Welcome to the Party

Latest Episodes:

How The Savannah Bananas Built A Sports Empire Oct 01, 2026

Show notes

What happens when you build a sports business around the fans instead of the bottom line?

Savannah Bananas founder Jesse Cole joins Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy to break down how a struggling baseball team became Banana Ball — a phenomenon selling out major stadiums while refusing to play by the traditional rules of sports business.

Jesse shares why he’s committed to keeping tickets affordable, how a “Fans First” philosophy shapes everything from player contracts to the upper deck experience, and why he believes long-term trust matters more than short-term profit. He also takes Abby and Julie inside the evolution of Banana Ball, the upcoming first-ever Banana Bowl, and the joy, accessibility, and community he believes sports can never afford to lose.

Plus, the three explore what women’s sports can learn from the Bananas as the industry grows: how to scale without losing the culture that made people fall in love with it in the first place.

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Keep the Party Going:

Our October charity is Thriving Pink. A portion of proceeds from Welcome to the Party merch this month will support Thriving Pink and its work providing financial assistance, support groups, wellness programs and resources for people navigating breast cancer: https://www.thrivingpink.org/ and https://welcometotheparty.voila.store/

Women’s sports are booming, but the full pipeline tells a more complicated story. The new WSF Sport Report 2026 looks at girls and women in sports from youth participation through college and the pros, including access, belonging and the future of Title IX. Julie promised we’d link the full study: https://www.womenssportsfoundation.org/wsf-sport-report/

Okay, so how exactly does Banana Ball work? Two-hour games, no walks, fans catching foul balls for outs and a whole different scoring system. Get all 11 rules here: https://help.bananaball.com/article-categories/banana-ball-rules

Want to actually get to a Banana Ball game? Jesse explained why they use a ticket lottery and built their own Fans First Marketplace to keep resale tickets at face value and away from scalpers: https://help.bananaball.com/knowledge-base/how-to-get-tickets-the-lottery-interest-list/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Welcome to the Peloton Party Sep 29, 2026

Show notes

The party hits the tread! Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy join Peloton instructor Kirsten Ferguson, aka Queen K, for a 20-minute walk/run and their most heated Minute to Win It yet. Between intervals, Kirsten shares how she went from hating running to training for a marathon, why community keeps her moving, and how to tell when it’s time to push or recover.

First, Glennon Doyle joins the WNBA playoff bracket battle, where the last-place finisher has to wear the dreaded party-pooper hat. Then it’s back to the question Julie’s been chasing: can she finally beat Abby?

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Keep the Party Going:

Party People, come run with Queen K. Kirsten Ferguson put Julie and Abby through a 20-minute Walk + Run at Peloton Studios, complete with another Minute to Win It showdown. Find Kirsten’s Peloton classes here. https://www.onepeloton.com/instructors/Peloton_KF?

From A to Z: This Is Me! Kirsten wrote her new children’s book with her daughters, Eden and Emery, using affirmations to help girls build confidence and see themselves reflected on the page: https://www.pelobuddy.com/kirsten-ferguson-book/

September may be ending, but Zoe’s Goal keeps going. You can continue supporting Zoe Suder and the fight for more childhood cancer research funding anytime. https://zoesgoal.org/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

The Greatest Athlete In Pitt History Sep 24, 2026

Show notes

Olivia Babcock has won just about every individual honor in college volleyball. The one thing missing? A national championship.

After three straight Final Four heartbreaks for Pitt, the two-time AVCA National Player of the Year joins Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and Billie Jean King to talk about what it takes to turn individual greatness into a team title. Olivia opens up about those losses, Pitt’s “want to” culture, how she builds her teammates’ confidence, and the “positive stress” of deciding what comes next.

Plus, Glennon Doyle calls in to fact-check Julie on Abby’s snoring, and Abby and Julie share the new home of their San Francisco Love volleyball team: the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.

