Megan Rapinoe & Sue Bird: 2026 Intentions & Women's Sports Expansion

Reviewing 2025 Intentions

• 🪴 Megan's goal to fill her house with plants was partially achieved with professional help, bringing joy despite not personally developing a "green thumb."
• 💪 Megan also focused on healing her body, finding success with Pilates and massages, and increasing awareness of her body's patterns.
• 📧 Sue's intention to unsubscribe from emails was largely unsuccessful, admitting it was too tedious to maintain.
• 📚 Sue's goal to read more books was a significant success, having read around 30 books, while Megan's reading goal was less consistent.

Setting 2026 Intentions

• ✍️ Megan aims to write more daily, like journaling, to create a chronology of her year and engage in a meditative practice.
• 📸 Megan plans to take a photography class to refine her skills with her camera and develop a more specific point of view.
• 🍲 Megan also intends to do more sauna sessions and perfect her Vietnamese chicken soup recipe to make it a signature dish.
• 🏋️‍♀️ Sue's goals include incorporating early morning workouts twice a week and exploring an interest in golf, potentially hitting the range more often.
• 🩺 Sue is committed to preventative physical therapy to proactively address potential future issues and maintain mobility as she ages.

The Boom in Women's Sports

• 🚀 2026 is anticipated as a major year for women's sports expansion, with new teams joining the NWSL, PWHL, and WNBA.
• ⚾ New professional leagues are emerging, including a women's professional baseball league and a full-season women's lacrosse league.
• 🌊 The speakers emphasize that a "rising tide has lifted all boats," highlighting the significant increase in money and opportunities across various women's sports.

Experiences in Early Leagues

• ⚽ Megan recounted her chaotic experiences in early women's soccer leagues like WUSA and WPS, which were underfunded and eventually folded.
• 🏀 Sue described the WNBA's journey, starting strong with NBA backing, then experiencing a plateau and dip before its recent resurgence.
• 💰 Sue confirmed that in her early career, she would have chosen to play overseas for higher salaries if forced to choose, due to financial necessity at the time.

Impact of Women's Sports

• 📊 WNBA fans were found to be the top holiday spenders among sports fans, followed by NFL and NWSL fans.
• 📈 Statistics show a strong correlation between girls playing sports and future leadership roles, with high percentages of female C-suite and Fortune 500 executives having played competitive sports.
• 🌟 Playing sports helps girls build confidence, communication, and leadership skills, fostering personal growth that extends into adulthood.