Last month, retired women’s soccer stars and lifelong friends Julie Ertz and Kealia Watt launched their Style of Play podcast in what seems like a perfect moment. Not only is this undoubtedly the “summer of soccer” on U.S. soil, but everyone seems to be thinking about how to build momentum ahead of the 2027 FIFA Women’s World Cup.

This summer, AT&T featured Angel City FC captain Sarah Gorden and Texas Tech soccer standout Kylie Bahr in its popular “She’s Connected” campaign, which the telecomms brand launched in 2020 to spotlight women athlete entrepreneurs. Last week, we spoke with AT&T assistant vice president, sponsorships & experiential Sabina Ahmed about the success it’s seen by investing in women athletes.

The elite track & field business model is complicated, especially when it comes to athlete pay. The competitors shine globally every four years at the Olympics but, beyond that, fandom and media attention are devoted yet niche, which is why startup leagues like Athlos are trying to reach a wider, year-round audience. Athletes are also considering new, innovative ways to navigate today’s landscape. We recently spoke with Colleen Quigley, a former Olympic steeplechase competitor and Meridia co-founder who’s breaking the mold of the sport’s team structure with a new sponsorship and revenue-sharing model.