Sportly

Former ESPN journalist Joon Lee joins Sportly host Kavida Davidson for a wide-ranging, candid conversation about what comes after leaving the sports media “mothership” and why the industry is undergoing a fundamental shift. Lee reflects on being laid off from ESPN, how the brand continues to shape credibility long after his departure, and why sports media has become increasingly decentralized. He breaks down the real cost of being a sports fan today, from fragmented streaming services and rising ticket prices to the quiet erosion of community that once made sports a shared cultural experience. The conversation dives deep into Joon Lee’s New York Times op-eds on sports affordability and sports gambling, including how private equity, streaming wars, and legalized betting are reshaping leagues, journalism, and fan trust. Lee also explains why he declines gambling sponsorships on his YouTube channel, what accountability means in the creator economy, and why trust, not outrage, may be the most valuable currency in modern sports media. Plus, Joon Lee shares behind-the-scenes insight into his viral NASCAR video with Jimmie Johnson, what it taught him about athleticism and fear, and why YouTube, not traditional media, is where he sees the future of sports journalism. A thoughtful, unsparing look at fandom, money, media, and what we lose when sports become inaccessible. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms. link below http://studio.com/saadia Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sports journalist, Kavitha Davidson explores how bars once built for straight, white men evolved to include women, immigrants, and queer communities, creating a new sports culture. (This is a re-run of a popular Sportly episode.) What do beer-soaked bleachers, immigrant taverns, and feminist bar owners have in common? They all shaped the modern American sports bar. From Palermo’s Tavern in St. Louis, often recognized as America’s first sports bar, to The Sports Bra in Portland, the first bar dedicated entirely to women’s sports, this episode traces how these spaces became America’s unofficial living rooms. Keep up with Sportly on Instagram: ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠@sportlypod⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Content Writers: Emmanuelle Monahan & Kavitha Davidson I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele --------------------- Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms. link below http://studio.com/saadia Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

College sports aren’t just expensive; they are financially upside down. In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson sits down with Washington Post college sports reporter Jesse Dougherty for a sharp, clear-eyed breakdown of the NCAA’s spiraling money crisis. The episode cuts through the noise to explain: Why coaching salaries and buyouts have exploded to NFL-level numbers How the new $20 million athlete compensation model actually works Why boosters now influence hiring and firing more than ever How NIL changed the landscape in ways the NCAA never anticipated Why minor sports are being cut even as revenues hit the billions Whether private equity and Congress can fix any of this or make it worse Dougherty brings deep reporting and uncommon clarity to one of the most misunderstood issues in sports: the real economics of college athletics. You'll hear what’s driving the spending arms race, what’s myth vs. reality, and whether the current NCAA model is even sustainable. If you care about NIL, athlete pay, conference realignment, or how college sports became a financial runaway train, this interview delivers the insight you’ve been looking for. Tune in for a conversation that’s fast, honest, and impossible to un-hear. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms. link below http://studio.com/saadia Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Lacrosse didn’t begin in prep-school hallways or elite East Coast programs; its roots sit firmly with the Haudenosaunee, the Indigenous creators of North America’s oldest sport. As lacrosse returns to the Olympic stage for the first time in 75 years, the community that invented the game may once again be left on the sidelines. In this episode of Sportly, the host Kavitha Davidson dives into the powerful, often erased history of lacrosse, from a thousand-year-old ceremonial game to the packed 2015 World Indoor Lacrosse Championship on Haudenosaunee land. The episode revisits the rise of the Thompson Brothers, the dominance of box lacrosse, and the political battles that have kept Indigenous athletes from competing under their own flag. Now, with the introduction of Lacrosse Sixes and the 2028 LA Olympics on the horizon, a defining question emerges: Will the Olympics finally allow the Haudenosaunee Nationals to compete as a sovereign team? Featuring gripping storytelling, historical context, and the voices of players who have carried this game for generations, this episode explores not just a sport but a movement for recognition, sovereignty, and justice. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Script Writer: Irene Bantigue & Kavitha Davidson |Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Research: Irene Bantigue & Paroma Chakravarty | Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly IG @sportlypod Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Steph Curry is officially leaving Under Armour, ending one of the most surprising and influential athlete-brand partnerships in modern sports history. But how did a relationship that reshaped sneaker culture, revived an apparel company, and built a $173 million business line come undone? In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson breaks down the full story  from the now-infamous Nike meeting where executives called him “Stefan,” to Curry becoming the face of Under Armour, to the brand’s recent struggles, and why analysts say UA “never understood sneaker culture.”  We explore: The botched Nike pitch that pushed Curry toward Under Armour How Steph’s signature shoes became a billion-dollar footwear engine Why Under Armour’s leadership was seen as out of touch with basketball and hip-hop culture What Curry’s move means for the future of the Curry Brand Whether we’re entering a new athlete era where stars become owners, not endorsers like Serena Williams, Tom Brady, and Dwyane Wade. Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty ITheme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Please share the love and leave us a review on ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ to help more people find us!  Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.  You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠[email protected]⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly  Sportly IG @sportlypod Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at [email protected] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices