Sportly is hosted by Emmy-winning investigative journalist Kavitha A. Davidson. Created by Immigrantly Media, it takes you beyond the scoreboard to uncover the hidden histories and rich cultural legacies that make sports truly unforgettable.
Sportly brings listeners a fresh perspective on sports each week—did you know that the oldest international cricket rivalry is between the United States and Canada? Or that the NBA’s first minority player was of Asian descent? With deep dives into iconic moments, lesser-known rivalries, and the fascinating evolution of traditions like the national anthem in American sports, Sportly is here to expand your love of the game.
Each episode explores stories that transcend stats, celebrating the diversity of players, the cultures they represent, and the unique events that shape our favorite sports. Tune in every Monday for thought-provoking insights, heartwarming anecdotes, and thrilling highlights that make you see the games you love in a whole new way.
Sportly is the podcast companion for your commute, workout, or downtime—bringing sports to life wherever you listen.
Host: Kavitha A. Davidson
Producer: Paroma Chakravarty
Executive Producer: Saadia Khan
Content Writers: Emmanuelle Monahan & Kavitha A. Davidson
Sound Design & Content Editor: Paroma Chakravarty
Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson
Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Cover Art Design: Sarah DiMichele
Follow us on IG @sportlypod
Twitter @Immigrantly_pod
TikTok @Immigrantly
Subscribe to our Patreon
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, please email at info@immigrantlypod.com
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The Star-Spangled Banner's Sporting Journey [July 2024]
jeudi 20 août 2026 • Durée 36:41
Step into the bleachers of Comiskey Park, where the Boston Red Sox face off against the Chicago Cubs in the 1918 World Series. With America deep in the throes of World War I, baseball offers a brief escape from the harsh realities of war and loss. This pivotal game, featuring Babe Ruth as the Red Sox’s starting pitcher, also marks the moment when the Star-Spangled Banner begins its journey to becoming an iconic part of American sports.
Join Sportly host Kavitha Davidson as she explores the history of playing the national anthem at sporting events in the wake of World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, and 9/11. Davidson examines how these moments have sparked both unity and protest throughout U.S. history.
Listen to how athletes have used their platforms to unite and challenge the status quo, shedding light on the complex relationship between national identity, patriotism, and sports
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Hosts: Kavitha A. Davison | Producers: Saadia Khan & Shei Yu I Content Writers: Michaela Strauther & Kavitha A Davidson I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Feed Drop: All Bets Are Off: How Sports Gambling Has Conquered the World [Burn It All Down]
jeudi 13 août 2026 • Durée 01:23:57
Sportly is handing over the feed to our friends at Burn It All Down today. Listen to our previous episode with Amira and Jessica on Heated Rivalry here.
Amira, Brenda, and Lindsay review how sports betting has seeped into politics and provided the stuff of fantasies for people in dire economic need. Women represent the final frontier for exploitative betting companies, and BIAD asks how we can save women’s sports from such scourge. The hosts consider ways to regulate the industry in order to save sports. They also have plenty to burn (looking at you, Sophie Cunningham) and honor the torchbearers giving them hope.
Support Burn It All Down and access bonus content by becoming a Patron: http://patreon.com/burnitalldownpod
Show notes:
North Carolina Health News: Wagering on women. Sports betting industry looks to unlock a new market
Mother Jones: The Heritage Foundation Only Wanted to Protect Women’s Sports When It Was About Trans Athletes
Bloomberg Law: The Hidden Faces of America’s Online Gambling Addiction: Women
Bounces: Breaking: WTA to Require Genetic Sex Testing for All Players
Tudum: New Instadoc Dives into the Booming, Bet-on-Anything World of Prediction Markets
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer & Writer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Research & Script: Juan Sebastian Camacho| Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
How Pakistan Women's Football Survived to Make Its FIFA Debut
jeudi 6 août 2026 • Durée 15:23
For decades, Pakistan's women football had no federation support, no funding, and no path to international competition. They built their own anyway, starting with a single club founded in a Karachi backyard and growing into a movement that survived internal warfare, government interference, and several takeovers of federation headquarters that got the banned by FIFA.
