We Can Do Hard Things

Episode: WELCOME TO THE PARTY! Abby’s Big Secret Reveal with Julie Foudy!
Date: August 28, 2025
Hosts: Glennon Doyle, Abby Wambach, Amanda Doyle
Special Guest: Julie Foudy

[Overview]

In this special episode, the Pod Squad is treated to a behind-the-scenes look at a major new project: Welcome to the Party, an athlete-owned women’s sports media network and flagship podcast, co-hosted by Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, and Billie Jean King. The episode is a joyful, heartfelt mix of origins story, mission-setting, visions for the future, and nostalgia about the power of women’s sports solidarity. The result is part pep rally, part strategy session, and all vulnerable and electric excitement. The hosts and Julie Foudy dig into why this project matters so much, what makes their partnership special, and what they hope to build and change—together, and with their listeners.

Key Discussion Points and Insights

1. The Origin Story of Welcome to the Party

How did this dream team come together?

• Abby, after nearly a decade away from sports, realized she was ready to re-engage.
• The catalyst: a car ride to an Angel City game with Glennon, reflecting on the energy and joy Abby felt around Julie Foudy.
• Glennon recognized Abby’s spark:

  “Every time you talk about Julie, you come to life. What if you and Julie did something together?” (06:18)

• Abby approached Julie at the game—moments after Julie had just been talking to Billie Jean King about wanting to step into podcasting.
• “It was the universe definitely talking.” (09:57, Julie Foudy)
• All three—Abby, Julie, and Billie—realized their visions were aligned in that one serendipitous pre-game moment.

2. Why Julie Foudy? Abby’s Mentor and Spark

• Abby describes Julie as her leadership mentor, team unifier, and infuser of fun:

  “Julie is like that filter that turns the picture brighter on your phone… She’s my mentor, the person I tried to completely emulate.” (10:39) “Every time you walk into an environment with Julie, she’s making sure everybody’s included somehow.” (11:04)

• Julie, in return, calls Abby an “incredible puppy” with boundless energy and courage:

  "She comes bouncing in… and literally, it’d be like Mia and Brandy and I and Lil and all the veterans… and she’d sit right in the middle of it… I love [Abby] so freaking much." (13:35)

3. The Billie Jean King Factor

• Billie Jean King is the thread connecting generations, instilling a sense of agency and responsibility in women athletes.
• Julie tells the pivotal story of how Billie awakened her to the team’s leverage and catalyzed the USWNT’s first fight for equal pay:

  "She looks at me and she’s like, ‘Foudy, what are you doing about it? ... Unite them and you fight. You fight together.’” (23:02)

• Billie Jean remained present, checking in every two weeks through years of the USWNT’s advocacy.

  “She is the thread that runs through women’s sports history for, honestly, the last four decades.” (24:22)

• The hosts express reverence for the full-circle moment of now building something together with Billie at their side.

4. What is Welcome to the Party?

• A multi-platform women’s sports show: podcast, video, live events, and robust community-building.
• The party is inclusive:

  “All are invited. Literally, if you’ve been at the party for a very long time, thank you. If you’re new to the party, you’re all welcome to this party.” (29:49, Julie)

• Community-driven: listeners can help name the media network and are invited to shape content, topics, and experiences.
• Intended to feel fast-paced, joyful, and “a shit ton of fun” (32:07).
• Intentionally accessible for both seasoned fans and newcomers—sports aren’t an insiders-only club.

5. Vision Beyond a Podcast—Athlete Ownership and Media Revolution

• The trio plans to create an athlete-owned network: athletes retain IP, equity, and creative power, subverting the standard “pyramid scheme” (46:33).

  “We are removing the man without becoming the fucking man.” (47:57, Abby)

• Glennon points out how this model can inspire other industries.
• The show will “celebrate, elevate and educate”—but most importantly, have fun.
• Abby: “I want it to have bigger meaning in a way...the people who profit from women’s sports are the ones who built it.” (45:21)

6. Inclusivity, Breaking Down Barriers, and Community Engagement

• Welcome to the Party is explicitly not a cool kids club, and will have regular segments making sports accessible to all (“Explain this to me” and “Sports are hard” for Glennon, the outsider).

  “I can enjoy balls running around. But the words you’re using is making it a club… The barrier to entry is some vocabulary I haven’t learned yet.” (34:30, Glennon)

• Will occasionally address men’s sports from a women’s lens in a lighthearted “DEI” segment (42:05).
• Dream: organizing in-person meetups, watch parties, ticket giveaways, and starting “party sections” in stadiums nationwide (43:47).

7. A Legacy of Building for the Next Generation

• Abby, Julie, and Billie Jean see their work as building a template for future generations, both in sports and media ownership:

  “You’re building the thing for them to come to. And that is what you guys do on this planet.” (54:32, Glennon)

• Emphasis on demystifying power—teaching each other, sharing knowledge, and refusing to let gatekeepers profit from division and fear (55:23).

[Notable Quotes and Memorable Moments]

• “Every time you talk about Julie, you come to life. What if you and Julie did something together?” — Glennon (06:18)
• “It was the universe definitely talking.” — Julie (09:57)
• “Julie is like that filter that, like, turns the picture brighter on your phone…” — Abby (10:39)
• “Help, I’m talking and I can’t shut up.” — (the T-shirt Abby’s teammates gave her; 19:46)
• “She is the thread that runs through women’s sports history for, honestly, the last four decades. It’s insane. This woman is a gift.” — Julie on Billie Jean King (24:22)
• “We are removing the man without becoming the fucking man.” — Abby (47:57)
• “We want your feedback. We want to hear from you... what the network should be called. Geez. The ultimate power.” — Julie (52:11)
• "The way that I know in my bones is they keep us separated so that they can keep reaping the reward on the fear that they draw from us... It is not that hard." — Abby (55:23)
• “Give me the ball, give me the ball.” — Abby, on channeling Billie Jean King’s competitive spirit (57:36)

[Timestamps for Important Segments]

• 02:14 – Official show start: “Attention, party people. Welcome to the party.”
• 06:18–08:05 – The origin: Abby’s revelation, car ride with Glennon, and meeting with Julie & Billie Jean King.
• 10:22–13:30 – Abby and Julie talk about their dynamic, leadership and why they work so well together.
• 21:45–24:35 – Julie’s transformative story about Billie Jean King’s mentorship and the start of equal pay activism.
• 28:56–34:30 – How Welcome to the Party will work, inclusivity, party language, and plans to bring everyone in.
• 43:29–44:43 – Vision for real-world community: ticket giveaways, watch parties, and “party sections.”
• 45:21–47:57 – Abby reveals the deeper plan: athlete-owned, collective media model.
• 52:11–53:42 – Listeners invited to help name the network; emphasis on community power.
• 57:06–58:13 – Closing: Joy, excitement, channeling Billie Jean King, and the winning mentality restored.

[Conclusion]

This episode is more than an announcement—it’s a manifesto for a new era in women’s sports media, built on collective power, joy, solidarity, and accessibility. The chemistry among Abby, Julie, Glennon, and Amanda is a testament to the strength and fun at the heart of the movement. Listeners are not only invited to the party—they are given real say in shaping what the party will be.

Next Step:

• Welcome to the Party launches September 4, with the inaugural episode appearing in the We Can Do Hard Things feed.

Follow and subscribe on YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and your favorite podcast apps. All are welcome to the party!

“Let’s go, party people.” — Julie Foudy (multiple times, Party Hat included)