The Group Chat: Let’s get this bread

Studies show that women athletes are uniquely talented at supplementing their playing careers with side hustles and post-retirement pursuits, and that’s partially out of necessity. Most retire without the millions men earn from the field of play, so they must focus on setting themselves up for success in the next chapter.

• But as female athletes gain mainstream popularity and close the pay gap, their retirement projects are becoming more and more influential in broader sports culture — think Sue Bird and Megan Rapinoe’s budding media empire, Serena Williams’ Serena Ventures, or Chiney Ogwumike’s (pronounced chih-NAY oh-GWOO-mih-kay) broadcasting career.

• Today, we’re chatting about some retired pros who spun their playing careers into stunning second acts — and how you can take inspiration from their success. Let’s get this bread.

As women’s sports become more mainstream, retired female athletes like the aforementioned Ogwumike are landing more gigs as analysts and media figures for major sports news organizations. But no one has crushed the player-to-media mogul pipeline quite like former footballer Melissa Ortiz.

• A former pro and Colombian National Team member, Ortiz turned her one-woman soccer blog into a career as a face of soccer in the U.S., most recently working with TNT and DAZN’s broadcast team to cover the FIFA Club World Cup.

• She’s also branched out into podcasting with Hasta Abajo, where she and co-host Camila Ramón discuss all things sports and Latina identity, and launched her coffee company, Kickoff Coffee. America runs on Dunkin’ Meli.

Other athletes take their talents to the boardroom, launching their own companies and brands, like former track & field sprinter Allyson Felix. When her contract with Nike failed to include maternity protections, she broke with the apparel giant to form her own athletic shoe company, Saysh. Their maternity returns policy shows what’s possible when women run things.

• And speaking of women in charge, WNBA living legend Lisa Leslie retired from pro hoops in 2009, but didn’t stay away for long: In 2011, she became the first former W player to invest in a team when she leveled up to part-owner of her former squad, the LA Sparks.

• Other former pros put their business acumen to work by becoming agents, like retired NY Liberty vet Jacki Gemelos, who now represents current players with agency Disrupt the Game. And that’s on dropping dimes well into retirement.

To stay close to the game, many athletes turn to coaching, guiding the next generation in the sport they love. However, international volleyball superstar Jordan Larson is working ahead to set up her second act as a coach while still playing as a pro.

• Nicknamed “The Governor” for her popularity in her home state of Nebraska, Larson was an All-American for the Cornhuskers before playing pro overseas and making four trips to the Olympics. At 38 years old, she’s now an outside hitter for League One Volleyball (LOVB) Omaha.

• And because she’s apparently not busy enough, Larson has been an assistant coach for her alma mater since June 2023, leading Nebraska to two straight Final Fours. Shaping the game’s next gen while still playing? The future really is now.