In this episode, Kavitha Davidson traces that fight from Pakistan's dusty rural pitches to a diaspora spread across Europe and North America, and follows the squad that came out the other side all the way to Ivory Coast, where Pakistan's women's team made its first-ever FIFA-sanctioned appearance and made history.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer & Writer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Research & Script: Juan Sebastian Camacho| Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Why a Basketball Court Belongs in Every Prison (January 2025)
jeudi 30 juillet 2026 • Durée 27:03
This episode is a rerun of "Courtside Stories: Rivalries, Redemption, and Prison Reform?"
Prison sports are about to become California law. Before the policy fight, hear from the men inside San Quentin on what the game has meant to them - and from the critics who say programs like these teach the wrong lesson.
What if a basketball game could offer more than just a win? This week on Sportly, we head to San Quentin, where the Golden State Warriors face off against incarcerated players in a decade-long rivalry that’s redefining second chances. But are these programs as beneficial as they seem, or do they risk perpetuating systemic injustices?
From historic prison sports leagues to global initiatives like the Twinning Project, host Kavitha A. Davidson uncovers the untold stories of how sports inspire hope, foster connections, and spark debate about the role of rehabilitation in the justice system.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producers: Saadia Khan & Shei Yu I Content Writers: Nicholas Black, Suhasini Patni, Shei Yu & Kavitha A. Davidson I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Join us as we create new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more information at http://immigrantlypod.com.
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Follow us on social media for updates and behind-the-scenes content.
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantlypodcast
IG @immigrantlymedia
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
FIFA Series: The World Cup Is Over, but There Are Unanswered Questions
jeudi 23 juillet 2026 • Durée 01:31:46
In the final episode of our FIFA series, host Kavitha Davidson sits down with Jeff Rueter, soccer correspondent for The Guardian US and formerly a staff writer at The Athletic, to unpack how this World Cup actually ended. Jeff, who spent the tournament embedded with the U.S. men's national team, walks Kavitha through the strangest week of his career: the eve-of-match red card reversal that turned a soccer story into a geopolitical one overnight, and the questions still swirling about how and why it happened.
They also dig into the final itself, breaking down how Argentina built its entire knockout-round game plan around grinding to penalties, a strategy that never got the chance to pay off, and what this tournament likely being Lionel Messi's last World Cup means for how his career gets remembered.
Previously in the Sportly FIFA series:
"Who Gets Rich When the World Cup Comes to Town?"
"What World Cup Fans Are Discovering About the Real America"
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer & Writer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Kabaddi 101: Tag, Tackle, Triumph (March 2025)
jeudi 16 juillet 2026 • Durée 25:57
Part wrestling, part tag, part martial arts, and all breath control. In this episode, Kavitha dives into the world of kabaddi, the high-octane South Asian sport that's quietly going global.
You'll meet fearless raiders, strategic defenders, and women breaking barriers through the sport. With teams from India, Pakistan, Iran, Bangladesh and beyond gearing up for the Asian Games this fall — and Europe's biggest kabaddi league launching this summer — there's never been a better time to learn why this game is more than a sport. It's a movement.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
FIFA Series: What World Cup Fans Are Discovering About the Real America
jeudi 9 juillet 2026 • Durée 24:22
World Cup 2026 fan culture takes center stage as Kavitha Davidson explores the viral moments defining this tournament - from Scottish fans turning Boston into "New Scotland" to Dutch, Norwegian, and Japanese supporters going viral worldwide.
But beneath the wholesome clips lies a deeper story of visa denials, price barriers, and fandom's darker history, from Andrés Escobar's 1994 murder to Iceland's iconic Viking clap reminds us that intense fan emotions can lead in many ways.
Previously in the FIFA series: "Who Gets Rich When the World Cup Comes to Town?"
