The Women’s Sports Champion They Didn’t Want to Keep

Carol Stiff: 00:00:00

Title IX is 37 words.

2

: 00:00:01

Talk

3

: 00:00:02

Tony Tidbit: to us.

4

: 00:00:02

Carol Stiff: Uh, so part of my, my

role at ESPN and one of the Women's

5

: 00:00:06

Sports Foundation is educating

people about what Title IX is.

6

: 00:00:10

Basically, um, equal rights

for all on campus of any

7

: 00:00:14

campus receiving federal funds.

8

: 00:00:16

You can't discriminate, discriminate

against their sex, their gender.

9

: 00:00:22

So, uh, yeah, I worked on the 30th

anniversary, 35th, 40th, 40th.

10

: 00:00:26

And so this was the 50th and we did

a four part series on the 37 words.

11

: 00:00:31

BEP Narrator: We'll

discuss race and how it

12

: 00:00:32

plays a factor and how we didn't even talk

about this topic because we were afraid.

13

: 00:00:39

A black.

14

: 00:00:41

Tony Tidbit: We are coming to you

live from the new BEP studio for

15

: 00:00:45

another thought provoking episode of

a black executive perspective podcast.

16

: 00:00:50

We talk about race, culture,

and those uncomfortable topics

17

: 00:00:54

that people tend to avoid.

18

: 00:00:56

I'm your host, Tony tidbit.

19

: 00:00:58

So before we get started in a

very fantastic episode, I want

20

: 00:01:01

to remind everyone to check out

our partners at CodeM Magazine.

21

: 00:01:05

CodeM Magazine, which mission is to save

the black family by first saving the black

22

: 00:01:10

man, check them out at CodeMMagazine.

23

: 00:01:14

com.

24

: 00:01:14

That is CodeMMagazine.

25

: 00:01:17

com.

26

: 00:01:18

So today we are joined by Carol Stiff,

a powerhouse in women's sports media to

27

: 00:01:25

discuss her journey through corporate

America, the challenges she faced and

28

: 00:01:29

the lessons learned along the way.

29

: 00:01:32

Carol will share her unfiltered

perspective on navigating a male

30

: 00:01:37

dominated industry, standing firm on

principles while advancing women's sports

31

: 00:01:43

and the reality of being pushed out.

32

: 00:01:46

After decades of commitment.

33

: 00:01:49

Let me tell you a little bit about Carol.

34

: 00:01:51

Carol Stiff is a nationally recognized

sports executive and a driving force

35

: 00:01:55

behind the growth of women's sports.

36

: 00:01:57

During her 31 year career at ESPN,

she spearheaded programming for NA

37

: 00:02:02

NCAA women's basketball, the WNBA

and multiple, multiple collegiate

38

: 00:02:08

championships across ESPN networks.

39

: 00:02:11

A woman basketball hall of fame inductee.

40

: 00:02:14

My girl, I love it.

41

: 00:02:16

We want to learn more about that.

42

: 00:02:17

She received a prestigious honors,

including the John Bunn award from

43

: 00:02:21

the Naismith Memorial Basketball

Hall of Fame and the Edward R.

44

: 00:02:25

Murrow award for her sports reporting.

45

: 00:02:28

Since retiring from ESPN in 2021,

Carol has continued her mission

46

: 00:02:34

as president of the Women's Sports

Network and founder of Stiff Sports

47

: 00:02:39

Media Consulting LLC, advising

brands on advancing women's sports.

48

: 00:02:45

She also served as the

executive producer for ESPN 30.

49

: 00:02:50

For 30 documentaries dream on and the Emmy

winning 37 words beyond our media work.

50

: 00:02:58

Carol is deeply involved in advocacy

serving on boards of the Women's

51

: 00:03:03

Sports Foundation and the Woman's

Basketball Hall of Fame and the

52

: 00:03:07

Pat Summit Foundation Fund as well.

53

: 00:03:10

A former college basketball

coach and student athlete.

54

: 00:03:14

She remains a leading voice in the

fight for equity in sports, Carol

55

: 00:03:19

Stiff, my sister, welcome to a

black executive perspective podcast.

56

: 00:03:24

Thrilled to be here.

57

: 00:03:24

Thanks for having me.

58

: 00:03:25

Oh my God.

59

: 00:03:26

I mean, look at the end of the day, as I

was going through your bio, the only thing

60

: 00:03:29

missing is they gave you land and title.

61

: 00:03:32

All right.

62

: 00:03:33

Very lustrous.

63

: 00:03:34

Oh my God.

64

: 00:03:35

You've done a lot of great things.

65

: 00:03:37

So I can't wait till we

can dive in and learn more.

66

: 00:03:40

But before we go there, tell us a little

bit, where are you currently residing?

67

: 00:03:44

And tell us a little

bit about your family.

68

: 00:03:45

Carol Stiff: Sure.

69

: 00:03:46

I'm presently living in

Farmington, Connecticut, which

70

: 00:03:49

was 10 miles from ESPN campus.

71

: 00:03:52

Um, I'm staying there, although the anchor

of the women's sports network is in LA.

72

: 00:03:58

Uh, decided to stay back

here in cold Connecticut.

73

: 00:04:01

Um, I have two children, uh,

both are adults now, both out of

74

: 00:04:05

college, no more tuition payments.

75

: 00:04:08

Um, one's in bank financing and

decides who gets, uh, who gets

76

: 00:04:12

loans and who doesn't out in

Torrey Pines, uh, California.

77

: 00:04:16

And my other, my other child's a woman,

a young woman who just got a special

78

: 00:04:21

ed job teaching bilingual special

ed to, uh, three and four year olds.

79

: 00:04:26

Tony Tidbit: Wow.

80

: 00:04:27

So that's impressive.

81

: 00:04:28

Plus that takes a lot of patience as well.

82

: 00:04:30

I could imagine.

83

: 00:04:31

She's

84

: 00:04:31

Carol Stiff: very

85

: 00:04:31

Tony Tidbit: patient.

86

: 00:04:32

Did she get that from her mother?

87

: 00:04:33

Carol Stiff: No, no, no.

88

: 00:04:34

I don't know where she got that.

89

: 00:04:37

Well, that's

90

: 00:04:37

Tony Tidbit: awesome.

91

: 00:04:38

So listen, you know, just

going through your bio, you.

92

: 00:04:42

Have a list.

93

: 00:04:43

I mean, you've been everywhere.

94

: 00:04:45

You've been on major platforms.

95

: 00:04:46

You're a basketball

hall and fame inductee.

96

: 00:04:49

Um, you've done many different type

of, um, interviews and, and, and

97

: 00:04:54

obviously, uh, executive producer of

30 for 30, why did you want to come on

98

: 00:04:58

a black executive perspective podcast?

99

: 00:05:00

Talk about this topic because it's

100

: 00:05:03

Carol Stiff: so important, especially

where we are politically right now.

101

: 00:05:07

Uh, diversity and inclusion is not wiped

out of my mind or my mouth or my words.

102

: 00:05:14

Uh, it makes us better, makes

us stronger, and no one should

103

: 00:05:18

be discriminated against.

104

: 00:05:19

Tony Tidbit: Well, number one, I

mean, see how we kicked the show off.

105

: 00:05:22

He goes right to the right to it, right?

106

: 00:05:25

So we're so excited for you

to be here and thank you.

107

: 00:05:28

So you ready to talk about it?

108

: 00:05:29

Cause we got a lot of stuff to talk about.

109

: 00:05:30

I'm ready.

110

: 00:05:31

All right.

111

: 00:05:31

So let's talk about it.

112

: 00:05:32

So, you know, obviously, you

know, we're 31 years or excuse

113

: 00:05:37

me, you retired in 2021.

114

: 00:05:39

Now we're in 2025.

115

: 00:05:41

So, and you've done a lot of things along

the way, but there's always a beginning.

116

: 00:05:47

So let's back up a little bit

and let's, let's go back to

117

: 00:05:49

the early days of your career.

118

: 00:05:51

Okay.

119

: 00:05:52

Tell us a little bit, what was

your motivation to get into sports?

120

: 00:05:56

Talk a little bit about that.

121

: 00:05:58

Carol Stiff: So I, uh, believe it

or not, it was in my mother's DNA.

122

: 00:06:01

She had a, uh, brother, um, he was the

only woman out of five and he was a

123

: 00:06:06

terrific basketball player and coach and

he coached at the university of Dayton.

124

: 00:06:10

And so early on, we used to listen

to the games on the radio and he,

125

: 00:06:14

Um, you know, Dayton Flyers, I think

they beat John Wooden's team once.

126

: 00:06:18

So, um, I, it caught fire and, but I

remember the day she, my mom, I don't know

127

: 00:06:23

how she got the money out of six kids.

128

: 00:06:25

I was the youngest.

129

: 00:06:26

She took him to Madison square

garden, not to watch the Knicks who

130

: 00:06:31

I adore or love still, but to watch a

doubleheader women's basketball game.

131

: 00:06:36

And it had Montclair state with

a woman named Carol Blaisdowski.

132

: 00:06:41

And she hit 52 points

in the garden that day.

133

: 00:06:44

And I felt like I was around my peeps.

134

: 00:06:47

Got it.

135

: 00:06:47

Uh, and basketball came very easy for me.

136

: 00:06:51

Uh, used to whip my

brother in the backyard.

137

: 00:06:54

He'll kill me for saying that.

138

: 00:06:55

Was

139

: 00:06:55

Tony Tidbit: this a, a, a Sheryl

Miller and Reggie Miller type thing?

140

: 00:06:58

Yeah,

141

: 00:06:59

Carol Stiff: maybe, maybe a little under.

142

: 00:07:02

Um, so, you know, mostly boys

in the neighborhood and sports

143

: 00:07:06

just came very easily to me.

144

: 00:07:07

So I knew once I graduated and.

145

: 00:07:10

Uh, went on to college.

146

: 00:07:12

I wanted to be a PE teacher and a coach.

147

: 00:07:14

And that's what I did for the

first five years of my life.

148

: 00:07:16

And then I pivoted and went to ESPN.

149

: 00:07:19

Tony Tidbit: Wow.

150

: 00:07:19

Wow.

151

: 00:07:20

So real quick, before I go to

the pivot, so when you went

152

: 00:07:23

to see Montclair estate, okay.

153

: 00:07:26

At Madison square garden,

which is not a small arena.

154

: 00:07:30

Okay.

155

: 00:07:30

How many people were there sold out?

156

: 00:07:32

It was sold out.

157

: 00:07:33

It was sold out.

158

: 00:07:34

Wow.

159

: 00:07:34

So that I didn't even think, I

didn't even think there was sold out.

160

: 00:07:37

Yeah.

161

: 00:07:37

Now it

162

: 00:07:38

Carol Stiff: was, it was really,

um, I forget who sponsored.

163

: 00:07:40

I should know that, but it was

really, uh, it was Montclair state.

164

: 00:07:44

Immaculata, uh, Queen state was very good.

165

: 00:07:48

And, um, uh, it was the last one.

166

: 00:07:52

I can't remember.

167

: 00:07:53

Um,

168

: 00:07:56

Tony Tidbit: Yeah, it doesn't matter.

169

: 00:07:57

They were all the big top teams.

170

: 00:07:58

So you said you found your peeps.

171

: 00:08:01

And in other words, you found what

you're calling them basically, right?

172

: 00:08:05

A little bit.

