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Laces Out Loud is an NWSL and women’s soccer podcast about the game on the field and the forces shaping it off the field. The show blends match analysis, supporter passion, and bigger-picture conversations about player welfare, league growth, media coverage, business, technology, and soccer culture. We are here for the goals, the tactics, and the chaos - but also for the questions that determine whether the women’s game can grow with the ambition, care, and investment it deserves.
Welcome back listeners to another episode of Laces Out Loud. I'm Pammatha, and as always, well, actually, I'm flying solo today. It's been a challenging couple of weeks for the Laces Out Loud podcast family. Your hosts have been laid up, either on travel, unable to get down, gather around the podcast table, or recovering from surgery. That's me.
Pamitha:But I am back on my feet, which means I am back able to edit. We have a wonderful episode coming up today with Dana Lerner, who is the creator of SheScores, an app for fans of women's sports. We'll get into what that actually is in just a little bit. And we also have a couple of other episodes that we're going to stitch together based on this lengthy conversation Guru Shabad, Ali, and I had about the history of women's soccer and the Copa seventy one documentary. There's a lot of really good stuff.
Pamitha:And, of course, while we've been away, there has been a lot of exciting NWSL action. Fans of the spirit are struggling. Fans of Gotham are cheering. Utah is still doing Utah things. And I think finally people are seeing what Ally has been seeing in Ashley Sanchez.
Pamitha:That's a recent topic why she isn't getting a national team call up. She better get a national team call up. Anyway, we're excited to be back. We're excited to be bringing you, episodes weekly as we keep going forward through the rest of this year, and I hope you enjoy what we have queued up for today. With that, I'm gonna step aside and make room for myself.
Pamitha:We are honored to have joining us today the founder and CEO of Red Pelican Creative, Tony award winning producer of the 2021 revival of company, and creator of SheScores, a new app to keep fans of women's sports plugged into the games, teams, and leagues we all love. Welcome, Dana Lerner. Dana, thanks for joining us. For having me.
Dana:Thank you for having me.
Pamitha:Yeah. It's a it's a pleasure. Well, for our listeners who may not be familiar with SheScores, why don't you tell us a little bit about this wonderful app that you've created?
Dana:Absolutely. So SheScores is a your one stop shop for women's sports scores. It's the women's sports scoreboard in your pocket on your desktop and live scores, stats, schedules, results, and more, and we'll talk about that in a little bit for all of the professional women's leagues you love all in one place.
Pamitha:It's not just domestically either. Right? This is all
Dana:Correct. Around the And so it is now. We are international, so the FIBO basketball women's world cup is coming up next week, so we have international basketball, we have two international women's soccer leagues or football I guess, we're talking international, and and more more to come. But and then, of course, right, there's, basketball and and hockey and and baseball and lacrosse, softball, volleyball, this, the other, so which many of which have, teams in Canada.
Pamitha:It's it's remarkable, and we're gonna get into the app, and sort of the journey that you've been on. But I'm curious, your your inspiration and your background, you know, did you did you grow up playing sports? Did you, like, is this something that is personal to you as well as something that you see professionally as very important?
Dana:Yeah. So I am a lifelong athlete. I am an ice hockey player by training, but I will play any sport that has a lot of equipment. So so basketball is really the one sport I don't play.
Alli:Sure. I love it. Okay. And if you played and if you play soccer, you would not be a fan of the tiny shin guards that are, like, two inches because that's ridiculous.
Dana:Right. Well, and I played goalie. So if you're gonna play soccer, you're gonna play goalie. But then, unfortunately, too short. So Oh.
Dana:That was the end of that career, but totally fine. So, yeah, I'm a lifelong athlete, an ice hockey player by training. I love sports. I I as you mentioned, I come from live entertainment, and I really feel like now, you know, sports are not no longer just sports. They're really entertainment.
Dana:It's really an experience when you go to the game and before the game and after the game and in between the game. Right? So, so, yeah, so, again, I'm a big lifelong athlete. I am so thrilled to see the growth of women's sports, especially women's ice hockey. The PWHL is entering into its fourth season this fall winter.
Dana:And, you know, in in April, there was a, a game at Madison Square Garden. The New York sirens played the Seattle Torrent at a sold out MSG. And I got really emotional because growing up, all of the girls thought that we would play in the NHL. No. Right?
Dana:That there was no other option.
Pamitha:Mhmm.
