Welcome to the Party

Andraya Carter is at the party, and she has thoughts! The ESPN analyst joins Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach to break down the WNBA Finals: what Angel Reese and the Atlanta Dream need to force a Game 7, why the Golden State Valkyries are so tough to beat, and how a potential championship-clinching game ended up with a lunchtime tip. Yes, Abby has some words about that. Plus, Dre previews JuJu Watkins’ return, shares what she’s seeing from her Tennessee Lady Vols, and makes her pick to win the college national championship. Then, she gets real about finding confidence on camera, whose feedback actually matters, and her “post and ghost” approach to social media. Come for the hoops. Stay for the Halloween costumes and a surprisingly persuasive case for cuddling a python.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — [email protected] Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store    Keep the Party Going: Follow Andraya Carter: @andraya_carter on Instagram and @Andraya_Carter on X. Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/andraya_carter/X: https://x.com/Andraya_Carter Want to understand why Angel Reese is such a ridiculous rebounder? Abby’s rabbit hole started with Katie Barnes’ ESPN feature breaking down the instincts, positioning, strength and anticipation behind Reese’s rebounding.https://abc7chicago.com/post/secrets-behind-angel-reeses-legendary-rebounding/19682352/ And yes, someone actually studied the “mebounds.” Data scientist Chester Ismay analyzed how often Reese rebounds her own misses compared with the rest of the league.https://ismayc.github.io/mebounds/ Missed our Sheroes episode? Go back and meet the women who inspired Julie and Abby to ask Party People to send in their own sheroes.She Ran Into a Collapsing Building to Save a Child (Then Lost Her Legs) Who’s your shero, Party People? Keep them [email protected]   Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC  

What does it take to build a championship team and who do you become along the way? UCLA women’s basketball head coach Cori Close joins Julie Foudy, Abby Wambach and Billie Jean King to reflect on a historic title run and why her definition of success goes far beyond the trophy. From lessons learned in John Wooden’s den to the voice memo from Abby she’ll keep forever, Cori shares the power of having people who believe in you before you believe in yourself. She also gets candid about rebuilding trust with Lauren Betts, owning her mistakes and helping a new roster write its own story. It’s a conversation about leadership, accountability and proving that kindness and competitive greatness can coexist—with a little evidence of Abby’s completely unhinged UCLA fandom. Plus, the Party Starter dives into the WNBA Finals, the NWSL’s Decision Day drama and Catherine Breed’s extraordinary swim along the California coastline.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — [email protected] Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store    Keep the Party Going: Cori Close was recently honored with UCLA Anderson’s John Wooden Global Leadership Award, which feels especially fitting after hearing how much Wooden shaped the way she leads.https://www.anderson.ucla.edu/news-and-events/signature-events/john-wooden-global-leadership-awards The book Cori referenced: Chop Wood Carry Water by Joshua Medcalf, all about falling in love with the process instead of obsessing over the outcome. https://books.google.com/books/about/Chop_Wood_Carry_Water.html?id=RPPdnAAACAAJ Want to go down the Catherine Breed rabbit hole with us? Catherine just completed her 900-mile swim of the California coast, and her nonprofit Sea Dreamers is focused on getting more women and girls into the ocean while protecting the coastline. https://www.swimcalifornia.com/https://www.seadreamers.org/ Kinger’s documentary is coming. Give Me The Ball! premieres November 22 on ESPN and looks at Billie Jean King’s life, career and impact far beyond tennis. https://espnpressroom.com/press-release/espn-films-award-winning-documentary-give-me-the-ball-to-premiere-november-22-on-espn/ Follow UCLA Women’s Basketball: @UCLAWBBInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/uclawbb/X: https://x.com/UCLAWBBWebsite: https://www.uclawbb.com/ Follow Coach Cori Close: @coachcoricloseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/coachcoriclose/X: https://x.com/coachcoriclose   Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC  

Behind every betting app, ad and winning parlay are real people and sometimes, a cost no one else can see. In Part 2 of our series on sports gambling, Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy move from the business of betting to the personal toll, welcoming Saul Malek to share how a love of sports and fantasy baseball spiraled into a gambling addiction that consumed his college years. Saul opens up about chasing bets, hiding debt, the strain on his family and the support that helped him find recovery. Drawing on her own sobriety, Abby joins him for an honest conversation about shame, secrecy and why getting help is rarely a straight line. Together, they explore the warning signs parents can miss, the pull of betting culture for young people, and why prevention needs to start long before someone hits a crisis. It’s a conversation about what gambling can take and what it means to build a life beyond it. Missed Part 1? Start with our conversation with sports historian Dr. Victoria Jackson about how we got here and what’s at stake for women’s sports. Content warning: This episode includes discussion of gambling addiction and suicidal thoughts.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — [email protected] Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store    Keep the Party Going: If gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you love, there are places to start. National Problem Gambling HelplineCall or text 1-800-MY-RESET https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/ Gamblers Anonymous Find in-person, virtual and telephone meetings.https://gamblersanonymous.org/find-a-meeting/ Gam-Anon Support for family members and loved ones affected by someone else’s gambling.https://gam-anon.org/ Follow Saul Malek’s work on gambling harm, prevention and recovery. https://saulmalek.com/  https://www.instagram.com/saulmalekspeaking/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saulmalek/ If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. https://988lifeline.org/   Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC

Women’s sports are growing and the gambling industry wants in. But what’s the real cost of all that new money? In Part 1 of this two-part series, Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy welcome sports historian Dr. Victoria Jackson to unpack how sports betting went from something leagues opposed to something they actively promote. From betting apps and prediction markets to broadcasters with a financial stake in the action, they explore how gambling is reshaping the way we watch, cover and experience sports. Together, they dig into the consequences for young fans, the harassment athletes face, and the responsibility leagues have to protect the people who make their businesses possible. As women’s sports enter a new era of investment and opportunity, can they chart a different path? Plus, a look ahead to Part 2, when Saul Malek joins Abby and Julie to share his personal experience with gambling addiction. That will be this Friday 10/22.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — [email protected] Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store    Keep the Party Going: The article Julie referenced of longtime ESPN investigative producer Nicole Noren explains why the network’s embrace of sports betting ultimately led her to leave after 24 years. READ: “I’m Not Going to Have Blood on My Hands” https://www.cjr.org/the-interview/nicole-noren-espn-producer-quit-protest-sports-betting-gambling-addiction-draftkings-im-not-going-to-have-blood-on-my-hands.php The athlete harassment is real, and women are taking a disproportionate amount of it. The NCAA’s online-abuse study found that 12% of verified abuse was directly tied to sports betting, and women’s basketball players received roughly three times more threats than men’s basketball players:https://www.ncaa.org/news/media-center-ncaa-calls-on-fans-social-media-platforms-to-curb-abuse-as-it-releases-first-online-harassment-study/ “This is our normal after every game.” We played Natasha Cloud talking about the abuse WNBA players receive from angry bettors and her call for leagues to do more to protect players. MORE ON NATASHA CLOUD + BETTING HARASSMENT: https://frontofficesports.com/article/natasha-cloud-calls-engelbert-silver-address-sports-betting-threats/ Who actually wins on prediction markets? Julie referenced The Wall Street Journal’s investigation into prediction markets, which found profits heavily concentrated among a tiny fraction of sophisticated traders while most users lost money. READ THE WALL STREET JOURNAL INVESTIGATION https://www.wsj.com/finance/investing/polymarket-kalshi-betting-profits-prediction-markets-eb23ac11 And the leagues are starting to react. The NBA announced tighter restrictions around certain types of sports betting, while the WNBA was ultimately added to the leagues’ effort pushing for tougher action against bettors who threaten or harass athletes. NBA BETTING RESTRICTIONS https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/nba/2026/10/16/nba-sports-betting/3f77053e-c97b-11f1-aefb-abe4112d087e_story.html WNBA + ATHLETE HARASSMENT EFFORT https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/nba-players-unions-amend-betting-200106272.html If gambling is becoming a problem for you or someone you love, there are places to start. National Problem Gambling Helpline Call or text 1-800-MY-RESET https://www.ncpgambling.org/help-treatment/about-the-national-problem-gambling-helpline/ Gamblers Anonymous Find in-person, virtual and telephone meetings.https://gamblersanonymous.org/find-a-meeting/ Gam-Anon Support for family members and loved ones affected by someone else’s gambling.https://gam-anon.org/ Follow Saul Malek’s work on gambling harm, prevention and recovery. https://saulmalek.com/  https://www.instagram.com/saulmalekspeaking/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/saulmalek/ If you or someone you know is in crisis or thinking about suicide, call or text 988. https://988lifeline.org/

Has the balance of power in women’s soccer officially shifted? After the USWNT’s 2-0 loss and dramatic 2-2 comeback draw against reigning World Cup champions Spain, Julie Foudy and Abby Wambach are breaking down the good, the bad, and the big questions facing Emma Hayes’ squad ahead of the 2027 Women’s World Cup in Brazil. From defensive struggles and goalkeeping concerns to physicality, leadership, and the return of Mallory Swanson and Ashley Sanchez, Abby and Julie get candid about what the US needs to fix, why Spain has set a new standard, and which players need to step up when it matters most. Is there reason to panic, or could these tough lessons be exactly what the USWNT needs? Plus, the WNBA Finals are heating up, the NWSL playoff race is coming down to the wire, and Steph Curry shows some love to Valkyries star Veronica Burton. Abby and Julie also revisit some hilariously iconic women’s soccer commercials from the ‘90s, and answer Party People questions about dreaming big and which athletes from other sports they’d recruit to the USWNT.   Follow @welcometothepartyshow on: YouTube — @welcometothepartyshow Instagram — @welcometothepartyshow TikTok — @welcometothepartyshow Email — [email protected] Substack - https://welcometothepartyshow.substack.com Welcome to the Party Merch - https://welcometotheparty.voila.store    Keep the Party Going: Before they were legends… Three absolute gems from the archives:  Abby nails an innocent bystander: https://www.instagram.com/p/Deh69NIMdyH/  Julie in her Starsky & Hutch era: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dej3b8rkSH2/?img_index=3  and the iconic Nike “I will have two Filling” ad campaign: https://www.instagram.com/p/Dej3b8rkSH2/?img_index=4  Steph Curry in a Veronica Burton jersey? We love to see it. Steph warmed up in Burton’s No. 22 Valkyries jersey, which sent us straight down the rabbit hole on the family history behind that number:https://x.com/NBCSWarriors/status/2111259600569909471   Thank you to our sponsors: -Ally’s got you covered. Ally Bank, Member FDIC