173

: 00:08:05

I was

174

: 00:08:06

Carol Stiff: just so like enthusiastic

and happy and just in awe.

175

: 00:08:11

Of the talent that was on the court

and Blaise Jowski, I did a piece on

176

: 00:08:15

her later in life and didn't make the

Olympic team, but that's for another day.

177

: 00:08:18

But she reminded me that she

also had a double, double,

178

: 00:08:22

double points and rebounds.

179

: 00:08:25

And she reminded me that we didn't

have the three point line, so

180

: 00:08:28

she would have had more points.

181

: 00:08:29

Tony Tidbit: No, and

182

: 00:08:30

Carol Stiff: you said she

scored 52 or something.

183

: 00:08:32

52.

184

: 00:08:32

She held the record for the longest.

185

: 00:08:34

I think Kobe Bryant broke it.

186

: 00:08:35

No

187

: 00:08:36

Tony Tidbit: joke.

188

: 00:08:36

Yeah.

189

: 00:08:36

Wow.

190

: 00:08:37

So it's, uh, you know, talking

about breaking records, you

191

: 00:08:40

were at ESPN for 31 years.

192

: 00:08:41

Tell us that pivot.

193

: 00:08:43

What made you go to ESPN?

194

: 00:08:45

And what was your, what did

you think you were going to

195

: 00:08:47

do when you first went there?

196

: 00:08:49

Carol Stiff: Um, Tony, I just

remembered the 14 Delta State.

197

: 00:08:53

Tony Tidbit: So wait a minute.

198

: 00:08:53

So Delta State, wasn't that

a, um, isn't that, um, HPCU?

199

: 00:08:58

Yeah.

200

: 00:09:00

Yeah.

201

: 00:09:00

Okay.

202

: 00:09:00

Yeah.

203

: 00:09:01

Okay.

204

: 00:09:01

That was awesome.

205

: 00:09:02

Yeah.

206

: 00:09:02

Carol Stiff: That's pretty cool.

207

: 00:09:03

Tony Tidbit: So tell us, you went to ESPN.

208

: 00:09:06

What were you, what was,

what was your motivation?

209

: 00:09:09

What do you think you were going to do?

210

: 00:09:10

Because obviously a lot of times people

start here and then they end up over here.

211

: 00:09:15

So tell us a little bit about that.

212

: 00:09:16

Carol Stiff: So I was, uh, I

was coaching my final year of

213

: 00:09:19

coaching at Brown university.

214

: 00:09:21

Also, you forgot, you're a

215

: 00:09:23

Tony Tidbit: college

basketball coach at Brown.

216

: 00:09:26

Ivy League.

217

: 00:09:28

What was your record?

218

: 00:09:28

Carol Stiff: Um, we did

really well that year.

219

: 00:09:31

I was there one year and we won, uh,

defensive team of the year or something.

220

: 00:09:36

Did you guys make March

221

: 00:09:36

Tony Tidbit: Madness?

222

: 00:09:37

Carol Stiff: Uh, no, we did not.

223

: 00:09:38

NIT?

224

: 00:09:38

Uh, I don't remember doing that.

225

: 00:09:41

No, we were good, but I don't

remember making the NCAA tournament.

226

: 00:09:45

You

227

: 00:09:46

Tony Tidbit: so the ESPN

recruits you to come there.

228

: 00:09:48

No,

229

: 00:09:49

Carol Stiff: no, he's a great story.

230

: 00:09:50

So I was not recruited.

231

: 00:09:52

I I decided I wanted to get out

of coaching I didn't want to

232

: 00:09:56

have to rely on 17, 18 year olds,

either making us win or lose.

233

: 00:10:01

If you have talent, you win.

234

: 00:10:02

If you don't, you lose.

235

: 00:10:03

So, um, so I decided to dial it back and

find something else to do with my life.

236

: 00:10:08

And I also didn't care for recruiting

the road, a lot of stuff, right.

237

: 00:10:13

Going to

238

: 00:10:13

Tony Tidbit: people's houses and trying

to convince their kids, dealing with

239

: 00:10:16

their parents, can I start all that?

240

: 00:10:20

Right.

241

: 00:10:20

Carol Stiff: And then Ivy league,

no, no athletic scholarship.

242

: 00:10:23

So you have to pay the freight,

you know, you might get some

243

: 00:10:27

financial aid, but not, not enough.

244

: 00:10:31

So anyhow, I decided to pivot and, um,

I was working for a little temp agency

245

: 00:10:36

in Connecticut here and I got a call.

246

: 00:10:38

Would you like to work, um, over at

the small cable company called ESPN?

247

: 00:10:43

It's in Bristol, Connecticut.

248

: 00:10:44

They're looking for someone to help,

uh, with their 10th anniversary party.

249

: 00:10:49

Tony Tidbit: So this

was an 89 then, right?

250

: 00:10:51

Carol Stiff: It's 88 going into 80.

251

: 00:10:53

Yeah, it was 89 actually

because it was September.

252

: 00:10:56

Because they started in 79, am I correct?

253

: 00:10:57

Right.

254

: 00:10:57

You're right.

255

: 00:10:58

You got it.

256

: 00:10:59

So, uh, who doesn't want

to work on a party, Tony?

257

: 00:11:02

I mean, flat out.

258

: 00:11:04

Tony Tidbit: I'd have been there.

259

: 00:11:05

Sign me up.

260

: 00:11:06

Carol Stiff: So, uh, the communications

department hired me with Rosa Gaddy,

261

: 00:11:10

who is also a Brown, um, employee.

262

: 00:11:13

She was the first SID ever

that was a woman from Brown.

263

: 00:11:16

She took, she, she was,

uh, before her time.

264

: 00:11:19

So when you say SID, what do you mean?

265

: 00:11:21

Sports Information Director.

266

: 00:11:22

Got it, got it, got it.

267

: 00:11:23

Yeah, for Brown.

268

: 00:11:23

And so she went to this

company and so we clicked and.

269

: 00:11:27

I loved every day of it.

270

: 00:11:28

It was, every day was different.

271

: 00:11:31

Uh, I came early, I stayed late, I

did whatever they wanted me to do.

272

: 00:11:35

They treated me well, royal.

273

: 00:11:38

I mean, it was just,

274

: 00:11:39

Tony Tidbit: it was the dream come true.

275

: 00:11:40

So what, what made you love it?

276

: 00:11:41

Why, why was so exciting

back in 89, 90, 91?

277

: 00:11:48

Carol Stiff: You felt like you

were the little blue engine

278

: 00:11:49

trying to go up the mountain.

279

: 00:11:51

Uh, and uh, I remember they,

shortly after, remember the MLB,

280

: 00:11:57

uh, negotiation and ESPN got MLB.

281

: 00:12:01

Fast forward now,

282

: 00:12:02

Tony Tidbit: you know, it's kind of funny.

283

: 00:12:04

Um, I never worked, I always

wanted to work at ESPN, right?

284

: 00:12:07

My, well, my wife, you know, my

wife, she worked at ESPN, right?

285

: 00:12:10

I worked at a few startups, but I know

that feeling when you talked about,

286

: 00:12:14

cause that, you know, ESPN, a billion

dollars, whatever the case may be.

287

: 00:12:17

But even at a 10 year old, it

still was a young company that

288

: 00:12:21

was still trying to make its way.

289

: 00:12:23

And, you know, when I

worked at a young company.

290

: 00:12:27

And it was like a family.

291

: 00:12:28

Everybody had, we were all

rolling in the same direction.

292

: 00:12:32

Everybody was trying to build this brand.

293

: 00:12:35

And it just, it is, it was like catching

lightning, lightning in a bottle.

294

: 00:12:39

Do you agree with that or?

295

: 00:12:40

Carol Stiff: Absolutely.

296

: 00:12:41

The, like I said, the, the, uh,

analogy of the little engine going

297

: 00:12:45

up the mountain, you would be asked a

question, you would just figure it out.

298

: 00:12:49

Figure it out.

299

: 00:12:50

Just figure it out.

300

: 00:12:51

Yeah.

301

: 00:12:51

Paper

302

: 00:12:52

Tony Tidbit: clips.

303

: 00:12:52

And you, you would, we

would put stuff together.

304

: 00:12:55

Right.

305

: 00:12:56

And we didn't have all the resources.

306

: 00:12:57

We would just, we would just do it.

307

: 00:12:59

And it was a lot of fun.

308

: 00:13:00

Carol Stiff: Yeah.

309

: 00:13:00

Yeah.

310

: 00:13:00

It, it, it was that way

of my entire career there.

311

: 00:13:03

Then Disney bought us, we got

more corporate, um, but, you

312

: 00:13:08

know, adding new networks and,

you know, new technology and.

313

: 00:13:12

Just every day was different.

314

: 00:13:14

And I love that.

315

: 00:13:15

I could never work, God bless those

people that work in, in Detroit,

316

: 00:13:19

you know, and putting cars together.

317

: 00:13:21

I just, that was, that

would not be for me.

318

: 00:13:23

Tony Tidbit: So you started off in

the communications department and

319

: 00:13:27

then how did you pivot and started

moving around and stuff to that?

320

: 00:13:31

Carol Stiff: So an opening, uh, in the

programming department, uh, programming

321

: 00:13:34

and acquisition is the department

that actually cuts all the deals.

322

: 00:13:38

With the leagues, um, radio,

every, every platform and, um,

323

: 00:13:43

whatever we, we acquire, we then

turn over to production to produce.

324

: 00:13:48

So I, there was an opening for a

very low level program position

325

: 00:13:52

where I was basically data entering

the schedule and coding it.

326

: 00:13:57

And so

327

: 00:13:58

Tony Tidbit: just for layman's terms,

so people, when you say data entering

328

: 00:14:02

the talk, explain that a little bit.

329

: 00:14:04

So they

330

: 00:14:04

Carol Stiff: had, they had these

grids where the next step up was

331

: 00:14:07

program planner and someone was

assigned to the sports center shows.

332

: 00:14:12

Someone was assigned to college

football and they would take pencils

333

: 00:14:16

and actually enter them in on a

graph of Monday through Sunday.

334

: 00:14:21

And my job was to take what they penciled

in and then put that into the computer.

335

: 00:14:26

So six o'clock sports center, seven

o'clock, Big East college basketball,

336

: 00:14:33

and just putting them in by codes.

337

: 00:14:35

And I did that while I was

getting my master's degree.

338

: 00:14:38

So it worked out great.

339

: 00:14:39

Uh, and then, um, I, I worked with Nielsen

ratings and that was also just filling

340

: 00:14:46

in the number on what we got for ratings.

341

: 00:14:48

So I learned about that and I asked

a ton of questions along the way.

342

: 00:14:52

And then one day, Tommy O'Jackson

came up to me and he said to

343

: 00:14:56

me, he's a legend of ESPN.

344

: 00:14:59

Used to

345

: 00:14:59

Tony Tidbit: be Denver Broncos, right?

346

: 00:15:01

Was that Tommy?

347

: 00:15:02

Oh, you said Tommy O?

348

: 00:15:02

Tommy,

349

: 00:15:03

Carol Stiff: Tommy O, OJ.

350

: 00:15:04

Tony Tidbit: Got it, got

351

: 00:15:05

Carol Stiff: it.

352

: 00:15:05

Um, and he said to me, he was

in charge of all college sports.