Dana:And now how lucky are these little girls and little boys that they get to grow up in a world with professional women's sports. And so I am a big fan of women's sports and particularly of the PWHL, and I was very frustrated that I could not find all of the information in one place. I was watching the games are streamed on YouTube. So I was watching one game on my TV and another game on my laptop and texting my group chat and googling and just trying to find the information, and I thought there has to be a better way. And and then once I thought about it for the PWHL I was like well I like all women's sports, I will watch anything that's on and why can't this be a central hub for everything and it was solving a problem I had which was why can't I find all of the scores and scheduled results and whatever all in one place.
Dana:Yeah. And I if I had frustration, I had a feeling others would too.
Alli:Yeah. I love that. And I we also had that same frustration. And I'm very curious because at what stage did you say, you know, I can't find this, I'll make it, versus what I did, which was said, I can't find this, I'm annoyed, and just stopped there. So, yeah, would love to kind of learn a little bit more about about your process to being like, fine.
Alli:I'll build it. Someone's gotta do it. Yeah.
Dana:That's a great that's a funny question. You know, I I do like to think of myself as a problem solver and a builder. Like as you sort of read through my resume, am a builder. I like to build things. I like to, you know, with the company I founded before, I felt like there was a gap in the marketplace and let me figure out how to do it.
Dana:Don't know if better is the right word, but do it a different a way that I would like to see it done. So I think for me, I just didn't see stuff readily available. Once I started looking into it, then I found some other things that were interesting. But prior to that, no. I had no I think it was just like, I don't know this exists.
Dana:I did a little bit of research, and I was like, this still doesn't really exist even though there are other sort of interesting things out there. I'm gonna make it. And I am in between jobs right now, so I certainly have part of it was that I have the time to to do this. So that was a piece of that as well.
Alli:Yeah. That's awesome. I I think that it is so great. I mean, so much, I feel like, around women's sports, we just there's so much that exists, though, that we don't know about. So I think about up until 2019, we've I've lived in DC since twenty thirteen ish.
Alli:I did not even know that there was a professional women's soccer team in DC until 2019 when the World Cup happened, and then suddenly knew about it. But there was yeah. Just not not being able to find the information is frustrating. So
Pamitha:Yeah. And I would imagine with the PWHL, you're, like, fans of the PWHL may be feeling similarly to the fans of the NWSL about three, four years ago, where there just doesn't seem to well, okay, I wanna be very careful because I do not wanna disparage the PWHL. For the NWSL, it felt like there was a lack of polish for the information that was being presented to fans. If you'd go to the website just to get basic game stats and information, it it felt like an adventure. It wasn't as easily accessible.
Pamitha:And then if you go to the mainstream sites, the stats and scores that were available were just rudimentary, final score, box score stuff. Like, you didn't get the advanced stuff that you would normally get in, I don't know, the MLS or the NFL. I don't know if that was the is a similar frustration for people who are following the PWHL because, at least from my awareness, I think the league has been doing a really good job of getting growing the sport. And so hopefully, that is also accompanied with attention paid to how you get information into the hands of fans who are interested in, deepening their relationship with teams and players, which the NWSL admitted incredibly hard to do, which I think, on a personal level, makes what you're doing all the more important. Because to to your point earlier, there are leagues all over the world.
Pamitha:There are women's sports happening all over the world, and the the ability for any one of us to get information quickly and easily to keep our attention, to keep our interest, to grow our attention, grow our interest is really important.
Dana:Yeah. No. Thank you. I appreciate that. And and certainly, you know, all that's important to me too.
Dana:And, like, growing growing the game is one thing, but growing, like, viewership. Right? Viewership is growing at this incredible rate, and so is now then the ad dollars and the valuations of the teams. And I so there's there are few things that I'm working on too to to make to lower the barrier of entry to fans as well just as, like, a macro piece of this puzzle, which we can talk about for sure. But I yeah.
Dana:And it's funny to your point, like, there there is a PWHL app that exists that I did not know about until I started this process. So to your question, like, I didn't know it existed. And okay. Like Yeah. Why why didn't I know that?
Pamitha:Right.
Dana:Right? And and that's not to throw shade at them. I'm simply just like, why didn't I know that? And, you know, and maybe if I did know that, then maybe SheScores wouldn't exist because I'd be like, this solves my problem. And
Pamitha:But at the same time at the same time, the goal of a PWHL app serves a different purpose than what SheScores does. Right? Yes. They're they're focused on the league understandably. They're focused on, getting content to end users and fans.
Pamitha:It seems to me that what SheScores is doing is is much broader. It's it's widening the tent, if you will Yeah. Instead yeah.
Dana:And Yeah. No.
Alli:Yeah. Oh, go ahead.
