The Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast

The Science Behind Female Athletes with Christine Yu

To celebrate National Girls and Women in Sports Month, host Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable interviewed Christine Yu, an award-winning journalist and author of "Up to Speed: The Groundbreaking Science of Women Athletes." They discussed Christine's background in journalism and her passion for women's sports, which led her to write the book to address the gender gap in sports science research.
 
Christine shared insights on the myths and misconceptions about women's athletic capabilities, the importance of proper nutrition and strength training for young female athletes, and the high rate of ACL injuries among female athletes. They also touched on the historical and societal factors that have contributed to the underrepresentation of women in sports science studies. Greg and Christine discussed actionable tips for young girls and parents to support bone health and prevent injuries. The episode concluded with information on where listeners can find Christine's book.
Journey to Sports Science Advocacy
Christine discussed her journey from a nonprofit background to becoming an award-winning journalist, highlighting her passion for writing and storytelling. She explained how her interest in sports evolved from personal experience and her realization of the gender data gap in sports science research, which inspired her to write a book on the topic. Christine shared surprising findings, such as historical women scientists' efforts to debunk myths about women's physical capabilities being dismissed, and emphasized the importance of addressing these misconceptions to support girls and women in sports.
Nutrition for Female Adolescent Athletes
Christine discussed the historical and ongoing gender-based limitations in sports, particularly for women, and emphasized the importance of proper nutrition for adolescent athletes to support bone health and overall development. She highlighted the need for regular meals and snacks, especially before and after practices, and recommended consulting a sports dietitian for personalized advice. Christine also stressed the significance of maintaining a healthy menstrual cycle as an indicator of hormonal balance and its long-term implications for bone health.
Women's Sports Injury Prevention Strategies
Christine and Greg discussed women's sports, focusing on injury prevention and body type considerations. Christine emphasized the importance of strength training and neuromuscular training for reducing ACL injury risk in female athletes, particularly during adolescence. She highlighted that while biological factors like pelvic width are often cited as risk factors, environmental and societal factors, such as lack of access to strength training, also play a significant role. Greg and Christine agreed on the need to empower young female athletes to take control of their injury prevention through accessible training programs.
 
Resources
Buy the bookhttps://www.christinemyu.com/
Christine's social mediahttps://www.instagram.com/cyu888/
Pliable Marketing website
https://pliablemarketing.com/
Mission E50 initiative to increase the popularity of women's sports
https://pliablemarketing.com/e50
 
 
 

How NIL opportunities are created with FanSpark

This episode of The Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast featured Barrett Garese and Greg Glynn discussing Barrett's career journey from film school to his current role with FanSpark, a subscription content platform for athletes that enables monetization through exclusive fan-powered content.
Barrett explained how FanSpark operates as a safe and simple platform with an 80-20 revenue split favoring athletes, and discussed its features including discovery tools and safety measures designed to foster authentic athlete-fan relationships.
Social Media Producer's Career Evolution
Barrett shared his career journey, starting in film school where he realized he preferred producing over directing, leading to roles at Thunder Road and UTA. He became an expert in social media during his time at UTA, helping agents advise clients on digital platforms like Twitter and Facebook. After leaving UTA, he founded a consulting company focused on social media strategy for actors, which expanded to working with TV shows, production companies, and studios on emerging technologies and streaming platforms.
Athlete-Focused Content Monetization Platform
Barrett explained that FanSpark is a subscription content platform for athletes that allows them to monetize their fanbase through exclusive content, similar to Patreon but with a 80-20% revenue split in favor of athletes. He emphasized that the platform is free to use, does not have DMs, tipping, ads, or AI content, and is designed to be safe and simple for both athletes and fans. Barrett also highlighted that FanSpark is a PG-13 or lower platform, aiming to be inclusive for the whole family, and mentioned that while Ilona Maher's was an inspiration for the platform, she is not currently on FanSpark.
Athlete-Fan Relationship Platform Discussion
Barrett and Greg discussed the importance of creating a platform that fosters authentic relationships between athletes and fans, emphasizing the need for content that reflects genuine athlete personalities without compromising safety. They highlighted the platform's features, such as blocking and muting tools, to ensure athlete safety and comfort, particularly for college athletes. Barrett explained their focus on discovery features, like the Sparkboard, which prioritizes engagement over popularity, encouraging users to explore new athletes and sports. Both agreed on the potential for such a platform to enhance fan engagement and athlete influence, drawing parallels to how social media could have transformed athlete-fan interactions in the past.
FanSpark's Discovery Pathways for Sports
Barrett explained that FanSpark's discovery pathways aim to introduce users to new sports by leveraging the popularity of existing ones, similar to ESPN's approach of featuring top 10 clips during SportsCenter. He shared his personal experience of discovering women's rugby through Ilona Maher's social media content during the 2024 Olympics, which led him to become a fan of the sport. Greg agreed that the platform is well-suited for growing women's sports and discussed the opportunities for athletes to monetize their content through brand deals and storytelling.
FanSpark Athlete Engagement Strategy
Barrett explained how athletes can use FanSpark.pro to create authentic content and engage with fans, recommending twice-weekly posts. Barrett announced a new campaign called "First to 500," offering a $500 bonus and a custom championship ring to the first athlete to reach 500 subscribers on the platform.
Episode resources
Websitewww.fanspark.proSocial media accounts https://www.instagram.com/fansparkprohttps://www.tiktok.com/@fansparkproEmailinfo@fanspark.pro
 

NIL Contracts, Negotiations and Networking with Johnnie Perkins

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast, Greg Glynn, founder & CEO of Pliable Marketing interviewed Johnnie Perkins, an NIL Compliance & Athlete Services Strategist about NIL contracts, negotiating, and networking.
Johnnie shared his extensive background in strategic operations, compliance, and contract negotiations, emphasizing his passion for college sports and his commitment to supporting student-athletes through NIL opportunities. They discussed the importance of building trust, maintaining relationships, and educating athletes about the financial implications of NIL deals. 
Johnnie highlighted his daily routine of reading NIL-related resources and his goal of becoming a Manager of Athlete Relations. The episode also touched on the role of organizations like Athletes.org in collective bargaining and the positive impact of athletes using their NIL platforms for charitable causes. 
NIL Compliance and Athlete Relations
Johnnie shared his daily routine of reading NIL-related content and his extensive network of contacts in the sports world. Johnnie shared his extensive background in sports management, contract negotiations, and regulatory compliance, highlighting his experience in both public and private sectors. He emphasized the importance of building and maintaining strong relationships with student-athletes and their families, as well as understanding the varying NIL rules across different levels of sports and states.
Johnnie also discussed the realities of NIL opportunities, noting that the median earnings for student-athletes are much lower than often reported, and stressed the need for clear communication and support to retain athletes.
Building Trust in NIL Negotiations
Greg and Johnnie discussed the importance of trust in athlete-school relationships and NIL negotiations. Johnnie shared personal experiences about building trust through follow-through and negotiation, emphasizing the value of keeping promises. They also talked about the challenges student-athletes face in the NIL world, including misleading opportunities and the need for personal advocacy. 
Johnnie highlighted his extensive LinkedIn network in NIL and the importance of staying informed through various resources to support student-athletes.
Athletes.org Transparency and Negotiations
The discussion focused on Athletes.org's efforts to increase transparency in athlete endorsements and their work on a collective bargaining agreement for college athletes. Johnnie praised Athletes.org's collective bargaining document and shared his experience in contract negotiations, emphasizing that every challenge can be overcome with determination and proper negotiation strategies. He highlighted the complexity of labor laws across different states and the importance of building relationships and understanding collective bargaining to protect both student-athletes and institutions. 
NIL Opportunities for Student-Athletes
Johnnie and Greg discussed the positive impact of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) on student-athletes, emphasizing its potential to support athletes beyond their playing days. They highlighted inspiring examples of athletes using NIL for charitable causes and the importance of educating student-athletes about contracts and tax implications. Johnnie expressed his interest in a career focused on supporting student-athletes. 
Episode Related Resources
Contact Johnnie Perkins
Website: JohnniePerkins.com
Phone: 619-385-0474
Email: jperk0307@gmail.com
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/johnnie-perkins/
YouTube Resume videowww.youtube.com/@johnnieperkinsreferee
Sports Management World Wide NIL Course
https://www.sportsmanagementworldwide.com/courses/name-image-likeness
Use promo code PLIABLE100 to save $100 on your class!
The Business of College Sports
https://businessofcollegesports.com/
Athletes.org
https://www.athletes.org/agents/
On3.com
https://www.on3.com/nil/news/
Information for International Athletes
https://businessofcollegesports.com/nil-for-international-athletes/
NIL Wire Newsletter
https://www.nil-wire.com/subscribe?ref=OsTkKFt3Xb
NIL Newsstand & Newsletter
https://www.nilnewsstand.com/
Darren Heitner Newsletter
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/newsletter-image-likeness-6995176238755545088/
Braley Keller NIL Blitz
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/nil-blitz-7096874403442884608/
Mit Winter on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mit-winter-75340912/
Rev U Newsletter
https://www.linkedin.com/newsletters/nil-sideline-report-7397722696282931201/
Athlete Playbook by Kristi Dosh
https://theathletesnilplaybook.com/