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Keep the Party Going:

Is Olivia Babcock the greatest athlete in Pitt history? That’s the question, and the case is pretty compelling: https://bandwagoners-guide-to-pitt-volleyball.ghost.io/is-olivia-babcock-the-greatest-athlete-in-pitt-history-guest-post/

Want to follow Olivia and Pitt’s chase for that national championship? Check out the Panthers’ full 2026 schedule and results: https://pittsburghpanthers.com/sports/womens-volleyball/schedule

Keep up with Olivia off the court too. Follow her on Instagram at @oliviiaabab.

San Francisco Signal has a home. The new pro volleyball team will play its inaugural season at the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium: https://www.lovb.com/news/san-francisco-signal-inaugural-venue-bill-graham-civic-auditorium?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Rebecca Lobo Makes Her WNBA Championship Pick and Takes Us Inside UConn’s Dynasty Sep 22, 2026

Show notes

Basketball legend Rebecca Lobo joins Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy to break down a landmark moment for the WNBA and explain why the league has officially arrived.

The Hall of Famer reacts to the WNBA’s historic new CBA, sizes up a wide-open playoff race and reveals which team she believes will win the championship. She also weighs in on Olivia Miles’ record-breaking rookie season, the crowded MVP conversation and who could lead the league following Commissioner Cathy Engelbert’s departure.

Then, Rebecca takes us inside Apple TV’s The Dynasty: UConn Huskies. She shares why she chose UConn before it became a powerhouse, what it was really like to play for Geno Auriemma and how his relentless coaching helped turn her Olympic and championship dreams into reality.

Plus, Rebecca opens up about coaching her own kids, building a broadcasting career devoted entirely to women’s basketball and why she never needed to cover the men’s game to validate her work.

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Email — partypeoplequestions@gmail.com

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store

Keep the Party Going:

WATCH: The Dynasty: UConn Huskies on Apple TV, featuring Rebecca Lobo, Geno Auriemma, Paige Bueckers, Diana Taurasi and more: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/the-dynasty-uconn-huskies/umc.cmc.38cvggceyd4sn4sfgl3kus89b
FOLLOW: Rebecca Lobo on Instagram and Threads @promise50 and on X @RebeccaLobo: https://www.rebeccalobo.com/
WNBA FINALS: The 2026 Finals begin October 17, with a possible Game 7 on October 31: https://www.wnba.com/news/2026-wnba-postseason-faq
WATCH: Billie Jean King Cup Finals, September 22–27 in Shenzhen, China. https://www.billiejeankingcup.com/
WATCH: LA Queens vs. San Francisco Fire Belles in the winner-take-all WPBL Championship Game 5 on ESPN+: https://www.espn.com/espnplus/
READ: Natasha Howard’s new memoir, The Vision Through My Lens: My Life in Basketball and Beyond: https://www.akashicbooks.com/catalog/vision-through-my-lens/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

The Female Cyclist Stealing Strava Records & Breaking the Internet Sep 17, 2026

Show notes

What happens when a very fast cyclist decides men on Strava are taking themselves a little too seriously? Enter Laini Bones.

Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach sit down with the viral cyclist who went from a few hundred followers to more than 160K by stealing men’s King of the Mountain crowns, talking an outrageous amount of trash, and creating one of the funniest alter egos in sports. Lainey breaks down what it means to “get boned,” why some men absolutely do not get the joke, the difference between Lainey and her WWE-style “Bones” persona, and how she balances internet chaos with being a legitimately elite endurance athlete — and the CFO of a growing company.

She also opens up about her ambitions to race professionally, the realities of breaking into elite cycling, and why she wants more women to discover just how powerful they can be on a bike.

Plus, Abby and Julie answer Party People questions about parents coaching from the sidelines, teaching young athletes to respect referees, and how coaches can set the standard for both kids and parents. And in “Know Your History,” they go back to the 1890s to uncover why the bicycle became a surprising symbol of women’s freedom and independence.

Come for the Strava crowns. Stay for Abby seriously considering a new career in spandex.

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Keep the Party Going:

You have to go follow Laini Bones on Instagram. You’re welcome. Trash talk, Strava crowns, spandex and a whole lot of men getting boned: https://www.instagram.com/lainibones/
Lainey wants more women on bikes. If this episode has you cycling curious, she and Carbs Fuel put together a guide to getting started, bike boyfriend not required.

https://carbsfuel.com/blogs/news/how-to-unlock-cycling-for-more-women
Got a question for Julie, Abby or Kinger? Keep them coming. We love hearing from Party People and we want to keep answering more of your questions on the show. Email us at partypeoplequestions@gmail.com.
Party People, it’s time to do More Than Four. Juggle anything, nominate your friends and help Zoe’s Goal push for more funding for childhood cancer research. And this month, a portion of proceeds from every purchase in the Welcome to the Party merch store supports Zoe’s Goal too.

https://zoesgoal.org/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Abby Wambach’s Emotional US Open Confession Sep 15, 2026

Show notes

Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy are back with a packed Party Starter and first, a very proud-parent moment as Amma Melton scores her first collegiate goal for Santa Clara! Then, they break down the Ballon d’Or’s glaring lack of American representation, Team Europe reclaiming the Solheim Cup, Team USA storming back against France to win its fifth straight FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup, and Elena Rybakina dethroning Aryna Sabalenka to claim her first US Open title and the world No. 1 ranking.

Then, from the Power of Women’s Sports Summit in New York, Abby and Julie sit down with Billie Jean King and Deloitte US Chair Lara Abrash to ask the question that matters now: Women’s sports are booming, so what do we build next? They discuss how sports create leaders, why $3 billion is only the beginning, what sustainable growth will require, and Deloitte’s new collaboration with Billie Jean King to strengthen the infrastructure and leadership pipeline behind women’s sports.

Plus: Kinger’s iconic signature shoes, nachos as a leadership test, and one clear message for anyone waiting to enter the space go build it.

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Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store

Keep the Party Going:

Billie Jean King + Deloitte are teaming up to help build what’s next in women’s sports. The new collaboration will focus on leadership pathways, better infrastructure and building the business of women’s sports for the future:

https://www.deloitte.com/us/en/about/press-room/deloitte-teams-with-billie-Jean-king-to-help-grow-the-next-generation-of-leaders-through-womens-sports.html?utm_source=chatgpt.com

**Run, don’t walk to watch Give Me The Ball! ** Julie and Abby finally got an early look at Kinger’s new documentary and, yes, they have FEELINGS. The film premieres November 22 on ESPN:

https://espnpressroom.com/press-release/espn-films-award-winning-documentary-give-me-the-ball-to-premiere-november-22-on-espn/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Who’s in the running for the 2026 Women’s Ballon d’Or? Check out the full list of nominees ahead of the October 26 ceremony in London:

https://www.uefa.com/uefachampionsleague/news/02a9-218b019cbca5-cb4b9be51c4b-1000--2026-ballon-dor-awards-nominees-revealed/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

- Thank you to Apple Card

The Insane True Story of Mighty Mary Sep 10, 2026

Show notes

In 1995, sailing’s most prestigious competition had existed for nearly 150 years without an all-women’s team. Then came Mighty Mary. Dismissed as a publicity stunt, the groundbreaking crew took on the best sailors in the world, defeated four-time America’s Cup winner Dennis Conner—and nearly disappeared from sports history.

Abby and Julie sit down with Mighty Mary director and Olympian Mary Mazzio, team captain Dawn Riley, sailor Merritt Carey, and executive producer and narrator Elizabeth Banks to unpack the team’s incredible rise, the leadership failures and shady backroom decisions that changed everything, and why women must be in the rooms where decisions are made.

Plus, Abby and Julie reflect on the moments they didn’t realize were history while living them, debate the 1999 USWNT vs. today’s team, and reveal Abby’s hilarious “logical consequence” for her kids: watching all 184 of her goals.

Mighty Mary opens in select theaters September 11. Visit MightyMaryFilm.com to find a screening near you.