Dana:No. Go ahead.
Alli:I was gonna say, Dana, I love that I love the variety of sports that you have on the website. It's not just going there for soccer news or basketball news, so would love to hear a little bit more about your process for growing that and what you're seeing envisioning for the future.
Dana:Absolutely. So right now, there are 16 leagues that are live on the site. As I mentioned, I just added the Northern Super League, so Canadian women's soccer, the women's Super League, which is England football, and FIBA Women's World Cup that is coming, and then also to Premier Ultimate League. I did not know there's a professional women's Ultimate Frisbee League.
Pamitha:Awesome. Oh. No idea. I didn't know that either.
Dana:The season ended the other day. The all star game is on Friday, August 28.
Pamitha:That's the
Dana:next one now. Should you want to tune in? But, so so we'll talk, like, we'll parking lot, like, more leagues coming, but there are 16 leagues on here now. I started with sort of the major ones that were on my mind, the ones that I watch, of course, the WNBA, NWSL, LPGA, WTA, so tennis, hockey, then of course there's Major League there's Major League Volleyball and League One Volleyball, softball, and then I just kept kept building. Women's baseball just started.
Dana:They're in the midst of their season right now, so that's been pretty cool to see. Women's rugby, women's lacrosse. So those are those are the big ones unrivaled too. That's that comes in in January. That's women's basketball sort of during the WNBA off season.
Dana:So those are those are those big ones now, and and what I'm excited about, like, again, the the the Ultimate League is cool. I recently learned there's a women's bowling league too Oh. Which I did not know about. And and I do, I will circle back to my own comment that I've now made twice that I'm going to circle back about like accessibility and stuff like that, but one thing that I'm really excited about is like sharing more sports with more people who love women's sports. Right?
Dana:Shame on me for not knowing that there was a professional bowling league. Right? Like or an Ultimate League, you know? And and I think that's one thing that I'm excited for in the future of SheScores is, you know, not there are lulls in seasons, but there there are will be sports on all of the time. Right?
Dana:And if that means that bowling is what everyone watches in June when nothing else is happening, everyone's gonna be locked into bowling, right, or ultimate frisbee. So, so that's how it started just sort of with, like, those those main leagues, and I'm always looking for more information. The the Northern Super League was the most requested league since launch, and I was really psyched to roll that out.
Pamitha:Yeah. It's it's fantastic. Well, I so I I want to ask what the reception has been like, but you you touched on something that I just think is so critical. It's that there are sports going on all year round, and the lens has been taken away from women's sports for so long, yeah, that it's it's it's not I don't think it's anyone's fault that we weren't aware of certain, like, the existence of certain things. When ESPN, holding holding themselves out as the worldwide leader in sports, opts to show the men's major league lacrosse draft instead of NWSL scores and highlights featuring members of the US women's national team.
Pamitha:When they elect to put on the worldwide, world wrestling entertainment as sport programming instead of focusing on, let's just say ultimate free like the like women's ultimate frisbee. The the the parties that are out there that ought that have the trust of the public to share stories about sports select out what they feel isn't going to generate the most interest, and that ultimately hurts all of us. Right? Yeah. And it creates a space, I think, for what you're doing to try to, you know, illuminate what is out there.
Pamitha:Because I didn't know that there was an Ultimate Frisbee League, and Yeah. You know, I grew up in I grew up in New Jersey. You grew up in New Jersey, Maplewood, New Jersey, home of Ultimate Frisbee, that's where it all started. So it's really, really, really cool. And I just discovered Australian rules football, and Australian rules football has a women's league, and it's also really exciting.
Alli:I was literally about to ask if there was a women's league. Sure.
Pamitha:It is. Yeah.
Alli:I'll he keeps trying to explain the rules.
Pamitha:The rules to me. It's a
Alli:really big field. There's a lot of people on it.
Pamitha:It's yeah. Women's cricket also is a big deal internationally. And and so it's it's great to have this sort of starting point, and it's I I would say it's not, like, it's not shame on you or shame on me that we didn't know about it. Right? It's, you know, there there's something about the the sports media landscape that is cannibalizing itself because all they're after is the views and clicks, right?
Pamitha:So how do we break through that?
Alli:And Yeah. And I love that your approach is not, you know, you've had this iterative feedback process with people who are requesting leagues, you're putting them up, and you're not saying, oh, no, someone else will cover that. I'm only covering these areas, but that you're you're giving an opportunity for feedback, hearing from them, and then updating that. So I I think that's I think that's great and really appreciate that, and we'll certainly, you know, regularly check-in on what else is being added and and what we can watch.