353

: 00:15:09

And he was in charge of programming and

acquisitions, so programming, we should

354

: 00:15:13

have this big East game here, and these

are the two teams that should play, and

355

: 00:15:16

we should have this football team there.

356

: 00:15:18

And he had a big old stack of files,

and he goes, look, I know you played

357

: 00:15:21

basketball, I know you coached basketball,

I just don't have time to schedule women's

358

: 00:15:26

basketball, and by contract we have to.

359

: 00:15:28

So here you go.

360

: 00:15:29

And so he gave me the files and.

361

: 00:15:33

I fell in love with that job.

362

: 00:15:34

You know, just deciding who I think's

gonna be really good, like depth charts

363

: 00:15:39

you would do for your team and who's gonna

be good from the A, CC or the Big East.

364

: 00:15:43

Putting 'em together, finding the right

window that they gave me to use and,

365

: 00:15:48

and then handing it over to production

366

: 00:15:50

Tony Tidbit: producer.

367

: 00:15:50

So just so I'm clear, 'cause

that sounds like, you know,

368

: 00:15:52

you're playing with a puzzle.

369

: 00:15:54

Yes.

370

: 00:15:55

So just so I'm clear, what you're

saying is, is that you would get the

371

: 00:15:59

schedules from all the games around,

from the conferences, and then you

372

: 00:16:03

would pick based on the matchup and

based on what you thought was a good

373

: 00:16:08

team and stuff of that nature that the

viewers would definitely dive into.

374

: 00:16:12

And then so you would put those matches

up together based on the time, the date.

375

: 00:16:17

Uh, when the game was going to be played,

what the case may be, and then that would

376

: 00:16:21

turn the reality when I tell it that,

that, that matchup would come on ESPN.

377

: 00:16:25

Is that what I'm hearing?

378

: 00:16:26

Carol Stiff: Correct.

379

: 00:16:26

Right.

380

: 00:16:27

Got it.

381

: 00:16:27

But the best part was when you could

put matchups together on your own, where

382

: 00:16:31

you could go ask, you know, Ari Emma,

you know, it's that the contract says.

383

: 00:16:37

Big East versus ACC, this is a

true story and I thought UConn was

384

: 00:16:42

going to be really good because

they had a woman named Rebecca

385

: 00:16:45

Tony Tidbit: Lobo,

386

: 00:16:47

Carol Stiff: they had this guard

named Jen Rizotti, they had Jamel

387

: 00:16:50

Elliott inside and you know, I said,

they're going to be really good.

388

: 00:16:54

So there's my Big East team, but

the contract says an ACC school.

389

: 00:16:58

So the year before in 94, North Carolina.

390

: 00:17:02

One the national championship.

391

: 00:17:04

Okay, so I went to Sylvia Hatchel and

said I have to put together a biggies

392

: 00:17:09

ACC game before the conference starts.

393

: 00:17:13

So like January matter of fact,

how about Martin Luther King Day?

394

: 00:17:18

Martin Luther King Day, it's

a Monday afternoon, it's a big

395

: 00:17:21

holiday in Connecticut, and so,

Connecticut versus North Carolina.

396

: 00:17:26

So she said, I'll take the game,

I go, it's going to be on ESPN,

397

: 00:17:30

Robin Roberts calling the game, Mimi

Griffin, all the bells and whistles,

398

: 00:17:35

and she said, well, I'll take the

game if it's at North Carolina.

399

: 00:17:40

Okay.

400

: 00:17:40

She just won the national championship.

401

: 00:17:42

Yeah,

402

: 00:17:42

Tony Tidbit: and so she, they have

to leverage, they want to, I get

403

: 00:17:45

Carol Stiff: it.

404

: 00:17:45

She asked the right question, so.

405

: 00:17:47

And you had to go to Geno now, right?

406

: 00:17:48

No, I had to go to the file where

it said the last two years it was at

407

: 00:17:53

Virginia, which is ACC soil, right?

408

: 00:17:55

So it needed to be in a Big East.

409

: 00:17:56

It had to be on a Big East campus.

410

: 00:17:59

So I said, I'm sorry, Sylvia, but it's got

to be at, at UConn, but they'll come back

411

: 00:18:03

the following year and you can play them.

412

: 00:18:05

No, I don't want the game.

413

: 00:18:07

And I said, what?

414

: 00:18:08

She goes, no, I don't want the game.

415

: 00:18:11

It's in January, January 16th.

416

: 00:18:14

They're in ACC competition.

417

: 00:18:17

All right.

418

: 00:18:17

So at Summit, Tennessee,

Tennessee, what do you think?

419

: 00:18:22

You want the game?

420

: 00:18:23

Same script, Robin Roberts calling.

421

: 00:18:25

And then, but I laid low.

422

: 00:18:27

I stopped talking and she goes,

well, it's during the sec conference.

423

: 00:18:32

We have Auburn on Saturday and wow.

424

: 00:18:36

To get up to Connecticut on

Monday, Tony, I didn't say a word.

425

: 00:18:40

Tony Tidbit: Classic sales move

426

: 00:18:43

Carol Stiff: kept talking.

427

: 00:18:43

And then she said for the good

of the game, I'll take the game.

428

: 00:18:46

And

429

: 00:18:48

Tony Tidbit: that

430

: 00:18:48

Carol Stiff: became a

431

: 00:18:48

Tony Tidbit: rivalry big time, right?

432

: 00:18:50

Because Tennessee was a Primero

number one, they were one.

433

: 00:18:54

And then UConn was moving itself up

and then they became a superpower.

434

: 00:18:59

Carol Stiff: Yeah.

435

: 00:18:59

And

436

: 00:18:59

Tony Tidbit: then they played

every year after for a while.

437

: 00:19:01

Is that correct?

438

: 00:19:02

Carol Stiff: That's correct.

439

: 00:19:02

So that day.

440

: 00:19:04

So think about that.

441

: 00:19:04

I made that call in may

game went to air in January.

442

: 00:19:10

So how many months is

that you do the math?

443

: 00:19:12

It's half a year, right?

444

: 00:19:13

Tony Tidbit: Right.

445

: 00:19:14

Carol Stiff: So the game goes to air,

Tennessee's one, UConn's two, both

446

: 00:19:19

undefeated, they held the AP poll that

day, the place was packed, you could

447

: 00:19:23

feel the electricity at Gamble Pavilion,

and UConn wins, they go on to be

448

: 00:19:30

undefeated, win the National Championship.

449

: 00:19:31

It was like 36

450

: 00:19:32

Tony Tidbit: 0 that year,

451

: 00:19:33

Carol Stiff: right?

452

: 00:19:33

Yep, yep.

453

: 00:19:33

And so, uh, I remember going back to

congratulate both coaches, and Gino

454

: 00:19:39

was on the dais giving his remarks.

455

: 00:19:43

Big old smile and then I went down

the hall and there was Pat with

456

: 00:19:47

looking at the stats outside the

locker room She looks up and I go Pat.

457

: 00:19:52

This was unbelievable This was

gonna be massive rating, but which

458

: 00:19:55

it was and she goes only thing she

said was for the good of the game

459

: 00:20:04

Tony Tidbit: That's a great story

man, so So what I'm hearing is,

460

: 00:20:09

is that Carol Stiff, which people

don't know, was the person that

461

: 00:20:14

actually made that rivalry happen.

462

: 00:20:17

Okay.

463

: 00:20:18

Because she had an idea and she, instead

of her using a puzzle, said, you know

464

: 00:20:23

what, I'm going to do this myself.

465

: 00:20:25

Let me reach out to the coach here.

466

: 00:20:27

And the coach said, that

is a fantastic story.

467

: 00:20:30

Carol Stiff: Fast forward.

468

: 00:20:31

Now I, I put the, uh, South

Carolina UCONN game together.

469

: 00:20:35

So Dawn Staley and Gino,

and that's a rivalry.

470

: 00:20:38

Now that is insane.

471

: 00:20:40

So I'm glad they're playing each

other again, UCONN, Tennessee.

472

: 00:20:42

And, uh, matter of fact, that night in

retrospect, Pat said I made one mistake.

473

: 00:20:49

It should have flown the team from Auburn

up the store straight to Connecticut.

474

: 00:20:53

She took him to Knoxville and she

washed the team uniforms at her home.

475

: 00:20:59

Tony Tidbit: So, you know, and

I want to get into that, right?

476

: 00:21:02

Because, you know, the coach

is washing the team's uniform.

477

: 00:21:05

That means they're not, they

don't have enough money.

478

: 00:21:08

Right.

479

: 00:21:08

They're not being funded the right way.

480

: 00:21:10

Right.

481

: 00:21:10

Before I go there, though, I want to

go back to you because let's be fair.

482

: 00:21:15

You, you know, moved to ESPN and,

and it's a male dominated company.

483

: 00:21:24

Let's just be fair.

484

: 00:21:26

And, you know, even the stories you

tell, you, you, you've told thus

485

: 00:21:30

far, where you are programming and

somebody says, here, you do it.

486

: 00:21:34

Okay.

487

: 00:21:35

Versus, Hey, I think you, or you could

be great at this, or we would love,

488

: 00:21:39

I think because you play basketball,

it makes sense because you can do the

489

: 00:21:42

matchups, but it was just, you do it.

490

: 00:21:44

And I, maybe I'm making a

little tough of it, but talk a

491

: 00:21:47

little bit, how you navigate it.

492

: 00:21:49

You know, corporate America,

cause that was corporate America.

493

: 00:21:52

It is corporate America, a male

dominated in a company, um, and

494

: 00:21:58

be able to rise the way you did.

495

: 00:22:01

And more importantly, be able to

put your imprint on the things

496

: 00:22:07

that happened that you just told

30 for 30 and all the other things.

497

: 00:22:12

Carol Stiff: Yes.

498

: 00:22:12

Um, If I was going to fight a

battle, I always had my facts ready

499

: 00:22:18

to go for a rating allowed me to

get better windows or et cetera.

500

: 00:22:24

Asked a lot of wire and why not?

501

: 00:22:27

Um, I really didn't stop my feet down.

502

: 00:22:29

Um, I didn't want to be labeled and

I didn't want to become white noise.

503

: 00:22:35

I don't labeling as a feminist.

504

: 00:22:37

I didn't want, I didn't want that.

505

: 00:22:39

Um, Surrounded myself with, which went

back to my coaching days and being made

506

: 00:22:44

the youngest of six, surround myself with

teams, um, advocated for those around me.

507

: 00:22:52

And then I also had

allies, and they were male.

508

: 00:22:56

I aligned myself with the male allies.

509

: 00:22:58

A lot of times you have to know your

sports, you know, around the water, cool.

510

: 00:23:01

Hey, that NFL game, boy, that Detroit.

511

: 00:23:04

What a team they got.

512

: 00:23:05

You know, I could always talk sports.

513

: 00:23:07

Um, I didn't alienate

myself from, from the men.

514

: 00:23:12

Um, there was one, one thing I used to

do was I would get to know if we were

515

: 00:23:19

meeting outside the company, I don't

know how I did it, but I would get bios

516

: 00:23:23

of some sort on, on the gentlemen that

were going to be in the room and often

517

: 00:23:29

would say, Hey, Tony, how are the kids?

518

: 00:23:33

And that just, it just, it, the whole

like facade of a, of a wall came

519

: 00:23:39

crashing down and I would sit next to

him and go, gosh, you know, my, you

520

: 00:23:43

have this problem with your daughter.

