logo
NWSL's Unwell FC and Alex Cooper partnership: An ‘incredible platform' to grow the game or a risk?

NWSL's Unwell FC and Alex Cooper partnership: An ‘incredible platform' to grow the game or a risk?

New York Times19-05-2025

SAN JOSE, Calif.—For what it's worth, 'Call Her Daddy' podcast host Alex Cooper's Unwell Hydration drinks taste fine.
On a sunny patch of lawn in San Jose's PayPal Park before a budding California derby between Bay FC and Angel City FC, Cooper invited attendees to sample Unwell Hydration at the official launch of her brand's partnership with the league.
Advertisement
This particular National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) game bore an emotional heaviness for both sides. It was Angel City's first match since defender Savy King collapsed during a home game last week in Los Angeles. She had been rushed to the hospital after receiving on-field care from the team's medical staff. Doctors later discovered an abnormality in her heart that required surgery, from which King is now at home recovering with an 'excellent' prognosis, according to the team. The 20-year-old former University of North Carolina player was initially drafted by Bay FC last season. On Saturday, both teams wear black T-shirts with 'SK3' written across the front, King's initials and jersey number.
Two hours before kickoff, a modest, curious crowd curved toward an eye-catching marquee sign adorned with colorful balloons that spelled out 'Unwell FC,' the fan hype group Cooper plans to tour around other NWSL matches this season.
This league has witnessed its fair share of experiments throughout its 13-year history. Anything's worth trying in the interest of growing the game, right?
On paper and from far away, this union seems obvious. Cooper, 30, was a former Division I soccer player before launching 'Call Her Daddy,' a podcast of proudly unfiltered conversations concerning a range of topics affecting women, in 2018. The show is billed as one of the most-listened to podcasts by women, and the 'Daddy Gang' community surrounding it is dogmatic in its loyalty to Cooper and her former co-host, Sofia Franklyn.
According to NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman, Cooper reached out to the league wanting to collaborate. Speaking to the media at halftime of the match, which ended in a 2-0 victory for Bay, she commended Cooper for having built what Berman called 'an incredible platform which is rooted in the premise of women supporting women,' saying it was an 'amazing partnership' to pursue. Last December, about three months before the relationship became official, Cooper interviewed U.S. women's national team (USWNT) and Washington Spirit forward Trinity Rodman and has since spoken with USWNT legend Abby Wambach and writer Glennon Doyle (the two are married) among a wide-ranging guest list that includes singer Chappell Roan and former Vice President Kamala Harris.
Advertisement
Before Cooper signed a three-year deal with Spotify in 2021 worth $60 million, 'Call Her Daddy' was owned by Barstool Sports, which acquired the show shortly after it first aired. The sports multimedia site's founder, Dave Portnoy, has a history of making misogynist and racist comments under the same guise of ironic, apolitical provocation that's commanded the attention spans and intellectual capacities of Barstool's male-dominant audience for years. Early-iteration 'Call Her Daddy,' meanwhile, brandished its own brand of raunchiness within Portnoy's media empire, though Cooper told The Athletic she has made the show more her own since parting ways with her previous employer.
Nevertheless, Cooper's association with Barstool and Portnoy — on top of the league's insistence on cultivating an unorthodox corporate-sponsored, league-wide fan group — soured the announcement of the partnership in March.
Various members of supporters groups that rally behind each of the league's 14 teams, primarily as volunteers, spoke with The Athletic about their concerns surrounding the message the league is sending about its values with the partnership. They expressed a desire for NWSL executives to have initiated a dialogue with the supporters groups before bringing Cooper on, not to ask for permission, but to ensure the partnership was built on a foundation of mutual understanding among the various parties.
Ahead of Saturday's game, The Athletic spoke to three supporters group members — two from Bay FC and one from Angel City — and none begrudged Cooper for wanting to do business or grow the game, with one suggesting the latter ambition inevitably means that more people with more varying viewpoints will be filling seats. As money continues to flow into the expanding league, questions of growth, in which directions, and for whom, and at what cost, will only become more fraught with urgency. Unwell's foray into the NWSL is but the latest version of that dilemma.
Cooper declined an in-person interview with The Athletic and requested an email correspondence. According to one of Cooper's representatives, that decision was made to ensure Cooper 'can really be present with fans and watch all the game has to offer.'
Advertisement