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Keep the Party Going:

GO SEE Mighty Mary. Seriously. The incredible story of the groundbreaking 1995 women’s America’s Cup team opens in select theaters September 11. Find a theater near you and grab tickets: https://www.mightymaryfilm.com/
Party People, it’s time to do More Than Four. Take the More Than 4 Challenge and learn more about Zoe’s Goal, our September charity supporting childhood cancer research. A portion of proceeds from our merch store this month goes to Zoe’s Goal, too. https://zoesgoal.org/
Want to see where Dawn Riley is building the next generation of sailors? Check out Oakcliff Sailing in Oyster Bay, New York, where Dawn serves as Executive Director and trains sailors for the America’s Cup, Olympics and beyond. https://www.oakcliffsailing.org/
Mighty Mary awakened your inner sailor? The Women’s Match Racing World Championship is coming to San Francisco September 30–October 4: FOLLOW ALONG: https://www.sailing.org/our-sport/types-of-sailing/sailing-match-racing/
“Historically Speaking”? “The Party Before the Party”? We still need a name for our new history segment. Got something better? Send it to partypeoplequestions@gmail.com.
And mark your calendars for the next America’s Cup. The 38th America’s Cup heads to Naples, Italy, in 2027, with the Match beginning July 10. https://www.americascup.com/38th-americascup
And learn more about the woman who finally brought Mighty Mary’s story back to life. Mary Mazzio is an Olympic rower turned award-winning filmmaker whose work centers on overlooked people doing extraordinary things: https://www.50eggs.com/about/
From Mighty Mary to Maine lobster. Merritt Carey now works in fisheries and rural economic development and helped build the Tenants Harbor Fisherman’s Co-op, connecting local fishermen more directly with consumers and helping protect a working waterfront in Maine. https://lobsterfrommaine.com/lobstermen/merritt-carey/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

How Women Athletes Are Taking Back Ownership of the Game Sep 08, 2026

Show notes

Party people, actor, producer and entrepreneur Gillian Anderson and former New Zealand captain and Crux Football founder Bex Smith are joining the party!

Bex breaks down why women’s football can’t reach its full potential by simply copying the men’s model—and how Crux is building dedicated ownership, investment and infrastructure around the women’s game. Gillian shares why she invested in the mission, how Sex Education inspired her bestselling book Want and her G-Spot drinks, and why creating spaces for women to speak openly about desire has become part of her purpose.

Plus, Billie Jean King explains why women’s teams need their own sales and commercial operations, Abby and Julie reflect on athletes becoming owners, and the group gets into player power, financial literacy, five Coca-Colas a day—and why the G-Spot remains so hard to find.

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Keep the Party Going:

Want to see what Bex is building with Crux? Learn more about Crux Football and its mission to build women’s football around the women’s game, not just copy and paste the men’s model: https://www.cruxfootball.com/
Party People, Abby said it: get this book. Gillian Anderson’s Want is a collection of anonymous fantasies from women around the world — and yes, Gillian’s own is hiding in there somewhere: https://www.abramsbooks.com/product/want_9781419777301/
After all that G-Spot talk, obviously we had to give you the link. Meet Gillian Anderson’s line of functional drinks:https://us.thisisgspot.com/
The party before the party is WILD. Go deeper on the Dick, Kerr Ladies, the enormous Goodison Park crowd and the FA ban that pushed women’s football off its grounds for nearly 50 years: https://nationalfootballmuseum.com/stories/12-games-1920/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Billie Jean King Takes Us Inside The US Open Sep 03, 2026

Show notes

Welcome to the Party is coming to you from Billie Jean King’s house…literally. Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy make their first-ever trip to the US Open, joining Kinger inside the Ralph Lauren suite at Arthur Ashe Stadium for a special episode celebrating the tournament she helped transform.

Billie Jean shares what it feels like to see her name across the USTA Billie Jean King National Tennis Center, how the women fought to make the US Open the first major to offer equal prize money and the unforgettable 1974 final she somehow pulled back from the brink. The trio also gets into New York’s gloriously rowdy tennis crowds, athletes as entertainers, the intersection of sports and fashion, Billie Jean’s beloved childhood tennis sweater, Honey Deuces, Anna Wintour, and whether Abby and Julie have officially peaked sartorially.