521

: 00:23:45

Cause I have the same problem.

522

: 00:23:46

And then, oh, he said,

no, you have a family.

523

: 00:23:47

And so I personalized myself.

524

: 00:23:50

Um, and then on Fridays

I often wrote notes.

525

: 00:23:53

I would shut down the office and,

um, before emails were popular and

526

: 00:23:58

I would hand write notes to people.

527

: 00:24:01

Um, or, or call back Pat Summit and ask

about Tyler, don't ask for, I need you to

528

: 00:24:06

play, you know, on this, this one date.

529

: 00:24:10

So I, I use relationship

building and that helped.

530

: 00:24:13

Tony Tidbit: Yeah.

531

: 00:24:13

I mean, look, number one

is classic Dale Carnegie.

532

: 00:24:17

Okay.

533

: 00:24:17

So I hope you guys are listening

here because you know, um, you know,

534

: 00:24:22

a lot of the things that you have

to do to break down barriers is to

535

: 00:24:28

understand who you're dealing with.

536

: 00:24:30

Everybody wants to Talk about themselves.

537

: 00:24:33

They want, you know, cause everybody's

in their own little universe and you

538

: 00:24:37

took a, I want to say a backseat, but

you allowed them in terms of asking

539

: 00:24:42

the questions and stuff to that nature.

540

: 00:24:44

And then all of a sudden those

barriers came down like, Oh,

541

: 00:24:47

she's, she knows about my family.

542

: 00:24:49

Oh, she knows about the

lions game yesterday.

543

: 00:24:52

Oh.

544

: 00:24:52

And you know, and those things

are very, very important.

545

: 00:24:55

Now the thing also this is

that there probably was times

546

: 00:24:59

where People wasn't friendly.

547

: 00:25:02

Okay.

548

: 00:25:03

There were times when you probably felt

diminished even when you did those things.

549

: 00:25:08

Talk about those times.

550

: 00:25:08

Carol Stiff: Oh, Oh,

one comes right to mind.

551

: 00:25:11

I was in a, um, cause I worked on all our

NCAA championships, men's and women's.

552

: 00:25:16

So the last one of the year was

baseball college world series, massive,

553

: 00:25:21

massive tournament for baseball.

554

: 00:25:23

And, um, the chair of the

selection committee decides who

555

: 00:25:27

gets a bid for the tournament.

556

: 00:25:29

We were in our summer meetings.

557

: 00:25:31

So the season was over and he

had a, he had something is crawl,

558

: 00:25:36

um, against me because I put his

team and I won't name the team.

559

: 00:25:40

Um, I put his team at one o'clock on

ESPN on the, on the regional, the,

560

: 00:25:44

the weekend before the big, big games.

561

: 00:25:47

And he was really mad at me because he

was living in Mississippi and at one

562

: 00:25:52

o'clock in late May, it's really hot.

563

: 00:25:54

Right.

564

: 00:25:55

And so I got called into my,

his best friend was my boss.

565

: 00:26:02

So he calls me in and he

says, Now what did you F up?

566

: 00:26:06

And I go, what does that mean?

567

: 00:26:08

And he said, why would you

put that team at one o'clock?

568

: 00:26:11

Why would you not put them?

569

: 00:26:12

He wanted prime time and he

was the chair of the committee.

570

: 00:26:15

So he thought he should get an

extra, you know, And I did my job.

571

: 00:26:21

His team was not gonna rate in prime time.

572

: 00:26:24

And I put him on ESPN.

573

: 00:26:25

I said, he's on ESPN.

574

: 00:26:27

He's on ESPN too.

575

: 00:26:28

And also, he'll be the, if he wins

through, he'll be the first team

576

: 00:26:31

to get the rest for, um, for Omaha.

577

: 00:26:35

So what did I do?

578

: 00:26:36

He said, I want you to change it.

579

: 00:26:39

I want you to put him in prime.

580

: 00:26:40

I go, no, it's too late.

581

: 00:26:41

I already gave it to the NCAA.

582

: 00:26:43

It's already published.

583

: 00:26:44

And he's just not going to get his way.

584

: 00:26:46

Like.

585

: 00:26:47

So fast forward to the

summer meetings and, um,

586

: 00:26:51

Tony Tidbit: real quick

before you go to here.

587

: 00:26:52

So what happened?

588

: 00:26:53

Carol Stiff: Oh, he had to play the

game at the time I told him, and he

589

: 00:26:55

was the first team to get to Omaha

and he was the most rested team.

590

: 00:26:59

Tony Tidbit: So it all worked out.

591

: 00:27:01

Yeah, it

592

: 00:27:02

Carol Stiff: all worked out.

593

: 00:27:03

And the team I've had in front two

teams, they rate rated very well.

594

: 00:27:06

And my day to day boss is a guy.

595

: 00:27:09

And I said, you know, Dave,

did I do something wrong?

596

: 00:27:11

Cause I want to learn.

597

: 00:27:12

He goes, no.

598

: 00:27:13

You program it the way it should

have been programmed for the, for the

599

: 00:27:16

viewer and for ratings and for sales.

600

: 00:27:18

I go, thank you.

601

: 00:27:19

So we go to the summer meetings.

602

: 00:27:21

I'll never forget.

603

: 00:27:21

It was in San Diego and I had

a young guy working for me.

604

: 00:27:25

Uh, Delroy, uh, Jones,

I think was the name.

605

: 00:27:29

Anyhow, we're in San Diego at a hotel.

606

: 00:27:33

Who doesn't love San Diego?

607

: 00:27:35

And I am pacing outside the room.

608

: 00:27:38

And he said to me.

609

: 00:27:39

What's the matter with you?

610

: 00:27:40

I go, Oh, you don't know

what we're going into.

611

: 00:27:42

So we walk in and I was the only

woman in the room except for the woman

612

: 00:27:47

that does the tickets for the NCA.

613

: 00:27:50

So it felt like the Pentagon and

the production guy couldn't make it.

614

: 00:27:54

He was on a star phone speaker phone.

615

: 00:27:57

So this guy came up to me, the gentleman

that was treating me so poorly.

616

: 00:28:00

And he said, who makes the

decision on TV windows?

617

: 00:28:04

And I said, well, we give our

recommendation to the NCAA, but it's

618

: 00:28:08

their tournament with due respect.

619

: 00:28:10

If they don't like something,

we can talk about it.

620

: 00:28:12

So we sit down and we start the meeting.

621

: 00:28:15

He would not look at me.

622

: 00:28:17

And then he asked a programming

question about the following year.

623

: 00:28:21

Could we have a selection show

on this day and not that day?

624

: 00:28:25

And he's looking at the star phone and

he's talking to production and that's

625

: 00:28:30

a programming, that's a scheduling.

626

: 00:28:32

So, I, I could just feel the blood

going up my neck and I just said,

627

: 00:28:37

Hey Eddie, on the star phone, that's

my, that's my area of expertise.

628

: 00:28:41

I'll take that one.

629

: 00:28:43

And then I, Hey Larry, this is what

we're doing and why we're doing it.

630

: 00:28:46

And then I just acted very professional

and kind of went above him.

631

: 00:28:51

Anyhow, after the meeting, we're

having drinks or whatever dinner.

632

: 00:28:55

And the one woman in the room came up and

she said, Bravo, Bravo, you handle that.

633

: 00:29:01

So we get outside the door and

Delroy goes, Oh, my God, bravo.

634

: 00:29:06

He goes, I'm embarrassed

for the male species.

635

: 00:29:09

I

636

: 00:29:12

Tony Tidbit: mean, so number

one, thanks for sharing that.

637

: 00:29:14

I, my blood is going up

just hearing the story.

638

: 00:29:17

Okay.

639

: 00:29:18

And you know, one of the things, and

you, when we talked to her, when I asked

640

: 00:29:21

you, why'd you want to come on BEP?

641

: 00:29:23

And you said, Hey, Tony, you know,

based on what's going on right now

642

: 00:29:26

in the country, based on diversity,

equity, inclusion, I want to come

643

: 00:29:30

in and chat about these things,

because it's not something that

644

: 00:29:33

I'm a race in what the case may be.

645

: 00:29:35

When I hear these stories, and I've

experienced them as well, okay, you

646

: 00:29:39

know, where you're one, I've been in

places where I was the only black person.

647

: 00:29:44

And especially as I rose up

the ranks to the VP level, I

648

: 00:29:47

didn't see anybody look like me.

649

: 00:29:49

However, I worked my butt

off, obviously, right?

650

: 00:29:51

Like you, you work your butt off,

you do everything you overwork.

651

: 00:29:55

You, you play chess, not checkers.

652

: 00:29:57

So you're, you're seeing moves.

653

: 00:29:59

You're making moves to two

steps ahead because you're

654

: 00:30:02

anticipating blah, blah, blah.

655

: 00:30:04

And then obviously you're

not perfect either.

656

: 00:30:06

Okay.

657

: 00:30:07

And then there's other things.

658

: 00:30:09

And when you make one mistake after

all the things you've done, right.

659

: 00:30:14

You make one mistake all of a sudden.

660

: 00:30:16

And again, I'm paraphrase, you

know, what did you up this time?

661

: 00:30:21

Carol Stiff: Right.

662

: 00:30:21

Tony Tidbit: Right.

663

: 00:30:22

Which Okay.

664

: 00:30:23

And look, let's say, let's

say, let's say you were wrong

665

: 00:30:27

because you really wasn't right.

666

: 00:30:28

It was his friend, which is another issue.

667

: 00:30:30

Right.

668

: 00:30:31

But let's say you were wrong.

669

: 00:30:32

Okay.

670

: 00:30:34

Okay.

671

: 00:30:34

I made a mistake.

672

: 00:30:35

So what did I F up again?

673

: 00:30:38

So that means in your mind, I've

been effing up stuff all along.

674

: 00:30:43

Um, which ain't true, but you

make it in a narrative, all right,

675

: 00:30:46

because you're trying to diminish me.

676

: 00:30:49

And I've experienced that a little bit.

677

: 00:30:51

Now you handle, I got to give it to

you and you know, Bravo to, you know,

678

: 00:30:56

you made a human, the male species look

horrible and I get all that, right.

679

: 00:31:00

But you shouldn't have to do that.

680

: 00:31:02

But talk about, yeah, you had that

face on at work, but talk about

681

: 00:31:07

how that affected you when you went

home or the day after, because.

682

: 00:31:12

One of the things that's very important

for all of us to be successful is

683

: 00:31:17

to have psychological safety, right?

684

: 00:31:19

To see that what we do,

people appreciate it.

685

: 00:31:22

They see the value.

686

: 00:31:23

They know what we're

bringing to the table.

687

: 00:31:26

And if something does go wrong,

they're not going to erase me

688

: 00:31:30

or erase all my accomplishments.

689

: 00:31:31

Can you speak to that a little bit?

690

: 00:31:33

Carol Stiff: I often found that if

If I did make a mistake, and I, we

691

: 00:31:37

all make mistakes, that's how you

learn, um, I would, I would just come

692

: 00:31:41

right out and say, Hey, that's on me.

693

: 00:31:44

My bad.

694

: 00:31:45

Not going to happen again.

695

: 00:31:46

Those are hard calls to have

with a rights holder too.

696

: 00:31:50

Um, and 99.

697

: 00:31:52

9 percent of the time, the other

person just comes, calms right down.

698

: 00:31:56

She's owning it.