Talking NIL and women's hockey in Minnesota with Heather Rule

In this episode of the Athlete Brand Advisor Podcast, host Greg Glynn sits down with Heather Rule to explore the evolving world of sports journalism, the rapid growth of women’s ice hockey, and how athletes are becoming powerful influencers through Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL).
Heather shares her journey from general news reporting into sports journalism, her experience covering Minnesota’s iconic hockey scene, and her passion for telling underrepresented athlete stories. The conversation also dives into Heather’s work as a children’s book author, including her latest book focused on NIL and how it’s reshaping opportunities—especially for women athletes.
Heather Rule is an award-winning freelance sports journalist based in the suburbs of the Twin Cities in Minnesota. She has covered professional, collegiate, and high school sports for a wide range of media outlets, with a strong focus on women’s ice hockey. In addition to her reporting, Heather is the author of 13 non-fiction children’s sports books, many of which are featured in school libraries and focus on topics such as women in sports, the Olympics, and athletes as influencers. She is also the lead writer behind The Written Rule of Sports, a platform dedicated to thoughtful, in-depth sports storytelling.
🎧 Episode Overview
🏒 Key Topics Discussed
• Heather’s Path Into Sports Journalism
Heather reflects on her early career in news reporting and how she transitioned into sports journalism, ultimately carving out a niche covering hockey at the high school, collegiate, and professional levels across Minnesota.
• Covering Women’s Ice Hockey in Minnesota
Greg and Heather discuss the growth of women’s hockey over the past decade, including improvements in skill level, physicality, visibility, and leadership opportunities. They also touch on the importance of Minnesota high school hockey as a developmental and cultural pipeline.
• Athletes Transitioning Into Media Careers
The conversation explores how former athletes are well-positioned to enter sports journalism, content creation, and media roles after their playing careers end.
• The Written Rule of Sports & Substack Launch
Heather explains why she launched her Substack under The Written Rule of Sports, aiming to provide deeper coverage of sports and athletes that often receive limited mainstream attention.
• Spotlight on Influencers in Women’s Hockey
Heather shares insights from her in-depth profile of Winnie Brodt- Brown, a major influencer and leader in Minnesota women’s hockey, highlighting the research and storytelling that went into the piece.
• Writing Children’s Sports Books
Heather discusses her work writing non-fiction sports books for school libraries, including series focused on women in sports, Olympic athletes, and sports history.
• NIL and Athletes as Influencers
A major theme of the episode centers on NIL and how it has changed the landscape for women’s sports. Heather and Greg discuss how NIL has allowed athletes to build brands, increase visibility, and generate income—often exceeding traditional earnings in women’s professional sports.
• Notable NIL Examples
The conversation references athletes like Paige Bueckers, Caitlin Clark, and Simone Biles as examples of how NIL has unlocked new levels of opportunity and influence.
🎯 Key Takeaways for Athletes & Brands
Storytelling is a powerful brand-building tool for athletes
Women’s sports are growing rapidly, but visibility remains critical
NIL allows athletes to monetize their platforms while staying focused on performance
Journalists and content creators play a key role in elevating underrepresented sports
Athletes should think long-term about career paths beyond competition
🔜 What’s Next
Heather shared that she is currently:
Working on a new children’s sports book
Writing non-sports features for an outdoor and hunting magazine
Continuing to expand coverage through The Written Rule of Sports
📬 Connect with Heather Rule
🌐 Website: https://www.heatherrule.com📰 Substack: The Written Rule of Sports📧 Email: heatherrule@gmail.com📱 X (Twitter): @HeatherRule📸 Instagram: @heather_rule