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Sportly — History
Sportly

Sportly is hosted by Emmy-winning investigative journalist Kavitha A. Davidson. Created by Immigrantly Media, it takes you beyond the scoreboard to uncover the hidden histories and rich cultural legacies that make sports truly unforgettable.

Sportly brings listeners a fresh perspective on sports each week—did you know that the oldest international cricket rivalry is between the United States and Canada? Or that the NBA’s first minority player was of Asian descent? With deep dives into iconic moments, lesser-known rivalries, and the fascinating evolution of traditions like the national anthem in American sports, Sportly is here to expand your love of the game.

Each episode explores stories that transcend stats, celebrating the diversity of players, the cultures they represent, and the unique events that shape our favorite sports. Tune in every Monday for thought-provoking insights, heartwarming anecdotes, and thrilling highlights that make you see the games you love in a whole new way.

Sportly is the podcast companion for your commute, workout, or downtime—bringing sports to life wherever you listen.

Host: Kavitha A. Davidson

Producer: Paroma Chakravarty

Executive Producer: Saadia Khan

Content Writers: Emmanuelle Monahan & Kavitha A. Davidson

Sound Design & Content Editor: Paroma Chakravarty

Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson

Other Music: Epidemic Sound

Cover Art Design: Sarah DiMichele

Follow us on IG @sportlypod

Twitter @Immigrantly_pod

TikTok @Immigrantly

Subscribe to our Patreon

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, please email at info@immigrantlypod.com

Latest Episodes:

Is Wrestlemania Still for the Fans? Apr 16, 2026

Show notes

WrestleMania 42 promises all the spectacle fans have come to expect, with headline matches like Cody Rhodes vs. Randy Orton and CM Punk vs. Roman Reigns carrying deep personal stakes and years of history.

On the surface, the event has all the ingredients of a classic. Larger-than-life personalities, emotional storytelling, and career-defining moments. But as anticipation builds, so does a growing sense of unease about how these stories are being shaped, and who is really in control behind the scenes.

In this episode, Kavitha Davidson explores how the influence of TKO Group Holdings is reshaping WWE: from the controversial involvement of Pat McAfee in a central storyline to the increasing presence of sponsorships, corporate strategy, and media partnerships. As the lines between storytelling and business continue to blur, WrestleMania is no longer just about what happens in the ring. It’s about the power dynamics shaping the product itself, and what that means for the future of professional wrestling.

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 Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Mets Fans Don’t Need Championships Apr 09, 2026

Show notes

This week Kavitha interviews journalist and author A.M. Gittlitz about his new book Metropolitans: New York Baseball, Class Struggle, and the People’s Team. Kavitha and Gittlitz unpack the long history behind the New York Mets, from their 19th-century roots tied to political machines like Tammany Hall to their modern identity as an underdog franchise in a city dominated by the New York Yankees. The conversation explores how baseball itself was shaped by class dynamics, how the sport evolved from player-run chaos into an owner-controlled business, and why the Mets have come to be seen as a “people’s team.”

They also dig into what makes Mets fandom distinct. The idea is that the team isn’t cursed, but instead represents something more chaotic and, at times, more meaningful than winning. From the mythology of the 1969 black cat to Dom Smith’s 2020 walkout, Gittlitz argues that the most important moments in Mets history aren’t always championships. They are the ones where baseball intersects with politics, culture, and identity. The result is a conversation that goes beyond the Mets vs. Yankees rivalry and asks a bigger question: what does it actually mean to root for a team, and what are fans really investing in when they do?

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 Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feed Drop: The Breakthrough Apr 02, 2026

Show notes

Sportly brings you an episode from Hysteria: A Basketball Podcast, which explores why Indiana sits at the heart of the sport, and how the women’s game has finally reached a long-awaited breakthrough.

Women’s basketball is having a moment, but the rise of the game has been decades in the making. In this episode of Hysteria, host Julie Roe Lach (Executive Vice President External Relations and Community Engagement Pacers Sports & Entertainment) traces the journey from pioneers like Cheryl Miller who played with little national attention to today’s sold-out arenas and record-breaking audiences.

