Sara Germano

Joining the podcast are Caitlin Clark, a college basketball star, and Sara Germano, FT’s US sports business correspondent. They discuss the rise in popularity of women’s basketball, with the WNBA seeing a surge in viewers and fans. The impact on culture and empowerment of young girls through the sport is explored, along with the importance of fan engagement and community support.

Two hundred years after Jane Austen’s novels were published, adaptations are still going strong. This summer saw the release of Fire Island, a gay adaptation of Pride and Prejudice, and the Netflix original, Persuasion. Brooke Masters, our US investment and industries editor and a lifelong Jane Austen fan, and University of Maine literature professor Caroline Bicks, join Lilah to talk about the novelist’s enduring appeal. Then, the Boston Marathon has a new non-binary gender category. This is one of three approaches to trans inclusion that elite sports have taken so far. Lilah invites US sports business correspondent Sara Germano on to discuss.-------Want to stay in touch? We love hearing from you. Email us at ftweekendpodcast@ft.com. We’re on Twitter @ftweekendpod, and Lilah is on Instagram and Twitter @lilahrap.-------Links and mentions from the episode:– Brooke is on Twitter @brookeamasters. Sara is on Twitter @germanotes – The FT’s review of Fire Island: https://on.ft.com/3gtH11R and Netflix’s Persuasion: https://on.ft.com/3MTbB0X – A recent FT Magazine piece by Sara: ‘What next for Brittney Griner – and for women’s sport?’ https://on.ft.com/3eUMbDG– To stay up to date on the business of sports, you may like the FT newsletter Scoreboard: https://www.ft.com/scoreboard-------Special offers for FT Weekend listeners, from 50% off a digital subscription to a $1/£1/€1 trial can be found here: http://ft.com/weekendpodcast-------Clips courtesy of Paramount, SearchLight Pictures, Sony Pictures, Miramax and Universal.  -------Original music by Metaphor Music. Mixing and sound design by Breen Turner and Sam GiovincoRead a transcript of this episode on FT.com Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

FT's deputy arts editor and US sports correspondent discuss the film 'Challengers' starring Zendaya, focusing on tennis, sexual tension, and middle-age themes. They explore the love triangle, cinematic soundtrack, intimate scenes, and realistic endings, while advocating for original content in movies and authentic conversations.

Vinay Iyengar, managing partner at Anansi Capital, shares insights on AI roll-ups, emphasizing a shift away from traditional SaaS models to consolidate small businesses using AI for better margins. Sara Germano, a sports business reporter, sheds light on Apple's exclusive five-year F1 media deal and the rapidly growing youth sports tech market, projected to reach $12 billion. They discuss the major players in youth sports tech and how this trend is reshaping family and community engagement in sports.

Leila Abboud, the Paris bureau chief reporting on the Olympics, teams up with Sara Germano, a US sports business correspondent, to dive into the buzz around the Paris Games. They unpack the mixed reactions to the opening ceremony, exploring themes of sustainability and identity. The conversation also highlights the return of Simone Biles and the fresh energy of events like breaking, aimed at engaging younger audiences. With insights into the evolving landscape of the Olympics, they discuss what makes these Games so culturally significant.