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer & Writer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Research: Juan Sebastian Camacho I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Dinking Around: The Rise of Pickleball (September 2024)
jeudi 2 juillet 2026 • Durée 27:51
Sportly was recently featured in Forbes, where Kavitha spoke about what makes this show's approach to sports storytelling different. Read it here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/frankracioppi/2026/06/15/sports-podcasts-are-looking-to-score-that-golden-goooaalll/
What do you get when two friends, a wiffle ball, and a summer day collide? The answer is Pickleball.
Pickleball is a sport born from a moment of boredom in 1965 that’s now taking the world by storm. In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson dives into the quirky origins of pickleball, exploring how this simple backyard game invented by Joel Pritchard has become America’s fastest-growing sport. From its humble beginnings on Bainbridge Island to celebrity-filled tournaments and public park controversies, Kavitha uncovers the story behind the paddle and how a game meant to pass the time is now passing records.
Whether you're a seasoned pickler or just pickle-curious, this episode will undoubtedly offer some fascinating insights. Get ready to volley with history!
(This episode has originally aired on September 2024)
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Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Content Writers: Emmanuelle Monahan & Kavitha Davidson I Fact Checking and Research: Suhasini Patni I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
IG @immigrantlypods
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.comHosts: Kavitha A. Davison | Producers: Saadia Khan & Shei Yu I Content Writers: Michaela Strauther, Shei Yu & Kavitha A. Davidson I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Strawberries, Sneakers & Scandals: The Traditions That Define Wimbledon (July 2025)
jeudi 25 juin 2026 • Durée 31:13
Why does Wimbledon still require all-white outfits? Why do fans queue overnight just for a chance to buy tickets? And what do strawberries and cream have to do with elite tennis? In this episode of Sportly, host Kavitha Davidson serves up the fascinating traditions that make Wimbledon unlike any other Grand Slam.
From Roger Federer’s orange soles to Serena Williams’ red shorts, this episode dives into the dress code controversies, the history of strawberries, and the passion behind the iconic Wimbledon queue. Kavitha also explores how this storied tournament is slowly evolving on its own terms.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Content Writers: Emmanuelle Monahan & Kavitha Davidson I Fact Checking and Research: Suhasini Patni I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Immigrantly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
IG @immigrantlypods
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Knicks Special: How All of America Was Rooting for New York
jeudi 18 juin 2026 • Durée 36:47
The Knicks won the NBA championship for the first time since 1973, and so Kavitha Davidson threw out our production schedule. In this special episode, she recaps her chaotic week: attending games, doing live broadcast commentary for New York Post Sports, flying to LA on no sleep, and surviving two straight months of playoff emotions.
But beyond the exhaustion and euphoria, she makes a bigger point — this Knicks team is genuinely, uncommonly likable. From the trolling chemistry between Jalen Brunson and Josh Hart, who have a podcast together, to players who aren't afraid to be vulnerable, speak up, and show up for each other on and off the court. Kavitha breaks down why this group of men made not just New York, but the whole country, want to root for them. Recorded the day before the ticker-tape parade, and yes, she's already planning to sleep for a month.
Host: Kavitha A. Davison | Producer: Paroma Chakravarty I Executive Producer: Saadia Khan | Fact Checking and Research: Paroma Chakravarty I Sound Designer & Editor: Paroma Chakravarty I Sportly Theme Music: Simon Hutchinson | Other Music: Epidemic Sound | Cover Art Graphic Designer: Sarah DiMichele
Please share the love and leave us a review on Apple Podcasts & Spotify to help more people find us!
You can reach the host, Kavitha, at kavitha@immigrantlypod.com
Find Sportly on Instagram @sportlypod
Follow us on TikTok @immigrantly
Sportly is an Immigrantly Media Production
For advertising inquiries, you can contact us at info@immigrantlypod.com
Want to go deeper into your own identity? Download Belong on Your Own Terms, the app helping first-gen, second-gen, and third-culture kids reclaim belonging on their own terms.
link below
http://studio.com/saadia
Join us in creating new intellectual engagement for our audience. You can get more
information at http://immigrantlypod.com
Remember to subscribe to our Apple podcast channel for insightful podcasts.
Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices