Brandi Chastain and Haley Rosen Interview
Mark:
I’m thrilled to welcome two impressive women who have transitioned from their sport of soccer into successful business roles.
Haley Rosen played professional soccer here in the U.S. and overseas. She now addresses the lack of focus on women’s sports in television and ESPN broadcasts through her Just Women’s Sports platform.
Brandi Chastain was on the U.S. team and, as we all know, scored an iconic goal in 1999 against China in a shootout. She also participated in the Olympics and is in the National Soccer Hall of Fame, and is currently co-owner of Bay FC in the NWSL.
What made you decide that you were ready to transition from soccer into other things?
Haley:
For me, it was really my injuries. I had a bunch of injuries in college that stayed with me at the professional level. Ultimately, it was a torn labrum in my hip. I love, love, love soccer—it was in my blood—but I got to a point where even running back and forth was physically painful. I hit a point where I wasn’t going to be on the U.S. Women’s National Team, and I couldn’t have a sustainable career in the NWSL. In some ways, I felt a little forced out of sports, which is why I’m doing what I do now—so that no one gets forced out.
Brandi:
Well, similar to Haley, I did have multiple injuries, but much earlier in my career, during my first two and a half seasons in college. Fortunately, I had a lot of my career left on the other side, and all the good stuff happened post-injury. To be honest, I wasn’t ready to retire. After the 2004 Olympics, there was a change in coaching. I was never given a chance to compete against the players the new coach thought were the best. That was a difficult, harsh reality, especially when you’re not mentally in that space. That was a big transition for me.
That’s another part of the professional space that nobody really talks about or prepares you for—the moment your coach decides there’s a change in direction, or when physically, you can’t perform anymore.
Mark:
You talked about the challenges of transitioning out of soccer. What are some of the things you learned from soccer that helped you grow in your business?
Haley:
There’s a lot of hustle, a lot of heart, and so many people who will grind to get things over the line. Athletics teach you so much, but one of the biggest things is learning to take feedback. We had a culture of really direct feedback. People take it, run with it, pivot, and move forward to improve. For me, the number one attribute athletics gives you is being coachable.
Brandi:
There are so many translatable skills. Sports taught me to be agile and flexible. Things might not look the way you thought they would, but you can shape them into something meaningful. Maybe you can bring something to the table that wasn’t recognizable before, but it can positively alter the space.
In soccer, you might think you’re a forward, but the coach decides you’re a defender. That was my life—I was a goal scorer and then moved to playing left-back. You have to be adaptable. The more flexible you are, the more you can contribute and be a positive disruptor for change. I love the idea of using your skill set, viewing it through your own lens, and then turning it around. That’s what I did as a defender. I didn’t have all the skills, but I could see the game from a forward’s perspective and disrupt what they were doing. Pivoting, running with it, and giving it your all—that’s a remarkable skill. I’m learning new things every day, and I think being vulnerable enough to say, “I don’t know everything,” gives you a chance to learn a lot.
Mark:
Tell us what you’re doing now.
Haley:
Right now, we’re trying to change paradigms. There’s an explosion happening in women’s sports—attendance is up, sponsorship dollars are up—yet media coverage lags behind. There’s a whole audience waiting for this type of coverage and content. Seeing how much women’s sports has grown gives me confidence in what we’re fighting for and where it’s headed.
Mark:
In terms of next steps, what’s the best way to get the word out?
Haley:
Media coverage. When I first started, I’d tell people I played for the Washington Spirit, and they didn’t even know there was a women’s professional soccer league. That’s a problem. If I say “White Sox,” people know it’s baseball. We need that level of recognition for women’s sports.
There’s an audience, a new generation of female athletes coming up, and people who want to watch women’s sports. We need to invest real money, grow the space, and create more viewed moments. Media coverage is critical—it’s the way forward.
Brandi:
That’s the uphill battle we face every day. Great accomplishments happen, but they often go unrecognized.
Haley:
When we miss out on women’s sports, we miss out on more fun moments, highlights, and stories of perseverance. We miss out on what we love about sports.
(Haley had to leave for another engagement)
Mark:
Clearly, there’s a need for more exposure for women’s sports in the media.
Brandi:
The pay equity gap is also a significant issue. I’d love to be involved in more things, but financially, I can’t say yes to many opportunities. I’ve been a world champion, played in two World Cups, and won three Olympic medals, yet professional men at much lower levels make more money than I ever did. It’s about creating opportunities for women who have been in these sports spaces.
Mark: Do you think the disconnect is due to women not watching sports, a lack of exposure, or a combination of both?
Brandi: I think about myself—I didn’t grow up watching women’s sports because they didn’t exist, and I didn’t have a role model. When it comes to consuming women’s sports, we struggle to find them because they’re often on obscure channels, streaming platforms, or services that are hard to access. These disruptions make it difficult to engage with women’s sports.
If you want to be part of the solution, you have to actively support women’s sports. Buy a ticket, watch the games, and contribute to positive outcomes. I have two granddaughters and two nieces, and I want them to see women’s sports live. I want them to turn on the television and have the option to watch.
Mark: How can we build a community to help each other?
Brandi: We need to be open to sharing information with one another, which I think women are exceptional at doing. We have to use each other as resources and be willing to give our time. It’s important to stay vocal. When women’s softball was dropped from the Olympics, people didn’t go away quietly. There was a lot of noise about why it was valuable to have it in the games. Speaking out about your passions and being brave is crucial.
There are women in powerful decision-making positions, and we need them to validate and support what’s happening in the women’s sports space. At some point, someone took a risk on the NFL. If you look at its history, it didn’t start with 65,000 to 75,000 people in stadiums. It grew from small beginnings into the massive entity it is today.
We can build that same momentum for women’s sports. There are women decision-makers who can accelerate this growth by being brave, taking risks, and ensuring our voices are heard.
Mark: Wonderfully said. Do you have any final thoughts?
Brandi: If we can guide people toward helping one another, I think we’ll all be better off. Right now, each of us has the ability to make a bigger difference. I’m not here as an advocate solely for women’s sports—I’m an advocate for sports and opportunities in general. I’m focused on finding solutions, and if I can be part of the solution, then expertise or not, I’m going to go for it.
Mark: I love that. That’s such a great answer. Thank you so much for being here, Brandi. I really appreciate your time.
Brandi: Thank you for having me, Mark. I always appreciate you.