Dana:I I appreciate that.
Pamitha:So so let me ask you. So given your background, I'm curious how you feel that stats and information can help fans and athletes tell better stories?
Dana:Yeah. So great question. And I think if you just someone just looked at my background, they'd be like, she has a creative background. Okay. What?
Dana:But data is storytelling, and I do have a data background. My first job out of college, even though it was in the theater, it was on the business side of Broadway, and it was slicing and dicing data to tell a story. And you had to tell that story to many different people who were not all reading the same book. Right? So I think I think being able to show what's happening not just on on the on the field, but off the field.
Dana:Right? Like, we talked a little bit about all of the the investment and the numbers and the growth. Like, that has to mean something. Right? So it's like, What are these what are the fans tuning in to watch?
Dana:Right? It was a it was a 122,000,000 Americans identify as women sports fans. Wow. Okay. Like, what are they what are they watching?
Dana:It's like, well, like, how are these how are these players playing? And right? So I think, obviously, the the or maybe not obviously. The the the way that scores, I think, usually, like, goals, minutes played, assists, shots, rebounds. Obviously, for basketball, there's, there's three points and and field goals and free throws and things like that, so it's a little different.
Dana:But I think being able to understand
Pamitha:of shift.
Dana:Yeah. Time on ice and, like, you're plus minus. And so I think I think data is very important for the players to, like, know how they're doing, for the fans to understand how their favorite players are performing, how the teams are performing. Right? Standings on on SheScores site, what we have is you have you know, if you go to a league, you can see player stats, and you can see just, all the players in the league, so it's, like, top of the league, and then, of course, the standings too.
Dana:And then each player, you can see their own you know, the team has their standings, and each player then has their own stats and standings as well. So I think it's just fun to see how people are doing, and I think I know, you know, there's a lot of talk about sports betting too, and obviously the data I'm not necessarily saying that for women's sports, but people do like to use that data, to inform sort of those positions there. But I think I think a lot of people enjoy rooting for someone, right, or like rooting for something, like believing in something. And of course you can see, all right, great, my team won. Okay, but my team won 12 to two.
Dana:Happened there? So like, that's great that my team won. Wonder who scored, what was the and one of the features that has been requested is box scores, and so having box scores added is coming soon. And as we talked sort of very early at the beginning, you know, sort of making this more accessible, data and numbers are scary, Right? Especially in sports when a lot of as we said, like, there are a lot of terms and and jargon for things that people at first glance may not know.
Dana:And so future state for SheScores both for for every sport, currently for player stats. Like, right now, I'm looking at my screen for the Boston Hunters, and so that's women's baseball, and you can see its position, at bat, hits, and it goes across and we're gonna, like like, it just sort of all the way across all the different stats we track. Someone may not know what SLG means. Right? Do you know what SLG means?
Pamitha:So I I'm not I do, but I I now it's slugging. Right? Yeah. Slugging slugging percentage. If you you want if you want me to explain what that means, I can't do that.
Dana:No. Also, but that's that's that's totally okay. And so this brings me to my point of, like, I'm a new fan to women's baseball. How cool? I wanna go see my new favorite player, Beth Greenwood, who is the, catcher of for the Boston Hunters.
Pamitha:I love it.
Dana:I think she's the catcher. And she and I can look and see her scores. And but I'm looking, I'm like, OBP, SLG, I don't know what that means. And so what we're gonna build out next is when you hover over any of the stats, it will explain what that is. Like for basketball
Pamitha:that's right.
Dana:So for basketball funny the other day I was looking at it, I was doing something and I was looking at stats and I'm like okay what is it like blah blah blah and then it's TOV. I'm like, TOV? Oh turnovers. Uh-huh. But it like a fool me in a second and so I'm gonna build out like again it's for basketball it's but it's it's average points so currently it's just points but it's like 18 you know someone has 9.7 points if you don't know that it's calculated on an average do you and people may not even know that you can score one, two, three points at a time, So that's what's next in terms of this like what not only so that's like the story the data is storytelling piece right?
Dana:It's not only like who's doing well, who's not, but like how can this paint a more holistic picture of women's sports and make you make women's sports more accessible to the masses.
Alli:Yeah. I I love that so much, and I am a total data nerd. If I can make a spreadsheet, I will. Like, I, you know, I I love this. And one thing that Pometha and I were talking about beforehand and thinking about, you know, what what data draws fans in, what data are they interested in, we have felt like watching NWSL soccer a lot over the last few years that any time an announcer not to throw shade at the announcers, but I'm going to.
Pamitha:It's okay.
Dana:Any kid
Pamitha:It's worth it. It's deserved.
Alli:Any time an announcer can tell a player's age, they will. She's 32. I can't believe she's still able Or to Oh, she's she's 14. She just is a sophomore in high school or whatever. You know?
Alli:Mean, it's it's all about the ages. And I have wondered, is that because that's the easiest stat to get? Is it because they think that's what fans are interested in? Is it, you know, what why is that the driving stat? And then the other thing that I feel like we hear a lot of now is people will say, she is the youngest player since this other player to score her first goal on a Thursday.
Alli:Or, you know, I'm being, like, a little dramatic, but right? Like, what what can we make this the the most, you know, the first two since type thing?
Dana:Yeah.
Alli:And I feel like those are such stretches that there's more interesting existing data that's maybe not a the first person to do this sense person, but just a standard. She was the most fouled player in the last game, or she had the most key passes in the last game or something like that. And so, you know, I hope with with, you know, people like you making this information more accessible and presenting it in different ways that we start to see that reflected in how the sport is talked about. And sports, I should say, not just soccer.
Dana:No. I love that. And it's it's funny. The PWHL has some feedback that I've received. I'm, like, looking to find the stats page Mhmm.
Dana:PWHL. It has a lot of really cool stuff and, you know, like, most blocked shots Mhmm. By player.
Alli:Love that. As a defender, love that.
Dana:Yeah. No. And I don't play I'm such a baby. When I do not wanna step in front of the puck, that's not my thing. I will do it in a crisis, but I don't I really that's not my thing.
Dana:So but it's like, yes. You're right. And and I it's funny. You articulated something that I usually just, like, audibly say to myself. Like, when when these weird stats are like, oh, the oldest person to do this or or the last time someone did this was this time.
Dana:You're like I'm and I'm always like, who is collecting this data? Who's the person sitting there being like, oh this is this is the first time in an in in August that anyone has ever done this and you're like,
Pamitha:what? Yeah.
Dana:Who cares?
Pamitha:You know? Yeah. With Mercury retrograde and the moon.
Dana:Right. Maybe people do care because someone's tracking it, but it's like, yikes. I I don't know.
Pamitha:No. Go ahead.
Alli:I I almost feel like it is people stretching for something that they think will find interesting. If this is setting a record in some way, then people will pay attention. But I feel like at least with, you know, women's soccer, the NWSL, I kind of feel like is past that. Like, I don't wanna say it's like, you know, I get sometimes you want to grab something earth shattering to get people's attention and make them look at the shiny object and be interested in it. But I think that we have, you know, the growth of and again, I'm gonna just because NWSL is what I know, and it's don't not know where this is true and where it isn't, but I feel like the NWSL has shown its staying power, the growth in everything over the last couple of years.
Alli:I think a lot of times people are interested in the record breaking things that happen, you know, record breaking attendance and what whatever kind of the bright shiny object is to draw in eyes and attention. But I don't think that's the only thing that's interesting. You know, that's great that this player is 19 and has been in the league for two years or whatever the age number is that they're interested in. But I'd also rather know, like, how are they performing? You know, were they that and and I think that that information for the people who are fans and who are watching, that's more interesting than the age related stat or the easy one to pull out that makes them be breaking the record for that Tuesday or whatever it is.
Dana:Right.
Pamitha:Yeah, I'm curious, both of your perspectives, because you both have data backgrounds, I feel like there is there is a point at which data can be inadvertently diminishing. Right? Like to Ali to Ali, to your point how you want data that's going to help the viewer understand what they are seeing on the screen. And, you know, learning that this is the first goal, I think, you know, Dana, as you said, the first goal scored under a harvest moon in August when the temperature was below 40. That doesn't actually help the viewer understand what they're seeing on the screen or, you know, even analyzing after the fact.
Pamitha:And so my question to the two of you is, when you're looking at data collection and you're looking at data aggregation and analysis and data use, where do you find those those threads so that the data that you do have access to, the data that we are sort of putting out there, it helps inform the viewing audience. It helps enrich their experience instead of maybe inadvertently taking it away or taking them in distracting distracting ways.
Dana:Well, the first thing that comes to mind in terms of using data to inform the viewing experience, we sort of just talked a little bit about that with SheScores and how we're gonna build out what the stats mean so people know the importance of them. Right? Like, okay, blocked shots are great. Cool. Turnovers, like, you want, like right?
Dana:You want a lot of blocked shots.