699

: 00:31:57

She's, she's willing to learn from it and

we're going to give her that opportunity.

700

: 00:32:02

So that's how I always

handle that situation.

701

: 00:32:06

Be righteous and all

that all that good stuff.

702

: 00:32:08

Um regarding home Try

not to bring it home.

703

: 00:32:13

Um, but I, I, I do remember I

was, I was going down to Howard

704

: 00:32:17

University and my son, uh, was young.

705

: 00:32:22

He was probably, no, he wasn't really,

really young, probably middle school.

706

: 00:32:25

And I let the kids go on one trip

a year, maybe two, one on one.

707

: 00:32:29

I had two children and I took

them down to Howard and I said,

708

: 00:32:33

look, son, you go over there, the

cafeteria area, here's some cash.

709

: 00:32:37

I'm going to meet with

the, uh, athletic director.

710

: 00:32:40

We're going to do a game down

here and I'll be back in an hour.

711

: 00:32:44

Okay.

712

: 00:32:44

So off he goes.

713

: 00:32:45

Off I go.

714

: 00:32:46

So I come back an hour later and

we're crossing that beautiful campus

715

: 00:32:52

to, um, to catch a cab or something.

716

: 00:32:54

And, um, I go, how, how, how you doing?

717

: 00:32:57

How, how you, he goes, Hey, I'm not

going to lie, but I was the only

718

: 00:33:02

white kid person on this campus.

719

: 00:33:05

And I said, how'd you feel?

720

: 00:33:09

How did you feel?

721

: 00:33:10

And that lesson, you know, I,

I, you know, what did he say?

722

: 00:33:15

Uncomfortable.

723

: 00:33:16

Yeah,

724

: 00:33:17

Tony Tidbit: exactly.

725

: 00:33:17

Carol Stiff: Uncomfortable.

726

: 00:33:19

Tony Tidbit: Exactly.

727

: 00:33:19

Carol Stiff: Um, I said, well, did,

were they hostile or were people night?

728

: 00:33:23

Oh yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

729

: 00:33:24

Food was great.

730

: 00:33:25

It was great.

731

: 00:33:26

Oh my

732

: 00:33:27

Tony Tidbit: God.

733

: 00:33:27

It was

734

: 00:33:27

Carol Stiff: delicious.

735

: 00:33:27

But he saw the other side.

736

: 00:33:30

Yep.

737

: 00:33:30

And, um, so for that, I'm proud

that, that I introduced him to that.

738

: 00:33:35

So

739

: 00:33:35

Tony Tidbit: that is awesome.

740

: 00:33:36

That is a great story.

741

: 00:33:37

So listen, you've been there for a while.

742

: 00:33:39

You're kicking, but you're moving around.

743

: 00:33:42

Um, You now ESPN executive

producer 30 for 30.

744

: 00:33:48

Um, and then obviously the Emmy winning

one, any Emmy winning one, 37 words

745

: 00:33:54

real quick, tell us a little bit about

746

: 00:33:56

Carol Stiff: title nine is 37 words.

747

: 00:33:57

Talk to us.

748

: 00:33:58

Um, so part of my, my role at ESPN and

when the women's sports foundation is

749

: 00:34:04

educating people about what title nine is.

750

: 00:34:06

Basically, um, equal rights

for all on campus of any

751

: 00:34:10

campus receiving federal funds.

752

: 00:34:12

You can't discriminate,

discriminate against their sex.

753

: 00:34:17

Their gender.

754

: 00:34:18

So, uh, yeah, I worked on the 30th

anniversary, 35th, 40th, 40th.

755

: 00:34:22

And so this was the 50th and we did

a four part series on the 37 words.

756

: 00:34:27

And from back to 1972, right up to

where we are with transgender athletes.

757

: 00:34:34

And, um, it was very, very

powerful and well received.

758

: 00:34:38

Um, and it's a great, great tool

of education on, on title nine.

759

: 00:34:42

Tony Tidbit: Wow.

760

: 00:34:43

And if, and again, I, if I remember

correctly, wasn't Billie Jean

761

: 00:34:47

King, a big advocate of title

nine back in 72, is that correct?

762

: 00:34:51

Carol Stiff: Yeah.

763

: 00:34:52

She played, she played, she

764

: 00:34:53

Tony Tidbit: played, she played

was Billy Bob was his dude name.

765

: 00:34:56

I forget.

766

: 00:34:57

Carol Stiff: Um, Billy Riggs,

Bobby Riggs, Bobby Riggs.

767

: 00:35:00

Yeah.

768

: 00:35:01

Bobby Riggs.

769

: 00:35:01

Yeah, yeah.

770

: 00:35:03

She, uh, She she had to win.

771

: 00:35:06

She

772

: 00:35:06

Tony Tidbit: had no choice.

773

: 00:35:07

She had no choice.

774

: 00:35:08

He was calling her out Oh, right and

think about how you know, and again, I

775

: 00:35:12

hate you know, but it's like a Jackie

Robinson thing Right where you're

776

: 00:35:16

carrying the whole race To play baseball

because if he didn't make it then it

777

: 00:35:22

would have been years further before

black or people of color could play

778

: 00:35:25

baseball It was no different then right

Um, so let me ask you this, you know,

779

: 00:35:31

in terms of title nine today, what's

some of the implications and some of the

780

: 00:35:35

things that still being people trying

to erase a lot of these issues, a lot

781

: 00:35:42

of these prop policies, because they see

it as discrimination on the other side.

782

: 00:35:47

You talk a little bit about that.

783

: 00:35:48

Carol Stiff: Oh, absolutely.

784

: 00:35:49

Uh, let's, where do you want to start?

785

: 00:35:51

NIL?

786

: 00:35:53

Um, who's getting all the NIL deals?

787

: 00:35:55

Correct.

788

: 00:35:55

Tony Tidbit: The males.

789

: 00:35:56

Carol Stiff: Yeah.

790

: 00:35:57

That's, that's a violation.

791

: 00:35:57

That's a violation.

792

: 00:35:59

Um, but they really can't prosecute

because the money to date is

793

: 00:36:04

not coming from the schools.

794

: 00:36:05

It's coming from collectives,

the boosters and the boosters.

795

: 00:36:09

It's not coming from the department now

with the new house settlement, which will

796

: 00:36:13

be probably going to affect in April.

797

: 00:36:17

Um, division one schools can pay their

athletes up to 20 million a year.

798

: 00:36:22

Where are they?

799

: 00:36:23

Where is that money coming from?

800

: 00:36:24

Where's cop and state

going to find 20 million.

801

: 00:36:27

So they're eliminating, um, positions.

802

: 00:36:31

They're limiting, you know, diversity

inclusion officers where wherever they

803

: 00:36:35

can cut, um, they're also dropping,

uh, programs, athletic programs.

804

: 00:36:40

So opportunities for kids to compete

are, are going to go the wayside.

805

: 00:36:43

And, um, I just worry

about the federal funding.

806

: 00:36:47

Um, I don't think it will go totally away

because God forbid, most of the federal

807

: 00:36:53

funding goes to the hospitals on campus

and the research that's being done.

808

: 00:36:58

But there, there is,

there are some concerns.

809

: 00:37:02

Definitely on the women's side,

but the problem with Title IX

810

: 00:37:06

is it's not being enforced.

811

: 00:37:08

There hasn't been one school

that's had to go to court or,

812

: 00:37:11

or had to pay a penalty fee.

813

: 00:37:13

Uh, because they don't have the funding

at the government to prosecute schools.

814

: 00:37:19

So they're just all

running the Wild Wild West.

815

: 00:37:22

Tony Tidbit: It's the

Wild Wild West, right?

816

: 00:37:23

It's the Wild Wild West.

817

: 00:37:24

So you, the, the policies are there.

818

: 00:37:27

Everybody says the right

thing in a soundbite.

819

: 00:37:29

Um, but push come to shove, it's not

being enacted and it's not being,

820

: 00:37:34

nobody's being held accountable to

making sure that it's equal access,

821

: 00:37:38

equal funding, the whole nine yards.

822

: 00:37:40

Is that correct?

823

: 00:37:41

Correct.

824

: 00:37:41

Wow.

825

: 00:37:42

So in speaking of, in terms of

accountability, when did you figure out

826

: 00:37:48

it was time for you to start moving on?

827

: 00:37:50

When did you think your, your

tenure at ESPN was starting in?

828

: 00:37:54

Uh,

829

: 00:37:56

Carol Stiff: well, I got, I got

moved over at one point, I was, I

830

: 00:38:00

was actually offered an opportunity

to go on a rotation, a job rotation.

831

: 00:38:05

Only six people in the

company were offered.

832

: 00:38:07

I could go anywhere I wanted

to go and learn about our

833

: 00:38:11

business from their, their lens.

834

: 00:38:13

So I went to business and development.

835

: 00:38:15

And based out of New York, but

also the nine for nine films I

836

: 00:38:19

was working on with my rotation.

837

: 00:38:21

So I was on the films group

and business development.

838

: 00:38:24

So we were back then talking about

streaming and what's this Netflix yeah.

839

: 00:38:31

Sort of looking in this crystal

ball and like guessing what

840

: 00:38:35

was going to be coming next.

841

: 00:38:36

So I found it fascinating, loved it.

842

: 00:38:38

Got a call about seven

months of the nine month.

843

: 00:38:42

rotation to go over to ESPNW, which is a.

844

: 00:38:45

com and John Skipper asked me to do that.

845

: 00:38:48

And, um, you know, I told him with

due respect, I'm not a journalist.

846

: 00:38:51

I don't know what a good, you know,

I could tell you what I think of that

847

: 00:38:54

article, but I don't know how to edit it.

848

: 00:38:56

Right.

849

: 00:38:57

And he said, we're bringing you over

there to, to be the relationship builder.

850

: 00:39:00

And, um, basically decide what

content should rise to the top.

851

: 00:39:05

So I did that for three years and was

watching some of the program ratings,

852

: 00:39:10

um, on women's sports diminish.

853

: 00:39:13

So I asked Burke Magnus, my boss at the

time, if I could come back to programming.

854

: 00:39:18

Um, which I did and I was very happy,

but I didn't go back into the same role.

855

: 00:39:22

Um, I lost a lot of my, I lost

all the NCAA championships

856

: 00:39:25

minus women's basketball.

857

: 00:39:27

And I loved working on throwing softball

and women's lacrosse or men's soccer.

858

: 00:39:32

And so I, I, I kind of noticed then that

my responsibilities were diminished.

859

: 00:39:40

Um, but I kept pushing and, you

know, having to come up with new tech

860

: 00:39:43

technology for the women's tournament

and just stayed really, really

861

: 00:39:46

focused on what I was able to control.

862

: 00:39:50

So that's probably where I kind of

saw the writing on the wall that I'm

863

: 00:39:55

probably not going to be here long.

864

: 00:39:57

Tony Tidbit: Got it.

865

: 00:39:58

And then when did it eventually end?

866

: 00:40:01

Carol Stiff: Well, COVID came.

867

: 00:40:02

Okay.

868

: 00:40:03

And, um, you know, obviously business

decisions needed to be made because no one

869

: 00:40:08

was going to the Disney parks, Broadway,

cruise lines, everything was shut down.

870

: 00:40:14

So there was a massive amount of

layoffs and, um, all the vice presidents

871

: 00:40:19

in my department got, uh, retired.

872

: 00:40:23

Tony Tidbit: So they got retired, right?

