The Spread: Where Sports and Creativity Meet Bottom Line

Butter Studio
  • 4.8 (6)
  • SPORTS NEWS

Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a design lover, or simply curious about how-in-the-world sports, creativity, and business are related, The Spread has got you covered. Join host Cari Sekendur, founder of the award-winning creative agency Butter Studio, as she interviews sports-business leaders channeling creativity to make their mark in athletics.

  1. Inside Winning Teams: Dawn Scott on Building Performance, Culture, and Differentiation in Women’s Football

    JAN 8

    Inside Winning Teams: Dawn Scott on Building Performance, Culture, and Differentiation in Women’s Football

    On this episode of The Spread, Cari Sekendur speaks with Dawn Scott, a high-performance professional whose career spans two Women’s World Cup wins, an Olympic gold, and work with FIFA, the US Women’s National Team, England, and the Washington Spirit. Dawn shares why performance in women’s football is shaped by more than training plans or technology. Leadership, culture, environment, and psychological safety all play a role. Cari and Dawn discuss how these insights apply to building high-performing sports organizations and brands. This episode is essential listening for marketers, founders, and sports leaders who want to create differentiated teams and organizations. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio

    35 min
  2. Making Fandom More Human in the Age of AI, with Momento’s Austin Turner

    10/16/2025

    Making Fandom More Human in the Age of AI, with Momento’s Austin Turner

    What will it take to stand out in the future of sports? In this episode of The Spread, I talk with Austin Turner, Head of Design at Momento, about how nostalgia, design, and technology, including AI, are reshaping the fan experience. We explore how Momento is bringing back the emotional magic of collecting tickets, turning digital keepsakes into something personal, imperfect, and real. Austin shares how his team is using AI not to replace storytelling, but to anticipate the next moment fans will care about most. If you’re building for the next generation of fans, this episode will make you rethink what human connection looks like in a moment where the AI frenzy is dominating our world.

    24 min
  3. How Storytelling is Building the Future of Professional Running with Erin Bailey

    10/02/2025

    How Storytelling is Building the Future of Professional Running with Erin Bailey

    In this episode of The Spread, host Cari Sekendur sits down with Erin Bailey, founder of Momentum Management, to explore what it will take for professional runners to stand out in the rapidly changing sports landscape. Erin shares why storytelling beyond race day is becoming essential, how athletes like Nikki Hiltz and Emma Bates are redefining connection with fans, and why influencers are sometimes outpacing pros in visibility and earnings. She also digs into the challenges of athlete storytelling, from restrictive broadcast rules to limited budgets, and the opportunities ahead as brands, leagues, and athletes themselves invest more deeply in authentic content. Whether you’re a sports professional, a brand leader, or just curious about how fandom is evolving, this conversation highlights the pivotal moment we’re in and what it means for the future of athlete stories, sponsorships, and community building. Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring where business meets creative in athletics. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    34 min
  4. Esther Wallace on Building Playa Society and the Brand WNBA Fans Can’t Get Enough Of

    07/14/2025

    Esther Wallace on Building Playa Society and the Brand WNBA Fans Can’t Get Enough Of

    In a world where real fans clock authenticity over hype immediately, the future of sports branding belongs to those who live the game and build with community at the center. In this episode of The Future of Sports series, Cari sits down with Esther Wallace, founder of Playa Society, the breakout merch brand redefining what it means to connect with women’s sports fans. With no investors and no formal background in apparel, Esther built Playa Society from scratch and turned it into a cult-favorite brand worn by WNBA players and fans alike. We dive into: Why the next generation of sports brands must be community-definedHow saying 'no' became a growth strategyThe scrappy early days: folding, bagging, barcoding it all soloWhat it really takes to tell stories fans rally behindHow to build something fans feel seen by and show up forEsther isn’t just selling merch. She’s building the future of what a sports brand can be: personal, real, and rooted in culture. If you're thinking about the next era of sports merch, this episode will inspire you. Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring where business meets creative in athletics. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    21 min
  5. Haley Rosen on What’s at Stake in How We Build Women’s Sports Today

    06/25/2025

    Haley Rosen on What’s at Stake in How We Build Women’s Sports Today

    “There’s nothing more disrespectful than saying everyone is great.” — Haley Rosen, CEO of Just Women’s Sports Women’s sports are growing faster than the NFL did in its early years, but the ecosystem around them is still playing catch-up. In this first episode of The Spread's Future of Sports Series, I talk with Haley Rosen, CEO of Just Women’s Sports, about what it takes to build a fanbase, and an industry, with staying power. We get into: Why the media can’t just “root for everyone,” and how real analysis builds real fan cultureHow the next-gen fan is digital-first, hyper-engaged, and showing up on purposeWhy coverage has to go beyond game recaps: we need news, takes, debate, and dramaWhat inspired JWS’s new show Between the Lines with Lisa LeslieWhy growing women’s sports starts with digital storytellingThe massive gap in reaction content, and what happens when we fill itListen now! Subscribe to The Spread to catch the other episodes in The Future of Sports Series. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    26 min
  6. Athletes Are The Last Great Superheroes – with Tony Hollingsworth of Laundry Service (Wasserman Media Group)

    01/24/2025

    Athletes Are The Last Great Superheroes – with Tony Hollingsworth of Laundry Service (Wasserman Media Group)

    What makes athletes so captivating? Tony Hollingsworth, Sr. Director of Strategy at Laundry Service, has a clear idea why: because they’re the last great superheroes. In this episode, Tony explains how athletes embody the traits of the characters we’ve idolized since childhood—larger-than-life figures with stories that inspire, connect, and evolve. He shares how this perspective shapes his work on campaigns with icons like Caitlin Clark and Paige Bueckers for Gatorade. We also dive into the power of storytelling in sports, drawing parallels to our shared love of the 90’s Chicago Bulls and the never-ending narratives of comic books. For Tony, sports are about more than just games—they’re stories with legacies that grow, change, and endure for generations. Tune in to hear how athletes became modern-day superheroes and what that means for sports marketing, storytelling, and our personal connections to the games we love. Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    44 min
  7. The Power of Blockchain: Leveraging Web3 to Shape a More Inclusive Sports Ecosystem

    12/13/2024

    The Power of Blockchain: Leveraging Web3 to Shape a More Inclusive Sports Ecosystem

    Blockchain is transforming sports, and it's not just about the fans. Lucy Mills, founder of Ready Sport Global, joins The Spread to talk about how Web3 and blockchain are creating new pathways for inclusion and social impact in sports. We discuss how blockchain is being used to fund social impact initiatives, particularly for underrepresented groups, and how sports organizations are leveraging these technologies to better engage global audiences. One of the most inspiring aspects of our conversation was the focus on blockchain’s potential to democratize funding, ensuring that projects with broad community support, not just the biggest backers, get the resources they need. This is a must-listen for anyone interested in how technology can reshape the future of sports and create positive change for communities everywhere. Subscribe to The Spread for more stories exploring the creative side of athletics. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    38 min
  8. Redefining Travel for Runners: Inside Rogue Expeditions with CEO Michael Mazzara

    11/04/2024

    Redefining Travel for Runners: Inside Rogue Expeditions with CEO Michael Mazzara

    Michael Mazzara, the CEO of Rogue Expeditions, is pioneering a fresh category in travel: the running vacation. Unlike a traditional founder story, Michael shares his unique perspective on acquiring established companies rather than building them from scratch. He dives into how he assessed Rogue Expeditions’ foundation and identified where he could innovate, expanding beyond adventure travel to offer a variety of running-centered experiences. Tune in for an inspiring conversation on the future of running travel, the journey of transforming an existing brand, and how Rogue Expeditions is creating unforgettable experiences for runners worldwide. The Spread is produced by Butter Studio.

    48 min
See All (20)

Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

4.8
out of 5
6 Ratings

About

Whether you're a sports enthusiast, a design lover, or simply curious about how-in-the-world sports, creativity, and business are related, The Spread has got you covered. Join host Cari Sekendur, founder of the award-winning creative agency Butter Studio, as she interviews sports-business leaders channeling creativity to make their mark in athletics.

Information