Cooper made a brief appearance at the Unwell FC activation, donning a black LA Dodgers baseball cap to wave to and snap photos with fans. On the pitch right before kickoff, Cooper and Berman embraced and Cooper was gifted a navy blue Bay FC kit with her name on the back above the number 25, to indicate the year.
'The passion surrounding the NWSL fan base is undeniable and continues to grow every season,' Cooper said in one of her emailed responses to The Athletic, which arrived during pre-match festivities at 6:47 p.m. PT, 'What stands out is their deep engagement at matches and the powerful sense of community you feel. Community is also a strength of Unwell. That is why I am genuinely excited about this partnership. If we can help continue to grow the League and Bay FC fan base today, then that's a win.'
A reported 150 attendees who purchased an exclusive Unwell matchday ticket were handed an Unwell FC jersey when they reached the front of the line of the pregame activities. The black V-necks had Unwell arched across the front, the No. 25 emblazoned on the back, and Unwell and NWSL patches adorning the sleeves above a pair of white stripes. Attendees who hadn't purchased Unwell tickets were guided toward a concept once reserved for marketing specialists that has since taken a swan dive into the mainstream: activations. Gaggles of teens and some enthusiastic adults took turns posing in front of the Pinterest-y balloon display, while others awaited their turn inside a red-curtained photobooth. But nearly everyone accepted free samples of Unwell Hydration.
Kali Gabler wasn't familiar with Unwell Hydration, 'Call Her Daddy,' or Cooper before news of Unwell FC reached the Bridge Brigade, one of Bay FC's supporter groups. The 29-year-old San Jose native got involved right before the team's inaugural season started last February, pushing through the discomfort of showing up to an event alone, yearning for a tribe to belong to. By the time Gabler left a watch party for Bay's first game of the season last year — an away match against Angel City — she knew she'd found it. 'The energy around the team was insane,' she recalled. She was hooked. Gabler quickly started drumming for Bridge Brigade, joined the welcome crowd at the airport when Bay FC striker and Zambian national Racheal Kundananji arrived stateside, and has since recruited more friends.
'I'm always excited for more people to be in the stands,' Gabler said, pointing out that she wished all teams in the NWSL had the same support Bay FC has among its fans. (Bay's home attendance average last season was more than 13,600, compared to an overall average of 11,235. The bottom three teams averaged just over half that at about 6,254, according to Sportico.)
'That said,' Gabler added, 'I don't think this partnership is the best way to do that.'
Gabler listened to a recent episode of 'Call Her Daddy' to draw her own conclusions about Cooper and the show.
Advertisement
'She kind of promotes the idea of women treating men the way that men treat women, and that's super toxic and not what anybody should be doing,' she said.
When asked about her association with Barstool Sports and the concerns it's raised for some fans, Cooper replied via email: 'I'm incredibly proud of the journey that's brought me to where I am today. As I've grown, Call Her Daddy has also grown into something entirely my own. What I'm building now — whether through Unwell or the podcast — is about creating space for women to feel seen, heard, and empowered. I'm so excited to be partnering with a league that reflects those same values.'
Barstool did not respond to a request for comment before publishing this story.
Berman, for her part, acknowledged the potentially divisive nature of Cooper's brand but ultimately welcomed it as a necessary part of the NWSL's growth. She has also been meeting with NWSL supporters groups on her travels to games throughout the league.
'Of course I recognize that there are some people out there who don't love everything she does, and that's OK,' she said during a press conference held during halftime of the game. 'We see the partnership as an incredible opportunity to grow our audience, and I think all of us in this room and everyone who's in that stadium wants more women's soccer fans. We want more people to know who the NWSL is and Alex Cooper wants to do that.'
Having worked in sports management and marketing, Tory Lathrop is fascinated by the inner workings and ambitions of a sports league as the vice president of Rebellion 99, a supporters group for Angel City and a non-profit organization that advocates for women, the LGBTQIA+, and other marginalized communities. Lathrop listened to the Rodman interview when it came out and said they found the show entertaining and informative. They hope that members of the Daddy Gang develop a curiosity for team-based supporters groups, using Cooper and Unwell FC as both a portal into the NWSL and a launchpad to explore within it.
'It feels influencer-y and less genuine,' they said of the partnership.
Advertisement
'I know (Alex) played soccer, but where have you been this whole time? Who do you rep? Who's your home team?' Lathrop asked. 'I might grill her a little more because I might not believe she's in this for more than selling her energy drink.'
Cooper told The Athletic that soccer shaped her into who she is today.
'Soccer will always be a part of my identity,' Cooper told The Athletic via email. 'I was just telling Abby (Wambach) when she came on 'Call Her Daddy' that Unwell Hydration's partnership with the NWSL felt like coming home and returning to a part of myself. It's very meaningful and intentional to me, as I'm always looking for ways to celebrate the sport and the amazing women athletes.'
Lathrop mostly regretted the lack of dialogue between the league and any of its veteran supporters groups before bringing Cooper into the fold.
'I get that everyone's trying to find whatever they can to market,' Lathrop said, 'but I wish the league had taken a moment, done research and a vetting process, and asked if it aligned with the league mission. Set up a meeting with us. If we give you feedback and you still go with (the original plan), at least you've invited us to the table.
'That's where this feeling of dismissal comes from. We do this organically and on our own, independent of the league, but you could go an extra mile and ask how we feel about this partnership. They don't have to, but if it were up to me, I'd give it a chance.'
JT Service was quick to acknowledge his vested interest in Unwell FC's success as the CEO and founder of the sports marketing company, he said, 'helped bring Bay FC into existence.' Service joined forces with Ricky Lewis, husband to Bay FC co-founder and former USWNT player Leslie Osborne, to create a supporters group for dads and their families called Big Poppies.
Advertisement
'We're a little less traditional than other supporters groups,' said Service, opting for family-friendly venues over sports bars for watch parties to encourage parents to bring their kids, and sitting with their own families at games, not necessarily as Poppies.
'I have a much wider perspective of who could and should be targeted' as new fans, Service said. 'This is for everyone, even people who don't consider themselves sports fans. I think sometimes we get too insular in terms of who can be in, out, who this is for, and you have to do it a certain way, and that's why we're a multigenerational fanbase that has kids involved, all the way through grandparents, for everyone, and not telling who to and who not to partner with is the way to go.'
The way Service sees it, the Unwell partnership 'goes with an idea of what is going to make this pie bigger. Is it going to be voices like Alex's, where she has millions and millions of followers to bring to these NWSL parties, or should we be limiting those voices and partnerships? I lean toward more partnerships, more opportunities for the players and teams by making the pie bigger, creating long-term growth by having unique partnerships.'
But what happens if the league grows to such a size that it invites more people whose beliefs create an unsafe environment for others — queer people, for example, or people of color?
Service said that sort of tension 'would go against the reason we came together and why this was formed in the first place. When push comes to shove, you have to ask yourself if this was beneficial, but if you look at a success story like the NBA or NFL, where there is a multiplicity of views and beliefs and not everybody is going to think the same way or have the same viewpoints, at that point you have a very successful league.'
A few minutes before kickoff on Saturday afternoon, I met again with Service as groups were performing at Bay FC's Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islanders (AANHPI) Heritage Night. Service and his family had just attended the home opener for the Golden State Valkyries' inaugural season in the Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) on Friday night. It was his first WNBA game.
He told me he'd been thinking about inclusion since I interviewed him earlier in the week, and found himself noticing the finer details that contribute to a person's sense of belonging in a sporting environment. At Warriors' games, he's used to fighting against the crowd for space, everybody elbowing their way against the tide to shuffle down a tight aisle or wind through a concession line.
Advertisement
'But at the Valkyries game, it was all, 'Come on in!'' he recalled, gesturing with outstretched arms. Everybody was working together rather than in silos. 'It just got me thinking,' he said, trailing off.
Berman said last month that she and the NWSL board believe the league has the potential to grow to the size of the NFL, and that all it needs to do is harness and develop its talent. The same could be said of the people who come together every week (and often in the interim) to support the league, whether as casuals who are in it for the friends they meet along the way, to the ones spitting out stats as a love language.
Last year, Horizon Sports & Experiences debuted a thought leadership series '& Now' and a corresponding study that showed that 67 per cent of women's sports fans are intentional about throwing their dollars behind brands that support their favorite teams or athletes; that includes listening to episodes of a podcast whose host wants to join the party. The NWSL thrives when it bucks against the traditional blueprint for how sports are done, and the success of Unwell FC will be no different.

Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Adam Scott at another US Open and headed for century mark in the majors
Adam Scott at another US Open and headed for century mark in the majors

Associated Press

time17 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Adam Scott at another US Open and headed for century mark in the majors

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Adam Scott is one year away from an impressive streak that the Australian considers to be a classic glass half-full moment in golf. The U.S. Open is his 96th consecutive major championship appearance dating to the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. 'It sounds like a lot to have won one,' Scott said with a laugh, referring to his lone major title in the 2013 Masters. 'It would be twice as good if there was one more.' Still, he realizes he is approaching a big milestone. The PGA Championship next year, assuming he qualifies or gets an invitation, will be his 100th career major. He could make it 100 in a row if he makes it to Shinnecock Hills for next year's U.S. Open. A streak like that requires eligibility and good health. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson only had eligibility in their favor. Woods played 46 straight majors until knee surgery after he won the 2008 U.S. Open. Mickelson played 61 in a row before he sat out the 2009 British Open as his wife was being treated for breast cancer. The record is among the most untouchable in golf — Jack Nicklaus played 146 in a row from the 1962 U.S. Open through the 2008 U.S. Open. 'Probably whenever it ends, whether it's 100 or more or less, I think it will be hard for guys to get to that number going forward,' Scott said. 'I think it's getting harder. And I think I have been a consistent player over a 25-year career. I could probably pick three troughs where my game was looking pretty ordinary and I fell outside the top 50 and I was really struggling. But over 25 years, I'd expect that of almost any player.' Scott had a few close calls in the U.S. Open. He made it through 36-hole qualifying with one shot to spare in 2018. He failed to make it through qualifying last year (he was first alternate) but became exempt at No. 61 in the world. Grayson Murray, who took his life in May 2024, was still ahead of him in the world ranking and the USGA went down one spot. Scott said Mickelson and Rory McIlroy are among the few who never went through bad spells or serious injury 'and we're talking about two of the greatest of their generation.' McIlroy's streak was interrupted when he injured his left ankle and couldn't play the 2015 British Open. Oakmont is his 39th consecutive major. US Open prize money For the first time since 2021, the U.S. Open is not increasing its prize money. It will be $21.5 million for the second straight year, with $4.3 million going to the winner. It remains the biggest purse of the four majors. The Masters was $21 million this year, while the PGA Championship was at $19 million. The British Open hasn't announced its total purse for next month at Royal Portrush. It was at $17 million last year. The U.S. Open purse was $12.5 million in 2020 and 2021 before making a big leap to $17.5 million in 2022 at Brookline. 'I feel comfortable that we've been a leader in moving fast and bigger,' USGA CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. The Players Championship has a $25 million purse. The USGA and R&A get the bulk of their revenue from their Opens. They also use that money to invest back in the game, including the Women's Opens and amateur events such as the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup that several of the top stars once played. 'But at the same time, we understand. We want to be relevant,' Whan said. 'We know that this probably isn't really about the money for the person who puts it there, but at the same time, we want the money to be commensurate with the achievement. ... It's part of creating what we want to be the greatest championship in the game.' Driver testing Xander Schauffele couldn't contain his laughter when he said both his drivers were tested this week and both passed the USGA limits of trampoline effect. It was no joking matter for Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship when word got out that his driver didn't pass the test from too much use. Turns out Scottie Scheffler's driver didn't pass for the same reason, and they had to get new drivers. The results are supposed to be confidential. The post on McIlroy's driver was published without any context — the random testing at every major, and the service being done for players (and equipment makers) who otherwise would be unaware when the faces of the drivers become too thin from constant strikes. Whan said he felt stronger than ever to keep results private 'In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town,' Whan said 'Because I think when you talked about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality. 'I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this incredible advantage, we would change the degree in which we test,' he said 'But we think the testing that we're doing now is commensurate with the size of both the issue and the size of the reality of the issue.' Rain and rocks The Pittsburgh area had one of the wettest Mays in history, not ideal for a U.S. Open that would prefer Oakmont to be firm, fast and scary. But it's not just the golf course. It can turn into a sloppy mess outside the ropes, and for some of the lots the U.S. Open is using for parking. That's why Whan was quick to celebrate Thomas Construction, a local company that has supplied gravel to create paths in walkways and parking lots. 'He no longer has gravel — true story — and he's only had one customer in the last 60 days — us,' Whan said. 'Suffice it to say, he told us there's more gravel here than in the quarry right now. And I apologize to all you (Oakmont) members. Good news is it's outside of the rope lines.' ___ AP golf:

Titans embrace Callahan's competition hoping to boost performance, accountability and wins
Titans embrace Callahan's competition hoping to boost performance, accountability and wins

Associated Press

time17 minutes ago

  • Associated Press

Titans embrace Callahan's competition hoping to boost performance, accountability and wins