873

: 00:40:25

Carol Stiff: I'm retiring.

874

: 00:40:26

Yeah.

875

: 00:40:27

That's basically what happened.

876

: 00:40:27

Yeah.

877

: 00:40:28

They, they gave me a nice package, Tony.

878

: 00:40:30

I was able to leave, um, and be

able to provide for my kids, but

879

: 00:40:34

I really wasn't ready to retire.

880

: 00:40:35

And that that's what, why I'm

still really active right now.

881

: 00:40:39

Tony Tidbit: Well, I want to talk

about women's sports network,

882

: 00:40:41

but I want to ask you a question.

883

: 00:40:43

You gave 31 years there.

884

: 00:40:46

You did a lot of work.

885

: 00:40:47

You did a lot of the dirty work.

886

: 00:40:49

You, and obviously they paid

you and I get all that, right?

887

: 00:40:54

But how did it feel?

888

: 00:40:55

Because I, you know, yeah, I remember

hiring, I had hired a life coach

889

: 00:41:01

years ago when I was leaving one

company to go in next company.

890

: 00:41:05

And as that, um, uh, as that job started

to move, I started to move on from that

891

: 00:41:11

career, from that, that company, she

said something to me, I never forgot.

892

: 00:41:15

And she said, Tony, When you leave

you're going to be emotional and I

893

: 00:41:21

didn't know what she's talking about.

894

: 00:41:22

And she said no she said people identity

Today is based on where they work and

895

: 00:41:31

The problem is is that when people

lose their job when they get laid

896

: 00:41:36

off or whatever the case may be that?

897

: 00:41:38

Identity is gone.

898

: 00:41:39

Mm hmm, right and it takes a while For

you to jump back out there again, because

899

: 00:41:45

you're mourning I'm not the VP no more.

900

: 00:41:48

I'm not, you know, executive vice

president of whatever the case

901

: 00:41:52

may be, because in our minds,

we think that's who we are.

902

: 00:41:57

And it's really not.

903

: 00:41:58

It's just a title.

904

: 00:41:59

Right.

905

: 00:42:00

But unfortunately, that part of our dance.

906

: 00:42:02

So talk a little bit before

we get into a woman's sports.

907

: 00:42:04

How did that make you feel?

908

: 00:42:06

And what was the morning game?

909

: 00:42:07

If there was, maybe you're

like, forget it, I'm out and

910

: 00:42:10

you just went on another thing.

911

: 00:42:11

Talk about that mourning process

that you had to go through.

912

: 00:42:14

Carol Stiff: I was shocked.

913

: 00:42:15

I was really shocked.

914

: 00:42:17

Um, Although they gave me a great package.

915

: 00:42:20

Um, I wasn't finished.

916

: 00:42:22

I wasn't ready.

917

: 00:42:23

Uh, what didn't see it really come in.

918

: 00:42:26

Um, I wish I had gotten

that lifetime coach.

919

: 00:42:30

Tony Tidbit: She told me that

years ago, but it's still, it

920

: 00:42:33

Carol Stiff: hurt and hurt.

921

: 00:42:34

It hurt for quite a

bit, quite a long time.

922

: 00:42:37

Um, and I, I, I moved on pretty quickly.

923

: 00:42:42

But boy, even telling my friends

and telling my colleagues, they

924

: 00:42:47

were like, you, you, not you.

925

: 00:42:50

WNBA said that I'm like,

yeah, well, um, it happened.

926

: 00:42:56

Tony Tidbit: So you were

able to get past it.

927

: 00:42:58

Yeah.

928

: 00:42:58

Right.

929

: 00:42:59

Which is tough.

930

: 00:43:00

Okay.

931

: 00:43:00

But.

932

: 00:43:02

My pastor, my church always says when

one door closes, another door opens up.

933

: 00:43:06

So talk about post ESPN, talk

about women's sports network.

934

: 00:43:11

Tell us a little bit about that.

935

: 00:43:12

Carol Stiff: I have to give a

shout out to George Bodenheimer.

936

: 00:43:14

You

937

: 00:43:15

Tony Tidbit: have a bunch of

shout outs all you want to.

938

: 00:43:17

Carol Stiff: George was the president

of ESPN on my early years there and

939

: 00:43:21

the classiest guy you'll ever meet.

940

: 00:43:23

Uh, it was always, we, we,

we, it was never, I, I, I, um,

941

: 00:43:27

he always let us do our jobs.

942

: 00:43:29

You know supported us.

943

: 00:43:30

So one of the first phone calls

actually the very first phone call

944

: 00:43:34

I received was from Robin Roberts

945

: 00:43:36

Tony Tidbit: For real for real.

946

: 00:43:38

That's awesome yeah,

947

: 00:43:39

Carol Stiff: she had heard somebody else

was laid off and she was she was upset

948

: 00:43:42

about that name and um, I waited, you

know waited for her to Go off on the

949

: 00:43:47

phone and then I, and I, you know, took

a breather and I said, yeah, me too.

950

: 00:43:53

And so, but those

951

: 00:43:55

Tony Tidbit: things, those call and tell

us a little, because I know when you

952

: 00:43:57

get those calls, you don't want them.

953

: 00:43:59

But then once you chat with

people, it makes you feel better.

954

: 00:44:01

Carol Stiff: Yeah.

955

: 00:44:02

Yeah.

956

: 00:44:02

Oh, yeah.

957

: 00:44:02

She said all the right words.

958

: 00:44:04

That's for sure.

959

: 00:44:05

Um, but the second call was George

and I don't even know how he knew.

960

: 00:44:08

And.

961

: 00:44:09

Yeah.

962

: 00:44:09

He reassured me.

963

: 00:44:11

He said, you're going

to have so many offers.

964

: 00:44:14

Don't jump at, you know, ones you're not

sure about gave me some, but he called

965

: 00:44:18

me quite a few times and we still talk.

966

: 00:44:20

And, uh, he was just a great

resource for me to get over the

967

: 00:44:24

hump, but a good guy, really good

guy, uh, women's sports network.

968

: 00:44:28

Okay.

969

: 00:44:29

So I left, I left ESPN in July

and then, um, launched my advisory

970

: 00:44:35

company, stiff sports media consulting.

971

: 00:44:38

Uh, and that was amazing because some

friends reached out before the women's

972

: 00:44:43

sports network and one was Val Ackerman.

973

: 00:44:45

Tony Tidbit: Okay.

974

: 00:44:46

The

975

: 00:44:46

Carol Stiff: WNBA, uh, commissioner, but

she was the president for 10 years and now

976

: 00:44:51

she's the commissioner of the big East.

977

: 00:44:53

Okay.

978

: 00:44:53

God, she wasn't

979

: 00:44:54

Tony Tidbit: the commissioner of a WNBA.

980

: 00:44:56

They only

981

: 00:44:56

Carol Stiff: made this last person.

982

: 00:44:57

Yeah.

983

: 00:44:57

It was president.

984

: 00:44:59

Got it.

985

: 00:44:59

So she reached out and she said,

I need your counsel on title nine

986

: 00:45:02

programming for our conference.

987

: 00:45:04

Would you, you know, take a stipend?

988

: 00:45:06

I said, absolutely.

989

: 00:45:07

And then another company fish bait

at hired two other guys that were

990

: 00:45:11

let go that day, hired me as well

to advise them on women's sports.

991

: 00:45:15

And.

992

: 00:45:16

So that helped me, you know, get my

head off the pillow and pay some bills.

993

: 00:45:19

I still had a child in college and,

and then that November I got a call,

994

: 00:45:24

a cold call from a gentleman that,

um, wanted to launch a women's sports

995

: 00:45:27

network, 24 seven streaming network.

996

: 00:45:31

No paywall, no subscription.

997

: 00:45:34

Uh, and what sold me was doing a show

called Game On, which is our version that

998

: 00:45:40

you and I would know as SportsCenter.

999

: 00:45:42

Oh, okay.

: 1000

00:45:42,879 --> 00:45:42,949

Cool.

: 1001

00:45:42,959 --> 00:45:44,080

Um, highlights.

: 1002

00:45:44,080 --> 00:45:45,620

And so the first segment was highlights.

: 1003

00:45:45,629 --> 00:45:49,720

Second one was, you know, uh,

discussion about a hot topic.

: 1004

00:45:50,220 --> 00:45:54,160

And then the third, third segment

is, is still, um, interview segment.

: 1005

00:45:54,380 --> 00:45:59,910

And so I love the format and we did about

150 episodes the first year we launched.

: 1006

00:46:00,340 --> 00:46:02,470

Uh, got some proof points out of L.

: 1007

00:46:02,470 --> 00:46:02,620

A.

: 1008

00:46:02,640 --> 00:46:08,860

produced and, um, I would love to

see that show go for seven days

: 1009

00:46:08,860 --> 00:46:10,320

a week, just like SportsCenter.

: 1010

00:46:10,350 --> 00:46:11,060

We earned it.

: 1011

00:46:11,070 --> 00:46:12,030

We deserve it.

: 1012

00:46:12,110 --> 00:46:15,859

Um, I often heard people saying,

well, there are not enough highlights

: 1013

00:46:15,860 --> 00:46:17,830

for a full year of women's sports.

: 1014

00:46:17,870 --> 00:46:21,900

You know, when you get to

college football, uh, playoffs.

: 1015

00:46:22,325 --> 00:46:25,730

It's NBA and NFL and I'm like, no, no.

: 1016

00:46:25,895 --> 00:46:26,855

Tony Tidbit: There's a

bunch of stuff going on.

: 1017

00:46:26,855 --> 00:46:27,035

Yeah,

: 1018

00:46:27,035 --> 00:46:29,730

Carol Stiff: there's Australians,

va, I, there's many things going on.

: 1019

00:46:29,730 --> 00:46:33,545

Caught me a break, so I said no, I think

I can fill the, fill it with highlights.

: 1020

00:46:33,545 --> 00:46:36,125

But, um, so we're a 24 7 network.

: 1021

00:46:36,125 --> 00:46:38,345

Three years in all women's sports.

: 1022

00:46:38,345 --> 00:46:40,385

We have live rights, we have studio.

: 1023

00:46:40,805 --> 00:46:46,835

Um, I consider us a surround sound of

what ESPN and NBC and Fox are doing in es.

: 1024

00:46:46,865 --> 00:46:47,795

We can't compete.

: 1025

00:46:48,200 --> 00:46:52,460

With those, those, uh, those rights fees

a week, they getting billions of dollars.

: 1026

00:46:52,490 --> 00:46:52,970

Exactly.

: 1027

00:46:53,120 --> 00:46:54,770

We just, and it's growing.

: 1028

00:46:54,830 --> 00:47:01,680

Um, but we can be the storytellers and we

can tell all the stories and let you know,

: 1029

00:47:02,060 --> 00:47:07,460

uh, an NWSL game, or a hockey league,

or a college, women's basketball, let's,

: 1030

00:47:07,460 --> 00:47:08,565

let's learn about who the players are.

: 1031

00:47:09,770 --> 00:47:11,240

So that's, that's what

we're going to focus.

: 1032

00:47:11,450 --> 00:47:16,000

Tony Tidbit: So, so tell us a little bit,

like what is some, cause obviously there's

: 1033

00:47:16,000 --> 00:47:19,250

challenges along the way, what's been some

of the challenges in terms of getting this

: 1034

00:47:19,250 --> 00:47:23,730

off the ground and get more people to, to

know about it and to be a viewer on it.

