Podcast Summary: "Big goals: How Julie Haddon is putting female athletes at the heart of culture"

The Speed of Culture Podcast | ADWEEK & Suzy
Host: Matt Britton
Guest: Julie Haddon, Chief Marketing & Commercial Officer, National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL)
Release Date: August 19, 2025

Episode Overview

In this engaging episode, Matt Britton sits down with Julie Haddon, CMO and CCO of the NWSL, to discuss how women’s soccer is shaping culture and inspiring the next generation. Julie shares insights on the league’s massive growth, athlete-driven storytelling, partnerships, brand innovation, and her own leadership lessons. Together, they explore the league’s unique position at the crossroads of sport, culture, and disruption and what this means for marketing, young fans, and future brands.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. The NWSL’s Growth and Cultural Influence

Timestamps: 01:22 – 04:45

• Julie describes NWSL as the premier professional women’s soccer league in America, currently with 14 clubs and plans to expand to 16.
  • "The women's soccer league in the United States does have the best in the world players that play here and make the NWSL their home." (02:38, Julie Haddon)
• The league is home to numerous world-class athletes, including Olympic and World Cup winners.
• It occupies a unique intersection of sport, culture, and innovation, riding the momentum of exploding interest in women’s sports overall (WNBA, NCAA, etc.) and increased youth soccer participation.

2. Athletes as Influencers & Storytellers

Timestamps: 04:05 – 06:50

• NWSL players are not just athletes—they’re lifestyle influencers involved in gaming, fashion, cooking, parenting, and more.
  • "We are comprised of players that are also influencers…very vibrant in the community and very focused on building their personal brands and telling stories." (04:05, Julie Haddon)
• The league’s marketing goes beyond “where and when to watch” games, instead emphasizing “why and who to watch”: the personal stories and off-field lives of players.
• Visibility and accessibility for fans (especially younger audiences) has expanded, making players relatable cultural icons and role models.
  • "All that... brings the athlete more in the center of the cultural zeitgeist and the conversation point." (04:45, Matt Britton)

3. Reaching Gen Z and Next-Gen Fans

Timestamps: 06:50 – 08:28

• The NWSL uses social and influencer marketing to connect with Gen Z and digital-native fans through moments that transcend soccer (e.g., Met Gala-inspired kit reveals).
• Every club’s uniform (“kit”) is tied to specific local culture, creating a storytelling platform for regional pride and identity.
  • "Every year Nike makes bespoke kits for us... you’re able to see the heritage, the culture, the story, the community…" (07:03, Julie Haddon)

4. Building Strategic Partnerships & Content Reach

Timestamps: 08:28 – 10:39

• Partnerships with platforms like Overtime (with 100M+ followers) provide behind-the-scenes access and exclusive content, amplifying league stories to vast digital audiences.
  • "For the first time they've worked with a professional women's league… we give highlights and we're giving variety of content and moments…" (09:03, Julie Haddon)
• By showcasing iconic moments (e.g., Marta’s winning goal), the league attracts new and global fans.

5. Women’s Sports as Aspirational & Skill-Building

Timestamps: 10:39 – 12:46

• Julie and Matt discuss the changing narrative—female athletes as legitimate idols for young girls, and the lifelong skills learned through sports: teamwork, resilience, leadership.
  • "There's so many things that you learn from being an athlete. In fact, when I hire people, it goes higher on my list of who would be a great candidate because I see that they know how to play team sport." (11:26, Julie Haddon)

6. Diversifying Media with Podcasts and Docuseries

Timestamps: 12:46 – 14:26

• The NWSL strategic media expansion includes docuseries (“For the Win” on Prime Video), podcasts (notably “Call Her Daddy” with Alex Cooper), and a direct-to-consumer platform.
  • "All of these things are finding new ways to [reach] new fan base, new avid fans that are coming in…" (13:15, Julie Haddon)
• High-profile features (like Trinity Rodman on Call Her Daddy) help reach broader and more diverse audiences.

7. Innovative Brand Partnerships & Sponsorships

Timestamps: 15:05 – 17:58

• The NWSL offers creative, nimble partnership opportunities—examples include:
  • e.l.f. Beauty: “Glow for Glory” open tryouts to discover new talent, positioned as a cross between “American Idol” and a soccer scouting event.
  • Bobby: Onsite family-friendly spaces, lactation accommodations, and a Parents Day award.
  • "These are not really traditional type of sports [partnerships]... we're looking at other ways to find new solutions for marketers…"(15:23, Julie Haddon)
• The league’s “challenger brand” ethos appeals to brands seeking disruption and cultural relevance.