Pamitha:Yes
Dana:you don't want a lot of turnovers
Pamitha:yes
Dana:right right so it's like you you know like if someone has you know an average of 10 blocks a game and an average of 10 turnovers a game that's not good right right like that I mean I guess you're making up for the mistakes that you're making, you have to be able to not only present the data but explain like it means, like what is that story, right? It's like okay well Dana has an average of again five blocks a game but she also has an average of five turnovers a game so what does this mean?
Pamitha:Dana
Dana:probably needs to work on her passing
Pamitha:Right.
Dana:And she brought it right, like what does that mean, What like, here are the steps, what does that mean, why is it good or bad, and then like I think maybe for the average fan it doesn't matter like what you do next, I think certainly for an athlete there are all of these, you know, like, tech tools like WHOOP and this, that, the other thing where you're learning your data to perform better. Yeah. But so certainly it helps the athlete know. And even with the NFL right there everyone's like looking on their tablet as soon as they throw an interception and they're back on the bench right so it's like this immediate how do we fix it but I think you know to inform the viewing audience one other thing that's coming for SheScores is adding a sports basics tab to all of the sports. So, like, when you go to NWSL, it'll say soccer basics, and a little thing will pop up, and it'll be here, though, like, here's soccer one zero one.
Alli:That's super cool. Love that. Okay.
Dana:Like, here are the here are the rules. Here are the rules. Because to your point too, someone could have a data background and not be a sports fan.
Pamitha:Yeah.
Dana:And they're like, Cool. And then they're like, Here, I have really no idea what's going on. I really have no idea. I want to understand the stats. I don't know what's happening.
Dana:And so that's, I think, another piece of that puzzle.
Pamitha:Data in context. Yeah. Right. Yeah.
Dana:In context. Yeah.
Pamitha:Yeah. That is such a cool way to approach it because I think a lot of times it's the other way. Right? You start with the narrative and then you get to the stats. But here, you're presented with the box score, you're presented with the information, the the final score and things like that, and then as a user, you get to explore that context more.
Pamitha:That's that's interesting. I like that.
Alli:Yeah. Yeah. I love that, and I was thinking as I was looking through all the information on the site and, you know, what what I'd like to see more of or any changes. And I don't know that I have a very eloquent way to say this, and it's maybe not for the site, but just in general, but I would love to keep making those connections between different types of data. So, you know, we tend to say, okay, here's the player data over here, and here's attendance data over here, and here's, you know, free agency data over here, but it's not all in the same place.
Alli:And so I think that I think that, one, there are stories to be told that maybe don't fit into the easy data framework. Like, this player had great numbers, and then they did their ACL and were out. And then they came back and did their next ACL, and they were out again. And now they're playing in a different league because they, you know, haven't been able to get back on their feet really, so they kind of had to go down a level type thing. I don't know if there's, you know, an easy data way to tell that story.
Alli:But I I look at things like, you know, we have these record, you know, setting record setting crowds that we keep having at NWSL games, where they'll go sell out a baseball stadium or a oh my gosh, football. Sorry. Was like, what's what's the other sport that
Pamitha:a lot of people go to? The other football.
Alli:The other football. But, you know, I'd also like to see information about, like, you know, the team selling know, the how does that how does, you know, record breaking sellouts match up with whose uniforms are selling the most, match up with who's scoring the most goals, matching up with the team that's the most successful. And, so, yeah, I don't know if that makes sense, but just wear some kind of
Dana:No. It does. And it's it's interesting too because you're right. It's like, again, someone could have their season could be cut short. Right?
Dana:And so they have they you can see their season like, whatever their career stats. Mhmm. And you could see, oh, they had, you know, 30 points a game this season, this season, and then they went down to 10 points a game, and now they're back at 30 points a game. And you one could probably infer that they had an injury, but if you're a fan, you know, some of the other so those two things that I mentioned were were those were that was feedback given to me that people wanted to see more of this, and I was like, I love that. And and also to write bios, really digging deep into the app.
Dana:So another feature coming is, more in-depth. So not just player stats, but, like, bios. So you can go in and really see the bio about the players and have their Instagram handle and and whatever. So should you want to continue to follow their like, be really a part of their story. Yeah.
Dana:So but I think that that is a place then to to your point about, like, connecting the dots, like, where not that you need to, like, put someone on blast being, like, so and so tore her ACL this year, but, like, that is a her the bio is their, like, their story, and so that could be a place to where that lives. And it might even be on, like obviously, it's public information. Right? But, like, that might be part of their public story that they're sharing too. Right?