Hall of Famer Tamika Catchings reflects on leading the Indiana Fever to the 2012 WNBA championship and watching the game evolve, while Lynn Holzman (Vice President for Women’s Basketball at NCAA) and Hall of Famer Debbie Antonelli (ESPN/CBS/Raycom/Westwood BasketballAnalyst) share how increased exposure, media investment, and unforgettable players like the Fever’s Caitlin Clark have pushed women’s basketball to new heights.

The talent has always been there. Now the world is finally watching.

Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Writer: Emmanuelle Monahan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why Shutting Down Streameast Didn’t Fix Sports Piracy Mar 26, 2026

Show notes

StreamEast is gone. Or at least, it was.

In 2025, one of the largest illegal sports streaming networks in the world was taken down in a coordinated international operation involving law enforcement across multiple countries. Domains were seized. Arrests were made. For a moment, it looked like the system worked.

But then, almost immediately, the streams came back.

In this episode, Kavitha tells the story of StreamEast - and why shutting it down didn’t actually solve anything. From blackout restrictions and rising subscription costs to the global cat-and-mouse game between piracy sites and authorities, this is the story of a system that doesn’t stay down for long.

Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Writer: Emmanuelle Monahan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Has the World Baseball Classic Outgrown Team USA? Mar 19, 2026

Show notes

The World Baseball Classic has been electric - packed stadiums, global stars, and teams playing with a level of joy that Major League Baseball doesn’t always capture. So why does Team USA feel like the only team not having any fun?

In this episode, Kavitha Davidson breaks down what the WBC is revealing about baseball right now: from questions around leadership and “vibes” on the U.S. roster to the bigger issue of American exceptionalism in a sport that has always been global. We also get into the cultural exchange at the heart of the tournament, why teams like Venezuela and the Dominican Republic feel so different on the field, and what it all says about where baseball is headed.

Joining Kavitha today is Clinton Yates, an ESPN columnist for Andscape and host of Clinton & Friends on ESPN Radio, who covers the intersection of sports, culture, and race. Clinton was on the ground at the WBC and brings sharp insight (and plenty of opinions) on everything from Team USA’s leadership choices to the tournament’s growing global significance. Plus, we get into some of the week’s most chaotic sports stories - from the NBA’s “Magic City Night” controversy to Bam Adebayo’s 83-point explosion - and why they say a lot more about sports culture than the games themselves.

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 Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feed Drop: AITA? I'm Co-Hosting the World Cup with Mexico and Canada Mar 12, 2026

Show notes

In 2018, when the United States, Mexico, and Canada were selected to co-host this year’s World Cup, it sounded like fun: three friendly democracies throwing the world's biggest soccer party.

LOL. LMAO, even.

To kick off Season 2 of An American Game, Tom and Kirk take a look at our (longer than you think) soccer history with our northern and southern neighbors and put some color back on what’s become a pretty crude, black-and-white picture. Because despite all the recent division, we’re actually more connected than ever. And that's something to root for this summer!

Listen to An American Game wherever you get your podcasts.

Follow the show on Instagram.

For more of Tom and Kirk’s work, visit soccertownmedia.com.

SPORTLY CREDITS:

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 Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

How Formula One Driver Management Decides Champions (June 2025) Mar 05, 2026

Show notes

This is a re-run of Sportly's June 2025 episode: "Let Them Race? McLaren Vs. Red Bull’s F1 Strategy War "

What happens when McLaren lets its star drivers race without limits and Red Bull doesn’t?

The 2026 Formula One season is officially a "hard reset" for the sport. With a total regulation overhaul, cars are becoming smaller, lighter, and more complex. Drivers will now juggle 50/50 hybrid power units and active aerodynamics while fighting for position with a brand-new "Overtake Mode".

As the competitive order resets, the most critical factor for success shifts from the factory to the pit wall: driver management. This Sportly episode explores the high-stakes decisions team principals face when the rulebook is rewritten. We dive into the controversial world of team orders, examining why some teams, like Red Bull, enforce strict hierarchies while others, like McLaren, let their drivers "race freely" - sometimes with disastrous results.

From the teammate collision at the 2025 Canadian Grand Prix to the calculated strategies of the past, we unpack the wins and failures that will define the 2026 grid. When the engines fire up and the risks are higher than ever, will teams play it safe or let their drivers take the wheel?

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 Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele

Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ & ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Spotify to help more people find us!

You can reach the host, Kavitha, at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Remember to subscribe to our ⁠⁠⁠Apple podcast ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠channel⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠for insightful podcasts.

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Feed Drop: Making Sense of Global Qualifying for the 2027 Women's World Cup (Courtesy of The Athletic and Full Time) Feb 26, 2026

Show notes

In this feed drop episode, Tamerra and Jillian, hosts of the Full Time podcast, set the stage for the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil. They break down how qualifiers work and examine disparity in resources and opportunities across countries.

While the U.S. women’s national team has been playing friendly after friendly, plenty of the rest of the world has already started their qualification paths to the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup in Brazil.

So, what is the state of World Cup qualifying around the world in women’s soccer? What do people need to know about the differences in how the six FIFA confederations handle their qualifiers? How can FIFA change the women’s game and increase investment? Who are the nations to watch that could be on the rise over the next year?

Listen to other episode by The Athletic's Full Time at https://fulltimepod.com/

Sportly Production:

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 Sportly 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 in creating 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Sarah Spain Breaks Down Olympic Drama & Women’s Ice Hockey Feb 19, 2026

Show notes

This week on Sportly, Sarah Spain joins host Kavitha Davidson from the Winter Olympics to break down the biggest sports controversies of the past week, from viral outrage cycles to political optics, and what they reveal about media literacy in the age of social media.

We unpack how misinformation spreads during global sporting events, why certain Olympic moments get amplified (and others distorted), and why it’s critical to separate fact from narrative, especially when politics, gender, and nationalism collide.

Then we shift to what’s happening on the ice.

Team USA women’s hockey has been dominant, but what does this moment actually mean for the long-term growth of women’s ice hockey? We analyze:

The impact of the Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL)
How consistent elite competition is changing development pipelines
Why league infrastructure, not just Olympic hype, sustains momentum
What women’s hockey gets right that men’s leagues could learn from

This episode connects breaking sports controversies, media accountability, and the evolution of women’s sports, especially ice hockey, into one essential conversation.

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 Sportly 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 in creating 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 ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠kavitha@immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod

Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly

Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production

For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Why This Is America’s Best Figure Skating Team at the Olympics in Over 20 Years Feb 12, 2026

Show notes

In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson sits down with figure skating expert Jackie Wong to break down the unprecedented comeback story that has the skating world buzzing.

For the first time in 24 years, Team USA is sending three legitimate Olympic medal contenders to compete in women's figure skating at the Milano Cortina Olympics.

Meet the Triple Threat:

Amber Glenn (26) - Three-time consecutive US Champion, landing triple axels with remarkable consistency

Alyssa Liu (20) - Youngest US National Champion in history who came out of retirement to win the 2025 World Championship

Isabel Levito (18) - Rising star with a personal connection to Milan, where her mother is from

It's been 28 years since an American woman won Olympic gold in figure skating (Tara Lipinski, 1998). Sarah Hughes won in 2002. It's been 20 years since the US won a medal in the individual women's event (Sasha Cohen, silver, 2006). But 2026 might finally be the year that drought ends.

In this episode: Figure skating analyst Jackie Wong explains why the Russian ban changed the competitive landscape, how the triple axel provides a massive scoring advantage, Alyssa Liu's remarkable comeback story, the US vs Japan rivalry, why Ilia Malinin is potentially the best American men's skater in two generations, and why this is the first Olympics in 24 years where Team USA has sent three women with legitimate podium potential.

Connect with Jackie Wong: rockerskating.com | @RockerSkating

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 Sportly 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 in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more

information at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://immigrantlypod.com⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

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Keywords: Figure skating, Olympics 2026, Milano Cortina, Amber Glenn, Alyssa Liu, Isabel Levito, triple axel, Ilia Malinin, Team USA, Jackie Wong, Rocker Skating, women's figure skating, Olympic medals, world championships

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