Choosing a sports team can feel like picking a personality trait; suddenly, everyone is judging your decision like it defines you as a person. Big markets, small markets, bandwagon accusations… It's a lot. In this episode of Drop the Balls, podcast host Emma Liberta cuts through all of that and reminds you it really doesn’t have to be that serious. Where you pick a team because of a childhood memory, a jersey color, or because someone like Shohei Ohtani or Caitlin Clark caught your attention, it all counts. There’s no “right” way to become a fan, and honestly, half the fun is figuring it out as you go.
What makes this episode stand out, though, is hearing from people who’ve turned that same curiosity into a career. Lorelei Jager, social media coordinator for Purdue sports, shares how she went from switching majors to finding her place in sports media, while Alexis Downie, Host and Content Producer for Anaheim Ducks Stream, gets real about the grind of breaking into the industry, unpaid jobs, networking, sticking it out when it’s not glamorous. It’s equal parts guide and reality check, mixing beginner-friendly advice with behind-the-scenes insight that makes the sports world feel a lot more accessible and a lot less intimidating.
What is Drop the Balls?
Welcome to Drop the Balls, the podcast where women talk about all things sports. This is the place for anyone who’s ever sat in a group chat, a stadium, a living room or a bar, wondering if they’re supposed to already know what an “offside” is and just… didn’t. Each episode breaks down the sports world in a way that actually makes sense, from rules and teams to culture, chaos and everything in between, while also making space for women’s voices in a space that hasn't always made it easy to be heard. Across the series, we bring in women working in sports, athletes, broadcasters and industry insiders, to share their experiences, their paths and what it’s really like being in the game behind the game.