Dana:Of, like, been a part of the team from this season to this season, was injured on, like, on the bench the last season. Now they're back in the starting lineup.
Pamitha:Right. I was going to acknowledge a feature of the of the app that I really love, which is that you could follow you could favorite players.
Dana:Yeah.
Pamitha:Right? And and I was looking just to see as you were talking about the bios because I thought I had seen that there are bios for some players, and there are social media links for some players. So I think as you expand that out, it's gonna be even more exciting. I think that is really great. So I want I want to
Dana:That was feedback too. That was a user feedback too. Can we favorite players, not just teams?
Pamitha:That was brilliant. Awesome.
Dana:And I was like, we that's a that's a really good idea. So I love I love the feedback, and that's I read every message and every DM. So I I wanna I wanna make this for what people want, and I can only do that if people tell me what they want.
Pamitha:Alright. Listen. So step one, sign up for the SheScores app. Step two, send all feedback. And we'll Correct.
Pamitha:We'll get we'll get the what's what is the best we'll do this at the end, but what how do they reach you?
Dana:Yeah. Well, so the website is shescoressports.app, and it is currently just a website. It will be a mobile app, both Google and or Android and iPhone. It's in the works. You can save it as a widget to your home screen in the meantime for easy access.
Dana:So if that it behaves like an app, the only thing that doesn't translate, excuse me, is the push notifications do not show up on a widget, but push notifications are coming for the mobile app. So it's shescoressports.app. You can use it mobile web, desktop web web, and our Instagram is at SheScoresSports dot app. The email is hi@SheScoresSports.app. So feel free to reach out any of those places and and, you know, comment on again, I also I'll read comments and, so
Pamitha:Yeah. We we gotta grow this together, everybody.
Alli:Yeah. Yeah.
Pamitha:We gotta grow this together.
Alli:I was just gonna say I, with the with the app, off, love that I can add it as a widget. Didn't know I could do that. We'll be doing that. You know, we I jumped we jumped straight into the data part, which I love, but I didn't talk about my favorite thing when I first saw the site and went through the link and was like, oh, this this I can hit a few buttons and see the entire league's worth of games this week, and who's not only who's playing on what day, but where I can watch the fricking game because it might be on five different different networks, and so just, you know, add the calendar, make I it really just really appreciate, and I like the layout, and the formatting isn't one that I've seen before, and I really like that. If I'm looking at the the week's worth of games, I can say, no games today, one game Wednesday.
Alli:This is again in WSL. Two games Friday, Saturday, and Sunday. Like, I just I think that's that's great. So appreciate the the ease of that because there was a time not very long ago, whereas we talked at the beginning, I was like, I I I know there's a game. I don't know where to find it.
Alli:I Right. Don't know what time it is. I don't know any So of that's really great.
Dana:Yeah. No. I I again, like, I built this for how my brain wanted to see it, and I'm glad that it that that it's not just a my brain thing, that it it sort of is is somewhat universal and, and yeah, you're right, right, the features. So the live scores, standings, stats, results, you can favorite a team, favorite a player, calendar sync, schedules, and browsing by team or league, where you can watch the game, your favorite teams. We I said that already.
Dana:And and I think discoverability too. Right? We talked about that sort of at the very beginning. Right? Soccer will be out of season at one point soon.
Dana:And then, what else are you gonna watch? Right? So it's like what's on today. You know?
Pamitha:So we talked a lot about what the app does and how exciting it is, and obviously, we have signed up and everybody listening, you go sign up as well. But this has clearly been a journey for you. Right? I'm I'm curious. What are some of the challenges you had to overcome throughout this process to get to where you are now?
Dana:Yeah. That's a great question. So I am a non technical solo founder, I have been learning. The best kind. So I have been leveraging tools to help me build and and and ship this quickly.
Dana:So certainly, learning a new skill set has been a challenge. As we've also sort of discussed, you know, I think two of these other challenges that come to mind, one of which we've discussed is, you know, that there isn't a single consistent data ecosystem for women's sports. You know, every league is different. Some have robust infrastructure, some don't, some don't even like, if there's infrastructure, not all the every sport has different stats they track, right? So something that sounds simple, like, let's put everything in one place is sort of, you know, like, putting it actually putting it all together.
Dana:That's been a little challenging, I think. And then also too, right, like, discoverability. We've talked about that too. Right? Not just discoverability of my of SheScores, right, in this getting it in front of people phase.
Dana:Right? We before we hopped on, I asked how you heard about me. Right? Like, that's that's cool. But then we talked about it too, right, like, discoverability in in women's sports and and, you know, how people are hearing about women's sports, how we're talking about women's sports.
