with good, tell us of these Julie Foute's
three clap the USA chant or he clap, clap, clap, clap,
he clap, clap, clap clap.
Speaker 2 (30:02):
Well that's the goodest clap.
Speaker 1 (30:04):
Well, you gotta start with good, oh good, which is
technically the worst, so be careful.
Speaker 2 (30:08):
Yeah, that's Julie, that's Julie.
Speaker 1 (30:10):
Wow, right under the bus all right, Fauti's three clap,
which she has brought to Angel City, so it is
sort of the enemy at this point, so I'll allow it.
Speaker 3 (30:19):
She's good.
Speaker 5 (30:19):
Yeah, I'm going to put our bay in the gooder
good God.
Speaker 2 (30:24):
And because USA, usays and.
Speaker 3 (30:26):
Tell them how how you got this chance?
Speaker 2 (30:28):
Well, this is the short story version.
Speaker 5 (30:31):
Short story version is nobody knew how to how do
you say USA?
Speaker 3 (30:34):
Other countries didn't know how to say USA.
Speaker 1 (30:36):
So they said Husa and they embraced it and said
this is our chant.
Speaker 5 (30:39):
Now before we end and do our chant, I just
want to say, Sarah, thank you so very much for
having me today. Thank you so much for being a
part of supporting women's soccer. Also, I do want to
say our men's team is going to be good for
the World Cup, so let's not sleep on them. Let's
support them, and let's positive vibes. Yeah it's a tough time,
positive vibe I love, I do. I think we're gonna
(31:02):
we're gonna show up in a big way. And uh,
let's have a great time this weekend. Let's let's cheer
for great soccer, whether it's the team you you want
to win or not, but let's really celebrate the fact
that we get to be together and celebrate a championship
here in beautiful Sandels in love it.
Speaker 2 (31:19):
Okay, all right, USA, that's what we're gonna do. Okay,
are you ready?
Speaker 1 (31:22):
Yeah?
Speaker 5 (31:22):
On three one two three USUS USA.
Speaker 1 (31:33):
Thanks again to Brandy for taking the time, and to
Novartis and Capital One for presenting the event, which was
absolutely beautiful. And shout out to all the folks who
came out to the brunch and even did some downward
dogs and sun salutations as part of the yoga class
ahead of my conversations, and producer Alex wants to thank
the person who asked if she was the yoga instructor.
She was honored. We gotta take another break when we returned,
(31:56):
turning the clock back on a long season. Welcome back, Slaics.
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. We're tying a bow
on this NWSL season and we want to know your
favorite moments. Could be a game, a goal, a quote,
(32:18):
an interview, a piece of merch, maybe a shared experience
with friends or family, or just a vibe when you
look back on the twenty twenty five NWSL season. What
stands out to you? Send it to us. We'd love
to hear from you. Hit us up on email, good
game at wondermedianetwork dot com, or leave us a voicemail
at eight seven two two oh four fifty seventy, and
(32:38):
don't forget to subscribe, rate and review slaces. It's easy.
Watch the Phoenix Mercury's new logo rating still deciding review.
The WNBA's Phoenix Mercury revealed new redesigned logos and word
marks on Monday, the first ever rebrand for the team,
which is one of the league's original eight franchises. The
(33:00):
first reaction was that it didn't scream sports, more like
a cell phone company, but it did start to grow
on me the more I sat with it and slice.
Justin Baird, who is an Arizona native, was among those
who did dig it, posting to Blue Sky, I really
like the Phoenix Mercury logo refresh, super clean, updated, and
really intentional end quote. We'll link to the press release
(33:20):
where you could see the logos and read all about
the story that's told by their position, angle, shape, colors
and more. You can also get info on the merch
swap the team is doing December fifth, which is a
community give back initiative that's given fans a chance to
trade an old merchandise for a Mercury T shirt with
the new logo. And if you're really into the murk,
like really big fan, they're also offering free tattoos for
(33:42):
anyone who wants the new logo permanently affixed to their body.
We'll link to that offer too. Just remember there's always
another rebrand coming down the road. Wait, hold up, I'm
getting word that the tattoo offer sold out in less
than ninety minutes. You'd have to pay for your own
tattoos and expands are wild.
Speaker 3 (34:01):
Now it's your turn, rate and review.
Speaker 1 (34:04):
Thanks for listening, See you tomorrow. Good game, Brandy, Good game,
Eric Adams for having one highlight from his tenure as mayor.
You to the folks who think it's necessary to bleep
the word ass. Kids here far worse these days. Good
Game with Sarah Spain is an iHeart women's sports production
in partnership with Deep Blue Sports and Entertainment. You can
(34:24):
find us on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever
you get your Podcasts production by Wonder Media Network. Our
producers are alex Azzie, Grace Lynch, Taylor Williamson, and Lucy Jones.
Our executive producers are Christina Everett, Jesse Katz, Jenny Kaplan
and Emily Rudder. Our editors are Emily Rudder, Britney Martinez
and Gianna Palmer. Production assistants from Avery Loftus and I'm
(34:46):
Your Host Sarah Spain
Host
Sarah Spain
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