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (AP) — Drop a ball, lose points. A red zone touchdown catch isn't worth six but still nets points. Jump offside earns a deduction. Lose a wide receiver in coverage also hurts. The Tennessee Titans don't kick off coach Brian Callahan's second season until Sept. 7 at Denver. With the Titans going 3-14 and losing the final six games, Callahan made some changes all designed to help Tennessee win more in 2025. The biggest new offseason feature is an internal competition. Callahan broke up the Titans into eight teams with a captain and assistant with rankings updated daily. Teams earn — or lose — points for what they do particularly on the field. For pro athletes, that's all they needed to hear. Outside linebacker Dre'Mont Jones, an offseason free agent signee going into his seventh NFL season, said Wednesday that the Titans are '100%' bought into Callahan's offseason competition. Jones said everything they do is a competition, keeping energy high. 'We need that competition,' Jones said. 'We have a young football team. We need to keep that edge and that competitive (approach) throughout the whole entire offseason leading into the season.' Tennessee lost six games in Callahan's debut season by eight points or fewer. Combined with a roster stocked with 48 new players, this competition is designed to have the Titans hold each other accountable for mistakes including turnovers, penalties and mental errors that prove so costly in an NFL season. Callahan knows this won't show results that matter until September and October at the earliest. This is all part of his focus on doing everything possible for the Titans to be better. 'A lot of it was kind of through this offseason program that we developed and how do we best win football games? And how do I best put our team in position to do that? How do I coach that better? And how do I do a better job from a leadership perspective for our players and our staff?' Callahan said. Jones is on a team captained by running back Tony Pollard who likes how Callahan also mixed up assignments in the locker room. No longer are position groups sitting together. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley is next to rookie quarterback Cam Ward. 'You got to talk to different guys, get to know people throughout the locker room,' said Pollard, who now has cornerback L'Jarius Sneed and defensive lineman Keondre Coburn to the right. 'So it's just, it's a great thing just connecting with the whole team.' That talking isn't done just inside the locker room. Part of the schedule includes time for each group to get to know each other better by discussing four H's: history, heroes, hopes and heartbreaks. 'That's just a great thing just learning backstories, what guys have been through and what they've had to overcome to be where they are now,' Pollard said. Callahan hasn't shared what the rewards will be for the winners. It doesn't matter. Linebacker Cody Barton, who signed a three-year deal in March, joked that he heard winners got a car and asked for that to be confirmed. A pat on the back also works. Right guard Kevin Zeitler is another newcomer going into his 14th NFL season. He said every NFL team has its own approach to the offseason program with some business-like, others 'super competitive and fiery' with others making it fun. 'Having an extra competition throughout the day to be more on your details. ... it makes it more fun,' Zeitler said. Treylon Burks working Callahan said Treylon Burks, the Titans' 18th pick overall in 2022 as part of the A.J. Brown trade, is doing more in his rehab from a partially torn ACL that limited him to five games and four catches last season. Burks is doing more than Callahan expected at the beginning of the offseason program. Burks is doing more individual drills and routes. Callahan said the hope is Burks will be cleared by the start of training camp. ___ AP NFL:

Frisco ISD releases video of fatal track meet stabbing involving Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony
Frisco ISD releases video of fatal track meet stabbing involving Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony

CBS News

time28 minutes ago

  • CBS News

Frisco ISD releases video of fatal track meet stabbing involving Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony

Frisco Independent School District has released surveillance footage of a deadly stabbing that occurred during a track meet in April, but only under strict conditions. Under Texas open records laws, requesters may view such video in some cases, but are not permitted to record it. Camera captures distant view Austin Metcalf and Karmelo Anthony CBS News Texas The video begins several minutes before the altercation between Karmelo Anthony and Austin Metcalf. The camera, positioned near the press box, captures half of the field at Kuykendall Stadium. The tent where the incident occurred is located in the bleachers near the 50-yard line. Due to the camera's distance, individuals are not easily identifiable. At approximately 9:55 a.m., a sudden movement is seen under the tent, followed by interaction between two figures. Frisco ISD officials say this is the moment the stabbing occurred. Several people are seen walking or running away, while others approach the area. Emergency response begins Minutes later, an ambulance arrives, entering through the gate near the end zone and driving to the 50-yard line. Paramedics appear to realize they cannot reach Metcalf, who is in the bleachers, with the stretcher. They return it to the end zone, then carry it into the stands. While paramedics work on Metcalf, someone places crime scene tape and unrolls a blue tarp higher in the stands behind the tent. Police later said this is where the knife used in the stabbing was found. Stretcher moved to ambulance At about 10:13 a.m., paramedics begin moving the stretcher toward the entrance as the ambulance reverses alongside it. Six or seven individuals surround the stretcher as it is loaded into the ambulance at 10:15 a.m. The vehicle does not depart until 10:20 a.m. Police remain on scene The video continues for several more minutes, showing police activity under the tent. Prosecutors may present the footage to a grand jury.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into the world of global news and events? Download our app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store