Dana:So I think those are some of the the challenges and just figuring out how to continue to build. And and and as I said earlier, like, make this something for it's hard you like, if you if you wanna be for everyone, then you are for no one. But I am trying to build this for what people want. And because I think it's important as we've talked about, it's important, and and there's a need. And so so that's those are the challenges.
Pamitha:I think it's great, and obviously we're we're here for the ride, and we're here to support, and I think that's we're very excited about what you've shared with us. What is next for SheScores?
Dana:So as I said, I wanna make this the best thing for for everyone and and what people wanna see, and so certainly wanna make the product deeper and easier to use. As we've also talked about, I read every email, every DM, so the feedback is appreciated. A lot of the stuff that has been discussed gets implemented. So both positive, like, things people wanna see and things for improvement. So, obviously, wanna make it easier to use.
Dana:So more leagues, more information, maybe better personalization. I think, you know, if something is happening in women's sports that you care about, SheScores helps you find it. And I think, so that's sort of what comes next for SheScores, some of the features we discussed. Also college sports, we can't forget about college sports. I'm a great point, I'm a religious college hockey watcher.
Pamitha:Okay.
Dana:And so NCAA women's hockey will go next, and, of course, basketball because those are the big ones. It would be great to also build out the NCAA sports for the women's professional leagues to sort of to create that pipeline. Right? So there is volleyball and lacrosse and softball and soccer.
Pamitha:Mhmm.
Dana:And so that's also on the pipeline for for growth. And yeah. So those those are, I think, the
Pamitha:So not much. Yeah. What you're saying. Right?
Dana:Are that's what's coming next, and that's again, I will keep saying this. Sign up, play around, and reach out to me. Like, let me know what you like, what you don't like. I've built this for how my brain works and what I wanted to see, but some of the best stuff came from other people being like, want to see this. And I'm like, you're totally right.
Dana:Absolutely. Right? So I am like, that's and and, I think that is to like, collaboration, think, is really important not just for this, but in life and also as an athlete. Right? You are a part of a team, and that's, I think I think, what's really special about women's sports too is that there's it's not just, maybe we talked a little bit about this off mic.
Dana:Right? It's not just like, what are we we're gonna we're not just gonna replicate what the men do. Right. They do what they do really well, and sometimes they do things not very well, and that's okay. But I think, you know, women's sports is different than men's sports for a multitude of reasons, and, you know, I think collaboration is a big part of that, and I want this to be I want people to be a part of the SheScores team
Pamitha:Yeah.
Dana:For lack of a better phrase, right? So I think collaboration is very important to me in this in this because if it's your one stop shop for all things women's sports, it's gotta have what you want.
Pamitha:Yeah. I mean, could not have said it better myself. It's just such a wonderful operating posture, a wonderful product, wonderful founder. I mean, this has just been such a joy. So glad that you were able to spend some time with us this evening and chatting, and I'm I'm thinking of a couple of power listeners who I am fully expecting to sign up and provide feedback.
Pamitha:Please So And, let us know if they for those, for our listeners, where again, where can they get in touch with you? Where can they download the app? Well, not download the app, but, visit the website, all nine areas. Where can they find you?
Dana:Yeah. So shescoressports.app is the website. Check it out. Our that's also our Instagram handle. The email is Kai at SheScoresSports.
Dana:App, and we'll be there. So find us online, find us on Instagram. The app is imminent, so if you sign up now, you will hopefully get a notification that the app is live Amazing. As soon as you do.
Pamitha:Amazing. Dana, thank you so much, really. Thanks for what you're doing, and thanks for joining us again. This has been a real pleasure.
Dana:Oh, my gosh. My absolute pleasure. Thanks for having me.
Pamitha:Of course. Of course. Well, listeners, I hope you enjoyed listening to that episode as much as we enjoyed having that conversation with Dana. Again, please go download the shescores. App.
Pamitha:Check out the website. Sign up. It is fun. It is exciting to discover new women's sports leagues that are out there. We can't wait to see what she does next.
Pamitha:Well, that takes us to the end of this week's episode, and Guru Shabbat and Ali are not here, so it's coming on me to say goodbye. You can check us out on social, on Instagram at Laces Out Loud. And, remember, you can always email us at lacesoutloudpod@gmail.com. That is lacesoutloudpod@gmail.com. Alright.
Pamitha:Well, thanks again, Be good to each other. Take care of yourself and from the fans for the game. We'll see you next week on Laces Out Loud.