Welcome to the Party
Episode: "The Creative Mind That’s Redesigning Women’s Sports as We Know It"
Host: Treat Media
Aired: January 20, 2026
Guests: Abby Wambach, Julie Foudy, Billie Jean King, Damo Wells
Episode Overview
This episode dives head-first into the intersection of sports, culture, fashion, and music, spotlighting Damo Wells—a groundbreaking creative director who has rapidly become a pivotal tastemaker in women’s sports. Abby Wambach and Julie Foudy (with Billie Jean King in spirit) enthusiastically explore how Damo is changing the narrative, look, and feel of the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) and women’s sports lifestyle merchandise. The episode balances playful banter with deep dives on identity, community, and breaking barriers, making for a vibrant and inspirational listen.
Key Discussion Points and Insights
1. Celebrating Women’s Sports - Headlines & Hot Topics
- (07:00) Julie and Abby catch listeners up on the latest in women’s sports:
- U.S. Women’s National Team’s first games of 2026 (Jan 24 and Jan 27), featuring an all-NWSL roster because of the non-FIFA window.
- Lindsay Heaps—moving from OL Lyon back to Colorado to play for Denver Summit in NWSL, reuniting with family (10:00).
- Sam Coffey leaves Portland Thorns for Manchester City, underscoring the growing transatlantic player movement (12:00).
- Lindsey Vonn’s comeback—her 84th World Cup win after years of retirement and injury, showing resilience and inspiration (14:00):
"She is a four-time Olympian, 41, five years retired, nine knee surgeries... She called this surgery a game changer. And a comeback she is making, my friends."
(Abby Wambach, 14:20) - Discussion about the evolution of women forging their own paths, both on and off the field.
2. Meet Damo Wells – Redefining Sports Fashion
- Introduction (23:00): Damo Wells joins to discuss her journey from music and DJ-ing to reimagining women’s sports fashion.
- Damo’s background: Came from the D.C.-Maryland-Virginia area, began in music, but pivoted toward design after repeated rejection from traditional fashion routes.
- Launch of Dead Dirt:
"I just figured I would go about it on my own... If someone wasn't going to give me the opportunity, I was going to create it for myself. And it wasn't something that was foreign to me as a Black woman. I'm going to go and get it."
(Damo Wells, 00:07 & 28:00) - Washington Spirit partnership—how recognition from Natasha Cloud and community ties made this a breakout moment.
3. Breaking In—The Leap from Safety to Vulnerability
- (29:30) Damo discusses her professional "crossroads":
- Left a secure job at the Department of Energy for design.
- Battle between security ("get a good government job") and the calling to create; underscored as “transition is always a bitch for a lot of us.”
- Importance of bringing vulnerability and authenticity to both art and women’s sports:
“The way of an artist is the way of vulnerability... to make your insides come into the physical world.”
(Abby Wambach, 30:26)
4. The Creative Process—Community-Led and Iterative
- (43:20) Damo unpacks how DJing and her "community first" approach informs her fashion work for all 16 NWSL clubs:
- Deep-dive research on city culture, tapping community insiders, and resisting “slapstick” merch.
- Advocates for meaningful, keepsake items vs. generic hoodies:
"I'm trying to deliver keepsakes.”
(Damo Wells, 34:56) - Recognizes vast differences in club resources—"not everyone gets the same help," so work is tailored and sensitive.
5. Dead Dirt—What’s in a Name?
- (48:00) Origin story of "Dead Dirt":
- Symbolizes “the unearthing of the things that are in your way. It means to till your own soil so that things can grow."
- Facing skepticism, Damo reclaims the meaning, making it a metaphor for transformation and self-discovery—an inspiration for anyone stuck in a “safe” rut.
6. Fashion Confidence, Identity, and Play
-
(50:33) Playful tunnel walks—Julie and Abby perform their own "tunnel fits" fashion show for Damo:
- Damo emphasizes:
"Half of the battle is just like, are you wearing it with confidence?"
(Damo Wells, 52:29) - Discusses uniforms as empowerment and simplicity—embracing a signature look as part of daily life.
- Damo emphasizes:
-
Show-and-tell (54:14): Damo gives a sneak peek at her Angel City collar knit polos and discusses her club-specific designs. Excitement for her gallery showing on Feb 7 in LA and affirmation of her local, LA-based presence.
7. Artists' Role in Changing Sports
- (56:50–59:30): Abby and Julie reflect on the artist’s worldview and how Damo exemplifies using creativity to expand possibility in women’s sports:
- Challenge to just "pink it and shrink it"—demanding originality, not just pastels and miniatures.
- Celebrating the courage to break out of stale paths and do things differently:
"There's also something inside you when you know it's not right—get out and do something else. And that's what I love about artists."
(Julie Foudy, 59:12) - The ever-present need for more Damos: people who feel the fire and can transform traditionally overlooked markets, elevating women’s sports culture.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
On creating your own lane:
“If someone wasn't going to give me the opportunity, I was going to create it for myself. And it wasn't something that was foreign to me as a black woman. I'm going to go and get it.”
(Damo Wells, 00:07 & 28:00) -
On moving from comfort to courage:
“Transition is always a bitch for a lot of us... I was ready to quit and getting frustrated and just like, fuck it, I'm gonna start my own thing. I know how, I know enough about how these systems work.”
(Damo Wells, 28:25) -
On authenticity in design:
“Design without purpose is pretty meaningless. And so I'm really grateful to be exactly where I am, having so much more fun doing it for the interests of these women.”
(Damo Wells, 32:25) -
On community and legacy:
“This league is like, what, 15 years old? ...What were you doing at 16? You're still figuring it out... We have to understand what it takes to build that.”
(Damo Wells, 43:23) -
On the creative process and confidence:
“As long as you wear it with confidence, you're good. That's half of—the battle. People don't realize half of the battle is just, are you wearing it with confidence?”
(Damo Wells, 52:29) -
On why women’s sports fashion needs Damo:
"Women fans never get... They just pink it and shrink it, right, in the past. And I think she's going to deal with that."
(Abby Wambach, 57:53)
Important Timestamps
- 00:07, 28:00 – Damo on creating Dead Dirt and forging her own path
- 07:00–16:30 – Women’s sports news and inspiring athlete stories
- 23:44 – Introduction to Damo Wells’ background
- 32:25 – Damo on purpose-driven design and working with the Spirit
- 43:20 – Damo on connecting to club communities and building NWSL heritage
- 48:09 – The meaning behind "Dead Dirt"
- 51:10–52:29 – "Tunnel fits" moment and discussion on confidence in fashion
- 54:14 – Live glimpse of Angel City and Dead Dirt merchandise
- 56:28–59:38 – Reflections on the artist’s mindset and disrupting the status quo
Overall Tone, Takeaways & Community Vibe
- Lively, candid, uplifting—a blend of deep, hard-won wisdom and party energy.
- Heavy encouragement for listeners, especially women and marginalized folks, to claim their space, bet on themselves, and reject anything that shrinks their light or their dreams.
- Repeated affirmation of community, legacy, and the value of authenticity both in sport and life.
Final Thoughts
“Welcome to the Party” uses this episode to show how creative minds like Damo Wells are turning women’s sports into a culture of self-definition, pride, and joy. If you’re seeking a dose of empowerment, real talk, and visionary takes on what’s possible in sports and life, this conversation delivers with fun, warmth, and radical optimism.