Come for the history, stay for the fits.

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Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store — and for September, a portion of proceeds supports Zoe’s Goal and childhood cancer research.

Keep the Party Going:

How exactly did the whole place become Kinger’s house? Go back to the 2006 night the USTA National Tennis Center was officially renamed for Billie Jean King: https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-06-06/milestones_in_equality_home_of_the_us_open_renamed_in_billie_jean_kings_honor.html?
Equal pay at the US Open started with a threat not to come back. Go deeper on how Billie Jean and the women helped make the US Open the first Grand Slam to award equal prize money in 1973. https://www.usopen.org/en_US/news/articles/2023-03-30/milestones_in_equality_a_long_climb_to_equal_prize_money_at_the_four_grand_slams.html?
Look good. Feel good. Play good. Check out the Ralph Lauren US Open Collection, including the looks inspired by the tournament’s iconic ball crew: https://www.ralphlauren.com/tennis-tournament-cg?ab=en_US_BANNER_SEO_1_S1_L2_

Thank you to our sponsor:

-Ralph Lauren

The Woman Behind Picking Women's Team USA Roster Sep 01, 2026

Show notes

Five-time Olympic gold medalist, Basketball Hall of Famer, and Team USA’s first-ever Women’s National Team Managing Director Sue Bird joins the party!

Before Sue stops by, Abby and Julie go back to the loss that helped build one of the most dominant dynasties in sports history and how Team USA women’s basketball turned back-to-back bronze medals into a culture that hasn’t lost an Olympic game since 1992.

Then Sue takes us inside her newest role shaping the future of USA Basketball, from making the brutally difficult calls behind a stacked World Cup roster to carrying forward the standard set by legends like Dawn Staley, Lisa Leslie, and Sheryl Swoopes. She talks about why winning remains the North Star, handling the pressure that comes with Team USA, and what today’s players need to understand about putting the team above individual stats.

Plus, Sue opens up about life on the other side of retirement, becoming a broadcaster, navigating social media noise, and why the next phase of growth in women’s sports needs more than investment, it needs strategy.

And with the 2026 FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup tipping off September 4, the Party People are officially ready to cheer Team USA all the way to Berlin. 🇺🇸🏀

Follow @welcometothepartyshow on:

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Email — partypeoplequestions@gmail.com

Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com

Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store — and for September, a portion of proceeds supports Zoe’s Goal and childhood cancer research.

Keep the Party Going:

Want more Sue Bird in your life? We do too. Follow Bird’s Eye View for Sue’s take on the WNBA, women’s basketball, the people shaping the game and everything happening around it: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/birds-eye-view-with-sue-bird/id1812530040
UConn people, this one is for you. Want to hear more about what Geno really thinks of Sue — and go deep on anything and everything UConn? The Dynasty: UConn Huskies goes inside 40 years of Geno, championships, pressure, personalities and the players who built the standard: https://tv.apple.com/us/show/the-dynasty-uconn-huskies/umc.cmc.1xd5z7o77x0f6g6laf1vfbdn0
Party People, clear the calendar. Team USA is headed to Berlin. The FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup runs September 4–13, with the U.S. opening against China on September 4: https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026
And yes, you can watch it all unfold. Find where to watch the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in the U.S.: https://www.fiba.basketball/en/events/fiba-womens-basketball-world-cup-2026/where-to-watch
Party People, it’s time to do More Than Four. Juggle anything more than four times, nominate four friends and donate more than $4 to help fund childhood cancer research through Zoe’s Goal. And this month, a portion of Welcome to the Party merch proceeds will support Zoe’s Goal too: https://www.pledge.to/mt4zoesgoal
Meet Zoe Suder and learn more about the mission behind Zoe’s Goal: Scoring Against Childhood Cancer. LEARN MORE + DONATE: https://zoesgoal.org/

Thank you to our sponsors:

-Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

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