Ep 24 | NWSL's Bold World Cup Marketing Bet, PWHL Entry Draft Day, WNBA MVP Watch

The Men's World Cup is in the U.S., and the NWSL isn't sitting it out — they're turning 1.42 billion soccer fans into a fan acquisition opportunity.With their "Summer of Soccer" initiative, the NWSL is making one of the most intentional marketing plays in women's sports history. Caitlin and Alex dig into the research on who the women's sports fan actually is — the fluid fan, the new-to-sports fan, the one who learned to navigate a dozen streaming apps because broadcast TV never made room — and why that fan base represents a structural shift in how women's sports grows, not just a short-term spike. The data is genuinely wild: televised women's sports content hit 370 million viewer hours in 2024, up 430% from 2021. The product has always been there. The access is finally catching up.This week we cover:The NWSL's "Summer of Soccer" marketing push: how the league is using the Men's World Cup as a conversion play for new fans, what CMO Rachel Epstein is actually saying, and the search and app gaps women's sports fans have had to navigate for decadesPWHL Entry Draft (it's today!): coaching updates close out with Christine Bumstead to Seattle and Kim Weiss to Vegas, plus the hosts' take on Pascal Realme's controversial Toronto hire. Then full first-round predictions — starting with KK Harvey going #1 overall to Vancouver, and working through all 12 picksLynx vs. Aces, 97-100: a close loss that didn't feel that close until the final minutes, second-chance points as the story of the game, and why the Lynx are still the best team in the league (per Caitlin)WNBA MVP Watch: the cases for Olivia Miles, Kelsey Plum (seriously, why isn't she getting more attention?), A'ja Wilson, and Breanna Stewart — and whether a rookie can win MVP and Rookie of the Year in the same seasonUSWNT vs. Brazil in Fortaleza: a 1-0 win with eight red cards all going to Brazil, Sophia Wilson forcing the own goal, Brazilian head coach Arthur Elias getting ejected for putting a pinnie on a referee, and Dudinha's devastating ACL/meniscus diagnosis [NAME CHECK: "Duginia" in transcript — confirmed as Dudinha, San Diego Wave forward]Plus: Serena Williams back on the doubles court at the Berlin Open and eyeing Wimbledon, Wimbledon's record 20% prize money bump to £64.2 million, Kelsey Plum officially signs with Adidas, and Gotham FC breaks ground on a new purpose-built training facility in New Jersey.Follow Raising the Game for weekly women's sports coverage.Instagram/Threads/YouTube: @rtg_podWebsite: rtgpod.comSubstack: substack.com/@raisingthegamepodcastEmail: [email protected]