Where Women Athletes Make the Rules with Cassidy Lichtman

Better Angels: Women Creating Change

What would a pro sports league look like if the athletes made the decisions? In this episode, pro volleyball player Cassidy Lichtman talks about coming out of retirement to play with Athletes Unlimited. Launched in 2020, Athletes Unlimited is a network of women’s pro volleyball, basketball, softball and lacrosse leagues where the players run the show. They're making decisions from recruiting to civic leadership to uniforms, and playing a shorter season in a single city to make it easier for women athletes to continue their pro careers in the U.S.. Cassidy, a former member of the USA volleyball Women's National Team, a two-time all American and an academic all American at Stanford, and member of AU’s board, tells us how the league is changing women’s sports, its new model for fan participation, and the importance of making an impact on and off the court.

Episode Highlights:

• Why Cassidy came out of retirement
• Why AU plays in a single city
• How the team structure changes how she plays
• An unprecedented level of power for the athlete
• Deciding to play in Texas and make an impact
• The new ways athletes are connecting with fans
• Volleyball as the biggest sport no one talks about
• Athletes using their influence to help kids build life skills

Episode Links:
Athletes Unlimited
Path Sports

Twitter:
@CassidyLichtman
@AUProSports
@susanferryprice
Instagram:
@CassidyLichtman7
@auprosports
@p.athsports
@susanferryprice

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