: 1035

00:47:24,389 --> 00:47:28,130

Carol Stiff: So, uh, we're really easy

to find our distribution is fabulous.

: 1036

00:47:28,140 --> 00:47:31,300

We're in, uh, 150 to 2 million homes.

: 1037

00:47:31,300 --> 00:47:33,870

We're on connected TV,

Samsung, we're on Roku.

: 1038

00:47:34,520 --> 00:47:38,040

Um, once you get used to the pattern

of how to find us, we're easy to find.

: 1039

00:47:38,040 --> 00:47:40,620

We're on your phone with Tubi

and Freebie and Fubo on all

: 1040

00:47:40,620 --> 00:47:42,390

those new chicklets of channels.

: 1041

00:47:42,795 --> 00:47:45,725

Um, so finding us is not, not the problem.

: 1042

00:47:45,775 --> 00:47:51,165

What we have, um, you know, to really

focus on is getting advertisers

: 1043

00:47:51,165 --> 00:47:53,475

and that's in all women's sports.

: 1044

00:47:53,485 --> 00:47:56,065

It's still not here, Tony, still not here.

: 1045

00:47:56,225 --> 00:47:58,135

Tony Tidbit: So just stop

right there for a second.

: 1046

00:47:58,415 --> 00:47:59,214

Just unclear.

: 1047

00:48:00,140 --> 00:48:04,880

So you're having a hard time getting

advertisers, a Gatorade or whatever the

: 1048

00:48:04,880 --> 00:48:12,620

case may be, a Footlocker or Dicks or

Nike to run across women's sports content?

: 1049

00:48:12,920 --> 00:48:14,010

Carol Stiff: We're having a hard time

: 1050

00:48:14,010 --> 00:48:14,340

Tony Tidbit: with that.

: 1051

00:48:14,350 --> 00:48:16,150

What's the reason why?

: 1052

00:48:16,310 --> 00:48:19,410

Carol Stiff: So, um, first of all,

people were caught off guard with the

: 1053

00:48:19,410 --> 00:48:22,080

Caitlin Clark movement, not moment.

: 1054

00:48:23,295 --> 00:48:25,305

Tony Tidbit: When you, Oh, when

you say movement, when it was

: 1055

00:48:25,305 --> 00:48:28,055

godlike, everybody was on it.

: 1056

00:48:28,055 --> 00:48:28,245

Right.

: 1057

00:48:28,245 --> 00:48:29,825

So they wanted to put money towards that.

: 1058

00:48:29,965 --> 00:48:32,255

Carol Stiff: So it was too

late because she came along.

: 1059

00:48:32,255 --> 00:48:39,164

If you think about it in March and

April and then the WNBA, um, season.

: 1060

00:48:39,744 --> 00:48:43,425

Um, all, most all the advertising

budgets are already spent.

: 1061

00:48:44,250 --> 00:48:50,610

we, we, we really think that: 2025

only in February, soon to be March, that

: 1062

00:48:50,640 --> 00:48:53,860

a lot of people were caught off guard and

didn't have a women's sports strategy.

: 1063

00:48:53,950 --> 00:48:55,149

Tony Tidbit: Ah, got it.

: 1064

00:48:55,280 --> 00:48:57,840

Carol Stiff: So they're getting calls

from some of the people you just

: 1065

00:48:57,840 --> 00:49:00,810

mentioned, Hey, where's our women's

sports strategy and the media come,

: 1066

00:49:00,840 --> 00:49:02,610

uh, we don't have one, you know?

: 1067

00:49:03,020 --> 00:49:06,290

So they're building one now,

but they still haven't come.

: 1068

00:49:06,580 --> 00:49:09,950

And so we need advertisers to

step up and support these, these

: 1069

00:49:09,950 --> 00:49:11,589

great athletes and their stories.

: 1070

00:49:11,995 --> 00:49:13,775

Um, so that's, that's important.

: 1071

00:49:13,795 --> 00:49:18,665

And then we need, um, we're looking for

some investors come in so we can go out

: 1072

00:49:18,695 --> 00:49:23,604

and get, you know, richer rights and

more expensive rights and get that game

: 1073

00:49:23,604 --> 00:49:25,925

on studio up and running every day.

: 1074

00:49:25,934 --> 00:49:27,397

Like I want, yeah, I love,

: 1075

00:49:27,397 --> 00:49:28,625

Tony Tidbit: I can't wait for that.

: 1076

00:49:28,985 --> 00:49:29,425

What's.

: 1077

00:49:29,680 --> 00:49:30,630

What's the end game here?

: 1078

00:49:30,630 --> 00:49:33,390

What are you trying to,

where do you see this going?

: 1079

00:49:33,400 --> 00:49:36,220

If you get the funding and all that

stuff, where do you see this going?

: 1080

00:49:36,280 --> 00:49:38,370

Carol Stiff: I kind of don't want

to have a women's sports network.

: 1081

00:49:38,370 --> 00:49:45,510

Like it should be equal, like not, not

lesser than, you know, you still see it.

: 1082

00:49:45,539 --> 00:49:48,410

Um, I won't name names

of, of cable networks.

: 1083

00:49:49,125 --> 00:49:51,665

You know, they're still putting

all our women's sports and

: 1084

00:49:51,665 --> 00:49:53,435

inferior windows and second tier

: 1085

00:49:53,435 --> 00:49:53,715

Tony Tidbit: stuff.

: 1086

00:49:53,765 --> 00:49:54,015

Yeah.

: 1087

00:49:54,015 --> 00:49:54,415

And so

: 1088

00:49:54,415 --> 00:49:56,855

Carol Stiff: if you give them

an opportunity, if you build

: 1089

00:49:56,855 --> 00:49:57,955

it, they will come right.

: 1090

00:49:58,205 --> 00:50:01,415

And we have very, we

have many proof points.

: 1091

00:50:01,795 --> 00:50:06,465

Um, I don't know if we're still gun shy

and putting women's sports in prime time.

: 1092

00:50:07,035 --> 00:50:10,495

Um, but you know, maybe on a

Thursday night, you'll see it,

: 1093

00:50:10,505 --> 00:50:13,395

you know, the WNBA is running

on a Friday night in the summer.

: 1094

00:50:13,395 --> 00:50:14,205

I don't know who.

: 1095

00:50:14,595 --> 00:50:19,315

I mean, they did really well, but who

watches TV on a Friday night in Minnesota?

: 1096

00:50:19,315 --> 00:50:22,325

I mean, you're out, you're out

having, you're out in the park.

: 1097

00:50:22,325 --> 00:50:23,645

To be honest, even being in

: 1098

00:50:23,645 --> 00:50:25,525

Tony Tidbit: Detroit, you

know, it doesn't matter.

: 1099

00:50:25,525 --> 00:50:25,945

Right.

: 1100

00:50:26,195 --> 00:50:29,635

Carol Stiff: So, um, that

still needs to be flushed out.

: 1101

00:50:29,635 --> 00:50:32,595

But I think what will happen is,

and I hope this, and I saw a proof

: 1102

00:50:32,595 --> 00:50:36,235

point with, with on a call out

Google, they came to the table,

: 1103

00:50:36,235 --> 00:50:37,785

they were going to spend money on.

: 1104

00:50:37,870 --> 00:50:45,590

Uh, NBA and WNBA and the woman who was

representing Google was an Olympian rower

: 1105

00:50:46,520 --> 00:50:51,159

and she got their deck and she's being

very, you know, cordial at the meeting

: 1106

00:50:51,159 --> 00:50:55,130

and of course the meeting starts, you

know, about the NBA and we're going

: 1107

00:50:55,130 --> 00:50:58,479

to do this, we're going to do that

and they want her to spend a billion

: 1108

00:50:58,559 --> 00:51:04,610

dollars and she shut the deck and she

goes, I want to see the WNBA Oh, well,

: 1109

00:51:04,610 --> 00:51:07,710

that was page 39 of a 40 page deck,

: 1110

00:51:07,730 --> 00:51:08,150

Tony Tidbit: right?

: 1111

00:51:08,200 --> 00:51:08,590

Right.

: 1112

00:51:08,590 --> 00:51:08,680

Right.

: 1113

00:51:09,590 --> 00:51:14,309

Carol Stiff: So she said it's the

25th anniversary of the WNBA and

: 1114

00:51:14,310 --> 00:51:16,800

there aren't even 25 games schedule.

: 1115

00:51:17,330 --> 00:51:21,049

Uh, I want 25 games, push the deck back.

: 1116

00:51:21,049 --> 00:51:23,789

So she wasn't gonna spend a dime on NBA.

: 1117

00:51:24,100 --> 00:51:25,080

Tony Tidbit: But there

you go though, right?

: 1118

00:51:25,080 --> 00:51:26,110

So that's what we need.

: 1119

00:51:26,120 --> 00:51:28,260

You get advocates like that who got money.

: 1120

00:51:29,015 --> 00:51:30,175

That believe in it.

: 1121

00:51:30,555 --> 00:51:32,245

So that's why it's important.

: 1122

00:51:32,265 --> 00:51:32,735

I get it.

: 1123

00:51:32,735 --> 00:51:35,005

You don't want to have only women's own.

: 1124

00:51:35,045 --> 00:51:39,025

I get that But in a day you

got something that eventually

: 1125

00:51:39,025 --> 00:51:41,245

you get people behind it Right.

: 1126

00:51:41,275 --> 00:51:43,175

And then they got money

and they're pushing it.

: 1127

00:51:43,175 --> 00:51:46,555

And then let's get a lot of credit

to you because it wouldn't happen.

: 1128

00:51:46,855 --> 00:51:50,535

Those things wouldn't happen if it wasn't

for people like yourself, or, you know,

: 1129

00:51:50,545 --> 00:51:57,425

Billie Jean King or all these other, you

know, forerunners of women's sports to be

: 1130

00:51:57,425 --> 00:51:59,494

fair to even got it to where it is today.

: 1131

00:51:59,575 --> 00:52:02,385

But the thing about it, which I love.

: 1132

00:52:03,325 --> 00:52:04,165

You're not done.

: 1133

00:52:04,675 --> 00:52:06,305

There's still more to do.

: 1134

00:52:06,725 --> 00:52:10,755

There's still more things to, there's

still more hoops to jump, right?

: 1135

00:52:10,755 --> 00:52:12,905

Because that's really the key here.

: 1136

00:52:12,945 --> 00:52:17,095

The more that people like yourself,

they're out there advocating, pushing,

: 1137

00:52:17,454 --> 00:52:21,835

don't give it up because you believe

it, that's going to affect change.

: 1138

00:52:21,925 --> 00:52:22,175

Yep.

: 1139

00:52:22,285 --> 00:52:22,875

Okay.

: 1140

00:52:23,025 --> 00:52:26,215

And you know, that's why we were

excited to have you here because

: 1141

00:52:26,215 --> 00:52:29,965

at the end of the day, what people

need to understand is that you.

: 1142

00:52:30,300 --> 00:52:34,150

You yourself, only you have

the ability to affect change.

: 1143

00:52:34,180 --> 00:52:35,460

You may not think so.

: 1144

00:52:35,710 --> 00:52:39,180

You may think you're going up

against a behemoth, but guess what?

: 1145

00:52:39,360 --> 00:52:44,060

If you just start rolling that little

snowball down the hill, you get a

: 1146

00:52:44,060 --> 00:52:48,579

Carol stiff, who's creating a women's

sports network, which I'm so excited.