8. The Power & Uniqueness of Live Sports

Timestamps: 17:21 – 18:55

• Live sports is described as “the last reality TV”—it creates community and excitement that’s impossible to time-shift or replicate elsewhere.
  • "Sports is the last reality TV or it's the ultimate reality TV... the excitement, the electricity, the connectivity is so pivotal to what you see right now." (17:58, Julie Haddon)

9. Julie’s Career Path: Lessons in Tech, Entertainment, and Sports

Timestamps: 18:55 – 21:43

• Her career weaves across tech (Zynga, eBay, Twitter), entertainment (DreamWorks Animation), and sports (NFL, NWSL).
  • Emphasizes learning from both “what you do like” and “what you don’t”; using each experience as a learning opportunity.
• Combining data-driven thinking from tech, storytelling from entertainment, and fan passion from sports is her winning formula.
  • "The stories go nowhere if you don't understand your fan base. The stories go nowhere if you don't understand the data and the analytics…" (19:26, Julie Haddon)

10. Advice for Young Professionals in Sports & Media

Timestamps: 21:43 – 24:05

• Embrace patience and resilience; early failures are learning opportunities.
• When interviewing, go beyond just saying you “love the sport”—explain what you will contribute to the league’s growth and success.
  • "Tell us what you're going to do to make our brand better. Tell us what you're going to do to make our content better..." (22:03, Julie Haddon)

11. What’s Next for NWSL and Julie

Timestamps: 24:05 – 26:31

• Julie is excited for the impact of the 2026 World Cup on America’s soccer scene and new, innovative forms of sports entertainment (7v7, short-form competitions).
• Personally, she loves leading teams, developing young talent, and scaling creative innovation.

12. Julie’s Professional Mantra

Timestamps: 26:31 – 27:57

• Julie’s favorite saying, shared from Paula Balzer:
  • "Don't tell me about the flood. Build an ark." (26:49, Julie Haddon)
• She keeps an optimistic problem-solving mindset: focus on solutions, not just problems.

Notable Quotes by Timestamp

• On athlete-influencers:

  • "We are comprised of players that are also influencers... very vibrant in the community and very focused on building their personal brands and telling stories."
    — Julie Haddon, 01:22 / 04:05

• On unlocking culture through storytelling:

  • "It’s just as much about who these players are beyond the pitch... players are influencers and a great beacon for so many people."
    — Julie Haddon, 05:49

• On partnership with Overtime:

  • "Their game-changing content is with the first time they've worked with a professional women's league... it opens up the aperture to more people to become fans."
    — Julie Haddon, 09:03

• On the soft skills of sports:

  • "When I hire people, it goes higher on my list... because I see that they know how to play team sport, you have to face getting your ass kicked... these are skills that really help you with the grit and the knowledge for your lifetime."
    — Julie Haddon, 11:26

• On young professionals:

  • "Tell us what you're going to do to make our brand better... one of the things that often falls short is like we sell ourselves so hard... but you don't realize... you always want to know, well, what's in it to help the league get better or my brand get better."
    — Julie Haddon, 22:03

• On professional ethos:

  • "Don't tell me about the flood. Build an ark."
    — Julie Haddon, 26:49

Memorable Moments

• Julie sharing the creative process behind the league’s unique kit unveilings, tying them to major pop culture events like the Met Gala (07:03).
• The league’s partnership with e.l.f. Beauty on an American Idol-style open tryout event (“Glow for Glory”), showing how nontraditional brands can make an impact (15:23).
• Discussion of the foundational skills and self-awareness built through embracing both professional success and failure—Julie noting why she moved on from a less fulfilling environmental science role (22:03).
• Julie’s signature “Build an Ark” mantra as a north star for persistent optimism and action (26:49).

Conclusion

Julie Haddon paints a vivid picture of how the NWSL is reshaping perceptions of women’s sports, empowering athletes as creators, and serving as a vibrant stage for brand experimentation. Her insights offer a masterclass in the convergence of sport, culture, media, and marketing, inspiring both fans and professionals to build, not just observe, change.