: 1147

00:52:48,579 --> 00:52:52,680

And listen, you know, anything that we

can do to help you, but final thoughts,

: 1148

00:52:52,680 --> 00:52:55,310

tell us, give us the final thoughts

that you want to leave the audience.

: 1149

00:52:56,710 --> 00:52:58,070

Carol Stiff: Don't be, I could be talking

: 1150

00:52:58,070 --> 00:52:58,580

Tony Tidbit: all day long.

: 1151

00:52:59,300 --> 00:53:02,000

Carol Stiff: We'll have to go to

the local bar, get a cold one.

: 1152

00:53:02,470 --> 00:53:04,909

Um, don't be afraid to ask why not.

: 1153

00:53:05,929 --> 00:53:10,910

And, uh, be prepared to, you know, to

fight the battles that are most important

: 1154

00:53:10,910 --> 00:53:16,199

to you, um, and that you have facts

for, and then, you know, lastly, uh,

: 1155

00:53:16,699 --> 00:53:20,380

take, take the pride in knowing that

you can look at yourself in the mirror

: 1156

00:53:20,380 --> 00:53:21,740

at night and say, you've done good.

: 1157

00:53:22,710 --> 00:53:25,820

And you didn't, you weren't unethical and.

: 1158

00:53:26,480 --> 00:53:31,100

You can, you know, rest, rest a lovely

night of sleep knowing that you can

: 1159

00:53:31,100 --> 00:53:32,400

smile at yourself in the mirror.

: 1160

00:53:32,840 --> 00:53:34,080

Tony Tidbit: Oh, that is awesome.

: 1161

00:53:34,090 --> 00:53:34,920

That is awesome.

: 1162

00:53:35,210 --> 00:53:35,679

Question.

: 1163

00:53:35,679 --> 00:53:36,560

My final question.

: 1164

00:53:36,840 --> 00:53:39,270

How can a black executive

perspective podcast help you?

: 1165

00:53:40,080 --> 00:53:40,869

Just get the word

: 1166

00:53:40,870 --> 00:53:41,240

Carol Stiff: out.

: 1167

00:53:41,610 --> 00:53:46,140

Um, it's important and keep doing

what you're doing, Tony, because

: 1168

00:53:46,140 --> 00:53:47,610

this is really, really important.

: 1169

00:53:47,610 --> 00:53:50,320

And, you know, straight talk only

: 1170

00:53:50,320 --> 00:53:50,860

Tony Tidbit: helps.

: 1171

00:53:51,875 --> 00:53:52,645

Well, thank you.

: 1172

00:53:52,665 --> 00:53:56,125

And just so I'm clear, when you say get

the word out, what word should we be

: 1173

00:53:56,125 --> 00:53:58,535

getting out that there's a women's sports?

: 1174

00:53:58,535 --> 00:53:59,245

There we go.

: 1175

00:54:00,555 --> 00:54:03,385

Carol Stiff: There's a

women's sports network, right?

: 1176

00:54:03,474 --> 00:54:05,235

Tony Tidbit: So that's

a, that's a no brainer.

: 1177

00:54:05,285 --> 00:54:05,795

Okay.

: 1178

00:54:05,795 --> 00:54:07,015

We're definitely going to do that.

: 1179

00:54:07,415 --> 00:54:11,145

Um, I'm looking forward to

working with you in any way.

: 1180

00:54:11,175 --> 00:54:15,075

And we'll talk about that, you know,

offline, but more importantly, I'm

: 1181

00:54:15,565 --> 00:54:19,705

Knowing how busy you are, knowing

that you're, you know, championing a

: 1182

00:54:19,705 --> 00:54:24,804

network that's going to not just, um,

something for women to watch, but for

: 1183

00:54:24,905 --> 00:54:27,644

all human beings to be able to gravitate.

: 1184

00:54:28,125 --> 00:54:31,895

And knowing the challenges that

it takes to do that, I salute you.

: 1185

00:54:32,155 --> 00:54:34,345

So you ain't got no

problem having our back.

: 1186

00:54:34,355 --> 00:54:34,665

All right.

: 1187

00:54:34,665 --> 00:54:36,635

Cause we're going to do, we're

going to be right there with you.

: 1188

00:54:36,995 --> 00:54:38,434

So Carol stiff.

: 1189

00:54:38,434 --> 00:54:41,775

I want to thank you for joining a

black executive perspective podcast.

: 1190

00:54:42,125 --> 00:54:45,295

I want you to stay right there

because you're going to help

: 1191

00:54:45,295 --> 00:54:47,245

us with our call to action.

: 1192

00:54:47,245 --> 00:54:48,305

So stay right there.

: 1193

00:54:48,625 --> 00:54:52,895

So now I think it's

time for Tony's tidbit.

: 1194

00:54:53,235 --> 00:54:58,295

Corporate America may give you a title,

but it will never define your worth.

: 1195

00:54:59,115 --> 00:55:03,874

True success is surviving the

system, learning the game, and

: 1196

00:55:03,895 --> 00:55:05,945

thriving on your own terms.

: 1197

00:55:06,725 --> 00:55:08,005

And you heard a lot of that.

: 1198

00:55:08,410 --> 00:55:09,570

From Carol stiff.

: 1199

00:55:09,640 --> 00:55:13,180

So again, I want to remind everyone

to make sure you check out every

: 1200

00:55:13,180 --> 00:55:17,110

Thursday on a black executive

perspective podcast need to know by Dr.

: 1201

00:55:17,110 --> 00:55:18,619

Nsenga Burton, Dr.

: 1202

00:55:18,619 --> 00:55:23,800

Burton dives into the timely and crucial

topics that shape our community that

: 1203

00:55:23,800 --> 00:55:25,929

you don't have time to figure out.

: 1204

00:55:26,099 --> 00:55:28,560

So definitely you want to

check her out every Thursday.

: 1205

00:55:28,845 --> 00:55:30,765

Need to know by Dr.

: 1206

00:55:30,765 --> 00:55:31,715

Nsenga Burton.

: 1207

00:55:31,865 --> 00:55:36,105

And then you also want to check out our

round table, pull up, speak up, right?

: 1208

00:55:36,105 --> 00:55:38,115

Which is coming out next week.

: 1209

00:55:38,365 --> 00:55:42,794

We're bold unfiltered voices

tackle the day's most provocative

: 1210

00:55:42,794 --> 00:55:44,845

issues, sharp perspectives.

: 1211

00:55:44,845 --> 00:55:48,314

You heard Carol say real

talk and a call to action.

: 1212

00:55:48,325 --> 00:55:51,085

Don't forget to watch

and join the revolution.

: 1213

00:55:51,355 --> 00:55:51,795

So.

: 1214

00:55:52,200 --> 00:55:56,860

As, uh, typically people who watch or

listen to a black executive perspective

: 1215

00:55:56,860 --> 00:55:59,250

podcast, they know our call to action.

: 1216

00:55:59,340 --> 00:56:04,070

Our goal here is to eliminate

all forms of discrimination.

: 1217

00:56:04,410 --> 00:56:09,910

And the way we do that, we have

an acronym called less L E S S.

: 1218

00:56:10,030 --> 00:56:11,930

And Carol stiff is going

to help us with that.

: 1219

00:56:11,940 --> 00:56:12,810

Carol kick us off.

: 1220

00:56:13,660 --> 00:56:14,190

Carol Stiff: For L.

: 1221

00:56:14,510 --> 00:56:14,610

Yeah.

: 1222

00:56:14,980 --> 00:56:20,620

Learn, always ask questions, always

just, you know, uh, be willing

: 1223

00:56:20,620 --> 00:56:22,890

to say, yeah, I can do that.

: 1224

00:56:22,960 --> 00:56:26,500

Try it, but then also it's okay

to fail because you're learning.

: 1225

00:56:26,989 --> 00:56:27,789

Tony Tidbit: Absolutely.

: 1226

00:56:27,790 --> 00:56:30,750

And after you learn, E stands for empathy.

: 1227

00:56:31,370 --> 00:56:34,040

Now you've learned about

people that you don't know.

: 1228

00:56:34,050 --> 00:56:36,730

You've learned about things

that you wasn't aware of.

: 1229

00:56:37,165 --> 00:56:41,745

Now you can be more empathetic because

you can put yourself in their shoes.

: 1230

00:56:42,725 --> 00:56:47,675

Carol Stiff: So S, the first S is to

share your insights to enlighten others.

: 1231

00:56:48,165 --> 00:56:52,464

And that works really, really well

that you have to talk through things.

: 1232

00:56:52,494 --> 00:56:58,395

And I always surrounded myself with the

team and my team was all different ages.

: 1233

00:56:58,555 --> 00:57:00,285

Different colors, different backgrounds.

: 1234

00:57:00,675 --> 00:57:04,185

And I always took their insights

and then made my decision.

: 1235

00:57:04,475 --> 00:57:05,415

Tony Tidbit: That is awesome.

: 1236

00:57:05,415 --> 00:57:07,445

And then the final S is stop.

: 1237

00:57:08,005 --> 00:57:11,655

You want to stop discrimination

as it walks in your path.

: 1238

00:57:11,995 --> 00:57:16,394

So if aunt Jenny or uncle Joe say

something at the Sunday dinner

: 1239

00:57:16,394 --> 00:57:18,364

table, that's inappropriate.

: 1240

00:57:18,405 --> 00:57:22,555

You say auntie Jenny, uncle

Joe, we don't believe that.

: 1241

00:57:22,575 --> 00:57:24,295

And you stop it right there.

: 1242

00:57:24,535 --> 00:57:26,945

So if everyone can incorporate less.

: 1243

00:57:27,175 --> 00:57:32,095

L E S S will build a more

fair, more understanding world.

: 1244

00:57:32,325 --> 00:57:32,945

And guess what?

: 1245

00:57:33,325 --> 00:57:36,935

We all will be able to see

the change that we want to see

: 1246

00:57:37,145 --> 00:57:39,244

because less will become more.

: 1247

00:57:39,775 --> 00:57:43,195

Don't forget to check out all episodes

on a black executive perspective

: 1248

00:57:43,234 --> 00:57:48,315

podcast on YouTube, Apple, Spotify,

or wherever you get your podcast.

: 1249

00:57:48,445 --> 00:57:51,865

And you can follow us on

our socials of LinkedIn X.

: 1250

00:57:52,015 --> 00:57:59,015

YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, TikTok at a

black exec for our fabulous guests, Carol

: 1251

00:57:59,015 --> 00:58:02,325

president of the women's sport network.

: 1252

00:58:02,364 --> 00:58:03,795

We appreciate her being here.

: 1253

00:58:04,135 --> 00:58:05,275

I'm Tony tidbit.

: 1254

00:58:05,545 --> 00:58:06,685

We talked about it.

: 1255

00:58:06,854 --> 00:58:08,195

We learned about it.

: 1256

00:58:08,304 --> 00:58:09,794

We even laughed about it.

: 1257

00:58:10,074 --> 00:58:11,035

We love you.

: 1258

00:58:11,355 --> 00:58:12,065

And guess what?

: 1259

00:58:12,295 --> 00:58:14,524

We're out

: 1260

00:58:16,905 --> 00:58:18,745

a black executive

: 1261

00:58:18,805 --> 00:58:19,485

Carol Stiff: perspective.